The Olive Branch
Back in 1975, there were reports in the press of a warming in relations between the Republic of China and the USSR. Brendan Gisby was in his mid-twenties at the time, and he was further right than Attila the Hun. Rather naively, he wanted to write a novel that would act as a warning of the threat to the West that such an amelioration in relations could pose. Called The Olive Branch, to signify the metaphorical token of peace that was exchanged between Peking and the Kremlin, and set a few years in the future, the novel relates what might have happened if the two Communist giants combined and colluded to dominate the world.
When Brendan revisited the manuscript more than thirty years later, he was more than pleasantly surprised. He realised that he was reading a thriller and not the dense political diatribe he thought he had written. By the time he reached the end of it, he was delighted and exhilarated by the writing, and he actually turned breathlessly to the final chapter. He enjoyed it very much. He hopes you do, too.
When Brendan revisited the manuscript more than thirty years later, he was more than pleasantly surprised. He realised that he was reading a thriller and not the dense political diatribe he thought he had written. By the time he reached the end of it, he was delighted and exhilarated by the writing, and he actually turned breathlessly to the final chapter. He enjoyed it very much. He hopes you do, too.
Buy links | The Olive Branch can be purchased in both paperback and Kindle formats at the following links:
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Reviews | Deb Hockenberry, Reviewer (USA)Completely startled, his mouth still agape, Jeff glanced quickly along the coastline, trying to pinpoint the origin of the explosions. His eyes finally came to rest at a point on the far left of his vision and opened in utter horror and disbelief as they watched the giant superstructure of the Forth Rail Bridge sink slowly and gracefully into a steaming sea; large orange flames licked around those parts not yet submerged. ~ excerpt from The Olive Branch.
The communists have joined forces and are taking over Western Europe. Will they succeed? The Olive Branch has all the emotion, suffering and drama that come with war. Once again master storyteller, Brendan Gisby, brings us another amazing story in The Olive Branch. With the author's talents for weaving a good story we feel despair and love. We feel the defiance of patriotism and the pain of torture. The reader can actually hear the pounding, crashing and the shrill squeal of bombs as they fly through the air. We watch through the eyes of Jeff, as the world he knows and loves, crumbles around him. We witness the horror of sexual abuse at any evil soldiers' whim. What did Western Europe do to deserve such treatment? In an attempt to save the peaceful world they know, small bands of resistance groups are springing up. Will they manage to do this? I'm not fond of war stories, but I highly recommend The Olive Branch. Through Brendan Gisby's descriptive talents, he takes you through the range of emotions the characters feel. You actually experience what they experience. The characters are just ordinary people in an extra-ordinary position. They're so relatable that I actually felt like I knew the characters! What was best about The Olive Branch is the fact that Mr. Gisby shows us that something good can even come out of something bad. In the book we witness true love blossom and develop. Glenys Robinson, Reader (UK)This is an adventure story set in Scotland in 1980 dealing in terrorism and resistance. There is plenty of tension and excitement, plus a love interest. The characters are well written with ‘Goodies’ and ‘Baddies’ living up to their images. The plot is fantasy, but the pace is fast.
I would recommend this book to those who like an adventure story, and it should have particular appeal to the man who likes clear cut characters, daring adventures, brave heroes - who always get the girl – and villainous baddies. Angela McAuley, Reader (UK)This is a quintessential story of British stiff upper lip and man’s resourcefulness in the face of global disaster. Very well written, the author introduces you to the main characters in such a way that you can feel their fears, pains and joys, while setting a vivid image of places and emotions in one’s mind.
This book kept me interested all the way through and has all the elements of a great disaster action movie. I would particularly recommend it for thriller readers and those who like to be kept on the edge of the sofa. |
