Book I: Eclipsed by Shadow – Page 4 – THE LEGEND OF THE GREAT HORSE trilogy

“Eclipsed by Shadow”: New Hardback Edition

– FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE –

Contact: Robert Hall
Tel: 617/301-2901
Email: R_Hall@MicronPress.com

SADDLE-UP FOR A NEW READING ADVENTURE!

October 20, 2008 | Micron Press is pleased to release the new library hardback
edition of Eclipsed by Shadow, the first volume of the new historical
adventure trilogy, The Legend of the Great Horse.

Horseman and author John Royce has crafted a page-turning mix of history and horsemanship. His engaging writing combines action, suspense and humor in a journey that brings to life our ancient partnership with the horse. Readers travel back to a time when primitive man stalked horses as prey, and witness the fascinating development of horsemanship in ancient and medieval cultures.

Eclipsed by Shadow has been named a Heartland Reviews’ 2008 GRREAT Read (Gifted & Reluctant Readers Explore Amazing Titles) and is an Independent Publisher Highlighted Title.

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Further information about this unique and imaginative novel can be found at www.TheGreatHorse.com. For questions or other requests, please contact:

Robert Hall
R_Hall@MicronPress.com
Micron Press | Marketing Director

Saddle Up for a New Reading Adventure!

– FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE –

Contact: Robert Hall
Tel: 617/301-2901
Email: R_Hall@MicronPress.com

OCTOBER 20, 2008 | Eclipsed by Shadow, the first book of the new trilogy The Legend of the Great Horse, arrives this Summer 2008 with a fresh and original look at the colorful role of horses in civilization.

Horseman and author John Royce has crafted a mix of history and horsemanship into a page-turning event. Lively writing combines suspense, mystery and humor into a startlingly realistic adventure through man’s past—on horseback.

Educational, literary, fast-paced and vivid in detail, Eclipsed by Shadow brings to life man’s ancient partnership with the horse. Readers travel through the pages of history to a time when primitive man stalked horses as prey, and witness the fascinating development of horsemanship in ancient and medieval cultures.

Further information about this unique and imaginative novel can be found at www.TheGreatHorse.com. The book is available for review upon request.

For more information or to schedule an interview with the author, please contact:

Robert Hall
R_Hall@MicronPress.com
Micron Press | Marketing Director

Midwest Book Review: Eclipsed by Shadow “Sure to Please”

ECLIPSED BY SHADOW is a new fantasy that is sure to please fantasy fans and horse fanatics alike.—Midwest Book Review

The following is a review of Eclipsed by Shadow by the Midwest Book Review.

Midwest Book Review | Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

The horse is the only animal that has the chance of wrestling the title of Man’s Best friend away from the dog.

Eclipsed by Shadow: The Legend of the Great Horse is the tale of a young equinophile who is swept into time. Armed with only her extensive knowledge of horses, she must find someway to survive the strange circumstances laid out in front of her.

Eclipsed by Shadow is a new fantasy that is sure to please fantasy fans and horse fanatics alike.

» See original review online

Eclipsed by Shadow is the first book of the new fiction trilogy, The Legend of the Great Horse, arriving this Summer with a fresh and original look at the colorful role of horses in civilization. The story follows the time-travel adventure of a modern horsewoman lost in history.

Further information about this unique and imaginative ‘creative non-fiction’ novel can be found at TheGreatHorse.com.

Legend Sends Girl on Time-Travel Journey

– FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (via PRWeb) –

Contact: Robert Hall
Tel: 617/301-2901
Email: R_Hall@MicronPress.com

Mysterious Horse Legend Sends Girl on Time-Travel Journey

Once there was a Great Horse–so the legends say according to one elderly woman. But Meagan cannot believe her horse, Promise, is the one the legend speaks about. Then dishonest horse trainers try to steal Promise, and Meagan’s rescue efforts send her on a most unexpected adventure.

BOSTON, MA September 18, 2008 — Horses have been mankind’s companions since the dawn of civilization. Today many people no longer have relationships with horses, but author John Royce reminds us how closely people and horses have always been linked in Eclipsed by Shadow: The Legend of the Great Horse, Book I of III (ISBN 9780972412131, Micron Press 2008).

When Meagan Robert’s horse, Promise, is born, everyone is interested in the special palomino, especially Ms. Bridgestone, who tells Meagan the legend of the Great Horse throughout history. Ms. Bridgestone believes Promise is the next in line of the Great Horses, but Meagan cannot believe it until crooked horse trainers attempt to steal Promise. Trying to protect her horse, Meagan mounts and is astonished when Promise sprouts wings and turns into “The Great Horse.”

Meagan’s astonishment has only begun. Soon she finds herself traveling back in time to 20,000 B.C. and then forward through history, learning how the horse has been used since the dawn of civilization. She becomes a Roman slave tending chariot racing horses, and visits the Crusades where horses were blindfolded to participate in jousting matches. Throughout her experiences, Meagan uses her 21st century equine insight to survive while helping people understand the true nature of horses.

Eclipsed by Shadow is Book I of III in the “Legend of the Great Horse” trilogy. The legend of the Great Horse is one of an angel who asked to serve mankind when Adam and Eve were cast from Eden. The Lord granted the wish by turning the angel into the Great Horse. Since that time, the Great Horse has returned again and again to serve humanity. This first exciting volume tells the story of the Great Horse through the Middle Ages, while successive volumes will carry the story back up to the twenty-first century.

Author John Royce spent considerable time studying the historical role of horses in cultures throughout the world–from food for prehistoric man to their role in warfare and sport. Royce states that he wrote Eclipsed by Shadow because “the horse is our common legacy” and he wants to remind people no longer familiar with horses of that important relationship. Readers will find themselves caught up in both the instructive history and the fascinating historical episodes Meagan and Promise witness. The novel’s sequels will be eagerly awaited.

About the Author

John Royce is a writer and horseman from Texas who now lives in Boston, Massachusetts. The move to Boston fueled his interest in history, which he combined with his twenty years of training and competitive riding to create his spell binding ode to horsemanship, Eclipsed by Shadow.

Eclipsed by Shadow: The Legend of the Great Horse, Book I of III
(ISBN 9780972412131, Micron Press 2008) can be purchased through local and online bookstores.

For more information, visit www.TheGreatHorse.com.
Publicity contact: Robert Hall (617) 301-2901

New Hardback Edition of “Eclipsed by Shadow”

A lot has been happening with the book! The first news is that a hardback edition of Eclipsed by Shadow will be published in October. This will be a “library bound” edition (without a dust jacket) and has been re-typeset with illustrations added along with a new cover.

Some site enhancements will be in operation soon, including a media kit including press and image downloads, and after the hardback’s release blog postings will be syndicated to the book’s Amazon page.

Also, the trilogy’s e-newsletter will soon commence publication. This monthly email will keep readers in touch with book developments and provide notifications and discounts for future volumes. I invite you to subscribe to the newsletter (and guarantee privacy of your email address).

I’m looking forward to posting more topics soon … thanks for stopping by!

Researching “The Legend of the Great Horse”

The Legend of the Great Horse trilogy takes place across many historical eras, from pre-history to modern times, and research was fundamental to telling the most accurate story I could. I followed a method I found enjoyable and fascinating, and it’s one I believe brought authenticity to the work.

Basically, I gathered writings from each era visited in the book, and spent significant time immersing myself in that culture. The thoughts and emotions of a literate society are reflected in its writing, and I found that by experiencing (reading) a variety of preserved texts a picture of the society could surface. I found a lot of surprises.

For example, one of the historical periods visited in Eclipsed by Shadow is ancient Rome. There’s no shortage of writing from our Roman ancestors, but there is a profusion of literary works of quality during the late Republic and early days of Empire. The first “novel,” Satyricon, was written then, and also the historical works of the great chronicler Tacitus. Reading facts about Rome along with works of Romans themselves reveals their world in a new and authentic way—through the eyes of our ancestors.

I learned how Rome grew as a new idea in the hearts of man: one of shared citizenship and the power of harmony. This early melting pot of foreign peoples was gradually corrupted by ongoing appeal to military virtues and primacy of commerce. Well, that’s a bit foreboding.

Tacitus was a former Consul who lived through nine emperors; he wrote bravely as his world was descending into debased madness that eventually ended in annihilation. Western civilization—the one I live in—literally died once before. If I’d been taught this history, I didn’t fully appreciate it in those terms.

I hope that my research provides the reader with something valuable and different in their knowledge of the world. The experience changed me. History is not always what it seems, and it is certainly not a closed book.

Why You Might Like the Book: “Eclipsed by Shadow”

Eclipsed by Shadow begins a horseback ride from pre-historic times back to modern day. This first volume of the trilogy The Legend of the Great Horse starts a journey through civilization.

If you enjoy horses this will be a fun book because horses are the hero. The main character is a young, enthusiastic rider. The story follows Meagan as she visits different historical cultures and experiences how horses were a part of the day.

If you like learning while you read something fun, this is a book you should enjoy. Whether or not you have interest in horses, consider taking a journey across cultures from prehistoric man to present day. You will become immersed in the development of humankind from a bestial brute to modern man.

If you like historical fiction, this book was written for you! Each of the fourteen time periods traveled are well-researched and detailed. The characters are lively and accurate to period, creating a worthwhile and page-turning journey through history. Please check out the book’s website for more information and reviews.

If you enjoy literary works, you may especially wish to explore this title. The First Chapter gives a sample of the story. Reading time is precious and books must be selected carefully, so please do check out the book’s website for awards, reviews and other information to help you decide!

The Free Lance-Star: “Lots of Horsepower Here!”

Author John Royce promises that ECLIPSED BY SHADOW is the first in a trilogy of books about the Great Horse. Though there is some graphic violence, there’s also a good read within its pages. Young adults will learn about how horses have been used throughout the ages and a good bit of world history. They’ll also find themselves engrossed in Meagan’s adventures. —Laura L. Hutchinson, Free Lance-Star

The following is an editorial review of Eclipsed by Shadow by Laura Hutchinson of the Free Lance-Star:

Free Lance-Star | Laura L. Hutchinson

“Great Horse” takes Rider on Trip Through History

Meagan Roberts names the foal born on the summer solstice, June 21, 2001, “Promise.” The horse is unique in many ways. But when an old woman tells Meagan and her mother that Promise may be the latest in a long line of Great Horses, they doubt the old woman’s sanity.

But Meagan soon finds the woman’s tales to be true, as she is transported back through history. She finds herself in the days of cave men, who slaughtered horses for food. Then she winds up in Rome, where horses are brutally used in chariot races. She finally finds herself riding with Genghis Khan and his raiders, then with the knights of the Crusades.

Author John Royce promises that Eclipsed by Shadow is the first in a trilogy of books about the Great Horse. Though there is some graphic violence, there’s also a good read within its pages. Young adults will learn about how horses have been used throughout the ages and a good bit of world history. They’ll also find themselves engrossed in Meagan’s adventures.

>> See original entry in The Free Lance-Star [PDF]

Further information about this unique and imaginative ‘creative non-fiction’ novel can be found at www.TheGreatHorse.com.

Rebecca’s Reads: “An Adventure Young & Old will Love to Read”

ECLIPSED BY SHADOW is an adventure about the love of horses that young and old will love to read. The history of the horse is only part of the book. Meagan’s interaction with the people of each era is amazing to read. The intertwining of horse history with the fantasy of winged horses makes for a book you can enjoy and learn from at the same time.—Allison King, Rebecca’s Reads

The following is a new review of Eclipsed by Shadow by Allison King for Rebecca’s Reads.

Rebecca’s Reads | Allison King

John Royce brings to life the story of a young, horse-crazed teenager named Meagan and her horse named Promise. Even as the summer solstice brings happiness in the birth of Promise, mystery surrounds her from that day forward. People start coming around Meagan’s house asking questions about Promise and wanting to purchase her. An older lady in particular talks to Meagan and her mom about the history of the Great Horse. She feels that Promise may be that horse, but of the “dark” variety. The only way to know is for the owner to ride the horse. Meagan and her family don’t know whether to believe this woman or not, but one night some men try and steal Promise. Meagan takes it upon herself to save Promise, but the only way to do so is to ride her. You can only imagine the look on her face when Promise sprouts wings and takes Meagan on the ride of her life. This is where the story really begins.

Her adventure takes her from the time of the caveman to Ancient Rome to Genghis Khan to the Crusades. As time and history goes by, she sees how the horse has gone from something eaten for food to being used as weapons in attacks. She realizes that she must use her equestrian knowledge to help her survive these different periods in history. Each time, she waits for Promise to come back to take her home.

Eclipsed by Shadow is an adventure about the love of horses that young and old will love to read. The history of the horse is only part of the book. Meagan’s interaction with the people of each era is amazing to read. The intertwining of horse history with the fantasy of winged horses makes for a book you can enjoy and learn from at the same time. The book will pull you in to the darkness of history and not let you stop reading until you get to the end. I can’t wait for the next book to come out!

ReaderViews features “Eclipsed by Shadow”

This week the site ReadersViews is featuring Eclipsed by Shadow. (!) Their reviewers and writers did a great job, and interested readers can check out the review by Wendy Cleveland and also for a more in-depth talk about the book with Tyler Tichelaar.