The Destiny Mask [Paperback]

Martin Sketchley (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Pocket Books; New Ed edition (2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743468449
• ISBN-13: 978-0743468442
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)

More About the Author

I grew up in Tamworth, an average market town in the English county of Staffordshire -- home to Sir Robert Peel, founder of the police force, and a castle that was once home to the King of Mercia. I am a descendant of Sir Thomas Guy, although this has never seemed to impress anybody very much. I went to Greenacres County Primary School until the age of 11. Sometimes at school I was given the opportunity to write a story; I always wrote science fiction.

In 1979 I began to attend Rawlett High School, and opportunities to write stories became less frequent. When in one class the opportunity did arise, I, of course, wrote science fiction. However, the teacher who marked the story changed every entry of "ship" to "rocket". This irritated me no end.

For a few years at Rawlett I took flute lessons, and played in the school orchestra. I quickly discovered, however, that the flute isn't exactly the coolest instrument in the world, and cursed at the fact that saxophone lessons were not available. The upside to being in second flutes, however, was that all the other flute players were female, which offered countless opportunities for me to make a fool of myself. In the end I gave up the flute lessons, as I seemed to be about as successful at that as I was with the girls.

At 14 I began to write my first novel, and produced four sides of A4 at a single sitting -- more than I'd ever written before. However, I was teased left, right and centre, and page five was consigned to the bin.

I left Rawlett at the age of 16 with no qualifications to speak of -- although I had been noted for trying particularly hard during badminton lessons -- and began working with my parents as a market trader. This was fun, even though the hours were long and it was cold during the winter, hot during the summer and windy and rainy the rest of the time.

In the late 1980s I had another brief but passionate encounter with music, this time playing guitar with indie band Emma Gibbs Loves Badges. I discovered that a Gibson 335 is a much cooler instrument than a flute, and it was during this period that I met the women who would become my wife. However, the rest of the band didn't seem to share my belief in our potential -- which I still hold to this day -- and in frustration I one day left the damp rehearsal room at Mr Cutler's scrapyard never to return.

Not long after this unfortunate separation, I began writing. Unlike being in a band writing is a solitary activity, and I recognised that I alone was responsible for my success or failure. I wrote short stories behind market stalls, and began submitting them to magazines.

By 1994, having got a few writing credits under my belt, I felt I'd achieved all I wanted to achieve as far as short stories were concerned, and considered that if I wanted to be a novelist I'd have to write some novels. (Makes sense when you think about it, doesn't it.) Without the faintest notion of the amount of work required, I started to write my first novel, and over the course of the following years this evolved into the work that is now The Affinity Trap.

I'm now a freelance editor of reports on fast-moving consumer goods markets for a global B2B publisher based in London, covering fascinating subjects such as soft drinks and toilet paper. I lives in Birmingham, UK, with my wife and our two children, and am proud to be an Englishman. I no longer own a flute, but I still have the 335.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Satisfying high drama., January 4, 2007

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Destiny Mask (The Structure Series) (Paperback)

Marin Sketchley's second book of his 'Structure' series, THE DESTINY MASK, is a pick for prior fans of THE AFFINITY TRAP and offers a new space opera story telling of twin sons who have grown up ignorant of their parentage, raised apart - and both believing they're the rightful heir to a royal household. Politics and controversy erupt when the inevitable happens, changing a world in a sweeping epic of satisfying high drama.

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars strong military sci fi thriller, April 29, 2006

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Destiny Mask (The Structure Series) (Paperback)

Then Military Intelligence Officer Alexander Delgado failed to complete his escort mission intended to forge an alliance between Earth's dictator General William Myson and the Seriattic Royal Household. Instead royal child-bearer Vourniass Lycern became Alexander's lover and gave birth to his twin sons (see THE AFFINITY TRAP). The boys were separated with Myson raising Michael while Delgado, an outlawed insurgent considered a terrorist raising Cascari.

Two decades later Michael and Cascari each believes they are the legal heir to the Monosiell head of Seriatt's Royal Household. The current Monosiell, Delgado and Myson push to place their "son" in the position of power that would make the dictator invincible or insure that the terrorist has a real chance at success in the struggle between them. Neither Michael nor Cascari know that they are siblings let alone twins. Meanwhile besides the strategic importance of the Seriatts' location near the M4 wormhole, the royals believe they are on the verge of a time travel breakthrough that will change the balance of power through THE DESTINY MASK. Delgado and Myson want ownership.

This sequel is an exciting science fiction thriller that can be read without perusing the previous novel (THE AFFINITY TRAP) though the experience is enhanced with back to back reads as that explains the heated rivalry between the antagonists. The story line is action-packed and incredibly fast-paced (no time outs) but somehow driven by the enmity between Myson and Delgado as nurtured by them as part of their imprint on their respective sons. However what makes the tale real is the terrorists are disorganized and badly trained as they are under constant pressure by the more powerful dictatorship. Readers will appreciate this strong military sci fi thriller.

Harriet Klausner