A journalist and book reviewer for a regional website has made his paperback debut with the publication of a ‘dystopian fantasy’ novel.

Mark Cantrell, left, who has reviewed books for Cheshire Today and now writes for a publishing firm in Manchester, has written Silas Morlock which hit the shops earlier this month.

The book, which is published by Inspired Quill, is a story of atonement and sacrifice within an age-old struggle of good against evil, where the redemptive power of literature represents the enduring strength of the human spirit.

It is the first time Mark, 44, has worked with a third party publisher after self-publishing his own first novel (Citizen Zero) in 2010.

“It’s been a tremendous experience working with the guys at Inspired Quill,” he told Cheshire Today.

“They’ve done a marvellous job, and I’m really proud of what we’ve achieved together.” “Silas Morlock is a great story – well, I would say that – but it’s also very much a homage to the power and beauty of literature, going all the way back to our ancestors gathered around those long-lost hearth fires of ancient times, sharing their tales by word of mouth.

The book is released in digital and paperback editions, and is available from Amazon and other leading retailers.