Read FBC's interview with Phil Williams

Read FBC's review of Under Ordhsaw

AUTHOR INFORMATION: Phil Williams is an author of contemporary fantasy and dystopian fiction, including the Ordshaw urban fantasy thrillers and the post-apocalyptic Estalia series. He also writes reference books to help foreign learners master the nuances of English, two of which are regular best-sellers on Kindle. As a long-term teacher and tutor of advanced English, he runs the popular website "English Lessons Brighton".

Phil lives with his wife by the coast in Sussex, UK, and spends a great deal of time walking his impossibly fluffy dog, Herbert.

FORMAT/INFO: Self-published by the author in 2020, Kept from Cages is available in ebook and paperback format through Amazon. The book is 222 pages long. Cover design by P. Williams.

OVERVIEW: As soon as I’ve heard about Williams’ Kept From Cages, I wanted to try it. First, his Ordshaw series is great. Second, everyone loves fast-paced supernatural thrillers, right?

The premise sounds cool - you get a gang of criminal jazz musicians who take care of an abducted child with secrets. And an international agent trying to solve the mystery of a massacred village. The story jumps between Louisiana and Congo and moves at a breakneck pace.

It throws a lot to the mix (murderous cultists, female assassin, some gentle nods towards a Chosen One mythos) and makes it work. I admit, the first 20% required focus to remember who is who and why people are doing what they’re doing, but once I got the grip of the story things went smoothly. Brutal action and fight sequences, especially the ones including an unstoppable swordsman, impressed me a lot! 

I found characters convincing and believable, also likable. I think I liked Agent Tasker (a guy who gets things done) and Katryzna’s interactions most. They’re focused, they have good chemistry and work well together. Even though Katryzna is rather unstable. And deadly dangerous. Jazz Musicians and Zip (girl with secrets) share great moments as well. All have distinct personalities and quirks that help to tell them apart.

Kept From Cages is a gripping and unique suspense novel with a significant cross-genre appeal. Readers of action will love world-spanning and fast-paced adventure; fans of the supernatural will find plenty of chills in discovering the mystery of Ikiri; those who love thrillers will sink their teeth into the disturbing secrets faced by Katryzna and Agent Tasker. Above all, though, Kept From Cages is fun to devour.