Rot & Byrne

An action-packed urban fantasy that's frightening and funny in equal measure.


Robert Orlando Trent, although no hero in life had to become one after his death. The lives, and indeed afterlives, of two innocent children, his family and his best friend depended on it. However, when Satan's head honcho wants to suck out your soul, kick your ethereal butt and hang your ghostly gonads from Hell's gatepost, the chances are such reluctant heroics may well not be enough.

Life's a Bastard, Then You Die

A motto a shade cynical perhaps for one so young, but for 21 year old Robert Orlando Trent - Rot to his friends - it was a soured saying, oft spouted. However, as he was soon to discover, the Afterlife could be a bit of an unholy bummer as well.
Maybe as a result of fortune favouring the brave, Rot was mistakenly ripped asunder by one of God's own emissaries. After wiping Lady Luck's spittle from his ethereal eye, Rot found that to save his soul; plus the lives - and indeed afterlives - of his family and friends, he himself, or at least his new, spiritual self, would be forced to face things both Hell-sent and Hell-bound.
Such Devil-spawn being; a forty foot colossus of revengeful arch-fiend, along with its attendant flock of gargoyle lackeys. A full longship's complement of long-dead, demonised Vikings: ones having transmogrified over the centuries into the most debased and vile, parasitized pack of flesh-hungry zombies. The leader of which, having ousted the spirit of nine year old Tommy Marchant, was now firmly ensconced within the boy's body. Rot, albeit reluctantly, feels obliged to find and reclaim the lad's bedevilled form in order to reinstall Tommy before his earthly self is lost forever. To make matters even worse, Tommy's little sister, Belle, has also been kidnapped; the poor lass destined to be the next epicurean delight on the menu of these gormandising ghouls.
However, with the help of his best mate, Damian Byrne and the kid's feisty aunt, Helena Troy... plus hopefully a smidgen of angelic assistance and God being willing, of course... Well Heaven knows, a righteous rescue may just be possible.
Life may indeed be a bit of a bastard, and the Afterlife may equally suck, but if you have faith, well, things'll be okay in the end... Won't they?
Mmmm... Let us pray...




Rot & Byrne

Life's a Bastard, Then You Die - Part Two
is also now available for Kindle at Amazon

***By popular request, now also available complete***


Reader Reviews

Why haven't I seen this author before? 15 Nov 2012
By S. Baldwin
Amazon Verified Purchase
This guy is brilliant! Funny? I laughed out loud. Scary? I (almost) wet my pants. Sad? I cried a bit, (but not too much).

I want more! Much more please!

I loved this book! 19 Aug 2012
By Suellen D. Matos - Published on Amazon.com
Amazon Verified Purchase
Highly imaginative author with a great sense of humor. The reluctant hero moves quickly from one wild and impossible situation to the next very cleverly working through the horror and mayhem with help from totally unexpected and entertaining sources. Don't even try to guess what could happen next just enjoy the ride. I can't wait for the next instalment and I am so thankful to Amazon for giving me the opportunity to discover Ian Atkinson.

Oh Joy! 7 July 2012
By Lindylou
Amazon Verified Purchase
Having finished Book 1, I immediately downloaded Book 2 and was stuck into it by the time the kettle had boiled! What a joy these books have been to read, can't wait for Book 3... come on Ian get your skates on lad!


Rot & Byrne forever 20 April 2012
By Tracey L. Collins
All I can say is that its a wonderful, funny, irreverent and scary romp... I can't wait for the next one and the one after that and the one after that, you get the idea.

• We started tracking this book on June 18, 2012.
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• Literature & FictionHorror

• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• Lending: Disabled
• Print Length: 385 Pages
• File Size: 2,072 KB