BooksBarbecue
Back A Burning Sea
Chapters (54)
  1. CAST OF CHARACTERS
  2. PART ONE
  3. CHAPTER ONE
  4. CHAPTER TWO
  5. CHAPTER THREE
  6. CHAPTER FOUR
  7. CHAPTER FIVE
  8. CHAPTER SIX
  9. CHAPTER SEVEN
  10. CHAPTER EIGHT
  11. CHAPTER NINE
  12. CHAPTER TEN
  13. CHAPTER ELEVEN
  14. CHAPTER TWELVE
  15. PART TWO
  16. CHAPTER THIRTEEN
  17. CHAPTER FOURTEEN
  18. CHAPTER FIFTEEN
  19. CHAPTER SIXTEEN
  20. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
  21. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
  22. CHAPTER NINETEEN
  23. CHAPTER TWENTY
  24. CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
  25. CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
  26. CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
  27. CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
  28. CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
  29. CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
  30. PART THREE
  31. CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
  32. CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
  33. CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
  34. CHAPTER THIRTY
  35. CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
  36. CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
  37. CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
  38. CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
  39. CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
  40. CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
  41. CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
  42. PART FOUR
  43. CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
  44. CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
  45. CHAPTER FORTY
  46. CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
  47. CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
  48. CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
  49. CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
  50. CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
  51. CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
  52. CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
  53. HISTORICAL NOTE
  54. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

With regard to the deliverance of demonic possession (or oppression), the testimony of how this transpires is remarkably consistent – whether in the Gospel of Luke or numerous medieval texts or memoirs you can find in any Christian bookshop today, or indeed speaking with individuals who have experience of this phenomenon up to the current time in many different cultures, including our own. I have tried to stay true to the common manifestations, both objective and subjective. I suppose in the face of so much testimonial evidence one could still hold to the view that such things are not real. But alas, my faith is not that strong.

In the end, this is a book not about demonic bondage but about freedom. I suppose the question now arises: having gained one’s freedom, what should one do with it?

The answer, perhaps, lies further down the Wanderer’s road.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Illustration

Unlike A Sacred Storm, which began life as half a book that was reformed into one, A Burning Sea grew and grew until it had become as long as two books which, at last, I have now reduced to one. You will not be surprised to hear that neither method is a particularly efficient way of writing a novel. Still, one is learning. . .

The odd moment of wishing to throw the whole thing on the fire aside, it is with profound satisfaction that I can finally release A Burning Sea into the wild. And not a little relief. Several people deserve my thanks for this:

First, my (now former) editor at Corvus Atlantic, Sara O’Keeffe. This novel is dedicated to you because it is no exaggeration to say that without your input it would (and probably should) have died a horrible death at the manuscript stage. They say an editor can only get out of an author what is already there. Sara, you have had to mine the depths of my reserves in order to bring to light the story I wanted to tell. I shall miss your passion for Erlan’s adventures, as well as your calm words of wisdom. Happily our friendship will sail on unchecked.

The other pillar on which this book stands is my beloved wife, Natasha. A small writer’s tip in passing: should you ever wish to write an epic novel, best to delay either procreation or relocation. Ideally both. We have managed to forge our way through a very intense eighteen months. I would not have been able to get through them without your love and support – not to mention your little gems of advice for this novel. I love and trust you more than ever.