.


Meet Josh Walton. He's a pretty unusual guy. Not much scares him. By day he's a large animal handler. By night he's occasionally a bouncer, so that's pretty much the same line of work.

A brilliant story-teller with a photographic memory and a winsome smile, Josh Walton is a Renaissance man. You might just hear him quote Shakespeare with an adoring white tiger sitting on his lap. Josh has gone from construction to the martial arts; from professional chef to talented artist; and from large predator handler/trainer to author. Affectionately known as The Alligator Author, Josh Walton handles big gators. Some, very big. One he handles regularly weighs close to 250 pounds, another, a thirteen foot long gator named Barney, tips the scales at 400 pounds.

Although Josh was diagnosed as severely dyslexic as a kid, he refused to let that challenge prevent him from graduating in the top ten percent of his high school class.

A whip smart chess player, classical music aficionado, Josh is also the talented author of a wildly exciting series of Fantasy Novels currently in the process of being transcribed and converted to books. Josh dictates the storyline, and the transcription service delivers the text to his writing partner, author/editor C.K.Gurin, who is flat out wild about Josh's tales and says they'd make phenomenal movies.

They're REALLY GOOD.

 

SYNOPSIS:


28 year old Peter Thomas, a former child prodigy, grew up to be a world-famous mathematician. But he has just awakened from a terrifying nightmare suffering from excruciating chest pain. The dream was so real, so vivid, it felt as if he were there in person. He had watched a man being stalked through snow covered mountains and saw him attempt to take refuge in an abandoned temple. Saw him perform magic. Watched him hide something. Witnessed a bloody battle. Then, he saw the man die from a gaping wound in his chest, which is when Peter Thomas was awakened by an agonizing dream-pain in his own chest.

Still grieving over the death of his beautiful young wife, Peter Thomas blames himself for the automobile accident in which she died. He had been at the wheel when an oncoming vehicle crossed the center-line and hit their sports-car head-on. Devastated, Peter has turned to liquor and pills in an attempt to numb the pain. His formerly brilliant career is in a self-induced nosedive. He is still employed by a prestigious university. But he's now an anonymous janitor.

Peter has recently found himself being stalked by an elderly man who tells Peter that his twin brother, whom Peter previously understood had died at birth, had instead been stolen. The newborn twin had been switched with the body of a stillborn infant boy during a pre-planned moment of confusion at the time of Peter's own birth. The old man confessed that he had been the kidnapper. He tells a horrified Peter that the man in Peter's dream was the identical twin brother Peter Thomas didn't know he had, and that his twin was not on planet Earth when he died.

The old man next delivers a jaw-dropping ultimatum. Peter must accompany him if his late brother's world is to continue to exist. The fate of all 5 Realms hang in the balance. One of those 5 Realms is the planet Earth, and Peter Thomas is the only one with the power to save it.

Peter Thomas was born a sorcerer. He just doesn't know it yet. And what he's about to discover, in a world he is most definitely unprepared to enter, is not a simple good vs. evil challenge. It is perhaps more reminiscent of a game of 5-dimensional chess, played with an opponent whose identity and loyalty remain uncertain, in an alternate universe, on multiple planets, peopled with strange inhabitants.

Peter Thomas has only recently arrived on Planet Nevis in the Green Realm, and he's already thoroughly exasperated. He didn't ask for this aggravation, yet there's something that feels vaguely familiar about all of it. And when being escorted through a museum of rare magic, a small collection of centuries old inanimate items responded to his presence, demanding to be released from their respective showcases to accompany him. Among them an ancient coat, with a unique, and curiously distinct personality.

This new environment is filled with charm and magic and beauty and laugh-out-loud whimsy, but amidst it all, there is an undercurrent of terror and political intrigue. To protect Peter while he is being taught the basics of magic, the old man has hired bodyguards, whose job it is to teach Peter how to defend himself. Granted, the fact that Peter suspects they may be trying to kill him is a bit of a buzz killer.

But one thing is now perfectly clear. It beat the hell out of cleaning toilets.

 


If you'd care to read, or share the first two chapters of "Peter Thomas And The Five Realms" they are accessible from this page:
http://www.the-office.com/pt5/story.htm

 


Status Report

Book 1 - COMPLETE & EDITED.
Beta-readers have weighed in and you can read their feedback below.

Book 2 is complete and being edited.

Book 3 is in process.


BETA READERS:

Review, Peter Thomas and the five Realms Book 1

I give this book a five-star. I recommend this book to anyone.
It makes you want to read more to find out what's going on in this book.
Also could see this book turned into a movie one day.
I can't wait to read the next book.
Thank you,

Matt Cutshaw



BETA READER:

I just finished reading Joshua Walton’s Peter Thomas And The Five Realms.

What a fun read!

The characters come to life and you become so involved with them you forget about the real world.

Mr. Walton is clearly a talented writer and I’m looking forward to reading his following works.

This is not the type of fiction I usually enjoy but I was so taken by the characters and the narrative that I could not put it down.

Thank you for editing the work and my congratulations on the result.

If you have any questions or would like further feedback please don’t hesitate to email or call my cell

229-***-****.

Again thank you for the fine work and I’m looking forward to more.

Aurelio (Tony) Padron

Entertainment manager at Wild Adventures Water and Theme Park


BETA READER:

"This was AWESOME! I loved it! When's the next book going to be ready?"

"Fantastic descriptions, really compelling story, loved the BETA version. Thanks for allowing me to review it."
-SW

"Wow! He's really got talent, Cynthia! The chapters that you sent were enthralling, wonderfully descriptive and pulling the reader along...right to academia! The illustrated faces are also very well done." - NV


NOW AS A BETA READER: Peter Thomas was absolutely delightful and intriguing! I am totally amazed at the talent required by fiction writers as I cannot comprehend the brilliance and imagination that are necessary to bring a story to life. Josh has managed to bring the characters to life not only through vivid physical descriptions but also with a particular human warmth of personality that made everything real to me. Thank you for the sneak peak. - NV

BETA READER: Not the type of book I normally read but I was surprised. This was well-written, fun to read, it had a good ending, and I really liked the book. It will make a good movie! - BG

BETA READER: I'm currently on page 206 and I'm thoroughly enjoying the story, especially the unique characters/creatures. I like toads, so I would particularly like to see a prog. -DMK


BETA READER: - W.E.
#1 Did the story hold your interest from the very beginning? If not, why not? Yes
#2 Did you get oriented fairly quickly at the beginning as to whose story it is, and where and when it’s taking place? If not, why not? Yes
#3 Could you relate to the main character? Yes
#4 Did the setting interest you and did the descriptions seem vivid and real to you? Definitely
#5 Was there a point at which you felt the story lagged or you became less than excited about finding out what was going to happen next? Where, exactly? No, was looking forward the whole time
#6 Were there any parts that confused you? Or even frustrated or annoyed you? Which parts, and why? Only that I don’t have the next book…
#7 Did you notice any discrepancies or inconsistencies in time sequences, places, character details, or other details? No
#8 Were the characters believable? Are there any characters you think could be made more interesting or more likable? No
#9 Did you get confused about who’s who in the characters? Were there too many characters to keep track of? Too few? Are any of the names of characters too similar? No
#10 Did the dialogue keep your interest and sound natural to you? If not, whose dialogue did you think sounded artificial or not like that person would speak? Yes it all fit the story
#11 Did you feel there was too much description or exposition? Not enough? Maybe too much dialogue in parts? No, I think it was just enough and just right
#12 Was there enough conflict, tension, and intrigue to keep your interest? Yes
#13 THIS IS A MULTI-BOOK SERIES, SO SOME QUESTIONS WILL BE ANSWERED IN SUBSEQUENT BOOKS. But speaking for this book only, was the ending satisfying? Believable? Yes. Besides leaving me hanging, which is a good thing in my opinion, I am looking forward to see where the story goes.
#14 REALLY IMPORTANT: Did you notice any obvious, repeating grammatical, spelling, punctuation or capitalization errors? Examples? Page number(s)? Not that I can remember
#15 Do you think the writing style suits the Fantasy genre? If not, why not? Definitely, the style and descriptions were awesome
#16 Any additional thoughts you’d like to share? The writing was great, the attention to detail was great, looking forward to more


BETA READER:

I would like to submit my review on Peter Thomas and the Five Realms, Book 1. - R.A.

#1. Did the story hold your interest from the very beginning? If not, why?

Yes, it did....first, I love stories such as this. It's fantasy and takes you to places you would otherwise never go to
when reading, say a romance novel. And second, the detail provided from the temples to stone statues to rooms
such as the bar or library were perfect in detail.

#2. Did you get oriented fairly quickly at the beginning as to whose story it is, and where and when it's taking place?
If not, why?

It took me about two chapters to start to figure out who was who. There was alot going on and it just takes me a
little longer than some people....I want to learn who is who and what their place is in the story.

#3. Could you relate to the main character?

I could see Peter Thomas in my mind and I was able to feel his disdain, his pain, his arrogance. In the beginning,
Peter was basically a bum in my eyes, yet still very sarcastic, but also very wary and untrusting of people. While I
myself am not any of these things, I am, however, wary of some people.

#4. Did the setting interest you and did the description seem vivid and real to you?

Yes, the setting did interest me very much. In my mind, I was able to picture everything. It's funny, because I
read The Lord of the Rings books and had a very difficult time picturing the settings and characters even though I
had seen the movies dozens of times. In Peter Thomas and the Five Realms...I could picture everything clearly! It
makes for a very enjoyable read when you can do that.

#5. Was there a point at which you felt the story lagged or you became less that excited about finding out what was
going to happen next? Where, exactly?

It was just a little slow when Peter was with Mr. Williamson on a few occasions....not really slow, but Williamson
would not divulge everything to Peter at once (which really annoyed me!! LOL)....as I wanted to know everything
right away....but that was just me.

#6. Were there any parts that confused you? Or even frustrated or annoyed you? Which parts and why?

See my above answer!

#7. Did you notice any discepancies or inconsistencies in time sequences, places, character details or other details?

Off hand...no.

#8. Were the characters believable? Are there any characters you think could be made more interesting or more
likable?

Yes, aside from the "magic" that Peter possesses, there are people such as Peter walking around every day. Oxton,
the bird bugs me...but that's just what he is supposed to do! Be annoying and loud mouthed! There is also
something "off" about Mr. Williamson...this is only my opinion, however....I feel he's hiding something or not
being truthful to Peter. Some of my favorite characters are Bullvine and Fig....and of course Peter...I feel he
has a dark side to him...or perhaps he is just an angry person.

#9. Did you get confused about who's who in the characters? Were there too many characters to keep track of?
Too few? Are any of the names of characters too similar?

There were at times, too many characters for me to keep track of. The names were not similar, but perhaps
a bit different. With that being said, it makes it easy at times to remember who they are, such as Peter's little
entourage of trainers.

#10. Did the dialogue keep your interest and sound natural to you? If not, whose dialogue did you think sounded
artificial or not like that person would speak.

This is what I love about reading a book! You form in your own mind how you picture the character to look,
how they sound and act. An example is Mr. Williamson....I picture him as elderly, and very soft spoken, but with
a different side to him that I think has not yet been divulged...(my opinion again). Bullvine is one of my
favorites and I picture him to look like the big, hairy beast in Beauty and the Beast....angry because of who he is
and he knows people (sorcerers) do not like him....then you have loveable Fig...tiny as can be, very dainty and
polite fluttering around the room.

#11. Did you feel there was too much description or exposition? Not enough? Maybe too much dialogue in parts?

You can never have enough description and even if you do, your mind will still formulate what a certain character
will look like. As for the dialogue, sometimes I felt Williamson dragged on a bit, but then again, that is who he is
.

#12.Was there enough conflict, tension and intrigue to keep your interest?

Oh, absolutely! I could feel Peter's aggravation and annoyance, his distrust and his anger from the beginning
to the end of the story...I felt he was very arrogant and a smart alec. Always in a rush to prove himself.
As for intrigue....ugh....I'm waiting for the next book!! Don't leave me hanging like this!

#13. This is a multi-book series, so some questions will be answered in subsequent books. But speaking for this
book only, was the ending satisfying? Believable?

Yes to both! I was left hanging and now I cannot wait to read the next book in the series!!

#14. Really Important! Did you notice any obvious, repeating grammatical, spelling, punctuation or capitalization errors?
Examples? Page numbers?

Yes, I did, however I do not have the examples. There were not that many, but I did notice a few. (Thanks, we'll check)

#15. Do you think the writing style suits the Fantasy genre? If not, why?

Of course it does! You have sorcerers, magic, floating coats, fairies, rooms such as the library, fireballs, Bullvine,
It reminded me a little along the vein of Harry Potter....not alot, but it had some of the same elements.

#16. Any additional thoughts you'd like to share?

Any time a book or story can take your mind and transport you to the places you are reading is a wonderful
thing. To feel the pain, anguish, joy, sadness or anger of a character you are reading about is another wonderful
"gift".....to place yourself inside the story, to picture in your mind what a character looks like, how they act, what
they wear, how they smell, to actually feel sorry for a character or happiness for a character (s) make for
excellent reading. The author of this book has clearly succeeded in doing this and I cannot wait to read the
next book in the series!


BETA READER:
Wendy de Groot
The Netherlands

Review: Peter Thomas and The Five Realms

I have just finished this exciting book. It is about Peter Thomas, who lost a loved one and is having problems at work.
His life is not easy on him these days.

One day he is followed by an old man called Mr. Williamson who needs Peter's help, and he convinces Peter to jump with him to one of the realms where their adventure starts.

I truly loved reading this book.

The way this book describes the characters and the environment where they are was feeding my imagination and made me visualize it. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves to read fantasy books. However, in my opinion this book can be also enjoyable for persons who are usually not reading fantasy books. When I finished this book I was already looking forward to the second book because the story in the book lasted in my mind for a while.

I think that this book is very suitable to be produced into a movie. If this will be the case I will go to see it in the cinema for sure.

Kind regards,

Wendy de Groot
The Netherlands


BETA READER:

As the first book in the Peter Thomas saga, The Five Realms will leave you enthralled in this lavishly detailed setting from the mind of Joshua Walton. Join Peter in his darkest days as he abruptly discovers that reality, as he's always known it, is not what it seems. This is a must read entry into the magical saga of Peter Thomas. You won't be able to put it down."

5/5 Stars. - Blazah Ballentine

*Disclaimer: I did not receive any compensation for this review. However, I was given a free copy for the purpose of feedback.



CLICK HERE TO READ THE FIRST TWO CHAPTERS OF
PETER THOMAS AND THE 5 REALMS

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