Author Interview: JB Thomas

Today I have Aussie YA author JB Thomas joining me for a chat. JB is the author of Mammon, the first book in The Ferryman Chronicles published by Random House and hails from Perth, just like me :)

Mammon was released 1st September 2011 and in my review I described it as...

"An urban fantasy story with a spy/action type feel to it where demons are fought, rifts to the underworld are opened, good guys turn bad, powerful abilities are developed and people die."

To read the blurb and my review, click here. Otherwise, read on as JB talks about her inspiration for Mammon, her favourite movie, her fondness for all things Russian and what we can expect in Mammon's sequel.

Can you describe The Ferryman Chronicles in three words?
Chilling, kickass adventure.

How did you come to write Mammon? Did it come to you in an instant or were little parts of it simmering away in your head for a while?
I’d just read New Moon and was impressed with the part when the Volturi were about to devour the poor little woman with her rosary beads. That was the best part of the whole series. I would’ve liked to see more of that. Anyway, I was inspired to write a character who fights evil, but not vamps. I wanted something else. The story developed over time to include demons, and the rift/Ferryman concept came into it a little later. To be honest, for me the book evolved from the first word, to the last copyedit before the manuscript was taken out of my hands and on to the printer (terrifying!). I would probably still be editing Mammon now if I could – but you do have to let go, eventually.

Your demon mythology is unique and if it were real, totally creepy! Where did the idea spring from?
‘Know thyself’ – the sign above the door in the Oracle’s kitchen in The Matrix! Yes, that was an early seed planted in my mind. Demonhood is not totally ‘otherworldly’ in Mammon, rather it is a very human condition. One night it just came to me – to make the humans degenerate into demons. To become demons. Humans beings excel at being evil. You only need to read the news to know that. What could be more frightening than evil humans, who become demons and acquire supernatural powers, but the majority of the world can’t tell? Equally, how confronting is it to know that any human being can degenerate – even a mercenary? Grace is in an unenviable position…

You are currently writing the second book in the series. Can you share anything about what we can expect?
Action, romance and scary demons. Mammon’s power is growing, and the sarsareh must try to take him down as best they can. You can expect to learn more about the minor characters and also see some significant personal growth for Grace and Joe. There’ll be romance, of course.

What are you currently reading?
I’m split between two books – both by Russian authors. I’m re-reading Crime and Punishment, and also The Master and Margarita. In case you hadn’t noticed, I have a thing for Russia, and Russians! Yes, my love affair with Russia has been steadily smouldering since I picked up Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy a decade ago. Some of my inspiration for Ivan comes from the romantic, yet complex characters in Russian fiction. Mmm.

What are some of your favourite young adult books?
The Chrysalids, The Handmaid’s Tale, 1984, the Bartimaeus trilogy, the Mortal Instruments and anything by Roald Dahl (okay, for a younger reader, but gosh, he was fun!). Some of these discoveries have sprung up in English department storerooms. A perk of the job is the chance to read great books. This year, I’m teaching All Quiet on the Western Front: a must-read for anyone who is curious about the realities of war.

If you could choose any fictional character to swap places with, who would you choose?
That’s one hell of a question. So many of my favourite books are dystopian, and while I admire the characters, I don’t want to trade lives with them! Okay – probably Valentine in Ender’s Game. You’ll have to read the book to see why (or see the film in a couple of years).

You are an English teacher. When you are not writing or teaching, what do you like to do with your time?

• Reading.

• Playing PS3. Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3, in particular.

• Films. One favourite is The Matrix, because of its combination of action, philosophy and science fiction themes. In a way, that film has been a strong influence in producing Mammon. I’ve tried to emulate that kind of storytelling, where the reader can choose to enjoy the book simply as an action story, or think more deeply about its social and philosophical themes.

• TV. I am in awe of the writers who turn out quality programs such as Dexter and Breaking Bad. On the lighter side, I love The Big Bang Theory.

• I also enjoy taking walks with my dog, George.

Thank you so much for stopping by The Tales Compendium JB!
Thank you, Jess!

Mammon by J.B. Thomas

Title: Mammon
Author: J.B. Thomas

Release Date: 1st September 2011

My Rating: 3/5

Blurb:
Forget anything you ever heard about possession, exorcisms, salt circles and pentagrams. The modern demon is far more difficult to catch - and even harder to destroy.

After the savage death of their parents, Grace and Joe Callahan learn that they they are descendants of the sarsareh - mercenaries who hunt very special prey. Grace and Joe take their place in the Order, but are treated with hostility and fear by other recruits.

For the Callahan siblings have powers that fascinate and terrify.

Joe is a Ferryman, capable of opening dimensional rifts, while Grace's telepathic abilities surpass anything the Order has ever seen.

But none of that will matter if the powerful demon Mammon manages to convince Joe to open a gateway to his demon world and overrun Earth with his armies.

If he succeeds: game over.

In A Nutshell:
An urban fantasy story with a spy/action type feel to it where demons are fought, rifts to the underworld are opened, good guys turn bad, powerful abilities are developed and people die.

My Review:
Mammon is a suspenseful, urban fantasy novel with a spy/action-type feel to it. Our main characters, Grace and Joe, become part of a secret group of demon hunters, but these demons are not your run of the mill beasties.

J.B. Thomas has created a whole new demon mythology where the majority of demons are created from ordinary people who choose less savoury life choices which lead them down the wrong path. They are people who have had plenty of chances to change their lives around but always pick the evil path. Of course, there are also your supreme demons that have scuttled up from somewhere unimaginable, such as Mammon, the big-bad of this novel, who looks like a normal guy. Did I mention that some demons have powers? That’s ok, so do some of our good guys.

What is Mammon’s main goal and why do Grace and Joe want to fight him? He not only killed their parents but also wants to use all his evil human demon friends as hosts for his otherworldly beastie friends to use once they come through a rift, a rift that Mammon wants Joe to open.

Part one of Mammon starts with strange things happening to Grace and Joe. They are confused by them but they don’t know what to do. When Joe decides to show his dad what he can do, his dad freaks out. It is then that their parents tell them that they have unique abilities, and by using them, they have alerted demons to their whereabouts. While waiting for their safety escort, the house is attacked and their parents are killed. It is here, in part two, that the story really begins, when Grace and Joe arrive at Renfield, a secure facility where their parents used to work, and their aunt still does. Here they learn how to fight and use their unusual talents with others whose lives have been influenced the same way.

To be honest, I struggled a bit at the beginning and didn’t really feel connected to what was going on, although once part two kicked off (there are three parts to the story) I was fully involved. I liked the different relationships that existed at Renfield and that many of the others there were incredibly hostile to Grace and Joe when they arrive. Aren’t people supposed to be nice to the new kids?? Well they’re not here. Everyone has an ‘axe to grind’ so to speak.

Grace and Joe’s behaviour is quite real. They make mistakes and act the wrong way. They underestimate what it is they are doing and typically, Joe gets led astray by power and a pretty girl. Grace is not without a little crush too. With a slight channelling of Vampire Academy (sexy older Russian trainer), Grace quickly falls for her team leader Ivan. While this is quite significant to Grace, it doesn’t detract from the real purpose of the story.

Demons are fought, rifts are opened, good guys turn bad, new abilities are developed and people die. The sequel will open up a whole new can of worms!

Mammon is book one in The Ferryman Chronicles and in book two, I would really like to get to learn more about Joe, as we see quite a bit of Grace and are able to get a feel for her in book one. I also hope that the unanswered questions concerning Marcus and the goings on at the asylum have some light shed on them. In Mammon, I really liked the small appearances by Sarah, Seth and Lucius (some of the other people at Renfield) so I would personally like to see more of them in the sequel.

Thankyou to Random House Australia for this review copy.