The Podcast
This podcast is available to listen to on all major social podcast platforms, search Talking Books hosted by J T Crowley. The video is available on YouTube search Talking Books hosted by J T Crowley and now on Roku and Amazon Fire TV streaming channels under ExpertsandAuthors.tv. E&Atv click TALKING BOOKS SHOW.
The Author
David Mammina is an award-winning dark fantasy author from Long Island New York in the U.S. His novels are constructively created with characters of substantial bearing at the heart of his story telling. David’s ability to hold the reader’s attention throughout of all his books is simply breath-taking as the plots twists and turn. Apart from writing page-turners, David also teaches history to middle and high school students with learning disabilities and won the Distinguished Service Award in 2019. Themes of his acclaimed work include redemption of fallen heroes, good versus evil and the unity of those split by their differences in the face of adversity. The narratives foretold within the books are set in post-apocalypse, fantasy realms and current day. David Mammina’s visionary concepts around the storylines and the characters enclosed will appeal to those of you who love a good fiction read especially fantasy and in particular dark fantasy. Besides writing and teaching, David has created a deck building card game based around characters from his books. If you go to his website www.mamminabooks.com and click on card games, there you’ll see what I’m talking about. You can build your frontline defences with chosen warriors and sorcerers from the books and equally bring about the defeat of your opponent’s forces thus obliterating the evil powers they are capable of inflicting on others. Having chatted to David over the last two years I get the sense from the way he speaks he clearly supports Indie artists both in the writing and creative fraternity to develop and flourish. Another of his attributes is supporting those in society who come from a disadvantaged background, encouraging them to be who they are and not what those around them, what then to be. Accept people for who they are.
Check out our video chat here!
The Three Books talked about in the Interview.
Death or Volentus
This is David Mammina’s latest book, in his opening blurb he states that this book would be a perfect read for fans of gothic horror, steampunk, and dark fantasy. I must confess I’ve never heard of steampunk as a genre, so when I looked it up it’s a subgenre of science fiction that incorporates retro-futuristic technology and aesthetics inspired by, but not limited to, 19th century industrial steam-powered machinery. So, there you go everyone, if steampunk is your thing well this book could be for you. The Narrative is about a fiendish figure who engages in a precarious mission to set free his nemesis from a perverted cult. Volentus is a necromancer (black magic sorcerer) whose formidable powers involve raising corpses to do his bidding and leading vast armies of the undead. Playing by his own rules and partnering up with an exceptionally talented vampire who would give no second thought to slicing off Volentus’ head if he suspected betrayal. You would think two powerful collaborators would easily control their destiny, but as in all of David Mammina’s books you must expect the unexpected.
This isn’t a particularly big book by David Mammina’s standards when it comes to writing epic plots. The ten chapters that tell the story are creatively well done interspersed with the odd symbolic images, out of the ten chapters I asked him to highlight two chapters that would show the book in its best light, he chose Chapter two ‘Three Years Lost One Golden Peril,’ and chapter five ‘All That Matters.’ Now I don’t always agree with David’s choice, but on this occasion I do. Look at those chapters to see why we both agree. Have a look at David’s webpage www.mamminabooks.com to find out more about the book.
Torn Asunder
This book which was put out in February 2022 is a novella of 181 pages. David Mammina has divided the story very cleverly into three acts and those acts contain twelve chapters excluding the epilogue which he heads up ‘Goodbye Is Not The End.’ The story involves around the Knights Templar; now there are many books that have been written about the Knights Templar with varying degrees of credence to them, but what caught my attention with this book and for me distinguishes it from others is the dexterity of the characteristics David has given to the characters to bring about a tale of clashes and conflicts that create a brilliant sense of realism that the reader can easily sense. The story starts in Nicaea 1328 AD and relays the account of how the world has changed for the Knights Templar of the eastern Byzantine Empire. Their defining role is somewhat diminished to escorting pilgrims and merchants through treacherous landscapes harbouring assassins and an encroaching Ottoman army, but on this occasion who is the girl they have been asked to chaperon to safety. If you want to know you’re going to have to read the book for I’m not about to reveal that. I asked David what parts of the book he thought best reflected the story and he hinted at chapter three in act one ‘Honoured Pass,’ and chapter eight in act two ‘The Lion’s Maw.’ For me however, chapter five in act one, ’Rite of Passage,’ and ‘Terminus’ chapter ten in act two. In ‘Rites of Passage I particularly enjoyed the scene where some of the knights were enjoying a supper of chickens, legumes and bread with some Georgian wine telling each other tales of their previous adventures as they sat across from each other around the fire. Have a look on David’s webpage www.mamminabooks.com to find out more about the book.
The Angels of Resistance
This is a substantial book that followers of dark fantasy and epic sci-fi buffs are going to want to read. If you’ve never read one of David Mammina’s books well take a look at this monster of a creation, he has written all six hundred and fifty six pages are stuffed with fast-moving plots, dangerous villains, demons, supernatural escapades and occurrences it’s a Mad Max meets Game of Thrones scenario built around a hero who lost everything to an evil force, a force that has never been confronted before an unknown quantity. I asked David to signal out two chapters that he felt really captured the essence if the book, I know that’s a difficult question for an author to pick out certain chapters particularly when you have written a book of this magnitude and complexity, but he did. For David Part one chapter eleven, ‘The Smoking Embers’ and in part two ‘The Reckoning.’ Why those chapters you might ask, well I’ll ask him in the interview, but for me chapter fourteen in part one ‘The Siege’ and chapter six in part two ‘The Eve of War.’ In ‘The Siege,’ the tense sex scene is sensitively written but packed with emotions and the role of the dagger plays a significant part with significant complications to follow. In ‘The Eve of War,’ what is it that burns within Shina and why is she the key to the demon plague’s conquest? The storyline is gripping. Have a look on David’s webpage www.mamminabokks.com to again find out more about this blockbusting saga.
OTHER BOOKS
(These books are also by David V Mammina)
Redeem the Knight Trilogy
The ultimate and complete edition of Redeem the Knight series- Three books in one. Six hundred years after the assumed apocalypse, the New Vatican has raised an army of holy knights to usher in a rehabilitated world of order and light. Equipped with the Divine Mace and the Armour of God, these knights are exclusively chosen to defend righteousness and crush rebellious evil. While the holy order sets out to portray a greater example for the rest of the rising world, one of their own kind falls into darkness. A holy knight has committed terrible sins of vengeance against those allegedly responsible for killing his wife and child. In turn he has been exiled to Islandia, a nearby island to live out his days of solitude. This is the story of a disgraced paladin on a quest for redemption in a troubled world. Vol 1 Arl Baelin has been called upon to inspect suspicious hauntings in an infamous manor known as Midvein Mansion. However, in his quest to cleanse the mansion, he realises his path to redemption is not an easy one. Vol 2 After a clandestine band of sorcerers known as the Crimson Hoods rise out of ambiguity to take over Islandia, Arl Baelin, the controversial paladin turned national hero, must join forces with the Rising Sirens, a rag-tag group of freedom fighters, to take it back. Vol 3 Arl Baelin has one more test that he must pursue, a test that could save or destroy his world. In a final and deeply personal campaign to defeat his nemesis, the holy knight takes on his greatest challenge yet in a battle that holds all of the new world in the balance.
Of Freedom, Fear & Fantasy
Over ten years in the making, these unique short stories highlight seven uncanny moments in American history, present and future. Period pieces to excite, terrify and inspire, Of Freedom, Fear & Fantasy include several short stories told from different perspectives with the sole intention of expanding your horizons. Find yourself in the middle of epic battles at sea, get lost in the unknown horrors of the Old West, crack macabre cases in noir New York and even lead a risky mission on colonies of the moon.
Protector of Children
The Covert Alliance of Selective Termination is a secret society dedicated to silencing the most dangerous criminals in the country. For decades, this clandestine band of shadow assassins have slain thousands of suspect drug lords, terrorists, serial killers and everyone in-between. They see themselves as a noble and necessary evil, keeping the United States safe by their theory of ‘natural justice.’ But, what if one of their own kind succumbs to a different kind of fight, one for his own mind? Vincent Putnam has slain his fair share of demons, but also battles his share in his mind. Having been diagnosed with Schizophrenia, he suffers from visions and hallucinations that medication can’t fix. While a recurring dream names him the ‘Protector of Children,’ Putnam must still carty out the most secretive and personal mission of his life, A mission that will test his sanity to the extreme.
Paltronis
Theories of justice versus corruption are set here in Mammina’s dark fantasy fairy tale where a ghostly knight named Spirit Warrior dares to defend his people from an assortment of villains, including that of an evil, corrupt king and a vengeful sorcerer. In a quest to secure justice and peace, Spirit Warrior selflessly challenges all obstacles at once, giving rise to this epic saga, An excellent young adult novel for 7th grade readers up to veteran book worms! Containing fantastic sketches throughout. The Paltronis tale is told by Hanna the storyteller set in a fairy tale world with a dark twist.
Social Media Sites
Mammina Books website: www.mamminabooks.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/MamminaBooks
Instgram: www.instagram.com/davidvmammina
GoodReads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/2900229.David_V_Mammina
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/david-v-mammina-58326510
YouTube – Mammina Books & Games:https;// www.youtube.com/channel/UCNMWVqILg17sY9ngrp-0niQ
Awards
The Angels of Resistance (8 Awards) BRAG Medallion, Reader’s Favourite Silver Medal, Big Book Award, AudioBook Reviewer Award for Fantasy, Bronze Feathered Quill Book Award, Reader Ready Silver Medal, Maincrest Media Award, Fiction Grand Prize &Top Author of 2022 from Outstanding Creator Awards. (Honourable mention from Hollywood Book Festival).
Redeem the Knight Trilogy (5 Awards) Firebird Book Award, Indies Today Semi-Finalist, Reader Ready Gold Medal, Best Fantasy Series from Outstanding Creator Awards, Reader’s Favourite Silver Medal.
Torn Asunder (3 Awards) Author’s Circle Novel of Excellence. Second Place in Fiction from Outstanding Creator Awards, Firebird Book Award.
Paltronis (1 Award) Third Place in Fiction from Outstanding Creator Awards.
Thank you, David, for giving me the wonderful opportunity yet again to catch up with you and review your books.