Phillip Overton

Phillip Overton

About

Phillip Overton is the author of three novels, Last Wish of Summer, A Walk Before Sunrise and The Long Way Home. A writer with the ability to create extraordinary tales from the ashes of ordinary circumstance, his works have been compared to Nicholas Sparks and William P Young, author of the NY Times bestseller The Shack. With a background in poetry spanning more than two decades, he has also released four collections of poetry, with more work planned for the future.

The Sons of Godwine: Part Two of The Last Great Saxon Earls

The Sons of Godwine: Part Two of The Last Great Saxon Earls

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Description

<p>Emerging from the long shadow cast by his formidable father, Harold Godwineson showed himself to be a worthy successor to the Earldom of Wessex. In the following twelve years, he became the King's most trusted advisor, practically taking the reins of government into his own hands. And on Edward the Confessor's death, Harold Godwineson mounted the throne—the first king of England not of royal blood. Yet Harold was only a man, and his rise in fortune was not blameless. Like any person aspiring to power, he made choices he wasn't particularly proud of. Unfortunately, those closest to him sometimes paid the price of his fame.<br /><br />This is a story of Godwine's family as told from the viewpoint of Harold and his younger brothers. Queen Editha, known for her Vita Ædwardi Regis, originally commissioned a work to memorialize the deeds of her family, but after the Conquest historians tell us she abandoned this project and concentrated on her husband, the less dangerous subject. In THE SONS OF GODWINE and FATAL RIVALRY, I am telling the story as it might have survived had she collected and passed on the memoirs of her tragic brothers.<br /><br />This book is part two of The Last Great Saxon Earls series. Book one, GODWINE KINGMAKER, depicted the rise and fall of the first Earl of Wessex who came to power under Canute and rose to preeminence at the beginning of Edward the Confessor's reign. Unfortunately, Godwine's misguided efforts to champion his eldest son Swegn recoiled on the whole family, contributing to their outlawry and Queen Editha's disgrace. Their exile only lasted one year and they returned victorious to London, though it was obvious that Harold's career was just beginning as his father's journey was coming to an end.<br /><br />Harold's siblings were all overshadowed by their famous brother; in their memoirs we see remarks tinged sometimes with admiration, sometimes with skepticism, and in Tostig's case, with jealousy. We see a Harold who is ambitious, self-assured, sometimes egocentric, imperfect, yet heroic. His own story is all about Harold, but his brothers see things a little differently. Throughout, their observations are purely subjective, and witnessing events through their eyes gives us an insider’s perspective.<br /><br />Harold was his mother's favorite, confident enough to rise above petty sibling rivalry but Tostig, next in line, was not so lucky. Harold would have been surprised by Tostig's vindictiveness, if he had ever given his brother a second thought. And that was the problem. Tostig's love/hate relationship with Harold would eventually destroy everything they worked for, leaving the country open to foreign conquest. This subplot comes to a crisis in book three of the series, FATAL RIVALRY.</p>

Story Behind The Book

A Walk Before Sunrise presents one man's account of a career obsession gone horribly wrong and the ultimate rediscovery of what really matters most in life. The story of an unexpected romance set amidst the stunning background of a truly alternative lifestyle community, is sure to both delight and captivate readers who themselves may also be dreaming of a new tomorrow. An Official Second Round Selection of the 2010 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award, an entrant in The Written Art Awards, The 2009 Reader Views Literary Awards and also a past entrant in the HarperCollins Varuna Manuscript Development Award, A Walk Before Sunrise is a splendidly told story. One that is certain to be appreciated by a growing band of readers for years to come.

Reviews

<span style="font-family:Tahoma;font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;font-size:13px;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><font style="font-family:Tahoma;"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;font-size:14px;"></span></span></font></span></span></span><div><span style="color:#111111;">I grew to really like Neil and Lorraine. The simplistic life Neil tries to establish for himself reminds all of us to slow down in our own lives. The pace of the story is good, and I found myself rooting for Neil and Lorraine. I hope Overton will continue writing so that I can discover what comes next in their chapter together (or not!). A Walk Before Sunrise is the perfect beach or long winter day's read!</span></div> <div style="font-size:13px;"><span style="color:#111111;">Marcy Blesy for Rebecca's Reads. February 2010</span></div><div style="font-size:13px;"> <div><span style="color:#111111;"><br />A Walk Before Sunrise is a beautifully writen book. It contains some humour but its biggest asset is the way the story draws readers in by allowing them to experience the emotions the characters are feeling. I was particularly impressed with the author's ability to show that the ways in which a person chooses to overcome disappointments in life truly can make a person stronger. He offers a reminder to live one day at a time because new experiences can lead people in a completely different direction than they were originally headed.</span></div> <div><span style="color:#111111;">The content and style of the story remind me somewhat of the writings of Nicholas Sparks. I hope to see more works by Phillip Overton in the near future.<br /><strong>Leslie Granier for Reader Views.com January 2010</strong></span></div></div>