#BlogTour The Ruined Land by Clare Rhoden

Today it's my turn on this three book BlogTour for The Chronicles of the Pale series. Today it's the third book The Ruined Land by Clare Rhoden.

Enter the Giveaway below to Win Signed Copies of all three Chronicles of the Pale books & wolf-dog toy made by Borchetta Plush Toys of Australia (Open INT)

About the Author
Clare Rhoden is a writer, speaker and reviewer inspired by politics, culture and the march of history. Her thought-provoking stories and popular characters inspire hope and optimism through challenging times, with novels ranging from wartime history to the dystopian world of the Pale.

Follow @ClareER on Twitter, on Facebook, on Instagram,Visit clarerhoden.com, Buy The Ruined Land

About the book
Exiled from the Pale, humachine Hector has found a home with the tribes Outside. Or has he?

While the canini struggle to care for the human twins, Feather travels Broad Plain to reunite them with their father. But his own family is scattered as the Pale sends out its terrifying army and the land itself buckles beneath them.

Can anyone survive the ruination of the land?
In this gripping conclusion to the Chronicles of the Pale, the citizens of the mighty Pale have as much to lose as the communities of the Outside.

Review

This is the third book in The Chronicles of the Pale series. I would suggest reading all of the books to get the full gist of the plot and the characters.

In The Ruined Land everyone faces the same dilemma. The one aspect of their existence they can't control or manipulate - the environment. It is stronger than the battles between the groups, and it is much more unpredictable.

For a moment it appears as if the tribes, the groups, have finally understood that survival means collaboration and seeking common ground, however pride and possession gets in the way. It seems as if the most human element of all of the groups is what leads them closer to extinction and destruction. Food for thought.

The foundling twins play a big role in this part of the story. They way they are accepted into the inner fold by some and yet completely rejected by others for being different. Diversity is a non-factor in this game of survival. There is no trust and plenty of paranoia. This lack of compassion threatens to tear the group apart.

This is an ambitious post-apocalyptic series with elements of sci-fi and speculative fiction. Rhoden brings plenty of 21st century fears to the table and combines them with a futuristic plot. In a strange way it makes the story more relatable, because the traits, actions and fears are things we recognise at a base level.

Buy The Ruined Land at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Odyssey Books; pub date 31 Aug. 2019. Buy at Amazon com. Buy at Amazon Au.

Read my review of Stars in the Night by Clare Rhoden
Read my reviews of The Pale (The Chronicles of the Pale #1) and Broad Plain Darkening (The Chronicles of the Pale #2)

Giveaway to Win Signed Copies of all three Chronicles of the Pale books & wolf-dog toy made by Borchetta Plush Toys of Australia (Open INT)

a Rafflecopter giveaway
*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

#BlogTour The Stars in the Night by Clare Rhoden

Today it's the BlogTour The Stars in the Night by Clare Rhoden. It's historical fiction with intense war scenes, and it's also the story about the strong bond of brotherhood

Enter the Giveaway below to Win a Signed copy of The Stars in the Night, a metal poppy brooch and a cross-stitch poppy card (Open Internationally). 

About the Author
Clare Rhoden writes historical fiction, sci-fi and fantasy (check her titles at Odyssey Books http://odysseybooks.com.au/). Clare lives in Melbourne Australia with her husband Bill, their super-intelligent poodle-cross Aeryn, a huge and charming parliament of visiting magpies, and a very demanding/addictive garden space.

Clare completed her PhD in Australian WWI literature at the University of Melbourne in 2011, and a Masters of Creative Writing in 2008, in which she investigated the history of her grandparents who emigrated for Europe to Port Adelaide in January 1914. The Stars in the Night is the result of her research.

Follow @ClareER on Twitter, on Facebook, on Instagram,
Visit clarerhoden.com
Buy The Stars in the Night

About the book
“Harry Fletcher is a confident young man, sure that he will marry Nora, no matter what their families say. He will always protect Eddie, the boy his father saved from the gutters of Port Adelaide.
Only the War to End All Wars might get in the way of Harry’s plans…

From the beaches of Semaphore to the shores of Gallipoli, the mud of Flanders to the red dust of inland South Australia, this is a story of love, brotherhood, and resilience.”

Review
I'll admit I wasn't expecting this read to be as introspective and deep as it was. The author combines the tragedy and horror of war with the more trivial moments of these fictional characters. Eddie becomes a symbol of the type of haunting trauma the men and women emerged with after dealing with the atrocities caused by men playing strategy, as those in charge sat safely in their offices and homes.

Even at the end nothing is more prevalent in Harry's thoughts than the fate of his brother Eddie. Even decades after he last saw him, he is filled with fear and heartache at the thought Eddie might have called out for him. That he might have taken days to die by himself, feeling abandoned like he was by his abusive mother. Harry feels as if he let Eddie down, and there is nothing anyone can do or say to alleviate the guilt.

Although the fate of Eddie and how Harry suffers isn't a singular experience, the fact the focus is on the two of them makes it more tangible for the reader. We know the facts and figures of the Great War. The Lost Generation and the repercussions of the war. Aside from the ones who were recorded as dead, there are still tens of thousands who remain MIA. No narrative for the loved ones, no exact place to pay respects and no certainty of death. I would personally find that much more difficult to cope with than a definitive answer or an eyewitness account. There will always be a part of those left behind that expect their husbands, father and sons to just turn up again. It's the not knowing that destroys the soul.

I really enjoyed the fact Rhoden didn't tell the story from the perspective of a romantic relationship. Instead it's a story of love between two men who are brothers in every sense of the word except by birth. Brotherhood, camaraderie and an unbreakable bond of trust between the two of them.

It's historical fiction with intense war scenes, and it's also the story about the strong bond of brotherhood. I was impressed with the way the author described the combat scenes and the way the characters talked about war. It's not easy to capture the desperation, the feeling of helplessness and the reality of being used as bullet fodder. Simultaneously she captures the courage, the fear and the confusion of the situation. It's a sad read, but also one that speaks of moving forward in spite of the sorrow and the loss.

Buy The Stars in the Night at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Odyssey Books; pub date 26 Jan. 2019. Buy at Amazon com. Buy at Barnes and Noble. At Odyssey.

Enter the Giveaway to Win a Signed copy of The Stars in the Night, a metal poppy brooch and a cross-stitch poppy card (Open Internationally).

a Rafflecopter giveaway
*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box above. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.*