“Every person we meet, each relationship we forge matters a great deal. A life, and therefore the whole of the world can be changed by a single encounter, a single smile, a single hand shake.” Harbert Pencroft
Relationships are the building blocks of our life. A song and dance old as time itself. The Nemesis Engines Part 1 “The Peacemakers” teach us these relationships, no matter what we don’t know about them, or find out, are to be cultivated. They guide us through our lives, taking us down roads we never imagined traveling.
For Better or For Worse: Change Is Inevitable
Blanchard has done exactly what all writers want to do with their words. He pulled me in so deeply I didn’t want to sit the book down. And for three days, I attempted to sneak around everything I needed to do in order to read.
While I’m not a fan of the steampunk/sci-fi genre, and never particularly cared for H.G. Wells, I went into this novel with an open mind, pushing aside preconceived notions. Immediately, I was drawn in with the first person narrative, however it took me a few pages to get the rhythm of the language. The main character, Harbert, lived many of his early formative years in Haiti, where there is a strong Creole/French background, as well as his French grandparents, who also influenced his language. Once I adjusted, the rhythm was natural, effortless, and it helped me really “hear” his character.
I was amazed at actual historical research and facts that have been woven into the story, which made it so much more realistic and gripping. Combine that with Blanchard’s knack for dialogue, as well as his descriptions of sights, smells, sounds, and ability to make each character distinct and you have a must-read .
I lived the lives of these characters. Some I loathed, others I loved, and personally, I found an inner ferocity which surprised even me. Now I’ll pick up Wells again, with a new appreciation and mindset. “The Peacemaker” teaches us, for better or for worse, change is inevitable.
About the Author:
Olivier Blanchard was born in Paris, France in 1971 and spent most of his childhood bouncing between Europe, Africa and the United States. After serving as an officer in the French Fusiliers Marins, Olivier moved to the United States and spent the next 16 years managing marketing and business programs before moving into brand management consulting. Today, Olivier helps executives and organizations around the world understand how to build, operationalize,and measure social media programs. His first book “Social Media ROI: Managing and Measuring Social Media Efforts in your Organization” is a step by step how-to guide for anyone needing guidance plugging social media into their company or department.
Olivier is also a novelist. His fiction debut, “The Peacemakers”, (Volume One in “The Nemesis Engines” series) combines Jules Verne and H.G. Wells style science fiction, classic adventure and historical intrigue (the series is set during WWI). The sequels are scheduled for release in March of 2015 and 2016.
An avid triathlete, cyclist, photographer and travel junkie, Olivier lives in South Carolina with his wife, two children, and their roving pack of wild chihuahuas. When he isn’t writing, speaking or consulting, he can be found on his blog at www.olivierblanchard.net or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/thebrandbuilder
Disclosure: I was given an advance copy of this book to read because Olivier and I are friends. He didn’t ask for me to write a blog review, but I did because I truly enjoyed his book and stand behind my 5 stars. Which is weird, because I’m much more of a non-fiction/historical-fiction bodice-ripper-type-reader.