FREE/BARGAIN — Fiction (everything else)

[salty-horse]

Crash by J. G. Ballard is $3 in the US (Kobo, Amazon)

In Ballard's hallucinatory novel, the car provides the hellish tableau in which Vaughan, a "TV scientist" turned "nightmare angel of the highways," experiments with erotic atrocities among auto crash victims, each more sinister than the last. James Ballard, his friend and fellow obsessive, tells the story of this twisted visionary as he careens rapidly toward his own demise in an intentionally orchestrated car crash with Elizabeth Taylor. A classic work of cutting edge fiction, Crash explores the disturbing potentialities of contemporary society's increasing dependence on technology as intermediary in human relations.

[sufue]

Rebellion is the twenty-second and most recent (until October) in Simon Scarrow's Cato/Macro Eagles of the Empire series. It's £0.99 right now in the UK, probably only for today.

Kindle UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BNC3ZP1G
Kobo UK: https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/reb...s-of-empire-22

Spoiler:

An epic military adventure novel pits Roman army heroes Macro and Cato against Boudica: the terrifying Queen of the Britons. From bestselling Simon Scarrow, author of Death to the Emperor and The Honour of Rome

1st-century Britannia is the setting for an epic and action-packed novel of tribal uprisings, battles to the death and unmatched courage in the Roman army ranks.

The 22nd Eagles of the Empire novel.

Two heroes of the Roman army - Prefect Cato and Centurion Macro, now battle-scarred veterans, tough and resilient - lead their best men into the midst of an enemy both fearless and resourceful. Far from Rome in cold, rainy, unwelcoming Britannia, the soldiers need all their training to stand strong and undaunted as constant attacks challenge morale. And a leader like no other sends fear through the ranks: Boudica.

A stunning and unforgettable story of warfare, courage and sacrifice as brave men face an enemy who will fight to the death to free her people from the rule of the Empire!

[BionicGecko]

Salman Rushdie’s The Satanic Verses is on sale for £0.99 today at Amazon UK and Kobo UK.

The Satanic Verses
Question: What is the opposite of faith? Not disbelief. Too final, certain, closed. Itself a kind of belief. Doubt.
Discover Salman Rushdie’s critically acclaimed magical realist study of good and evil.
'A masterpiece' -Sunday Times

Just before dawn one winter's morning, a plane blows apart high above the English Channel and two figures tumble, clutched in an embrace, towards the sea: Gibreel Farishta, India's legendary movie star, and Saladin Chamcha, the man of a thousand voices.
Washed up, alive, on an English beach, their survival is a miracle. But there is a price to pay. Gibreel and Saladin have been chosen as opponents in the eternal wrestling match between Good and Evil. But chosen by whom? And which is which? And what will be the outcome of their final confrontation?

'A great novelist, a master of perpetual storytelling' -V.S. Pritchett

[sufue]

Joffe's Free Friday books for today, and probably the weekend, include an ancient Roman-era adventure/thriller. It's The Centurion's Son, which is the first in the Path of Nemesis series by Adam Lofthouse.

Kindle US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077JZ9TH9
Kindle UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B077JZ9TH9

Spoiler:

Albinus, the son of a revered Roman veteran Silus, has always longed to be a farmer, not a soldier, and live his days ploughing and reaping the harvests, with his bride-to-be, Licina.

But Silus’ has darker ambitions, and wishes for Albinus to follow in his footsteps in the army. As the conflicts between father and son come to a head, a growing threat comes down from the vengeful Germanic tribes to the north. Just as Albinus and Licina are about to marry, their settlement is raided by barbarians and Silus and his veteran comrades are brutally killed, while Licina is kidnapped by the raiders and taken to their king as a gift.

Believing her to be alive, Albinus sets out on a quest to find Licina, finally fulfilling his father’s wishes. As the barbarian hordes gather and plan major rebellion against the Romans, Albinus finds a new fighting spirit within him and grows in stature among the legionaries. Licina meanwhile has a fight of her own, to escape from slavery and find Albinus. Time is running out, as the northern tribes head for Rome, decimating everything in their path …

With historically accurate details and including characters from legend, Adam Lofthouse’s novel recounts the brutal battles between the Romans and the Germanic tribes, while also telling the heart-wrenching coming-of-age narrative of one young soldier within the Roman camp.

There are also a mystery and a romance going for free, and posted in the appropriate threads.