...the story of a lonely man who falls in love with a country and thereby finds himself...
During the first winter in our old cottage, after a year of no travelling, I began writing a story about a young library assistant, Godfrey Ash, who arrives in Greece for the funeral of his uncle only for him to become entangled in local superstition and antiquity theft. I began with no idea as to how the story would unfold but, as in life, it began writing itself and grew into a love story between the young man and the country of his uncle.
Godfrey Ash is a most reluctant traveller. He has all he needs in Cornwall. A sober, well-respected library assistant with predictable daily routine. He lives in his aunt's cottage in the village of Trevean. She lives in Greece with her husband, Pantelis Lambrakis. One day Aunt Agnes phones with the tragic news that Uncle Pani has died of sudden heart-attack and begs Godfrey to be at the funeral.
Godfrey arrives on the day of the funeral and just before they leave for the church, his aunt imparts some deeply disturbing information in that his uncle was in fact his biological father. Godfrey is devastated, his mind a jumbled mess. He feels betrayed and angry. Blindly, he storms around the village unable to find his way. How is this new Godfrey to be reconciled within the comfort of his everyday world back home? Dejected and unsure, he no longer knows himself. He avoids confrontation with swaggering groups of 'brickheads' that wander through his father's village; he lacks the nerve to speak his mind when he doubts the wisdom of well-meaning village expectations; but mostly he fears for the safety of all he holds dear after threats from his criminally self-consumed ex-wife who has plans of her own for the island. Initially, Godfrey chooses the easy way out and makes for the comparative cosiness of his life in the UK.
But whilst waiting for his flight, amongst the swirling tide of travellers,
he comes face to face with a young gypsy girl defiantly making faces at all she considers a threat to her sleeping family and friends. In a flash of clarity, Godfrey sees the contrast with his own lack of conviction and realises the solution to his problems lies in a deeper involvement with himself and thereby with the village community which in turn will earn him respect and give him the confidence to make his own choices and eventually find himself. Godfrey's transformation is almost complete. He turns his back on the airport and returns to the village, flushed and exhilarated, ready to face the impending crisis...
"In this eBook anti-hero Godfrey arrives on Greek shores in the role of a modern day Odysseus. Appointed by fate, can he (as Odysseus before him) protect the heritage of a desperate people whilst the odds seem against them? Tony's tale weaves greed, lust, mythology and crime, together with family values, honour, music and a love and eye for all that is Greek. Throw in a Cruella de Ville-type ex-partner, a backdrop of blue Aegean sky, a shared secret, ancient relics and help from the goddess Athena and watch a story that starts off at a 'siga siga' pace develop into a warp-speed crescendo as every good Greek drama should. In his first novel Tony Brown proves as ever to be a great observer of Greek life without reverting to caricature.
"
SKLesvos Reviewer
'The Greek-o-File Vol 6'.
for an absolutely free copy click here
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