Who should read Tommy Atkinson's novels.

Who should read this book?

One of the things that got me writing was that I noticed that in any thrift store three quarters of the books you see were written for women. You know the kind, the cover usually has some scene where a girl with a look of uncontrollable passion on her face is being ravished by some guy wearing no shirt, with muscles like an Greek God and long blond hair. Well, not all of them are quite like that, but there are a horde of them everywhere. "Where are the books for men?" I asked. "Uh, men don't read," someone said. "Maybe that's because there's nothing written for them worth reading," I replied.

So, if you're a man this book is for you. It has a lot of strong erotic content, so if you're not comfortable with that, maybe not. I have tried to create a world in which people actually fit, a world where they are not at odds with their own natures, a world where they are fulfilled at their most basic level. Read it and see if you don't feel that maybe our world is missing a few things.

If you're a woman, maybe this book is for you too. My view is that women own the Earth. We men are just here to keep them safe and pregnant. Without women, we men would never change our underwear. (Or do much else.) One of my views is that women have been sorely wronged in modern times. Someone came up with the evil idea that female things have no value, and that women are only worth anything if they excel at male things. "What do you do?" someone asks. "I'm a homemaker," she replies, cringing.

Well, I say, cringe no more! Stand up and be proud of what you are! The next time someone asks you what you do, say, "I make new human beings," and look him straight in the eye. (And if the bastard says, "Oh, you're a housewife," kick him in the balls.)

So, what are the women in this book like? What they have in common is that they are secure in themselves. Most are of the common people, one is a warrior of great distinction, one is a brilliant scholar. They normally work doing whatever is necessary for The Tribe's subsistence. Some work in the tannery, some in woodworking making arrows, bows, willow baskets and things like that, some work drying meat and preserving food for the winter. On occasion they go out in large groups to gather wild grain, nuts and berries. Most have children. Their babies they carry with them and toddlers normally accompany them everywhere. Older children spend their days learning the skills they will need in adulthood. All women are trained to fight, especially in archery. They also are trained with a short single handed sword called the women's sword. There is no rule or law that a woman has to follow this normal path. Some women take other paths according to their nature. Most women do not hunt, do not participate in heavy work like blacksmithing, excavating and building, cutting and hauling wood, etc. and do not engage in warfare except to defend the fort if it is attacked. Nobody regards them as inferior or superior. They're women and men are men. All have a place in The Tribe.

Of course, I wouldn't be creating a very real world if everybody was as settled and liberal as the norm. Some men don't agree that women should be warriors. Below is a sample of this kind of scene.

_____Eric the Bear glared at Kelsey and stood up threateningly. He looked at Will and said, "What the hell is this? If you think I'm going into battle with a woman War Chief, you'd better think again." He spoke the word woman with hard contempt.
_____Kelsey's eyes narrowed to evil slits and she rose from her seat with the deliberation of a tomcat maneuvering to pounce on a rival. "Those words will cost you your head you bloated sack of toad meat," she spat.
_____"Before I take your head I'll give you the spanking you deserve, you little witch," Eric roared back.
_____"Outside the gate," Kelsey growled through her teeth. She turned on her heel and strode out of the Long House. My legs felt rubbery as I followed her. I could barely think. The image of her lying headless in the dust made me sick. When I passed through the gate, I
saw Kelsey waiting. Her jacket lay on the ground and she stood in her leather vest and armguard. Her sword was in her hand, point to the ground, and her feet were planted, ready for battle. All the men had noticed her appearance and had seen her toss her jacket aside and draw her sword. They knew it could only mean one thing. They stood up and started back across the creek, talking between themselves and watching with intent eyes. Eric the Bear strode out the gate, sloughed off his jacket and drew his sword. "Eric the Bear, you have insulted my honor." Kelsey shouted. "I challenge you to combat."
_____"Kelsey the Hawk, I accept your challenge," Eric roared in reply. He strode forward and stood facing her. People began appearing all along the wall, and the warriors of both forts stood in a circle around the two War Chiefs. To look at them, it didn't look good for Kelsey. Although she was a well muscled woman, she looked small and light facing her rival. Eric the Bear had forearms that looked like hams and shoulders that could have belonged to a buffalo. Everyone became silent. The two swords raised up and touched with a ring, and Eric immediately took a powerful overhand swing that was clearly intended to split Kelsey in half. Like a cat
playing with a mouse, she darted aside and deflected the swing with her armguard. She didn't even raise her sword in defense.
_____She just stood there glaring into her opponent's eyes. Eric recovered from his missed swing and stood menacingly, his point to the front. He lunged forward in an attempt to run Kelsey through, and she again instantly sidestepped, but this time she stepped forward with an icy calm and her blade came up like lightning to her opponent's throat. Her arm jerked to the side, and she stepped back two steps. Blood erupted from the War Chief's neck, and he grabbed at the wound with his hand. He turned to face her, a look of horror in his eyes. He must have tried to speak, because bloody bubbles came from between his fingers and blood gushed from his mouth. Kelsey danced to the left as though circling a wounded animal and at the first opportunity took a two handed swing at his neck. His head and several of his fingers landed in the dust in beside him. The force of the blow knocked his body sideways and it fell heavily, blood still spurting from the severed arteries.
_____Kelsey turned to face his men. Her eyes blazing with battle fury. "Men of the Tenth Fort," she called out. "Eric the Bear opposed my rank as a War Chief. If any other of you oppose my command, step forward now!" Nobody moved. Most of them were wide eyed with awe at what had just happened to their leader. "This mission we are to undertake together is of the utmost importance to the people of The Tribe," she continued. "Put the people first!"
_____"Put the people first!" boomed the reply of every voice of every warrior and every person on the wall.

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