Member Since: June 12, 2023

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John Wilson

Biography

John Wilson is an ex-geologist and award-winning author of fifty novels and non-fiction books for adults and teens. His passion for history informs everything he writes, from the recreated journal of an officer on Sir John Franklin's doomed Arctic expedition to young soldiers experiencing the horrors of the First and Second World Wars and a memoir of his own history. John researches and writes in Lantzville on Vancouver Island

Series

The 7 Series by
The Missing Skull
Price: $3.99 USD.
The Heretic's Secret by
The Heretic's Secret: Single Volume Edition
Price: $9.99 USD.
Heretic
Price: $4.99 USD.
Quest
Price: $4.99 USD.
Rebirth
Price: $4.99 USD.
Northwest Passage by
North with Franklin: The Lost Journals of James Fitzjames
Price: $5.99 USD.
The Final Alchemy: A novel of Murder, Magic and the Search for the Northwest Passage
Price: $4.99 USD.
The Alchemist's Dream
Price: $6.99 USD.
Across Frozen Seas
Price: $4.99 USD.
John Franklin: A Brief Biography
Price: $4.95 USD.
The Caught in Conflict Collection by
Germania: The Roman Empire 9 CE
Price: $4.99 USD.
Where Soldiers Lie: India 1857
Price: $4.99 USD.
Flags of War: Shiloh 1862
Price: $4.99 USD.
Battle Scars: Libby Prison 1863
Price: $4.99 USD.
Death on the River: Andersonville 1865
Price: $4.99 USD.
And in the Morning: Somme 1916
Price: $4.99 USD.
The Dinosaur Chronicles by
Velociraptor
Price: $4.99 USD.
Hadrosaur
Price: $4.99 USD.
Tyrannosaurus
Price: $4.99 USD.
Tales of War by
Wings of War
Price: $4.99 USD.
Dark Terror
Price: $4.99 USD.
A Dangerous Game
Price: $4.99 USD.

Books

The Missing Skull by
Series: The 7 Series, Book 1. Price: $3.99 USD. Words: 26,970. Language: English. Published: August 3, 2023 by John Wilson. Categories: Fiction » Children’s books, Fiction » Children’s books » Historical / Canada / General
The thrilling Prequel to the best-selling 7Series book, Lost Cause. "Wilson successfully creates a series of layered mysteries each more compelling than the last...The Missing Skull is a great, fast-paced read...Recommended."―CM Magazine.
Heretic by
Series: The Heretic's Secret, Book 1. Price: $4.99 USD. Words: 83,640. Language: English. Published: July 12, 2023 by John Wilson. Categories: Fiction » Christian » Historical, Fiction » Thriller & suspense » General, Fiction » Historical » General, Fiction » Adventure » War & military adventure
"…in Wilson's hands, the subject entertains as it horrifies. Wilson never lectures readers, but allows his characters to participate in history…he neither glorifies war nor softens the raw violence of the Inquisition…it is a brave book, an unsettling book, and one that is very much needed at this time." Mark D. Dunn, The Globe and Mail "…astonishingly nuanced and masterfully told…"—Quill & Quire
Quest by
Series: The Heretic's Secret, Book 2. Price: $4.99 USD. Words: 84,550. Language: English. Published: July 12, 2023 by John Wilson. Categories: Fiction » Christian » Historical, Fiction » Thriller & suspense » General, Fiction » Historical » General
Quest follows the stories of Adso, John and Peter, as they struggle to come to terms with the bloody war that is engulfing their homeland. Adso fights a guerilla war. John and Isabella flee to Al-Andalus to seek the lost knowledge preserved in libraries of the Moors. Peter embarks on a quest for the Cathar Treasure. Each finds a piece of a puzzle that might hold the key to the future.
Rebirth by
Series: The Heretic's Secret, Book 3. Price: $4.99 USD. Words: 73,950. Language: English. Published: July 12, 2023 by John Wilson. Categories: Fiction » Christian » Historical, Fiction » Thriller & suspense » General, Fiction » Historical » General
In the conclusion of the trilogy, amidst the chaos of battle, Adso must fulfill his oath to kill Oddo, Peter must discover the path that God has chosen for him and John discovers a valuable piece of information that could finally stop Aumery. In the end, the Crusade and Adso, Peter and John's involvement in it will change the future, but in ways that none of them imagined in their wildest dreams.
The Heretic's Secret: Single Volume Edition by
Series: The Heretic's Secret. Price: $9.99 USD. Words: 240,420. Language: English. Published: July 12, 2023 by John Wilson. Categories: Fiction » Christian » Historical, Fiction » Thriller & suspense » General, Fiction » Historical » General
Not all the Crusades were fought on the far edges of Christendom. In the thirteenth century, a bloody Holy War was fought against a sect of heretical Christians, the Cathars, who lived in Languedoc around the modern city of Toulouse. The war lasted decades and tens of thousands were murdered, mutilated or thrown on vast bonfires. This is the story of three of them.
The Final Alchemy: A novel of Murder, Magic and the Search for the Northwest Passage by
Series: Northwest Passage, Book 2. Price: $4.99 USD. Words: 100,110. Language: English. Published: June 25, 2023 by John Wilson. Categories: Fiction » Mystery & detective » Historical, Fiction » Thriller & suspense » General, Fiction » Historical » General
An old man sits by the dying embers of a fire in London of 1669 gazing at the old, stained book on his lap. The complex web of intrigue, ambition and betrayal on the water-stained pages tell a tale of tragedy and horror a generation before—will they be his salvation, or his damnation.
Germania: The Roman Empire 9 CE by
Series: The Caught in Conflict Collection, Book 1. Price: $4.99 USD. Words: 64,750. Language: English. Originally Published: May 17, 2023 by John Wilson. Categories: Fiction » Historical » General, Fiction » Adventure » War & military adventure
"This riveting, haunting tale will leave readers clamoring for more." Best Books. "…a complicated storyline which contains rich historical detail reminiscent of the great Rosemary Sutcliffe, as well as universals about war and cultural identity." The Star Phoenix.
Flags of War: Shiloh 1862 by
Series: The Caught in Conflict Collection, Book 3. Price: $4.99 USD. Words: 33,070. Language: English. Originally Published: May 30, 2023 by John Wilson. Categories: Fiction » Young adult or teen » War, Fiction » Young adult or teen » Historical
"…action-filled, tightly written prose. Realistic battle scenes illustrate the senselessness of war…the story offers a fresh take on the conflict - the idea of Canada as refuge for fugitive slaves and the irony of how it was nearly drawn into the war on the side of the South."- Albany Public Library, NY
Where Soldiers Lie: India 1857 by
Series: The Caught in Conflict Collection, Book 2. Price: $4.99 USD. Words: 48,440. Language: English. Originally Published: May 30, 2023 by John Wilson. Categories: Fiction » Young adult or teen, Fiction » Young adult or teen » War
"This is an absolutely terrific book…Never lagging with a credible hero and an exotic setting…The pacing is flawless." Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction Jury Citation. "The tension and action of the battle and the intense danger of the escape from the massacre will keep readers turning these pages." Quill & Quire
Battle Scars: Libby Prison 1863 by
Series: The Caught in Conflict Collection, Book 4. Price: $4.99 USD. Words: 36,320. Language: English. Originally Published: May 30, 2023 by John Wilson. Categories: Fiction » Young adult or teen, Fiction » Young adult or teen » Historical
The sequel to Flags of War, continues the adventures of two cousins, Walt and Nate McGregor, and of Sunday, the former slave on Nate's father's plantation. "…this book looks at the Civil War from the eyes of soldiers who come to realize that their enemies are just men like themselves."–South Carolina State Library.
Death on the River: Andersonville 1865 by
Series: The Caught in Conflict Collection, Book 5. Price: $4.99 USD. Words: 34,080. Language: English. Originally Published: May 31, 2023 by John Wilson. Categories: Fiction » Young adult or teen, Fiction » Young adult or teen » Historical
"This riveting look at the Civil War's horrifying Andersonville prison through the eyes of an 18-year-old inmate has the power to shock and to compel…a tension-filled story packed with appalling events that really happened...This engrossing novel leaves an enduring impression." (Kirkus Reviews)
And in the Morning: Somme 1916 by
Series: The Caught in Conflict Collection, Book 6. Price: $4.99 USD. Words: 40,960. Language: English. Originally Published: May 31, 2023 by John Wilson. Categories: Fiction » Young adult or teen, Fiction » Young adult or teen » War
"Wilson brilliantly captures the thoughts, feelings, and naivete' of a young man caught up in a conflict he does not fully understand. Jim's growth as a human being, his increasing self-awareness, and, especially, his shocking fate are not soon forgotten. A compelling, fascinating, and ultimately disturbing book that is not to be missed." Robert Gray, East Central Regional Library, Cambridge, MN.
Four Steps to Death: Stalingrad 1942 by
Series: The Caught in Conflict Collection, Book 8. Price: $4.99 USD. Words: 41,900. Language: English. Originally Published: June 1, 2023 by John Wilson. Categories: Fiction » Young adult or teen » War, Fiction » Young adult or teen » Adventure
"This absorbing, well-crafted tale…is a haunting description of the tragedy and irony of war." VOYA. Set during the Battle of Stalingrad, three participants—one Russian soldier, one German soldier and a boy caught in the middle—struggle to survive the largest battle in human history. None of them know how their fates will be intertwined as the cataclysm engulfs them.
Lost in Spain: Spanish Civil War 1936 by
Series: The Caught in Conflict Collection, Book 7. Price: $4.99 USD. Words: 42,100. Language: English. Originally Published: June 1, 2023 by John Wilson. Categories: Fiction » Young adult or teen » War, Fiction » Young adult or teen » Historical
"Wilson offers a unique perspective on this fascinating era…even minor characters are brought to life." Library Journal. Swept up in the chaos of the Spanish Civil War, Ted Ryan finds himself alone as he searches for his missing father. His only help is Dolores, a Spanish revolutionary who can explain what is going on, but who is in just as much danger as Ted in the war-torn countryside.
Flames of the Tiger: Berlin1945 by
Series: The Caught in Conflict Collection, Book 9. Price: $4.99 USD. Words: 34,650. Language: English. Originally Published: June 1, 2023 by John Wilson. Categories: Fiction » Young adult or teen » War, Fiction » Young adult or teen » Historical
Over the course of a single night in 1945, in a ditch by the flickering light of a burning Tiger tank, a young German soldier tells his life story to a wounded Canadian. Growing up in Germany in the 1930s, Dieter has been seduced by the pomp and propaganda of the Nazis. Now, having seen battle and having discovered the evils his countrymen are capable of, the best he can hope for is survival.
John Franklin: A Brief Biography by
Series: Northwest Passage, Book 5. Price: $4.95 USD. Words: 34,650. Language: English. Originally Published: May 18, 2023 by John Wilson. Categories: Nonfiction » Biography » Adventurers & explorers, Nonfiction » History » Polar regions, Nonfiction » History » Expeditions & Discoveries
"…the best life of Franklin yet produced…(a) wonderfully engaging book." Arctic Book Review. An "…excellent overview, the reader is left with an appreciation of the enormous task early exploration of the Arctic represented…a first rate story. Highly Recommended." CM Magazine
Across Frozen Seas by
Series: Northwest Passage, Book 4. Price: $4.99 USD. Words: 32,280. Language: English. Originally Published: May 18, 2023 by John Wilson. Categories: Fiction » Children’s books, Fiction » Children’s books » Historical / Exploration & Discovery, Fiction » Children’s books » Historical / Canada / General
Honour Book, 1998 Sheila A. Egoff Award for Children's Literature and Finalist for the Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People. "High adventure, terrifying danger, close friendship, family troubles faced and resolved, and a dash of the mystical or supernatural: this novel for teens has it all." Canada Book Review Annual.
North with Franklin: The Lost Journals of James Fitzjames by
Series: Northwest Passage, Book 1. Price: $5.99 USD. Words: 119,320. Language: English. Originally Published: May 18, 2023 by John Wilson. Categories: Fiction, Fiction » Biographical, Fiction » Historical » General
Perhaps, on a barren Arctic shore in the summer of 1849, knowing he was dying, a British Naval officer wrapped his journal in sailcloth and buried it beneath a lonely pile of frost-shattered stones. His name was James Fitzjames and for four years he had carefully recorded the expedition's achievements, hopes and eventual descent into madness and death. This is his journal.
Lands of Lost Content: A Memoir by
Price: $4.99 USD. Words: 77,470. Language: English. Originally Published: May 25, 2023 by John Wilson. Categories: Nonfiction » Biography » Literary biography, Nonfiction » Biography » Personal memoir
"…a highly readable and interesting book…Through personal stories and anecdotes, all giving vivid pictures of social history, the writer guides us through historical events that changed the world. Some of it is sad, but much of it is amusing, all full of colour…I would highly recommend it." Anna Grayson "…a consummate storyteller."—Ormsby Review
Love Death and Nonsense: A Diversity of Verse by
Price: $3.99 USD. Words: 7,130. Language: English. Originally Published: May 24, 2023 by John Wilson. Categories: Fiction » Literature » Literary
Over three decades as an author, John Wilson has often come up with ideas, thoughts and ephemera that either wouldn't fit into a novel or demanded to be expressed as a poem. Some saw the light of day in small literary magazines, some won awards and some simply waited patiently in a drawer. From history, both personal and general, to nonsense, here they are, collected in one place.
Tyrannosaurus by
Series: The Dinosaur Chronicles, Book 3. Price: $4.99 USD. Words: 22,790. Language: English. Originally Published: May 29, 2023 by John Wilson. Categories: Fiction » Children’s books, Fiction » Children’s books » Animals / Dinosaurs & Prehistoric Creatures
In the final book of The Dinosaur Chronicles trilogy, the mysterious meteor showers are increasing in frequency and violence—catastrophe is just around the corner. "Wilson provides a poignant…portrayal of Weet and his companion Saar as they face the end of their species with courage and determination." Resource Links
Hadrosaur by
Series: The Dinosaur Chronicles, Book 2. Price: $4.99 USD. Words: 22,050. Language: English. Originally Published: May 29, 2023 by John Wilson. Categories: Fiction » Children’s books, Fiction » Children’s books » Animals / Dinosaurs & Prehistoric Creatures
This compelling sequel continues the time-travel adventures of Eric, Rose and Sally in the world of dinosaurs sixty-six-million-years ago. "Children 8 to 10 years will be fascinated with this world of scary creatures, near-death adventures, erupting volcanoes and hostile pre-humans." (Comox Valley Echo )
Velociraptor by
Series: The Dinosaur Chronicles, Book 1. Price: $4.99 USD. Words: 19,920. Language: English. Originally Published: May 29, 2023 by John Wilson. Categories: Fiction » Children’s books, Fiction » Children’s books » Historical / Prehistory
A perfect, illustrated, easy-to-read novel for eager young dinosaur fanatics. Eric, Rose and Sally travel back in time 66 million years to meet all the dinosaurs Eric loves, and a few he hasn't even dreamed of.
The Alchemist's Dream by
Series: Northwest Passage, Book 3. Price: $6.99 USD. Words: 66,000. Language: English. Originally Published: May 18, 2023 by John Wilson. Categories: Fiction » Young adult or teen » Historical, Fiction » Young adult or teen » Adventure
Governor General's Literary Award Finalist. In the fall of 1669, the Nonsuch returns to London with a secret—the lost journal from Henry Hudson's tragic search for a passage to Cathay in 1611. For Robert Bylot the book brings back memories of a plague-ridden city, a mysterious alchemist John Dee, and a mutiny in the frozen wastes of Hudson Bay—an age-old mystery is both revealed and solved.
A Dangerous Game by
Series: Tales of War, Book 3. Price: $4.99 USD. Words: 40,910. Language: English. Originally Published: May 17, 2023 by John Wilson. Categories: Fiction » Young adult or teen » War, Fiction » Young adult or teen » Adventure
An enthralling story of a young woman risking her life to free her country. Manon Wouters has an idyllic life in Belgian town of Damme, where she spends her afternoons cycling into beautiful Bruges to study nursing. But as Europe, and the world, erupt into a devastating war, teenaged Manon soon finds herself faced with unbelievable choices: should she run, hide or fight and, if the last, how?
Dark Terror by
Series: Tales of War, Book 2. Price: $4.99 USD. Words: 39,890. Language: English. Originally Published: May 17, 2023 by John Wilson. Categories: Fiction » Young adult or teen » War, Fiction » Young adult or teen » Adventure
When he joins the army in 1915 Alex Shorecross' copper mining experience in Newfoundland lands him in a tunnelling company, working deep below the fighting in France. As his comrades push tunnels out beneath the enemy trenches and pack underground rooms full of explosives, it is Alec's job to listen for enemy activity that might bury them all forever under the Flanders' battlefields. (150 pages)
Wings of War by
Series: Tales of War, Book 1. Price: $4.99 USD. Words: 35,260. Language: English. Originally Published: May 17, 2023 by John Wilson. Categories: Fiction » Young adult or teen, Fiction » Young adult or teen » War, Fiction » Young adult or teen » Adventure
It is 1913 and Edward Simpson is enthralled by his German uncle, Horst, who designs and builds simple—and extremely dangerous—planes in his barn. Horst teaches his nephew the rudiments of flight. Edward is hooked, he will be a pilot, but it is 1914 and events in far-off Europe are dragging the world into a catastrophe that even a farm boy in Saskatchewan cannot avoid. (140 pages)
Written in Blood: The Complete Desert Legends Trilogy by
Price: $9.99 USD. Words: 101,950. Language: English. Originally Published: May 25, 2023 by John Wilson. Categories: Fiction » Young adult or teen » Western, Fiction » Young adult or teen » Historical
The 3 books of The Desert Legends Trilogy (Written in Blood; Ghost Moon; Victorio's War), in one volume, plus a short story about Billy The Kid. Set in Arizona Territory and Mexico in the 1870s, the tale follows Jim Doolen in his search to discover what happened to his father years before. The answers he finds shock him an ddraw him into a much arger story. (approx. 350 pages)

John Wilson's tag cloud

adventure    alchemy    algonquin park    american history    andersonville    apache wars    arctic exploration    arctic wrecks    asteroid impact    autobiography    battle of stalingrad    canadian arctic    canadian history    canadian poetry    canoeing    cathar    childrens art fiction    cretaceous    crusade    dinosaur extinction    dinosaur fiction    dinosaur novel for kids    dinosaurs    erebus    exploration    first world war    franklin expedition    franklin exploration    gettysburg    hadrosaurs    henry hudson    herculaneum    heresy    historical adventure    historical fiction    holocaust    humorous poems    imperialism    indian mutiny    indian raj    inquisition    international brigades    john dee    john franklin    knights    languedoc    libby prison    lincoln county war    lost legions    love poems    massacre at cawnpore    medieval    memoir    messines ridge    meteorite    middle ages    mystery    nazi germany    nonsense poems    northern ontario    northwest passage    old west    paisley    poetry    polar exploration    polar history    prison camps    ptsd    quick read    quick reads    renaissance    roman empire    sad poems    scotland    second world war    sepoy rebellion    shiloh    shot at dawn    skye    slavery    snipers    spain    spies    spy story    storytelling    sultana disaster    t rex    terror    the depression    tom thomson    tudor england    tunnelling    tyrannosaurus    uboats    underground railroad    us history    varus    velociraptor    vesuvius    victorio    war    war diary    wartime adventure    western    world war 2    zeppelin