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Spotlight with Author Interview: Masks of the Lost Kings by Tom Bane
Masks of the Lost Kings
written by Tom Bane
published by Telemachus Press, LLC
find it here: Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Goodreads
About the book – from Goodreads: Following the sudden disappearance of treasure hunter Ben Sanders in Mexico, beautiful archaeologist Suzy da Silva is snatched from the cloistered environs of Oxford University and thrust into a deadly maelstrom of intrigue and discovery. Joining forces with astrophysicist Tom Brooking she crosses four continents, to unlock the dark secrets of Tutankhamun’s tomb, the Holy Sepulchre and the mysterious Mayan Temple of Inscriptions to reveal a mysterious truth. Together they risk their lives, pursued by martial assassins and renegade special forces, fighting the forces of evil to discover hidden knowledge so precious that it has lain dormant for over a thousand years…
I am pleased to welcome Mr. Tom Bane to Every Free Chance Book Reviews today!! He has answered a few questions about his book for all of you.
Tell us a little about yourself. I am Tom Bane, author of “Masks of the Lost Kings”, I live in England and I love writing, I actually trained to be a scientist, studying Physical Chemistry at University, however I have felt a stronger to creative pursuits as I got older, I first started writing a long time ago and I got some commissions to ghost write novels for other writers. In 2008 I decided I wanted to write my own novel, and so was born the “Masks of the Lost Kings”. I also do oil painting, but I expect it will take me several years to improve, painting is the sort of skill that takes ages to develop.
How did you come up with the initial idea for Masks of the Lost Kings? Honestly, I have been doing the research all my life, I have always been fascinated by ancient tombs and civilisations and from a very young age I had been fascinated by the cosmos and the vast distances involved and the awe inspiring beauty of the night sky with it’s hidden galaxies and the milky way. I have always been a keen fan of martial arts, I do Brazilian jiu jitsu, karate and escrima, so like most writers I put some of my own interests into the book, I just have to hope readers get some enjoyment from the fusion of ideas I have created.
Why did you choose a female lead character? I could not have it any other way to be honest, I had always envisioned a female heroine in Suzy da Silva. In the novel, breaking the code of Tutankhamun’s mask and the mystery of the Mayan civilisation requires a lot of intuitive thinking and so Suzy da Silva is incredibly adept at that. Having a female lead also allowed me to explore some of the vulnerabilities of Suzy which would not be as easy with a male hero, and all the machismo and bravura that comes with that traditional role. In real life characters are multi-faceted and have different contrasts to their complex personalities, I wanted to paint a picture of someone who was real in Suzy da Silva, rather than a Hollywood pastiche of a women explorer. I also think readers these days are much more flexible in their thinking and you can break stereotypes so long as it is convincing.
What inspires you? What are your favorite books? Well, that is a big question, I guess other people inspire me the most, anybody that goes beyond the bounds of normal human experience or reason is what grabs me. In terms of great thinkers I like Einstein and many of the great European physicists like Schrodinger or
In terms of great books and writers, I admire bravery and the talent to take big risks with literature, so I think Ulysees by James Joyce embodies those principles. However I also love the skill of some populist writers like JK Rowling or Tolkien to create an idealistic world and lead the reader into a voyage of discovery, I don’t think you should have to be Voltaire or Sophocles to have one of your books designated as one of the classics. As a child I also loved the great science fiction writers like Isaac Asimov, Philip K Dick and Arthur C Clarke.
What is your favorite line from The Masks of the Lost Kings and why? Well there are a lot of good lines in the book, but I would be bound to say that! I think there are a couple of possible candidates for the best line. The opening sentence I am quite fond of:
“They emerged from the black, dripping jungle night already bruised and drenched from the hot rain of the Tumbala Mountains.”
I think there are some fine action sequences in the novel, and I have had a lot of readers comment that they loved the fast pace and the ending.
Happy reading wherever you are and whenever you get a free chance!!!
