Joseph Fullam

Aliens Maher and Jules hop planet-to-planet, these desperate leaps for survival leads them to Planet Earth and a spiritual rebirth.

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Author Joseph Fullam’s planet hopping sexual escapades find teenagers Maher and Jules using their talents and inner energy to survive when they don’t automatically do what society expects of them. It’s hard when you find out everything you thought was true is not, and that your life of privilege was taken away because of your parentage, but in this case, shock, frustration and yearning lead two teenagers to develop and evolve into the spiritual beings following the true path of light. Fast paced and confusing at times, this story is about self-centered immature characters that stumble upon very limited enlightenment than any real sort of self-actualization. The climax literally and figuratively is just as baffling.… (mehr)

Henry VIII, King of England, King of France and Lord of Ireland, teaches William, his presumed illegitimate son, how to ensnare current Queen Elizabeth’s attention and recapture the throne.

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In this alternative universe, King Henry VIII did not die, but was exiled to an island along with his illegitimate son. Elizabeth finally inherits the throne, recognizes her father and takes a personal interest in young William when they return to England. While the tale closely follows William and portrays life as author Joseph Fullam imagined it occurred in the 1500s, there are gaps where the action seems to fade out only to pick up again with the introduction of a new character or setting. What happened to several of the characters, including dethroned Henry, was lost in the shuffle. The ending was confusing and the reader has to take a leap of faith that William could travel and that he did achieve any sort of relationship with the Queen, in order for this tale to be accepted as a plausible alternative Tudor universe.… (mehr)

This was a Library Thing members giveaway free for review book.
This book was both a wonderful and a disappointing read. The story opens on an island where an escaped Henry VIII who was believed to be dead settles with his infant bastard son. Henry's VIII change of heart, his remorse and his passing onto Willaim (his son) all of the good and noble ideals of a Christian leader. It is Henry's goal to have William return to England.
William and Henry both return to England and Henry, only to be captured shortly thereafter. Henry had left their island dying, but his return to England brings about a renewed strength. In the dungeons where the men are imprisoned Henry continues to teach William and it is their obvious intelligence and "breeding" that bring the men to the attention of the Queen, Elizabeth. Elizabeth is the only one to recognize her father for who he is and because of her interest in William, her father is allowed to leave as a free man.
Against his father's warnings, William falls under the spell of the lovely Queen and is determined to serve her in any capacity. She too is attracted to William, probably by his innocence. In William's service to Elizabeth he makes friends and proves himself to be a worthy and honorable person.
In an effort to keep William close to her Elizabeth decides to make William her court jester, putting him under the tutelage of Will Sommers, the jester who had been much loved by Henry. However he has been in his quarters so for long, that he has begun to grow crazy.
William's sense of humility and frustration with the aged jester cause him to act rashly and in doing so, to lose his innocence.

This book had some excellent parts. I loved seeing a fictional Henry the VIII who was now remorseful and makes it a priority to teach his son those things that are truly noble. I was disappointed when Henry fades away and we never really learn of what happens to him. At that point though it is not relevant because most of the book focuses on the relationship between Elizabeth and William. The physical atrtraction is obvious and a bit uncomfortable to me as there is no mention of the fact that Elizabeth is William's half sister.
I was very saddened by the end. I think William deserved more because at heart he truly was a noble man. There were a few loose ends that left me wondering. Before the arrival of the men in England much is made of Williams having the famous sword, Exacalibur. When they were captured, of course Exacalibur was taken from William but we never hear of it again. Also, as mentioned before I would like to have seen more of Henry, even just a mention towards the end of his being in the gardens (mentioned in the middle of the book).
I guess I am one of those who just likes a happy ending and because I had grown to like the character of William, I thought he deserved better.… (mehr)