Marvin the Magnificent

Taking a break from all things writing related, I offer you instead, a little story…with pictures.

I had intended to post about the South African SCBWI conference which I attended just over a week ago, but time has run away with itself, as it seems to do these days. And honestly, what with building a house, biting errant service providers and, needing to dedicate November to finishing my novel, I figured a bit of levity was in order. And so I give you The Tale of Marvin the Magnificent, whom I had the pleasure of meeting on a recent safari…

Marvin the Magnificent

Madoda Ngala*, Marvin the Magnificent, had achieved himself a rather nice little setup on the northern edge of the Thornybush Game Reserve.

The Reserve had brought in some none-too-smart eland, and Marv, in his undoubted magnificence, had snared himself one. He dragged the unfortunate beast under a dense thicket of bush and began feasting.

Marvin's tasty dish of fresh eland

He feasted for three days, stopping only to deposit richly steaming piles of malodorous lion poop, and sleep, snoring rhythmically and well, magnificently (lest we forget his magnificence…), his legs splayed in the air, his, erm, lionhood on full display.

Marvin displays his, er, prowess...

Marv also occasionally patrolled his patch, passing rude remarks to the two Timbavati white lions that paced the electrified fence, taunted by the delicious aromas of Marv’s splendid meal.

Timbavati White Lion, sniffs hopefully at the breeze...

The rude remarks were, I might add, well in order. The bouffant, blond Hollywood-styled white lions were nothing less than five inbred straws short of damned odd, and thus entirely deserving of a real lion’s scathing disdain.

White Lion looks hopeful, electric fencing notwithstanding...

The first time I saw Marvin, he was casting disparaging looks and offering up offensive comments at the white lions. “Call yourself a lion?” I heard him mutter. “BAH!” he roared.

Marvin at his disparaging best...

The second time I saw him, he was performing his toilet. “Marvin did a stinky pooh,” doesn’t even begin to cover the, um, richness of the experience.

The third and final time I saw Marv he was snoring volubly, his well-rounded belly rising and falling in blissful contentment.

Marvin snores volubly in the fading light of day...

I should add that by the time of my third visit, Marv had made remarkable inroads to his dinner. The belly and guts of the late and lamented eland had been devoured, leaving only the rib cage. Both hind legs had been torn off and were maturing nicely, the neck was being saved for a later snack and rested carefully on the buckled forelegs.

Oh yes, Marvin the Magnificent had himself well-sorted; larder, lair and lavatory, and he was in total control of his domain. Entirely inelegant in sleep, he was nevertheless fully assured in his own mind as to his position as King of the Bushveld.

King of the Bushveld, Marvin the Magnificent

And lest you’re wondering about his name – I have not made it up. I was assured by the game ranger that as a cub Marvin was anything but magnificent and was named in jest. I suspect Marvin’s now having the last laugh.

"I command you, minions, admire and tremble at my Magnificence!"

* Madoda means “male”, ngala means "lion" in the Shangaan language.


I’ll be “going dark” for most of November, in an effort to get the first draft of the novel finished, so please accept my apologies while “service is temporarily disrupted”. Normal blog service will resume in December…

Book Review - Bloodstone by Gillian Philip

I’m not in the habit of reviewing books – I don’t like the pressure of “What if I don’t like it?” (Well, usually, if that’s the case, I categorically won’t review it.) But in this instance, not only was I sent an ARC by the publisher and gently nudged with an “It would be nice if you could mention it”, but actually, I was captivated by the book.

Gillian Philip
Photo copyright, Kim Ayres

The book, of course, is Gillian Philip’s Bloodstone. And what I have to say is this: honestly, there should be a law against people who weave magic with words. This, because people who weave magic with words make you forget to cook dinner, forget to go to sleep and forget who you are. Edward Bulwer-Lytton didn’t say that “the pen is mightier than the sword” for nothing. A well-wielded pen can cut your heart right out. And this is precisely what Gillian Philip does in Bloodstone, the powerful and dramatic second book in her Rebel Angels series.

(You can read my interview with Seth MacGregor Gillian’s saucy, rather delicious and thoroughly bad main character, and you can also read my interview the author herself.)

In Bloodstone, the dark sequel to Firebrand, Gillian Philip fast-forwards her story from the sixteenth century to the modern day. Brothers Conal and Seth McGregor have spent four hundred years exiled in the human world, and without having found the Bloodstone so desperately sought by their Sithe queen, Kate NicNiven, so she might finally destroy the Veil between the faery and human worlds.

"For centuries, Sithe warriors Seth and Conal MacGregor have hunted for the Bloodstone demanded by their Queen. Homesick, and determined to protect their clann, they have also made secret forays across the Veil. One of these illicit crossings has violent consequences that will devastate both their close family, and their entire clann. In the Otherworld, Jed Cameron a feral, full-mortal young thief becomes entangled with the strange and dangerous Finn MacAngus and her shadowy uncles. When he is dragged into the world of the Sithe, it s nothing he can t handle until time warps around him, and menacing forces reach out to threaten his infant brother In the collision of two worlds, war and tragedy are inevitable especially when treachery comes from the most shocking of quarters..."

What makes Bloodstone such a striking novel is not only the evocation of the Sithe world through beautifully vivid writing, but also the rich characterisation which Gillian Philip creates. Her characters are real – sometimes horribly so – as in the case of the Lammyrs who kill ruthlessly; at other times, heartbreakingly so – Conal McGregor is the man your mother always wanted you to bring home – kind, caring, loyal, albeit it a fiercesome warrior. But of course, it is Seth McGregor who set hearts aflutter in Firebrand, and continues to do so in Bloodstone. He is a flawed but passionate hero. As much as you may sometimes want to shake him, you also want to hold him and try and undo the pain that has made him what he is. He is, I’m rather sorry to say, that classic bad-ass male character that most women, for some silly reason, want to reform and adore.

The Rebel Angel series reveals a plot which is epic and sprawling, and Bloodstone is a book you need to read in one sitting or you will get lost if you let too much time pass between readings. Philip creates a fine balance between Sithe and human worlds – merging and separating them as skilfully as a painter wielding a brush, telling intensely personal stories against the backdrop of greed, loyalty, power and love. As you are captivated by the words and the story, you will find yourself on the edge of your seat, wondering who to trust, who to believe in, as the author weaves a rich tapestry filled with characters that are both beguiling and enchanting. Don’t blame me if your brain becomes addled, your gut mangled and your heart wrenched whilst reading Bloodstone – it is a book of pure bewitchment, and one which never lets the reader off lightly.

I’m not going to mention the ending, short of saying to Gillian: “You, my dear, are a thoroughly wicked woman! How could you?!”

The Rebel Angel series is fantasy at its best and will be enjoyed by teens, young adults and adults alike – it is a true “crossover” novel. I am told, there are still two more books to come. If you’ve not read Bloodstone, hurry up and get it, but be sure you’ve first read Firebrand. I can’t wait to read the next book in this remarkable series so I find out what happens if the Sithe world collides head-on with the full mortal world.




To find out more about Gillian Philip, please visit her website.
You can follow Gillian Philip on Twitter and on Facebook.
Books are available in all good bookstores and on Amazon.