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J. Michael Radcliffe

J. Michael Radcliffe

About

An avid reader of fantasy and science fiction novels all of my life, Michael Radcliffe published his first novel, The Guardian's Apprentice in 2010.  He lives with his family in rural Kentucky, along with their five cats. When not acquiring more ferocious felins for their plan of world domination (cat armies are terribly hard to train), he enjoy spinning stories from the wisps of magic around him.  His writing is supervised by Idris, a small dragon statuette that has a place of honor next to his computer.  Idris frequently advises Michael on all things magical, especially dragons.

Connect with Michael online at http://www.michaelradcliffe.com or http://www.theguardiansapprentice.com 

A King Under Siege

A King Under Siege

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<p><span style="color:rgb(15,17,17);font-family:'Amazon Ember', Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Richard II found himself under siege not once, but twice in his minority. Crowned king at age ten, he was only fourteen when the Peasants' Revolt terrorized London. But he proved himself every bit the Plantagenet successor, facing Wat Tyler and the rebels when all seemed lost. Alas, his triumph was short-lived, and for the next ten years he struggled to assert himself against his uncles and increasingly hostile nobles. Just like in the days of his great-grandfather Edward II, vengeful magnates strove to separate him from his friends and advisors, and even threatened to depose him if he refused to do their bidding. The Lords Appellant, as they came to be known, purged the royal household with the help of the Merciless Parliament. They murdered his closest allies, leaving the King alone and defenseless. He would never forget his humiliation at the hands of his subjects. Richard's inability to protect his adherents would haunt him for the rest of his life, and he vowed that next time, retribution would be his.</span><br /><span class="a-text-bold" style="color:rgb(15,17,17);font-family:'Amazon Ember', Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">B.R.A.G. Medallion honoree!</span></p>

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<span style="color:#333333;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:18px;"><strong style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;font-weight:bold;font-style:inherit;font-size:12px;font-family:inherit;vertical-align:baseline;">Review by: </strong><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/Kirkpatrick" style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;font-weight:inherit;font-style:inherit;font-size:12px;font-family:inherit;vertical-align:baseline;color:#336699;">Joel Kirkpatrick</a> on May. 02, 2011 : <img src="https://www.smashwords.com/static/img/star.png" height="16" width="16" alt="star" style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;font-weight:inherit;font-style:inherit;font-size:12px;font-family:inherit;vertical-align:baseline;border-top-style:none;border-right-style:none;border-bottom-style:none;border-left-style:none;" /> <img src="https://www.smashwords.com/static/img/star.png" height="16" width="16" alt="star" style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;font-weight:inherit;font-style:inherit;font-size:12px;font-family:inherit;vertical-align:baseline;border-top-style:none;border-right-style:none;border-bottom-style:none;border-left-style:none;" /> <img src="https://www.smashwords.com/static/img/star.png" height="16" width="16" alt="star" style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;font-weight:inherit;font-style:inherit;font-size:12px;font-family:inherit;vertical-align:baseline;border-top-style:none;border-right-style:none;border-bottom-style:none;border-left-style:none;" /> <img src="https://www.smashwords.com/static/img/star.png" height="16" width="16" alt="star" style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;font-weight:inherit;font-style:inherit;font-size:12px;font-family:inherit;vertical-align:baseline;border-top-style:none;border-right-style:none;border-bottom-style:none;border-left-style:none;" /> <br />J. Michael Radcliffe's 'The Guardian's Apprentice' is very familiar territory, just as satisfying to me as the subject of magic and the mundane could ever be. This strong story is the opening of a much wider tale, and puts us at the very edge of the veil between the worlds - the veil that keeps magic and power from overwhelming an unknowing humanity. It is the task of the Guardian to protect that division, and now, in Mr. Radcliffe's telling, one of the humble mortals must take up that task. Why he was selected, when powerful wizards and witches crave the position, that is the meat of the whole story.<br /><br />Filled with urgency, darkness, and confusion, 'The Guardian's Apprentice' wants us to believe the one thing most difficult to believe, something that character Keegan Whitestone must believe in spite of himself; magic is very real, and it can be misused. As is proper in such lessons, comes the realization that time itself is running out. It is fun to prod Keegan - a very likeable, if not very cooperative fellow - prod him, and make him hurry. It is so much easier, and more fun, to believe in magic than to resist.</span>