Save Columbus!
Allan Melody, Danny Nelson
Paperback
(Independently published, Dec. 11, 2018)
What would you do if history was in danger of being altered and you were the only one who could keep the fabric of time intact? Would you step up and accept the responsibility? What if you had only seconds to decide? This is the dilemma confronted by four seventh graders, Steven, Tim, Kate, and James, in Save Columbus, the first book in the young adult fantasy series The Lucas Quartet Chronicles. With some misgivings, the disparate breakfast club-like protagonists travel back in time to prevent a shipload of pirates from attacking Christopher Columbus on his first voyage to America. Unless they can subdue the pirates and figure out who is behind the attacks on time, they will never see their homes and families again. Save Columbus is told in the style of an old-fashioned cliffhanger serial from the 1930's such as the ones that inspired Steven Spielberg and George Lucas to create the Star Wars and Indiana Jones series. Thus, the narrative is pure storytelling, weaving a tale of epic scope that brims with adventure, magic, suspense, and humor. Each page contains new surprises, whether it be eccentric characters, enchanted devices, stunning plot twists, or white-knuckle cliffhangers. The young heroes must prepare themselves for man-eating sharks, a peculiar professor, trips to the bottom of the ocean, a golden man, talking rats, imposing historical figures, possessed swords, mutinous crewman, and hordes of pirates. But all this is nothing compared to the revelation of what is truly behind the attacks on time. To get to this truth the four characters must face both physical danger and ethical choices that will test their wills to the limit. And most importantly, they must grow from four separate individuals to a true team that trusts each other implicitly: The Lucas Quartet.About the author: Allan Melody is the author of three fantasy novels, Save Columbus, The Ms. Matherson Plot, and Everlore Circle, each of which serves as the opening act for three epic fantasy series rife with imagination and ambition. He is currently hard at work on the second book for each series. The next one to be released will be the title that sells 5000 E-books on Amazon first. Allan’s passions are the arts. He loves plays and books, is steeped in the history of children’s fantasy literature, and is a devoted, fanatical cinephile. Careful readers can find scores of film references in all his work. The roots of fantasy and films of all shapes and sizes serve as the inspiration for his writing along with the scores of children he has taught over the years as a professional tennis instructor and English tutor. From the author: “For me, there is nothing more significant or meaningful than the creation of art, whether it be a painting, song, play, book, or film. Their creation is one of the things that make life worthwhile and I thank every artist who has made my life fuller due to their work. I am honored to have a chance to put my own art into the world in the hope that it will give that same enjoyment and inspiration to someone else. Art is life!” Author Tip: "This novel is young adult fantasy but is written in a reader friendly style and with an eye to the things I love in literature and films, so I feel it will appeal to anyone of any age who shares those same passions. However, all art is subjective, so I strongly urge anyone considering my book to take advantage of the “look inside” feature. The sample pages should give everyone all they need to make an informed decision on whether my writing style, characters, and story is right for them.”“The long term success or failure of an E-book is determined by word of mouth. It comes down to readers and this is how it should be. If you like my writing and stories, please pass the word along so my book may thrive. If you don’t, attack it accordingly or allow it to linger in obscurity. I’m more than willing to sink or swim on that judgment.”