A new novel from Peter Behrens, the second book in the Ava Lee series, and a fascinating travel memoir
THE O'BRIENS
by
Peter BehrensThe highly anticipated follow-up to Peter Behrens' Governor General's Literary Award-winning novel, The Law of Dreams. The O'Briens follows the family from
The Law of Dreams two generations later: Joe O'Brien is coming of age in a new century in remote Pontiac County, Quebec, with his two brothers and two sisters by his side. Their father has abandoned the family and died in the South African war; their frail mother has remarried the abusive and lecherous Mick Heaney. Joe and his siblings escape the poverty and violence of the Pontiac, but as Joe travels the continent, building a business and a bright young family with his wife, Iseult, he is never quite able to leave his past behind.
Told from the perspectives of Joe, Iseult, and their children and spanning the construction of the Canadian railroad as well as both world wars, this is a majestic novel that mirrors the scope and sweep of what Wilfrid Laurier calls "Canada's Century." Tragic, romantic, and as vivid as the novel that preceded it,
The O'Briens is an epic of great heart, imagination, and narrative force.
>> Enter to win a copy of The O'Briens in our July contest!
The first reviews are in!
"Brimming with complex and nuanced characters, Behrens's second novel lives up to the expectations set by his award-winning debut." -- Winnipeg Free Press
"Behren's characters are painfully real . . . the battle of the O'Brien family is as legendary and epic as any war." -- Telegraph-Journal
THE DISCIPLE OF LAS VEGAS
by
Ian HamiltonThe second novel in the Ava Lee series launched under Anansi's new crime fiction imprint, Spiderline In
The Disciple of Las Vegas, Uncle and Ava are hired by Tommy Ordonez, the richest man in the Philippines, to recover $50 million in a land swindle that took place in Canada and involves his brother. The Filipino billionaire's reputation is on the line, and his family is on the brink of disaster.
Ava tracks the missing funds from Canada to San Francisco to accounts in Costa Rica owned by the Moneida, a First Nations band that owns and operates The River, an online poker web site. Ava uncovers an illegal online gambling ring, and follows the trail to Las Vegas. There, she confronts one of the greatest poker players in the world, David "The Disciple" Douglas, and his partner, Jeremy Ashton. Meanwhile, Jackie Leung, an old target of Uncle's and Ava's, has made it rich. He wants revenge, and he's going after Ava to get it.
Will Ava save Ordonez's family and reputation? Or will Jackie Leung get to her first?
What does the Globe and Mail think?
"Ava follows the cash from Canada to Costa Rica and, incidentally, gives us a very fine insider look at the hot world of online gambling . . . simply irresistible . . ." -- Globe and Mail
ANDES
by
Michael JacobsA fascinating journey southwards along the world's longest mountain range, exploring the diverse geography and cultures of the mountains themselves, and the compelling stories of Andean travellers past and present. Stretching for over 5500 miles, and containing the highest active volcanoes in the world, the largest salt flat, the highest lake, and peaks rivalled in size only by the Himalayas, the Andes impress by statistics alone. But beyond the range's sheer immensity is its concentration of radically contrasting scenery and climates. In this remarkable book, travel writer Michael Jacobs journeys across seven different countries, from the balmy Caribbean to the inhospitable islands of the Tierra del Fuego, through the relics of ancient civilizations, to retrace the footsteps of previous travellers. His route begins in Venezuela, following the path of the great nineteenth-century revolutionary Simon Bolivar. On his way Jacobs attempts to uncover the stories of those who have shared his fascination, and to reveal the secrets of a region steeped in history, science, and myth.
"
Andes is an engrossing read, written with historical depth, dry wit and moments of endearment." --
Globe and Mail
