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About The Plot Against Heaven
Death doesn’t stand a chance against love.
Hell-bent on confronting God after the death of wife Kate, Paul gate-crashes heaven. With immigration problems and a wall, heaven turns out to be nowhere near as welcoming as expected. Both heaven and hell are modern, militarized, and the cold war that exists between them is about to heat up, with him in the middle of it. Caught on the wrong side of heaven, Paul faces an impossible choice if he’s to have any hope of seeing Kate again.
Praise for The Plot Against Heaven
Goodreads
Rating: 5 out of 5
I was fortunate to receive a pre-release version of the book. A very quick read and one you don’t want to put down! Mark nailed this one! Makes you think right from the start and gets you asking yourself, “could this really happen?” Is Heaven all that is is cracked up to be? Is there an alternative that is more appealing? Can anyone truly be saved and get a second chance? Read this book and find out the answer to all these questions. You’ll be glad you did!
Book Review
Thank you to Blackthorn Book Tours for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review!
Paul is devastated by the death of his wife and determined to see her once again. But when he reaches Heaven in search of her, he will find that the pearly white gates are not what they seem. He is met with a divided military district and harsh treatment. Where are the angels and peace that Heaven is known for? In his quest to once again see his wife, Paul will see the temptation Hell brings and he will have to decide if he fights for Heaven or Hell.
The Plot Against Heaven may take a while to ground the reader in its world. I would have preferred a more detailed scene setting of Heaven before Paul begins to delve into the larger story. The rules and politics of the world seem to be lost in the mix as the emphasis focuses on Paul. However, given the treatment he receives, it isn’t hard to see why Paul is tempted by the Devil. Mark Kirkbride isn’t afraid to throw out the happy notions that surround Heaven and impose real world problems into it.
As Paul is learning of his situation and options, readers are given glimpses of the accident that took his wife away. The transitions between memory and the current timeline are a bit jolting, as there are no leads into or out of them. But the memories paint a picture of heartbreak and betrayal. Paul is desperate to see his wife again, but they remain separated by the rules of Heaven. Paul will do anything to see her again, even if that means bringing all of Heaven down around him.
In this fast paced novella, Mark Kirkbride brings to light how tempting the Devil can be and what desperation can do to a person. For fans of stories that are not afraid to bring contradictory viewpoints to light, The Plot Against Heaven is the ideal story for you.
All or part of this review may be used in marketing, I only ask that you reference Behind the Pages if you choose to do so.
About the Author
Mark Kirkbride lives in Shepperton, England. He is the author of The Plot Against Heaven, Game Changers of the Apocalypse and Satan’s Fan Club, all published by Omnium Gatherum. Game Changers of the Apocalypse was a semi-finalist in the Kindle Book Awards 2019. His short stories can be found in Under the Bed, Sci Phi Journal, Disclaimer Magazine, Flash Fiction Magazine and So It Goes: The Literary Journal of the Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Library. His poetry has appeared in the Big Issue, the Morning Star, the Daily Mirror, Sein und Werden and Horror Writers Association chapbooks.
Hi Tabitha, I just wanted to thank you very much for taking part in the tour and for your review of the novella. It's much appreciated.