Just in time for Thanksgiving holiday weekend, Jason Pratt has made the first nine chapters (plus introductory material) of his epic fantasy novel CRY OF JUSTICE available, as a free download through PRWeb. Readers have full permission from Bittersea Publications, to share the novella freely as a pdf, or even in print, so long as no alterations are made to the text and nothing is charged for providing it.
"When I was writing the book," Jason explains, "I designed the first section of chapters as an introductory novella, precisely so that I could send them out as a self-contained unit someday as a free promotional work. And now that day has come!"
CRY OF JUSTICE follows the complex struggles of an ambitious young woman leading a ragged, outnumbered brigade in a world suffering the aftershocks of a vicious international war. With help from her colorful subcommanders, she plots and battles against increasingly ruthless adversaries, while finding herself irreconcilably drawn to a charismatic, kind and hopeful stranger.
The story features immense thematic depth, heartbreaking romance, and stunning action sequences, delivered in an evocative rhythmic prose reminiscent of great Christian authors of the Elizabethan era, such as Spencer's FAERIE QUEENE or the plays of Shakespeare--but with nods to modern fantasy ranging from anime, to Flash Gordon, Dungeons and Dragons, Star Trek and even Disney's THE EMPEROR'S NEW GROOVE.
"The first chapters are probably the most difficult, though," Jason admits. "Not only do core characters have to be set up, along with this whole other world and some idea of recent events; but in order to meet plot requirements waaaaaaay on down the line at the end of the whole story, I found I had to design an unusual narrative presentation, with an overall fictional author and two (eventually three) subauthors within the story itself.
"It becomes more traditional in narrative form, mostly, by the end of the first section. But those first fifteen or twenty pages can be challenging. Fortunately," he grins, "they also move along pretty quickly."
Some reviewers have had similar concerns, not unreasonably. Don D'Ammassa of the literary review site Critical Mass had nothing but good things to say about the story--except that it never got its hooks into him. "It's very difficult to get into the story," he explained, "because the book opens with a sequence of odd scenes, some of them mixtures or rhetorical questions and evocative but unclear phrases."
Tonia Montgomery, reviewing for the literary journal Curled Up With A Good Book, encouraged readers instead to take the challenge this story presents. "Imagine reading the diary of a being from a different world, a different time. Listen to a story unfold as one would hear around a campfire, told without adhering to old-fashioned views of chronological order. In CRY OF JUSTICE, readers meet several characters who stretch the concept of storytelling. Leave your preconceived notions of plot and climax behind. Open your mind to a story so real you face culture shock when you lay it down. The raw emotions on these pages, the internal honesty, can be overwhelming and a bit humbling. This is a book with layers of depth, allowing the reader to enjoy the superficial action, but inviting deeper introspection into why the characters do what they do. Dive into the hearts and minds of its people. Savor each page."
The novella (untitled in itself) runs just over 45 pages. "It gives a good feel for different parts of the book," Jason says. "Aside from the introspective portions related to each fictional author, and the introduction of the three core characters--including the first touches of a classic, angsty romantic triangle!--I included three action sequences ramping up from an unsettling deer hunt, to the rescue of a shepherdess from a band of brigands, to a brisk tactical duel between brigades full of surprises for both sides."
Jason Pratt is an orthodox Christian universalist and lay theologian, who often contributes to the popular apologetics journal of the Christian Cadre, with a reading audience in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas. CRY OF JUSTICE, his first published book, has been in release for two months this week; and is the first of an initial trilogy. Jason recently donated 500 full production hardback dust-jacketed copies of CRY OF JUSTICE to the World Fantasy 2007 convention in Saratoga, NY; and will be sending another 210 promotional copies to the annual film festival of the influential media news/review site Ain't It Cool News this December. He graduated from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in 1994.
CRY OF JUSTICE is available through many online retailers, including Amazon, B&N, Walmart and Target. Currently, Bittersea Publications' distributor, AtlasBooks is offering a special 20% reduction on CRY OF JUSTICE throughout the Christmas buying season. The units are full production, first printing, high quality hardbacks (though unautographed), complete with dust-jackets; and each unit ships directly from the fulfillment warehouse. A full copy of the eBook can also be purchased from various internet retailers, including the Atlas site.
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