Previous Post When BLACKTHORN: DYNASTY OF MARS was written, the publisher and I agreed that I'd write a short online serial to promote it: same cast in a tie-in story. It had worked with other things I'd done like Robin Hood so I agreed. And after years of doing mostly regular PVB serials it didn't seem to be that hard. Unfortunately I forgot that my PVB stories all turn out considerably longer than I intend. The 10,000 word short story in maybe six parts became the 78,000 word novel in thirty parts. It's still being posted twice weekly now, although after today's episode we're on to the final showdown at last. I mention this for a couple of reasons. Firstly, I'd like folks here to read it. If you enjoy my PVB stories this one won't seem too unfamiliar. In fact it's probably the closest thing I've written in style and format to the PVB for publication so far. Secondly, the publisher has decided he wants to release this as a novel too, so sometime between now and the publication date it'll probably vanish off the website to make way for the paper and kindle versions. Get it now while it's free! You don't need to have read either the THUNDER ON MARS anthology or my DYNASTY OF MARS novel to follow this book. It's designed for newbies. The only major spoiler is that the hero survives till at least before the final chapter of the previous novel. Proceed. *** A young man desperate to save his sister from the raiders who kidnapped her to slavery – an ancient undead released after half a millennium – four sorcerous First Men who will kill half a world to keep their darkest secret – and three champions who will stand for Mars against horror and tyranny – or die trying! Blackthorn - Homepage BLACKTHORN: SPIRES OF MARS Chapter One: A Night in the Deadfields A desperate young man must cross the wasteland where everything dies – but nothing stays dead! Chapter Two: Hunters in a Blighted Land Who are General Blackthorn and his companions? What compels Tybald tan Throg on his dangerous adventure? And what lies in the depths of the Deadfields? Chapter Three: Guardians of the Shadow-Door Eight people dead in under a minute and a ninth one vanished into a long-sealed cellar! Call John Blackthorn! Chapter Four: The Tomb of Incantrus Veil A lethal undead knotted from the souls of twelve murdered wizards lies in wait for Blackthorn and his team. Chapter Five: Pit of the Damned Our sundered heroes struggle against overwhelming odds and Princess Aria discusses philosophy with the damned. Chapter Six: Gold Coins for the Virgin Blackthorn trails Ysilde nim Loret across Deadfields and desert to a wicked slaver city - and goes for a drink! Chapter Seven: The House of Abu Mansoor Princess Aria in the slaver's den! Oglok the Mock Man versus two golem-robots of war! John Blackthorn discovers a little prank from the Lord of Fatal Laughter! And Ysilde nim Loret's fate revealed! Chapter Eight: The Echo of the Bards Eight hundred years ago the Bards of Isidia were destroyed for their resistance against the First Men; but is that defiance gone, or will it take new life when our heroes visit the ruined Bard-Hall and fight for their lives? Chapter Nine: The Cloisters of Silence The Sisterhood of Silence prepare kindapped Ysilde nim Loret for the Sorcerer of Night's purposes. She has one hope left - but it's not Blackthorn, Aria,. Oglok or her brother! Chapter Ten: Domain of Night Blackthorn must enter the Hammer Horror-style land of the Sorcerer of Night, where the superstitious peasants hide after dark and it is a capital offence not to pay the Blood Tax! Chapter Eleven: Devotions of Death The plan hits a Serious Complication, Oglok tries to pilot a gargoyle, and there are worse things than three Brides of Night. Chapter Twelve: The War of Night and Day Aria and Tybald are outnumbered and outgunned! Ysilde is alone in the clutches of the Sorcerer if Night! Blackthorn facest his darkest moment - and dies! Chapter Thirteen: Pirates of the Amazonis Searching for a marauder stronghold on a storm-tossed sea, Blackthorn faces treachery from the ship's crew that transport him - and from one of his own! Chapter Fourteen: Lure of the Siren Blackthorn in the pirate stronghold of Tortugos! But he's not the scariest thing to visit the floating city... Chapter Fifteen: Tide of the Ghost Fleet The Sorcerer of Night's undead navy comes to Tortugos and eight thousand souls must die. Chapter Sixteen: Tortugos' Last Stand Blackthorn gives proper notice under the Articles of War and the Ghost Fleet invades anyway. Chapter Seventeen: Depths of the Kraken The Sorcerer of Night cheats and goes for overkill, and our heroes have to cheat back. Chapter Eighteen: Hunting Olssun Our regular cast take an episode off whilst we catch up with other characters' investigations half a world away. Chapter Nineteen: Welcome to Phoenix Landing Bad men wish that they'd never ambushed General Blackthorn and Colonel Morningstar makes his preparations for a much better trap. Chapter Twenty: The Trojan Goat Blackthorn goes after not one but two major crimelords - with nothing but a particularly strong cheese to help him! Chapter Twenty-One: The Last Testimony of Lars Ollsen The man behind Ysilde's kidnapping finally confesses everything, and then everyone wishes that he hadn't. Chapter Twenty-Two: Truth and Consequences Blackthorn faces Morningstar's death trap and Ysilde faces Morningstar. Chapter Twenty-Three: The Hall of Tatters Princess Aria visits her birthright, Blackthorn sees Mars, and the First Mens' greatest secret is revealed... Chapter Twenty-Four: Disrupted Harmony The villains of the piece gather and to declaim how they intend to win the day; but only one can be victorious! Place your bets!

Great to be reading some of your non-pvb work at last!

Makes for good airline lounge reading. Will email you some feedback in due course.

all the best.

Al B.