An intriguing, fast paced science fiction/fantasy/thriller, with twists and turns.
One autumn day, six people with troubled pasts, meet at the Chanctonbury Ring, a circle of beech trees on top of an Iron Age hill fort on the northern edge of the South Downs.The Devil whom it is believed lurks within the hill, rather than offer them a bowl of soup, takes it upon himself to grant them their dearest wishes.Sadly, there are consequences for such kindness!
Sarah – after being held hostage in Afghanistan, is traumatised and finding it difficult to cope with daily life.
Evie – has for sixty years carried around with her the ashes of her lover.
Tom - a widower has had to live with his guilty conscience for far too long.
Michael - an ex soldier, on the run, has not been well and is sure that his mind is playing the cruelest of tricks on him.
Amy - a shell of what she was, has finally summoned up the courage to stand up to her manipulative boyfriend, Ted.
Nabeel - after fleeing from Afghanistan meets Sarah again and believes she owes him her life.
Excerpt
‘Sleep didn't come to Michael, his mind raced and ran over the events of the past three months. He needed to remember every detail, every tiny thing that had happened. There had to be some clue, some small detail he had overlooked that would make all the difference, prove his innocence and free him from his fragile existence.’
Professional Reviews
Chanctonbury
Review by Debra Hancock
The author does a wonderful job at incorporating the legends that encircle Chanctonbury, and the tales that are spun on its mound top. Chanctonbury Ring is a hill on the Sussex Downs some 700 feet above sea level. There are many stories and legends concerning ghosts and the devil. Legend has it that the devil had a hand in the formation of Chanctonbury Ring. Each of the characters in this story came to Chanctonbury to find a sense of peace. Each for their own reasons, each with their own forlorning lives and experiences that they had been through or were going through. As the author leads us down the path of each of these survivors, we learn about their past and all that they have endured. Each one different, and yet each one is caught on top of Chanctonbury as held within the web. The storm comes and they are all thrown together as one enduring circle in a ring of acquaintance. We feel their woes, their heartaches, and the unforgiving circumstances that have bound them together, and how they persevere as the hurricane, sweeps across Southern England in front of their very paths, all of them stranded together in this devilish demise on the mount of Chanctonbury.
Some of my favorite quotes from this book comes from these pages:
Page 98: “Swiftly, the night as black as a raven’s back, dissolved the day and swept over the sea, sucking up the light and left in its wake a thick white mist around the Chanctonbury Ring. The sea spirits, beneath their shroud, whispered softly in the heads of the survivors and asked them to step away from the fire that burned so brightly and to come and find them. A full moon was due to appear and the night promised to be a memorable one. Within the fiery core beneath the Chanctonbury Ring a black heart beat increasingly faster, eagerly waiting for midnight to strike and for more of the entertainment to begin.”
Page 118: “Each was lost in their own thoughts, their fraught minds asking themselves questions over and over; desperately trying to find answers. Looking at the now blood red sky and watching the clouds fleeting past, some thought that there might be a heaven… Others however, concluded that they had been riding their own decaying merry-go-round for far too long and were unable to jump off; the horses that they rode on were black and gnarled with age. If only the merry-go-round would stop and they could take stock of their lives and understand them or at the very least find peace. Their plight forced them to ask what reality was and what was their purpose on this most physical of planets. The sharp rocks at their feet, told them that humans bleed and the soft earth that promised them a future and to cushion them from harm, had lied and was barren. Feeling crestfallen and weary,… They wondered what it was they all sought, was it to find happiness or just to laugh again? Would their rescue bring this and would they be happy forever more? The merry-go-round had become a rollercoaster ride and the desire to leap into the green grass called freedom was overwhelming but the grass was out of reach and the black horses drove the merry-go-round forward and much faster making their heads spin.”
She focuses on the human element, how humans deal and grapple with the difficulty – demands – and obstacles of life." What turned this into a fantasy for me was the animals had feelings and expressed them equally as the humans did. Congratulations to the author, Natasha Murray for creating this fantastic story that helped us escape into her characters' world. I was given a copy of this for my honest review. I really enjoyed it and, I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys the genre.
Chanctonbury
Review by Alastair Henry
“Chanctonbury” is a big story with many exciting twists and turns about the parallel lives of 5 main characters, whose paths innocuously cross one day on a hill, in unexpected circumstances. Thrown together by dark forces, they question the purpose of their lives, and are taken back in time to face a myriad of challenges, which ultimately reshape their lives.
Natasha’s attention to detail will have you believing that her characters were real: so much so in fact that you will be left with a sense that you actually knew these people.
“Chanctonbury” is a gripping and absorbing read. You will find yourself going to sleep later than planned because it’s one of those books that is difficult to put book down.
Highly recommended.
Chanctonbury
Review by Thomas Hay
Fans of the Television show "Under the Dome" will like this story. The author certainly has a vivid and fertile imagination. The main characters are caught up in events of many twists and turns that will keep you guessing. They get to travel back in time with the hope to change their destinies. The author's descriptions of places and events are exceptional. For example: "Traces of past lives in the wooden paneling were trying to claw their way out, desperate for recognition".
If you enjoy mystery, sci-fi, intrique, and romance, you will want to read this interesting story. The ending 'threw me for a loop', but I won't say how, as it would be a spoiler. I rate the book four out of five stars
The second book of the trilogy, The Chronicles of Henry Roach-Dairier, this volume will be enjoyed by astute 10 or 11 year olds as well as adults. A reader does not have to read To Build a Tunnel First to understand this volume.
Retail Price; $15
