Nick's News

"A great movie!"

2009-09-20T09:19:00.000-07:00

I have really enjoyed it - think it is a great story and would make a super movie!
(Mrs)J. Richardson. (Toronto, Canada)

It is well researched and well written.

2009-09-20T06:59:00.000-07:00

I really enjoyed The Condor Stone. It conjured up excellent mental imagery.
M. Rowe, (Beijing, China)

Nick Smyth weaves an enchanted tale.

2009-09-20T06:53:00.000-07:00

By "Pleasance" (New York)
Story telling is becoming a lost art, but Nick is a master of it. Read "The Condor Stone" and enter into the adventure. This story is an excellent read. I highly recommend The Condor Stone.

5.0 out of 5 stars Utterly entrancing

2009-09-20T06:51:00.000-07:00

By D. Swift (Wales) 20 May 2009
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel which I found to be imaginative and mystical, whilst also being educational. The author has managed to write about events in history whilst using his imagination to create a novel with atmosphere and suspense. I loved the way the chapters were full of drama, keeping the reader gripped right to the end and I found it hard to put down. I have recommended this book to my friends and family, as I'm confident they will enjoy it as much as I have. If this is the author's first novel, I look forward to many more.

5.0 out of 5 stars Hard to put down

2009-09-20T06:47:00.000-07:00

By Richard Glyn-Jones, (Malvern, England) 16th July 2009
This was a fantastic read. I found the descriptive writing brought me into each and every page and has made me want to visit South America and learn more about the history that this book so wonderfully captures. I highly recommend this to everyone and hope that someone has the sense to make this into a fantastic film. I look forward to more from Nick Smyth

5.0 out of 5 stars. An Outstandingly Good Read

2009-09-20T06:00:00.000-07:00

By R. Gamblin, (Bedford, UK) 4th August 2009. It is hard to believe this is a first novel. Nick Smyth has created an outright winner here. His very strong powers of description and his talent for spinning a gripping story are present on every page. My wife and I found the book very hard to put down and we agree that it would make a superb film. To me it ranks amongst the best I have ever read. I enjoyed it immensely and recommend it very highly.

This book is compulsive reading!

2009-09-07T04:49:00.000-07:00

This book is really gripping. The descriptions of the situations put me right in there with the characters and I just couldn't put it down although it made my hair stand on end. I have ordered a copy for my best friend's birthday.

"Edge of my Seat"

2009-01-10T04:55:00.000-08:00

"A really good story. It had me on the edge of my seat all the way through.
I couldn't put it down. A great holiday read." PB Stafford

"I want to congratulate you on The Condor Stone."

2008-12-06T08:36:00.000-08:00

"I have just finished reading it, and enjoyed it thoroughly. Having been to all the places mentioned in the book, I quite appreciated the opportunity to "revisit". I've always been fascinated by this particular ancient culture, and love the way you dealt with it. I also found your use of two "flashbacks" quite intriguing. Sort of like delving deeper and deeper into a puzzle...
Will there be more?? I sincerely hope so.
Again - Well done!" JG USA

The story just took hold of me!

2008-10-24T07:42:00.000-07:00

I thought some people might be interested in a bit of background about The Condor Stone and how it came to be written. I don't want to give too much away but the name of the book and the cover gives away the fact that South America comes into the story. I have always been fascinated by South America.

When I was young it seemed to be such a far away, mysterious country and so to while away the long, boring hours on a North Sea oil platform, I started writing.

The story just took hold of me; I had no idea what the characters were going to do next and so, when things I had written about in the present, suddenly came to life in the past, completely unbidden in my conscious mind, I was certain that something was guiding me. As my engineering training has always taught me to look for a logical reason for things I cannot at first explain, it was a new experience for me.

I hope you will read and enjoy The Condor Stone and make these interesting connections. Please feel free to ask questions or come back to me with your reviews, comments and thoughts.

The Condor Stone should make a great holiday read for those of you who can escape the global economic turmoil!

More to follow and looking forward to your comments.

My first novel

2008-10-16T07:24:00.000-07:00

Well! Life starts at 73! It's taken me this long to do something that is all my own work (apart from a full working life in electrical engineering). I've just got my first novel published and am looking forward to some feedback on it. Any other first-time authors out there will know how I feel. I am just hoping that a few Christmas stockings might have "The Condor Stone" peeping out of the top. Reminds me - I must tell Father Christmas about it!

Please also see the "Sculptures" page on my website. It's great fun welding odd bits of old iron together after people have long discarded them. I look at the result and think "Now whatever can I call this?" Then I make up a suitable tale about it. They make great table lamps as well. I can always convert one to having a bulb holder if you wish.