Bitten by Alan Moore - Book Tour + Giveaway
Bitten
by Alan Moore
Genre:
Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Crime
Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Crime
In the not-too-distant future, Italy is in disarray. It has voted to
leave the EU in an attempt to regain control of its laws, finances
and commerce. Even so, the country's economy is shrinking and its
national debt rising. There is a marked escalation, too, in
unemployment, bank loans and immigration. Production and service
companies are in difficulty. The only thriving business areas are the
black market and organised crime. There is discontent and protest on all sides.
leave the EU in an attempt to regain control of its laws, finances
and commerce. Even so, the country's economy is shrinking and its
national debt rising. There is a marked escalation, too, in
unemployment, bank loans and immigration. Production and service
companies are in difficulty. The only thriving business areas are the
black market and organised crime. There is discontent and protest on all sides.
In Florence, the local Mafia boss, more accustomed to gunrunning and
trading in plutonium, is involved in organising a silent auction for
the sale of one of the world's most valuable lost paintings - a
sixteenth-century masterpiece, which was appropriated in World War II
by Stalin's Trophy Brigade. A British art expert is set to buy the
picture on behalf of his client, a South American billionaire - yet
surprisingly two Italian undercover intelligence agents, acting as
antique dealers, submit the winning bid.
trading in plutonium, is involved in organising a silent auction for
the sale of one of the world's most valuable lost paintings - a
sixteenth-century masterpiece, which was appropriated in World War II
by Stalin's Trophy Brigade. A British art expert is set to buy the
picture on behalf of his client, a South American billionaire - yet
surprisingly two Italian undercover intelligence agents, acting as
antique dealers, submit the winning bid.
All the while, human beings continue to harm the Earth by destroying
land, sea, air, animals and trees. Global climate change, polluting
the atmosphere, depleting the ozone layer: these are some of man's
crimes against Nature. But time is running out. Nature has lost
patience with humans. Unless something is done immediately to reverse
the destruction of the ecosystem, Nature will retaliate by deploying
the terrifying forces at her command. And as a first step in wreaking
her revenge, she instigates a reign of terror by the deadliest
creature on Earth.
land, sea, air, animals and trees. Global climate change, polluting
the atmosphere, depleting the ozone layer: these are some of man's
crimes against Nature. But time is running out. Nature has lost
patience with humans. Unless something is done immediately to reverse
the destruction of the ecosystem, Nature will retaliate by deploying
the terrifying forces at her command. And as a first step in wreaking
her revenge, she instigates a reign of terror by the deadliest
creature on Earth.
Goodreads * Amazon
The march began
peacefully enough. As they moved along, some of the young men sang the Italian
National Anthem. Others
waved their placards, shouting, ‘Down with the Government’ and ‘Imprison the
Tax Evaders’. Among their number was a large noisy group of gesticulating,
foul-mouthed hoodies who were exhorting protesters to ‘get their act together’
and ‘beat up the fucking pigs’. When the protesters turned south into the Via
dei Calzaiuoli, they found themselves confronted by several lines of
armour-clad
policemen. The hoodies shouted abuse and, with the stolen pickaxes and shovels
that some
of them had
brought with them, started to hack out large cobblestones from the street,
which were then
hurled at the
police. Many of these missiles hit their targets. They also shattered the
windows of some of the prestigious shops in the street, with the result that
opportunists began looting the well-known products on display. In response,
General Malatesta, who was the officer in charge, gave the order for his men to
fire tear gas canisters at the protesters and then batoncharge them. The
hoodies met this attack with a barrage of smoke bombs and firecrackers, and
those who had pickaxes and shovels whirled them round their heads and brought them
smashing down on their opponents’ blue helmets and black shields.
Frightened
non-violent protesters, together with innocent bystanders, ran through the side
streets to
the Piazza
della Signoria. There they were faced with more lines of riot police, who,
straightaway, rushed at them and with their batons thwacked their heads,
shoulders, backs, midriffs, legs and any other part of their bodies that was
accessible.
Law and order
was quickly re-established in what Malatesta described as ‘an appropriate manner’.
Rioters and genuine protesters alike were individually bludgeoned into
submission. Hoodies came in for special attention. Some of them were pinioned
against the wall of the Palazzo Vecchio and viciously jabbed in the groin with
baton ends, as the police involved shouted, ‘Siamo fottutamente maiali, siamo noi? (We're fucking pigs, are we?)’ Others who had
been the ringleaders of the riot were dealt with in a particularly harsh
manner, being repeatedly beaten, punched and kicked and then thrown semiconscious
into police vans.
When this
uneven conflict ended and the hoodies had been taken to Police Headquarters,
the Piazza
della Signoria
and the Via Calzaiuoli were littered with bleeding, crumpled people, whose only
aim had been to protest peacefully. Their spirits broken, their cries of
dissent silenced, these unfortunates had one resolution in common: not to take
part in any more protest marches. Apart from the sound of their
groans and
muted whimpers, an eerie stillness descended on the historic centre of
Florence.
Then suddenly,
seemingly from nowhere, a cloud of mosquitoes pounced, not just on the injured
people on the ground, but also on the passers-by and curious onlookers, the
ambulance men and women who were trying to help and comfort the distressed, and
the remaining riot police who were still making
arrests. The
speed of the attack was alarming. In the space of a few minutes, insects in
their tens of
thousands
latched onto people, who were already traumatised by the protest march. There
was much
flailing of
arms and cries of ‘Vattene
da me! [Get away from me!]’
When they had
sucked their fill of blood, the mosquitoes vanished just as quickly as they had
arrived.
Born in Surbiton, Surrey in 1944, Alan Moore lives in Barnes with his
wife, Amber. They have two daughters and a son, who between them have
two boys and two girls. Alan was educated at Oundle School in
Northamptonshire and at London University, where, as an external
student, he obtained a BA degree in English. Thereafter, for 25
years, he single-handedly ran his own book publishing company, which
at one stage was producing up to twenty new titles a year. He is now
74, and so far as self-publishing his first book is concerned, he is
something of a late bloomer. Alan collects books and classical LP
records. He plays the piano and sketches.
wife, Amber. They have two daughters and a son, who between them have
two boys and two girls. Alan was educated at Oundle School in
Northamptonshire and at London University, where, as an external
student, he obtained a BA degree in English. Thereafter, for 25
years, he single-handedly ran his own book publishing company, which
at one stage was producing up to twenty new titles a year. He is now
74, and so far as self-publishing his first book is concerned, he is
something of a late bloomer. Alan collects books and classical LP
records. He plays the piano and sketches.
Follow the tour HERE for exclusive excerpts and a giveaway!
2 Comments
I enjoyed getting to know your book; congrats on the tour, I hope it is a fun one for you, and thanks for the chance to win :)
ReplyDeleteI liked the excerpt, thank you.
ReplyDeletePlease try not to spam posts with the same comments over and over again. Authors like seeing thoughtful comments about their books, not the same old, "I like the cover" or "sounds good" comments. While that is nice, putting some real thought and effort in is appreciated. Thank you.