Info for Journalists and Reviewers
The Last Seal
Welcome to my Press Page
Here you will find details of reviews of my books, links to promo videos and readings, cover art to download and bibliographical data.
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| The Amber Treasure | Tomorrow's Guardian |
About the Author
Hi - I am Richard Denning. I was born in Ilkeston in Derbyshire and I live in Sutton Coldfield in the West Midlands. I am currently working as a General Practitioner with a North Birmingham practice. I am 42 and am married with two children.
I am also a keen player of board games and other games and run UK Games Expo (the UK's largest mixed format Games convention). I am a game designer and currently I am developing a Board Game inspired by the Great Fire on London.
This is a link to a high res version of my picture
email me r.denning@btinternet.com
The Amber Treasure
Available from
Mercia Books (Soon)
ISBN 978-0-9564835-2-2
Hardback 284 pages RRP £18.99
Feedback and reviews
Read Gary Mitchel's Review in Miniature Wargames
What Jill Murphy on the Book Bag says about The Amber Treasure:
'Enjoyable novel set in sixth century Northumbria. Accurate detail and vivid fight scenes together with an engaging central character and his coming-of-age make this an absorbing read for fans of historical fiction...'
Read the full review here:
http://thebookbag.co.uk/reviews/index.php?title=The_Amber_Treasure_by_Richard_Denning
Download it as a PDF
What a Nan Hawthorne says about The Amber Treasure:
'... gripping and satisfying ...'
' ... enhanced with engrossing descriptions, such as the King's hall, the nature of shield wall battle, the stink and fascination of the city of Eoforwic.'
'All in all, The Amber Treasure is a strong and engaging tale told with skill and eloquence, and is satisfying and yet thought-provoking, by an able storyteller.'
Read the full review here:
http://allsheread.blogspot.com/2009/12/ambber-treasure-by-richard-denning.html
Download it as a PDF
"Nan Hawthorne, author of An Involuntary King: A Tale of Anglo Saxon England"
….’Bring on the sequels!’ – Dr Robert Watt, University of Birmingham.
This is a reading from the prologue:
This is a sample on Freado:
Synopsis:
“I will take care of the body of my lord and you can carry the sword, story teller. For all good stories are about a sword.”
6th Century Northumbria: Cerdic, the nephew of the great warrior Cynric, grows up dreaming of glory in battle and writing his name in the sagas.
When war comes for real though, his sister is kidnapped, his family betrayed and his uncle's legendary sword stolen.
It falls to Cerdic to avenge his families’ loss, rescue his sister and return home with the sword.
The Amber Treasure is historical fiction set in Dark Age Britain.
Read more on http://www.theambertreasure.com/
Tomorrow's Guardian
Available from
Mercia Books (Soon)
ISBN 978-0-9564835-1-5
Hardback 302 pages RRP £18.99
Feedback and reviews
What a Robert James says about Tomorrow's Guardian:
'Richard Denning, ... keeps the action fast and furious for the 400 or so pages of the book. Diving in and out of time, and in and out of the Twisted Reality (the other universe), there's never a dull moment as the inevitable confrontation with the evil Redfeld, villain of the piece, comes closer and closer.'
'I recommend it to readers around Tom's age, many of whom I confidently expect to absolutely love it. '
Read the full review here: http://thebookbag.co.uk/reviews/index.php?title=Tomorrow's_Guardian_by_Richard_DenningDownload it as a PDF
I recieved Tomorrows Guardian on Thursday and my youngest James (10) and I are reading it together. It's causing bedtime issues in that he wants to read more than time allows.
Great story. Sue
I can see this as a movie. Can I be in it?
Helen aged 13
This book is amazing
Lily aged 13
Here is a excerpt:
A sample on Freado:
Synopsis
Tom Oakley experiences disturbing episodes of déjà-vu and believes he is going mad. Then, he discovers that he's a “Walker” – someone who can transport himself to other times and places.
Tom dreams about other “Walkers” in moments of mortal danger: Edward Dyson killed in a battle in 1879; Mary Brown who perished in the Great Fire of London; and Charlie Hawker, a sailor who drowned on a U-boat in 1943.
Agreeing to travel back in time and rescue them, Tom has three dangerous adventures, before returning to the present day. But Tom’s troubles have only just begun. He finds that he's drawn the attention of evil individuals who seek to bend history to their will.
Soon, Tom’s family are obliterated from existence and Tom must make a choice between saving them and saving his entire world.
Tomorrow's Guardian is a Young Adult Fantasy Novel.
The Last Seal
Available from
Mercia Books (Soon)
ISBN 978-0-9564835-5-3
Hardback 310 pages RRP £19.99
Feedback and reviews
“At times, I literally couldn’t put the book down and was hooked to finding out what happened next. I was extremely impressed by your ability to keep the reader engaged with the action throughout.”
Stephanie Williams, editor, Rebel Books.
“The historical elements really shine and kept me interested, as did the atmosphere of a burning London and all the darkness and bleakness surrounding the terrifying Dantalion… The tension and suspense in the latter part of the book were terrific… at several points I had butterflies in my stomach.”
Leigh Ferrani, author, Oxford Literary Consultancy
"Take the biblical terrors of a Dan Brown novel, add a little Harry Potter, then set it in the time of the Great London Fire of 1666, and you have a snapshot of Richard Denning's suspenseful and exciting novel, The Last Seal. "
Nan Hawthorne, author or An Involuntary King.
Read the full review here:
http://allsheread.blogspot.com/2010/02/last-seal-by-richard-denning.html
Comments from other readers:
'Fantastically melodramatic and with a haunting gothic feel.'
'Awesome. Literally, truly AWESOME'
' Your style reminds me of Marlon Brando with the thrashing and knocking over candles just to leave a church! You skyrocket the energy in every scene. I felt like ripping my clothes and falling to my knees. Your sentences flow and curl and strike. Well done.'
'Vivid, with great energy and powerful! This is great writing, and one which I thoroughly enjoyed'
'I've never read a fantasy before, but this one gripped me at the beginning. Your description of the demon and the horror and devastation he causes is excellent. The research you've done to bring Great Fire London and the contemporary culture of the schools to the pages is impressive.
'I admire the way you have created such a complex story with so many intriguing ingredients, and handle it all so skilfully. Making a plot plausible and characters real is difficult enough in a present-day setting, but to make a seventeenth century setting feel as authentic and secure as this requires not only good historical knowledge, but also great writing skills, and you have both in surfeit. I found every page totally engaging, and your minute observations of place and mood gave the story depth and richness.'
'Wow! This is amazing! You pulled me in straight away and I had to force myself to stop reading. The characters and your descriptions are very authentic and easily transported me back in time.'
'well written, episodic, intriguing, clever'
'there is an operatic vigour to your imagination, and, your prose wears its burden lightly, so that it always a pleasure to read on'.
'This is a thrilling read. I love the raising of Dantalion, and you have dropped in just the right level of detail (priest's blood and herbs) to make everything convincing. Your writing is superb - precise and evocative,
The Last Seal is a teenage and young adult book. You can read the first three chapters on its own website at: www.TheLastSeal.com The Last Seal is Historical Fantasy: Gunpowder and Sorcery in 1666!
On the fifth day of July in the year of our Lord 1380 the warlock Stephen Blake released the demon Dantalion from the Abyss.
Hours before dawn, the short figure had stolen down Ludgate Hill to a small church that lay beneath the shadow of St Paul’s Cathedral. With his cloak wrapped tightly around him to keep out the early morning chill, he had slipped unnoticed between the gravestones and stopped at the side door of the church. Blake paused now to glance behind, dark eyes probing the shadows that lay along the road and around the indistinct bulk of nearby houses beyond.
Somewhere in the city was the one man who might prevent him doing what he planned. This night had been long in the preparation and he did not want it spoilt by those interfering Praesidium, or their leader Cornelius Silver. He took one last look and then, satisfied he was alone, the door was opened with a judder and a creak as rusty hinges complained about unexpected use. He entered the gloomy interior, shutting the door behind him.
Once inside, he glanced around at the altar, the font and then towards the main doors and contemplated the scene. This was a place of worship: a hallowed sanctuary to the parishioners who came here to find peace, comfort and protection from evil.
“Nam et si ambulavero in medio umbrae mortis, non timebo mala, quoniam tu mecum es,” Blake recited solemnly and then stood in silence pondering the words for a moment. ‘For though I should walk in the midst of the shadow of death, I will fear no evils, for thou art with me.’
Suddenly he laughed, a sneer snaking across his face as he thought about what he now planned to do. The faithful who trusted in this holy place would soon run from the shadow of death and Blake himself would be the one to bring them fear. No - much more than fear, in a few hours he would bring them terror.
Six hours later Blake had prepared everything. Nearby lay the crumpled body of...
Read more of the Prologue and the first 3 chapters on The Last Seal website