TITANIC 2012 by Bill Walker Virtual Blog Tour

RMS Titanic was a British passenger liner that sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on April 15, 1912 after colliding with an iceberg during her maiden voyage from Southampton, England to New York City. The sinking of Titanic caused the deaths of 1,514 people in one of the deadliest in history. She was the largest ship afloat at the time of her maiden voyage. One of three Olympic class ocean liners operated by the White Star Line, she was built between 1909–11 by the Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast. She carried 2,224 people.

The wreck of the Titanic remains on the seabed, gradually disintegrating at a depth of 12,415 feet (3,784 m). Since its rediscovery in 1985, thousands of artefacts have been recovered from the sea bed and put on display at museums around the world. Titanic has become one of the most famous ships in history, her memory kept alive by numerous books, films, exhibits and memorials. Including the 1997 James Cameron film Titanic. The film was re-released theatrically in 3-D on April 4, 2012 to commemorate the centenary of the tragedy.

Titanic 2012
Bill Walker Designs

Best-selling mystery novelist Trevor Hughes has no idea that attending his twentieth reunion at Harvard will forever change his life. Persuaded to go by his on-again-off-again girlfriend, Dr. Julia Magnusson, he meets up with three old friends: Solly Rubens, a self-made Wall Street millionaire; Ken Faust, a successful software entrepreneur; and Harlan Astor, New York real estate tycoon and the glue that holds their circle together. That afternoon, over drinks at the Harvard Club, Harlan drops his bombshell: He is doing what James Cameron did not — he is rebuilding the Titanic, and sailing the ship on the hundredth anniversary to honor those who died, including his great-grandfather, John Jacob Astor IV. Only Trevor is intrigued by Harlan’s audacity. Touched by his friend’s interest and concern, Harlan invites him on the maiden voyage to serve as the official chronicler. On April 10, 2012, Trevor journeys to Southampton and, along with the hundreds of handpicked passengers, boards the Titanic.

Then the real story begins….

Dollycas’s Thoughts
I can tell this author thinks very highly of James Cameron as the movie is mentioned several times in the book. Maybe Cameron could use this story for an upcoming movie as it seems perfect for adaption to the screen. This updated re-release of the original published in 1998 is very well written, I almost felt as if I were aboard the ship myself. He adds little touches to remember the past such as photos of the original passengers on the doors of each stateroom. The notes of detail making the new Titanic the same as the first and following the exact same path of travel gave the story a very ghostly feel.

I was ready for the love story between Trevor and passenger Maddie. It wouldn’t be a homage to Cameron without the love story. The thing I wasn’t ready for was the dark and eerie turn the book took. The real plan behind the launch of this rebuilt Titanic left me feeling a rush of emotions. As first I was just plain mad at the author for choosing this path but sadness overtook that feeling as the fates of the passengers played out. You may need a little Kleenex while reading this story.

Trevor is an awesome character and I am glad the author ended this story the way he did. The character was a treasure himself as the others Harvard circle would show their true colors.

If you are a fan of James Cameron’s movie or a history buff on the sinking of the Titanic you will love this book. As the centennial approaches this is a story to pick up and read and then break out the DVD of the movie and remember those that were lost in that freezing ocean water on the fateful night of April 15, 1912.

About This Author
A graduate of Emerson College’s prestigious film school, Bill wrote and directed his first feature film, Pawn, while still a student. After graduation, he founded Newbury Filmworks, Inc., an award-winning production company renowned for making high-quality corporate films and commercials.

In 1990, Bill relocated to Los Angeles, and began a freelance story analysis career for various studios and independent production companies, while devoting his spare time to the writing of novels, short stories, and screenplays. He is also a highly-respected graphic designer, specializing in book and dust jacket design. He has worked on books by such luminaries as: Ray Bradbury, Richard Matheson, Dean Koontz, and Stephen King. In addition, Bill is a member of the Authors Guild.

He has won awards for his screenwriting, his two short story collections for Mid-Graders, Five-Minute Frights and Five-Minute Chillers, are perennial Halloween favorites, and his first novel, Titanic 2012, was enthusiastically received by readers. His latest novel, A Note from an Old Acquaintance was released in 2009. Bill lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Debbie, and their sons, Jeffrey and Brian.
http://www.billwalkernovels.com

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”