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​book reviews

The Last Roman: Absolution by B. K. Greenwood

4/23/2023

28 Comments

 
Multi-volume, historical-fiction author B. K. Greenwood introduces us to the third volume of his wildly popular The Last Roman series, “Absolution”:
Redemption and Revenge - Can they be one and the same?

Marcus Sempronius Gracchus, a soldier of Rome, was cursed to walk the earth for two thousand years. But that journey may soon come to an end.

He has secured the only weapon capable of stopping the ultimate evil, but is it too late? Will Thomas find the ancient seal and open the gates of hell, ushering in the end of times?

Find out in the explosive finale to The Last Roman Series.

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I feel like Marcus and Isabella are close friends of mine and I celebrate their accomplishments and mourn their losses with them. Greenwood is quite an author who deserves all of these accolades and more. He has a wonderful balance of action, dialogue and setting throughout the series and it all fits together so well.
Some authors are too heavy and detailed when it comes to action, others go overboard when describing a scene. Some write great dialogue and other books don't feel quite as natural.
The Last Roman establishes a great balance and never wavers. I was on the edge of my Kindle the entire time!
I can hardly wait for more! Don’t miss this series!

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You can buy this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Last-Roman-Absolution-B-K-Greenwood
https://www.goodreads.com/-absolution-b-k-greenwood
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/the-last-roman-absolution-b-k-greenwood
 
You can follow the author:
https://twitter.com/bkgreenwood70 
https://www.instagram.com/bkgreenwood70 
https://www.facebook.com/BKGreenwood 
http://www.bkgreenwood.com 
 
I reviewed the first book in the series here: https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/the-last-roman 
I have reviewed the second book in the series here:
https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/the-last-roman-abyss 
 
Christian fiction, action, adventure, spirituality, historical fiction, politics, conspiracy, prophecy
​
Copyright © 2023 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction. 

28 Comments
BK Greenwood link
4/24/2023 11:44:05 am

Thanks Mark, glad you enjoyed the finale!

Reply
Mark
4/24/2023 12:50:06 pm

The ending of this book was amazing! I loved it. Thank you for writing it.

We are going to continue the interview from the promotion of Abyss. You may want to take a look at the interview if you haven't already seen it. The link is just above.

First question.

What is the biggest myth about writing that you can dispel that would help aspiring authors?

Reply
BK Greenwood
4/24/2023 03:41:09 pm

Interesting question. That there are set rules. Sure, you need to follow grammar and spelling norms, but things like; don’t use prologues, don’t open with a dream sequence, etc. But, if you do break norms, then do it well. If you head hop (change point of views) be aware and make sure you don’t confuse the reader.

And lastly, be consistent. Readers love plot twists, but I don’t feel like they enjoy style changes within a novel.

Reply
Mark
4/24/2023 04:24:56 pm

There are rules, conventions and the way most things are done. Readers have expectations, they have been conditioned by what they read and their choices of what they read are reflected in their purchases. Big novels are not as sought after as much as they used to be even in fantasy books. I have seen far fewer prologues in the last few years also.
Head hopping is a big beef for me. If I get confused as to who is talking to who then I am very likely to close the book. Plot twists are great!

New question.

Have your research and writing methods changed much since your first book?

Reply
BK greenwood
4/24/2023 05:33:07 pm

Research is very similar. Not much has changed. My writing style has changed. I don’t need a lot of time like I used too. I try to knock out 1,000 words a day, and that usually takes 30-45 mins. I’ve become much more efficient as I became more comfortable with the series.

Reply
Mark
4/24/2023 06:48:23 pm

I am not surprised. While every story has its unique features and voice an author becomes very familiar with all aspects of the plot, characters and settings in a series. Even if there is little to no plotting in advance the words flow when you are in the groove.

New question.

Do you base your characters on people you know or have met, or is it easier to just invent them completely?

Reply
BK Greenwood
4/25/2023 11:27:42 am

I think a little of both. I felt like Marcus was a mashup of multiple fictional characters I grew up with. Batman, Tarzan, Jason Bourne, Bond, etc. I feel Thomas and the “other” main protagonist are more original and custom. Isabella is who I imagine a strong female character that overcame a ton of adversity would be.

Reply
Mark
4/25/2023 11:53:08 am

Marcus is quite capable and not having to worry about getting hurt makes him a formidable opponent! Thomas and the other are pretty unique in their roles. I particularly enjoy how you wrote the other. I love Isabella! She is so strong and talented. She deserves a novella of her own if not a full novel.

New question.

Some authors go to great lengths to get inside the heads of their characters. Some create a biography, find photos that match the picture in their head, fill out psychological profiles. What do you do in that regard, if anything?

Reply
BK Greenwood link
4/25/2023 09:07:20 pm

I’m surprisingly agnostic on specific character looks. Some traits (Marcus is taller for a Roman, Isabelle and Thomas are darker skinned, etc.), are important anchor features. But I let the reader imagine specifically what they look like. I’ve avoided sketches or AI renderings of my character so as to not taint my perspective. As with my scenes, I provide enough description to set the ball rolling and let the reader fill in the blanks. Then the story is uniquely their own.

Reply
Mark
4/26/2023 11:31:41 am

You reinforce a good point. Less can be more. In a book, less details allow the reader to fill in the blanks, especially when it comes to ordinary activities and mundane experiences. The reader automatically fills in those blanks from their personal experiences and identifies closer to the book. I recall discussing the cover of a romantic hist-fic with the author. The cover had a beautiful woman in a lavish dress. Her back was turned to the audience. I questioned that unusual choice; she replied that the reader could picture what the woman looked like. She went on to say that most women will put their face on the woman because they are most familiar with their own face. Brilliant.

New question.

Do you have any problems when writing about characters of the opposite sex, why or why not?

Reply
BK Greenwood link
4/26/2023 12:49:11 pm

Yeah. Both females and other communities that I am not a direct member of (people of color, LGBTQ+, etc). It’s tough, as I want to reflect the real world, which is amazingly diverse. But at the same time, it can be difficult to replicate the experience in writing. I try to draw on strong examples I know from the real world and set aside my (possibly) tainted views. I hate the blatant clichés. Isabella is an attractive character, but I try not to harp on her physical attractiveness and focus on her strong intellect, sense of humor and persistence.

Reply
Mark
4/26/2023 01:21:42 pm

You make a good point. Whatever a writer is not very familiar with will be more difficult to write about. Good research is a partial antidote to that issue. The other part is good writing. Quite a few authors use sensitivity readers to help finetune questionable passages for the final draft.

New questions.

Did you have pieces of the story that were removed from this book? If, so why did you remove them?

Did you save those pieces, if they were substantial in size?

Reply
B.K. Greenwood link
4/26/2023 08:04:01 pm

Not as much for book three in the series. That was pretty clean. For books one and two (and my upcoming prequel), I had several flashback chapters that did not fit into the timeline. So, I took four short stories and released a collection (Bastion) and turned another one into a novella (Insurrection). It is a nice way to develop the characters.

BTW, one of the short stories is exclusively about Isabella. :)

Reply
Mark
4/26/2023 08:42:05 pm

I love that! A lot or authors remove sections for one reason or another but I have not heard of many who repurposed that material into a publishable format. Brilliant.

I just bought Bastion. I will be reading that soon.

New question.

Do you have any other creative outlets to pursue if you didn't write?

Reply
B.K. Greenwood link
4/26/2023 11:04:29 pm

I've done some woodworking. I like to do renovations around the house. I have no art skill, whatsoever. Worst Pictionary player ever. If I did not write, not sure what else I would do for a creative outlet.

Reply
Mark
4/27/2023 08:10:31 am

I enjoy the same thing. I like fixing a home up also.

Pictionary is a struggle for me also, not just the drawing but the guessing as well. I am not up on contemporary culture very much. I don't watch TV or listen to music casually. I have done some whittling in the past; I figured out how to make a chain out of a single piece of wood and I have carved a ball inside a cage from a single piece of wood.

New question.

Is there a cause you are passionate about?

Reply
B.K. Greenwood link
4/27/2023 05:03:51 pm

We love animals, so rescue dogs are our weakness. We had four but lost our most senior pup last month.

We support various groups, like the Humane Society, The Nature Conservatory and The Fenway Foundation in Boston.

Reply
Mark
4/27/2023 05:20:34 pm

Dogs are wonderful creatures! I have had several and understand the pain when you lose a beloved family member.

New question.

Have you any favorite literary journals?

Reply
B.K. Greenwood link
4/28/2023 01:19:47 pm

I do not. I find my time dedicated to reading minimal, at best. I was recently accepted to the International Thriller Writers Organization. That was kind of cool.

Are there any that you recommend?

Reply
Mark
4/28/2023 01:33:43 pm

Congratulations on that membership! I have no doubt it is well deserved.

Some authors subscribe to literary magazines and some do not. I don't either so I have no recommendation I can suggest.

New question.

Do you experiment with writing styles or prefer to stay in the safe zone?

Reply
B.K. Greenwood link
4/28/2023 08:24:20 pm

I think the only think I have experimented with is point of view changes. The original plan was to have all the flashback chapters in first person. I changed that for continuity, but you can see an example in Monsoon (one of the short stories in Bastion). I kept that first person (Marcus). I enjoy the style, but it is very limiting. And having multiple first person in one book (which many have done with success) is intimidating to me. Not sure I could pull that off.

Reply
Mark
4/28/2023 09:02:01 pm

First person point of view is limiting and it is also very intimate for the reader. I love first person POV for that reason. One of the first books I recall reading written in first person POV was "Divinity Bureau" by Tessa Clare. I enjoyed it a great deal and reviewed it a few years ago.

New question.

Did you have a favorite book as a child?

Reply
B.K. Greenwood has debuted with a huge splash link
4/30/2023 09:59:09 am

I will cheat and say a series. The Tarzan series by Edgar Rice Burroughs (followed closely by his Martian series). Next would be any of the Clive Cussler books. They all were amazing action/adventures, with fast moving plots and memorable characters.

Reply
Mark
4/30/2023 11:59:18 am

That is not cheating. That is a great pick! Good authors!

I remember watching the old TV series, Tarzan starring Johnny Weissmuller. He was an Olympic swimmer and a decent actor. The show was in black and white.

New questions.

What did your family say when you announced your desire to be a writer?

What do they think now?

Reply
B.K. Greenwood link
4/30/2023 10:27:47 pm

They were supportive, but I think a lot of people say they are going to write a book, so it is easy to be dismissive to start. Considering the fact that I started book one in 1998, I do not blame them. I think it was about the six-month mark, when I was getting reviews from complete strangers that enjoyed the book. And then I started turning a profit... that is when it hits home that someone could do this and be successful.

Reply
Mark
5/1/2023 08:30:05 am

You are right. A lot of people say they are going to write a book and very, very few actually do. The number of authors that make a profit are far fewer still! Congratulations on that. So many authors sell less than 1,000 books.

Last question.

How do you maintain the excitement for yourself? Your excitement impacts the story and your readers.

Reply
B.K. Greenwood link
5/1/2023 10:10:43 am

Ah, great question. For me, it's in multiple ways.

One, I love feedback from readers. I am lucky enough to have tons of reviews (most positive, some negative). Both help me improve and deliver a better product.

Two, talking to people. I am pretty outgoing personality, so I am comfortable discussing my writing in all forums (1-1 or large groups). It's fun to share the writing process and hear about what other people are doing.

Three, I try to mix up my writing (between different storylines). This keeps me fresh. This particular series is great, because I could bounce between historical and modern settings. That is quite the contrast and makes it easier to avoid writer's block.

Well, thanks for all the great questions! I have enjoyed the discussion and hope others will as well!


Reply
Mark
5/1/2023 12:46:14 pm

You have no trouble maintaining your excitement! Wonderful. It is fun to talk with others about books I know I certainly enjoy it.

I have enjoyed our conversation a lot, Brendan. This has been fun. I love your books and your writing style.

Thank you for being a fabulous guest on the Word Refiner channel.

Until next time, keep on writing.

Reply



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