Angel in Amber
Angel in Amber is a near future spy thriller written by me, Graeme Shimmin. It’s about a three-way covert conflict between a trigger happy USA, a united Europe and a rising China, with Britain trapped between the hostile blocs.
It was the first full-length novel I wrote and is unlikely to be published at this point, as I moved on to other novels, such as A Kill In the Morning.
Angel in Amber: Title
The title uses a classic title archetype, it’s a figurative reference to one of the Protagonists, Amber Rookwood.
(For more on titles, see How to Choose a Title For Your Novel)
Angel in Amber: Logline
In the near future a British spy is asked to trace plutonium stolen by a Chinese terror group. When an old flame who he thought was dead reappears he tries to rekindle their relationship, but she is working for the terrorists. They have to choose between their love and their conflicting missions, whilst trying to secure a horrifying super-weapon.
(For more on loglines, see The Killogator Logline Formula)
Angel in Amber: Plot Summary
In the near future, Rob Salisbury a British counter-proliferation expert and Amber Rookwood his counterpart from the US meet and fall in love during a cataclysmic Arab-Israeli war, which leads to Amber’s disappearance and presumed death.
Years later, Amber re-emerges, saving Rob from an assassination attempt but holding him prisoner as she leads an ostensibly Chinese terrorist group in a tactical nuclear attack on the State Opening of Parliament – wiping out Britain’s military and political leadership.
Whilst trying to prevent the subsequent coup and discover who is really behind it, Rob discovers that Amber’s attack has an even more sinister purpose related to a horrifying British weapon of last resort, the Ascalon weapon.
With the future of the world at stake, Rob and Amber struggle over the Ascalon weapon and are finally forced to decide between love and duty, happiness and honour, conquest and death.
(For more on summarising stories, see How to Write a Novel Synopsis)
Angel in Amber: The First Page
The first page of Angel in Amber is below:
01: Armageddon
I am mad, a dangerous man. I need stopping. At least that’s what the news tells me. My crimes are legion. I want to take your children from you. I will stop at nothing. At least that’s what the news tells you. I’m a desperate man. I haven’t much time left.
This last bit is true.
But I’m getting ahead of myself, the Angel has fragmented my memory. Memories… Amber screaming. The blue black of the sky from a hundred thousand feet. The smoking ruins. Life. Death. Rebirth. Ascalon. More than anything, Ascalon.
I’ll start with our last hour together. We can improvise from there.
—
We’ve been flying for hours.
I must admit, I’m tired, and the midday desert heat has over-whelmed the Raven’s air conditioning, which doesn’t help. Even Amber isn’t at her normal ravishing best in her drab flight suit with her hair tucked up tight. There’s still something about her though. I love watching her concentrate, oblivious to my presence. There’s a real clarity of line to her profile, I–
‘Rob you idiot. Can you fly this thing in a straight line or are you going to spend all afternoon gawping at me?’
My gaze jerks back to the main instrument panel.
‘Come on, it’s hard enough with this obsolete British trash you’re forcing me to use,’ she says, smiling.
‘At least this obsolete British trash is here, not still in a factory in Seattle,’ I say.
She snorts and turns back to the screens. I bank the Raven onto the next leg of the search pattern.
‘What will you do after the mission is over?’ I ask.
‘Die in a giant nuclear fireball?’
‘Assuming we’re successful…’
‘Retire to a country cottage with roses around the door and have babies.’
‘That doesn’t sound much like you.’
Her chocolate brown eyes narrow and there’s a slight smile, what I call her ‘you’re a moron’ expression.
‘Well, of course I’m not going to do that,’ she says. ‘I’m going to travel round the world, killing evil people and overthrowing uncivilised regimes… all the fun stuff.’
A thought bubbles up,
She doesn’t like you at all–she’s just sleeping with you to pass the time between missions.
I push the thought back under until it drowns.
Angel in Amber: Book Cover
I like the black, white and orange colour-scheme of this cover a lot and Amber’s eyes are a dramatic contrast. The font is a futuristic looking one too, which sets it in the right time frame.
(For more on designing novel covers, see How to Make a Book Cover)
Angel in Amber: My Rating
If you like near future spy thrillers with political and mystical themes, you’ll love this.
Want to read it?
Angel in Amber is unlikely to be published, but my second novel, A Kill in the Morning, came out in June 2014.
You can read the opening of A Kill in the Morning for free by clicking here.
Agree? Disagree?
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