J.D. was born in Belfast at the start of the Troubles, and began writing stories at a young age to help understand the madness unfolding around him. A lover of reading, he devoured a diverse range of books – his early influences include Fleming, Tolkien, Shakespeare and the Brontës.
He left Belfast at the age of nineteen and worked as a chef, bartender, waiter and later began a career in writing for the software industry. These days he divides his time between Brighton and London, where he lives with his partner and their two dogs.
Visit sleeperbook.com or you can follow @jd_fennell or @DomePress on Twitter or on facebook.com/JDFennellAuthor/
Buy Sleeper
About the book
Sixteen-year-old Will Starling is pulled from the sea with no memory of his past. In his blazer is a strange notebook with a bullet lodged inside: a bullet meant for him. As London prepares for the Blitz, Will soon finds himself pursued by vicious agents and a ruthless killer known as the Pastor. All of them want Will's notebook and will do anything to get it. As Will's memory starts to return, he realises he is no ordinary sixteen-year old. He has skills that make him a match for any assassin. But there is something else. At his core is a deep-rooted rage that he cannot explain. Where is his family and why has no one reported him missing?Fighting for survival with the help of Mi5 agent-in-training, Anna Wilder, Will follows leads across London in a race against time to find the Stones of Fire before the next air raid makes a direct hit and destroys London forever.
Before we get down to business (i.e. talking about your book) I would like to ask a set of questions I call 'Breaking the Ice.' (readers love to get to know all about their favourite and new authors)
The last book you read? (Inquisitive bookworms would like to know)
I love reading and always have a book to hand. Here are my recent three: Pillars of the Earth, by Ken Follet; I Let You Go, by Claire Mackintosh and right now I am reading Spellslinger, by Sebastian De Castell. Three wonderful books, all quite different.
Books or authors which have inspired you to put pen to paper?
John Irving is amazing. Stephen King. Sarah Waters. Ken Follett. Authors that make me want to be a better writer are Thomas Harris, Ian McGuire and Hanya Yanagihara.
The last movie you watched, which you felt left a mark (in your heart, soul, wallet...you name it) I really enjoyed Allied with Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard. It is set during the same time as Sleeper and gave it a resonance for me. It is also gripping with a great twist.
Are you more of a movie night or series-binger kind of guy? (Combinations are possible)
Definitely a series-binger, because there is a greater scope to tell a story and develop characters. Game of Thrones is a good example here.
Which famous person (dead, alive, barely kicking) would you most like to meet?
I’d like to meet Thomas Harris for lunch or dinner and learn as much as I could from him.
All of the above questions are actually a pretty elaborate pysch evaluation disguised as random questions. Have no fear here come the real ones. Let’s talk about Sleeper!
Sleeper is a YA adventure set in the Second World War with flair of fantasy and an essence of a dystopian setting.
What made you pick the WW2 time period for your setting?
I’m fascinated by London during the Blitz, a city collapsing under the nightly air attacks. Also, I really wanted to set an action/adventure with fantastical elements during a familiar time in our history. Second World War London just seemed the perfect setting for a thriller. I had to write it.
During the story I think readers may often find the borders between good and bad guy skewed when it comes to VIPER and The Fellowship. Do you agree with that assessment, and if so was this intentional on your part?
Yes and No. Yes, the Fellowship are good, however, they turn a blind eye to the Pastor’s methods because they understand what is at stake for the world. VIPER will do whatever it takes to achieve their goals. They may employ regular people, who do not share their ambitions, or are unaware of who they are working for, to help achieve their goals.
Will has been defined, trained and lived as a member of VIPER for many years. Isn't there some part of him which is subconsciously loyal to VIPER?
I’m afraid you will have to wait until the next instalment to find that out. *smiles*
So, you have this incredible weapon with as yet not completely explored powers, doesn't even a teeny weeny piece of Will think about taking control of the weapon himself?
Ha! That would be telling. For now I will refer you to the previous answer.
Sleeper. Liberator. Executioner. Does Will secretly enjoy being each one of these identities?
Will is driven by revenge. I would say he does not enjoy being that type of person, however, it does change him and give him purpose.
Will we be seeing more of Will in the near future, and will his sidekick be returning?
Will and Anna shall return next year with velocity.
Thank you for answering all of my questions, even the odd ones!
Thank you Cheryl. I really enjoyed answering them.
Fennell has chosen an interesting setting for his dystopian young adult series. It takes place in the early 1940s during WW2. So you not only get the general gist and flavour of life during the Blitz, you also feel the intensity of the devastation the war leaves in its wake.
I have to say that although this is pegged as young adult it is also a book I would buy for a younger reader. Readers will be able to identify with the characters, the historical context and also the why of what makes Will tick.
What makes him push forward is the strong desire to fulfil his mission, which is even the case when he suffers from a bout of amnesia. He somehow always manages to find the right way even when the deck is stacked against him.
Will is nothing if not determined, despite all the obstacles and extremely dangerous situations he stumbles in and out of. He has been a part of VIPER since his pre-teens and is well versed in the megalomaniacal manipulations of this organisation. They will do anything to control the world and more importantly to get their hands on the powerful Stones.
What can I say it's a story with a lot of potential. The author ends the book with the kind of hook that will keep the readers trailing along behind that fishing rod with the wriggly wee plot enticing them to follow along right behind him.
Fennell has created a fast-paced adventure with plenty of scope for future books. Sleeper is a captivating combination of history infused with futuristic and dystopian elements, and let's not forgot the mystery surrounding Will. Ancient artefacts and puzzles worthy of a young Indiana Jones adventure will keep readers both young and old wanting the next instalment of this series sooner rather than later.
Buy Sleeper at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.
To buy Sleeper (hardback)
To buy Sleeper (paperback)
Goldsboro Books are also selling limited edition hardback signed and numbered editions
Publisher website: www.thedomepress.com
Publisher Twitter: https://twitter.com/DomePress
Publisher Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedomepress/
Read my review of Sleeper: The Red Storm (Sleeper #2)
No comments:
Post a Comment