The Genes of Isis
by Justin Newland
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GENRE: Mythological Fiction / Fantasy
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BLURB:
Akasha is a precocious young woman who lives in a world where oceans circulate in the aquamarine sky waters.
Before she was born, the Helios, a tribe of angels from the sun, came to Earth to deliver the Surge, the next step in the evolution of an embryonic human race. Instead, they left humanity on the brink of extinction and spawned a race of monstrous hybrids.
Horque is a Solarii, another tribe of angels, sent to Earth to rescue the genetic mix-up and release the Surge.
When Akasha has a premonition that a great flood is imminent and falls in love with Horque, her life becomes an instrument for apocalyptic change. But will it save the three races - humans, hybrids and Solarii – from the killing waters?
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EXCERPT ONE:
The moonlight flooded through the window but Issa was still awake. Once the street cats grew tired of fighting and the hyenas and foxes stopped scavenging, she roused herself and began her descent. Clutching a glow lamp in one hand and Fryme's package in the other, she crept downstairs and stopped in the middle of a corridor, beside a section of wall that would have appeared unremarkable to anyone else. She knew otherwise.
A few words, an arcane utterance, followed by a shimmer of light and the astral curtain disappeared, revealing the secret door. She stepped through it, into the corridor beyond. She was going to the God Crucible, an occult chamber beneath her house. Its astral protections were such that no one, not even Cheiron, suspected its existence. Her breathing was shallow. This was the first point of no return.
Her glow-lamp threw long shadows down the narrow, sloping tunnel. Divided in two, it had steps on one side and a slanting ramp on the other. In front of her on the ground was a piece of white bandage, accidentally torn off the mummified body of her son, which she'd dragged down the ramp before Cheiron had arrived. How heavy he had been. They didn't call it a dead weight for nothing. She could still smell the musty odour of the dust particles she'd dislodged.
At the bottom of the ramp, the tunnel gave way to a dome-shaped chamber, the God Crucible. Her son’s cadaver lay on a bench, and she ran her hand over the embalming bandages. Beside it was a second, vacant bench. There, she would lie during the ritual she was about to perform.
The Anubis embalmers had washed Horque’s body, encased it in natron salt, and mummified it according to all but one of the traditions of the Jackal-headed God - the exception being that they had not removed any of his organs. On his chest, she laid out a scarab pectoral and into his mouth, she placed a length of straw.
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GUEST POST:
Describe Your Book Cover and How It Came About
Before describing how the cover came about, here’s some background about the title, The Genes of Isis, what it means and where it comes from.
The title reflects the two weaves in the novel: the Biblical story of the Book of Genesis and the Ancient Egyptian myth of Isis and Osiris.
The genes of Isis is another way of saying genesis, which means beginnings or origins. That’s why the Book of Genesis is the first book in the Bible because it tells the story of the Fallen Angels, the genetic mix-up they caused, creating a race of giants and hybrids, and how these monsters were eventually wiped out by the killing waters of the Flood.
It's curious that the Bible suggests that humanity is only 9,000 years old and arrived after the last Deluge. This is perplexing when you consider that anthropologists have dug up human skulls over a million years old. Perhaps there is a way to resolve this dilemma. Is it that the Bible is saying that the current human genetic, meaning Homo Sapiens Sapiens, is only 9,000 years old, and therefore dates from the Flood? That’s what I wanted to explore in the novel.
In the Ancient Egyptian myth, Isis is married to Osiris, who is murdered by Set, his brother Set. Set then dismembers the body and distributes the body parts all over the land of Egypt. Isis gathers the parts back together into a whole and succeeds in bringing her husband back to life. She then bears him a son, the hawk-headed God Horus. This is a story of life and death, power and procreation, resurrection and rebirth, all archetypal themes.
The cover is the artwork of Jim Burns, who brilliantly captures the goddess Isis' commanding authority and subtle mystery. The temple below the goddess is Philae in Egypt, an actual temple dedicated to the goddess. Even that has a monumental feel to it, synonymous with everything Ancient Egypt represented.
Notice the twin strands of DNA genetic material twisting up each side of the temple, with snake-heads to boot. The background colouring and waters show shades of green because in the novel the pre-flood sky is green while the sun itself is emerald green.
The Ancient Egyptian goddess Isis clasps an ankh in one hand and a lily in the other. The ankh is an ancient symbol of healing, although it does have another more sinister use, but you will have to read the novel to find out what that is. The goddess is shown as winged and she wears the mental horns of the Goddess Hathor. In her other hand, she grasps the blue lotus, or lily of the swamp, the symbol of renewal and resurrection.
It’s said that we ought not to judge a book by its cover. It’s also said that a picture is worth a thousand words. So, between the two, I think Jim’s artwork invites the reader into the book by telling the story in pictures and symbols. He captures the mystery of Ancient Egypt, and gives play its profound and enduring fascination.
Enjoy the cover. Enjoy the book.
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AUTHOR BIO:
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Justin Newland is an author of historical fantasy and secret history thrillers - that’s history with a supernatural twist. His stories feature known events and real people from history which are re-told and examined through the lens of the supernatural. He gives author talks and is a regular contributor to BBC Radio Bristol’s Thought for the Day. He lives with his partner in plain sight of the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England.
His Books:
The Genes of Isis is a tale of love, destruction and ephemeral power set under the skies of Ancient Egypt. A re-telling of the Biblical story of the flood, it reveals the mystery of the genes of Isis – or genesis – of mankind. ISBN 9781789014860.
“The
novel is creative, sophisticated, and downright brilliant! I couldn’t ask more
of an Egyptian-esque book!” – Lauren, Books Beyond the Story.
The Old Dragon’s Head is a historical fantasy and supernatural thriller set during the Ming Dynasty and played out in the shadows the Great Wall of China. It explores the secret history of the influences that shaped the beginnings of modern times. ISBN 9781789015829.
‘The
author is an excellent storyteller.” – British Fantasy Society.
Set during the Great Enlightenment, The Coronation reveals the secret history of the Industrial Revolution. ISBN 9781838591885.
“The novel explores the themes of belonging, outsiders… religion and war… filtered through the lens of the other-worldly.” – A. Deane, Page Farer Book Blog.
His latest, The Abdication (July, 2021), is a suspense thriller, a journey of destiny, wisdom and self-discovery. ISBN 9781800463950.
“In Topeth, Tula confronts the truth, her faith in herself, faith in a higher purpose, and ultimately, what it means to abdicate that faith.”
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CONNECT WITH JUSTIN:
Website:
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/justin.newland.author
Goodreads Author Page:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13741278.Justin_Newland
Goodreads Book Page:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40249794-the-genes-of-isis
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AMAZON BOOK BUY LINKS:
Amazon US Kindle eBook:
Amazon US Paperback:
Amazon CA Kindle eBook:
https://www.amazon.ca/Genes-Isis-Justin-Newland-ebook/dp/B07D7FMDZG
Amazon CA Paperback:
https://www.amazon.ca/Genes-Isis-Justin-Newland/dp/1781326088
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GIVEAWAY INFO:
Justin will be awarding a Signed Paperback Copy of the Featured Book (US or International) to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.
**This post contains affiliate links and if clicked and a purchase is made, I may receive a small commission to help support this blog. This does not cost you anything, it just helps pay for all those fabulous community outreach projects and awesome giveaways on here**
This contest is sponsored by a third party. Fabulous and Brunette is a registered host of Goddess Fish Promotions. Prizes are given away by the sponsors and not Fabulous and Brunette. The featured author and Goddess Fish Promotions are solely responsible for the giveaway prize.
Thanks for hosting this stop on the blog tour of The Genes of Isis. Great to call by.
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