Review
Praise for The Bulls of War:"This is a fantastic book. In the story, the author explores such powerful themes as love, war, justice, revenge, honor, trust, family, and loyalty and he does so with the utmost skill. One of the marks of great writing is to show and not tell, and the author does just that. He clearly conveys the fear, the anger, the pride, and the patriotism of the characters during the battle scenes, and in the heartfelt, emotional scenes between loved ones." OnlineBookClub.org, 4/4 Stars
"Vast in its conception, saga-like in its imagining, the dramatic realization of the battle will pull readers into its dense, murderous clutches. The description of this book as genre fiction should be drowned out by the exquisite research and lyrical writing: battle becomes ballet, blood becomes a song, honor becomes its music. What Thomas has achieved in this book is both wonderfully surprising and incredibly enjoyable for anyone who wants to read good fiction whether they are a fan of this subject matter or not." Self-Publishing Review, 4½ Stars
"A red-blooded epic, The Bulls Of War delivers a rousing, large-scale adventure that marks the best of its genre. To read it is to turn the last page and feel as though you have returned battle weary from another time. An ambitious debut that's big on grandiose emotions like patriotism, treachery and love, Thomas ably manages to avoid the prescriptive travelogue style of far too many shield and sword epics through refreshingly uncompromising prose and a meticulous eye for detail. Mixing historical and melodramatic fantasy elements it's not a cursory read but it doesn't feel overly drawn out, with action and intrigue finding an equitable balance. A great read in any genre must go beyond its lead protagonists and this where Thomas really comes into his own. Tyghus and Kyrus come from hardened stock, but a host of powerful auxiliary characters creates a rich tapestry of players that are hard to forget and a measure of intrigue that proves wholly enthralling. A deeply layered and exhilarating read that ensnares the imagination, The Bulls Of War proves a remarkable debut and is recommended without reservation." - BookViral
"4/5 stars: The characters are ones that you want to know more about... and there is plenty going on throughout the plot to keep readers interested. With a whole bunch of action, a decent amount of romance, and plenty of other things as well, it's a book I would recommend... Overall, really good." - Readers' Favorite
Amazon Reader Accolades for The Bulls of War:"This epic novel is the stuff of dreams of past times and Thomas delivers it in a realistic, raw, grand manner."
"At times we get lost in the names and places - but try watching Game of Thrones: Thomas' tale makes more sense, is easier to follow, and has more inherent depth."
"The characters were deep and well written."
"He has created an entire world on the scale of George R.R. Martin's Game of Thrones."
"I can't wait to read the next installment of this gripping saga."
"Thomas has created a truly magnificent world."
From the Author
I'm E.M. Thomas, a die-hard amateur historian; I'm also E.M.Thomas, a die-hard historical fiction and epic fantasy fan. I'm happy to say that those twin passions (personalities?) have coalesced quite nicely in the form of The Bulls of War.
The Bulls of War's world of Andervold, for instance, is inspired by the Late Roman Empire and the extensive internal and external complexities in play at the time. It's fantasy, of course, but any student of Ancient Rome will immediately feel familiar with their surroundings once they've begun the journey into Andervold - the emperors, the politicians, the generals, the combat, the plots, the romance - it's all there. And just as it was in its real-life inspiration, there are a million tales and then some to tell in Andervold, and tell them I shall...
...The Bulls of War is tale one. I've got a bunch to go, don't I?
I'd love to hear from you about this novel, your thoughts in general, or whether your non-fiction interests likewise inform your fiction interests the way they do mine. Happy reading in any event!
Yours,
EMT
From the Inside Flap
It's all on the line.The politician. The emperor. The general. The queen.All of them know they're in a world on edge where old hatreds die hard. All of them know something has to give. And all of them know that when it does - it's a zero-sum game.
From the Back Cover
"They say all the land is tinder; it braces for a spark."
An aging empire in the ancient land of Andervold stands at the precipice of war with its hated rival, their fragile truce teetering on the edge of a sword. Tens of thousands of troops stand at the ready, only an order away from battles on a scale unseen in centuries. Some factions within and without the Imperial capital of Dray'gon Rokh fight to keep the peace with Valogar, while others shirk no scheme, murder, or terror in their quest to trigger war - a war some fear could rend their divided empire apart.
Generals Tyghus and Kyrus, friends united by a shared tragedy, soon find themselves caught in the midst of this dangerous game of brinksmanship. Against a backdrop of deceit, suspicion, and betrayal, their friendship is put to the ultimate test as they struggle to save their country and those they love - all the while battling their own tortured pasts.
Spanning vistas from majestic mountains, pristine lakes, and barren plains in the north to sweltering deserts, raging seas, and rain-soaked shrublands in the south, The Bulls of War is the first book of E.M. Thomas's epic Chronicles of the Andervold Thrones, a sweeping tale of love and war, of honor and vengeance.
About the Author
E.M. Thomas is the author of two novels - an epic fantasy (The Bulls of War) and a historical fiction set in Ancient Greece (Fortress of the Sun).
E.M. Thomas was born and raised on the East Coast of the United States but is a world traveler at heart. He caught the writing bug early on and has a passion for all good fiction, but especially that of the fantasy and historical variety. One of his favorite moments as a writer thus far was drafting a chapter of his latest book about the great battle of Corinth - while sitting amidst the ruins of Ancient Corinth.
For more information on E.M. Thomas, visit his Amazon author page.
