Here are the short stories I wrote in 2019. Elizabeth’s Garden, The Crinkling on the Pie, No Honour Among Thieves, The Prince who Wanted to Live Forever, the Fisherman and his Foundlings.
Author Biography
Here is a copy of the author bio you included for the reviewer:
Phillip Leighton-Daly has worked as an infant/primary school teacher for more than forty years. Currently he teaches swimming and water safety with the NSW Education Department. He’s the author of eight local history and six short fiction stories. Phil and his wife of almost 40 years have two children. He is interested in the environment and the outdoor sports of tennis, kayaking, cricket,rugby league and bushwalking. He has diplomas in teaching and bible studies.
Unread post by ALynnPowers » Yesterday, 23:37[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of “No Honour Amongst Thieves” by Phillip Leighton-Daly.]
3 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
No Honour Amongst Friends by Phillip Leighton-Daly is a short story, published as No Honour Amongst Thieves on Amazon. This brief tale tells the story of two brothers, Joe and Josh, who have been disfigured by leprosy. After spending the past thirty years on a leper colony, they have moved into the nearby home of a deceased fisherman. A local mermaid queen is upset by the passing of the fisherman, not due to mourning, but because she wanted his bones for herself. She seeks retribution by sending her warriors to collect the bones of Joe and Josh instead. Not only are the two brothers in danger from the mermen, but also from a couple of local bushrangers. Even their dog isn’t safe from what is yet to come.
There was a lot of story packed into this short narrative. Without being overdone and drawn-out with verbose wordiness, the author told a complete story with just the right amount of background information to set the stage for the present tale. It’s nice to see concision in a story amidst the countless trilogies, lasting for thousands of pages, that seem to line all of our bookshelves these days.
For some reason, this story gives off a Of Mice and Men vibe to me. I would even say that it has a very “classic” feel to it in general, and the well-written prose only adds to that feeling. There is not a lot of information within the text that gives an exact date of when this story takes place, so it also has a rather “timeless” feel to it. The story will age very well, and I could easily picture this story being shared for decades to come.
Despite liking how concise the story is, my biggest criticism of this book, oddly enough, is that there is too much happening, It seems more like two shorter stories crammed into one. The beginning of the brothers’ adventure with their encounters with the merfolk seems to come to an abrupt end, followed by a completely unconnected second problem for them to solve. Honestly, I think the fantasy element of the merfolk could have been taken completely out of the story, and it would have been just as effective of a story with only the encounters with the bushrangers.
I definitely liked this book, and I think the writing is excellent. Some moral and ethical elements I didn’t even talk in this review about come into play as well, only adding to the enjoyment of the story. The only thing that took away from my enjoyment was the disconnected feeling of the beginning and end of the story. I am giving this book a rating of 3 out of 4 stars, but if I had the option to give half points, I’d prefer to give a 3.5 just because it is so well-written.
The prince of Gomorrah desperately seeks eternal life. With a large entourage, he sets off into the desert to find the wise sage, Wisdom. The prince is certain Wisdom can help. In exchange for the secret to living forever, the prince offers the man and his family wealth, pomp and pageantry, debauchery and drunkenness, and even mystical insights into the human soul. Nothing works. The prince resorts to intimidation, threatening to destroy Wisdom’s stronghold and enslave his daughters. Wisdom stands firmly in his decision and drives the prince and his entourage into the desert. After three days, they encounter the Dark Lord who offers the prince eternal life for an exorbitantly high price. The prince accepts, and the Dark Lord delivers. The prince must live with the catastrophic outcome of his choices.
Here are the short stories I wrote in 2019. Elizabeth’s Garden, The Crinkling on the Pie, No Honour Among Thieves, The Prince who Wanted to Live Forever, the Fisherman and his Foundlings.
Author Biography
Here is a copy of the author bio you included for the reviewer:
Phillip Leighton-Daly has worked as an infant/primary school teacher for more than forty years. Currently he teaches swimming and water safety with the NSW Education Department. He’s the author of eight local history and six short fiction stories. Phil and his wife of almost 40 years have two children. He is interested in the environment and the outdoor sports of tennis, kayaking, cricket,rugby league and bushwalking. He has diplomas in teaching and bible studies.
Post by kdstrack » 29 Nov 2019, 16:04[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of “Elizabeth’s Garden” by Phillip Leighton-Daly.]
4 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
Elizabeth’s Garden is a children’s book written by Philip Leighton-Day. It is a coming-of-age story about young Elizabeth, who loses a parent and discovers her inner strength by helping others and fighting for justice in her community.
It was Sunday morning. Elizabeth (Liz) and her parents were on their way to church when a group of pirates approached them. While trying to defend his family, the pirates killed Liz’s father. Liz and her mother left their home and moved to the mission. It was here that Elizabeth cultivated her garden.
Liz developed a friendship with the narrator. They hatched a plan to steal a boat from the cedar cutters (a group of criminals.) After taking the boat, they took something else from the criminals that spurred them on to get revenge. They came after Liz and the narrator. How will Liz be able to escape? Can she trust the law officials to help her?
This short book is a quick read at a mere seventeen pages without any chapter or section breaks. The story’s setting is Australia, and the author incorporates numerous elements of the culture in the narrative, including vivid descriptions of endemic trees and animals. Readers will also learn about the habits and customs of the Aboriginals. I found this educative and exciting.
I liked the development of Liz from a quiet child to an assertive young adult who pursued her goals. I was disappointed that the story did not give more emphasis to Liz’s care and development of the garden. I was hoping for a more in-depth explanation of how she chose her crops, worked and weeded the ground, and shared the harvest. The author did allude to Liz’s garden and her efforts to work it and share its bounties with others. I felt that a stronger highlighting of the garden would have enhanced the emotional ending.
I found the author’s descriptions to be a dynamic addition to the book. At the same time, the target audience may be confused by some of the regional terms incorporated into the story. Phrases like “bush tucker,” “paddies for breakfast,” and “bushrangers” could be included in a glossary of terms for young readers unfamiliar with the Australian dialect. Some of the words would be difficult for children to understand. Terms like “sclerophyll scrub,” and “angophoras” would be beyond most children’s comprehension.
I think this book fits better under the genre of a young adult book. Liz is sixteen years old in the story, and I believe that young adults would identify easier with her experiences, decisions, and attitudes.
I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. The author told an intriguing story that was entertaining and informative. I enjoyed the excellent editing, as I only found one error while reading. The text is free of any offensive language or sexual connotations. There is only one brief, yet gruesome, description of the killing of a freedom fighter. This story would be a welcome addition to any high school history class. Younger readers could enjoy this story with an explanation of some of the less-familiar terms. Adults interested in learning more about the history of Australia would enjoy this story. This short book would not appeal to readers looking for a lengthier read with a deeper plot.
Post by Stephanie Elizabeth » Yesterday, 18:17This sounds like a lovely book, and I agree with you, it should be aimed at a teen audience. It looks like Liz evolves into a caring woman. Strong character development is a must-have for me, and this book sounds like it has it. Thanks for the excellent review!Latest Review:Better With You by Hattie Lou
Phillip Leighton-Daly's Short Stories. 