Erebus - Home of The Erebus Equilibrium!

Bio and Reviews

Born in the United Kingdom in 1959, Neil Charles Cladingboel moved to Australia with his family in 1961, spending his early years in Woomera, the heart of the Australian Outback, before settling in Melbourne where he completed his schooling.

After an extensive background in Catering and Hospitality, which took him around the country, Neil embarked on a new career in Real Estate and Land Marketing. Having dabbled with creative writing and contemporary poetry for many years, publishing Reflections: Book One of The Erebus Equilibrium trilogy, in November 2000, was the realization of a life-long dream.

Neil has since published The Anvil Amulet and Wraith Tide, books two and three of the Erebus fantasy series, Tale Spin, a collection of short fiction, and the short stories, Weatherwood, Ghost of Elysium and Anomaly. A new omnibus edition of the trilogy is also available.

Neil currently resides in Mandurah, Western Australia with his wife, Thea. His latest project is Bortag's Curse, a sequel to The Erebus Equilibrium series. A fourth book in the series, Beloved Sons, is currently in concept stage.

Neil is a member of the Australian Horror Writers Association, founder of Equilibrium Books and editor of FlashSpec Anthology. He has also contributed stories, articles and reviews to numerous web sites and e-zines, most notably at SFFWorld.com

Horrorscope review of Weatherwood, a short story
published in issue 88 of Antipodean SF.

"AntipodeanSF is a webzine that is devoted to flash speculative and science fiction. The ‘zine aims to showcase Australian and New Zealander authors, but also publishes international authors. Each issue features ten short stories that generally have a surprise ending or twist, or are a fresh and unique vision of the genre.

Weatherwood, by Neil Cladingboel, is a story set in a future Earth, where what we take to be commonplace today is now legend. I love this story – it serves as a reminder of what we take for granted, and what we stand to lose, should we continue to abuse this planet. Cladingboel’s voice is a strong one."

Talespin reviewed by Sarah Dobbs

"'Tale Spin' by Neil C Cladingboel does exactly what the title suggests: it puts a great spin on each and every story in the collection.

I can only liken this book to a box of chocolates. Each story in the box is delicious but they are all very different. There’s a story to suit everyone’s taste here, whether you enjoy fantasy, sci-fi, horror or even a dash of romance!

Of course I have my own personal favourites. These include ‘Nine Lives,’ ‘Quicksilver,’ ‘The Yellow Eyes of God,’ Photo Finish’ and the book’s namesake, ‘Tale Spin.’

In my opinion, ‘The Yellow Eyes of God’ and ‘Photo Finish’ deserve a special mention. These stories are absolute gems. They are thoughtfully written and wonderfully evocative. ‘The Yellow Eyes of God’ is quite literally enchanting and the imagery has stayed with me. The twist-in–the-tale ending even managed to astound me!

However, where the stories in ‘Tale Spin’ truly excel are the ease with which they are read. You are hooked after the first sentence in each story and secure in the knowledge that the author will spirit you away on a wonderful mini adventure on every occasion. You will read all the tales in a state of anticipation; anxious to discover what surprises Mr Cladingboel has cooked up for you this time.

‘Tale Spin’ is a great introduction to Mr Cladingboel’s writing and will surely whet your appetite to such a point that you will start craving more of the same. If this is the case, then why not try the novels in Cladingboel’s ‘Erebus Equilibrium Trilogy’ and the forthcoming ‘Bortag’s Curse.’

So if you fancy being surprised, saddened, scared, shocked AND stunned, then delve into ‘Tale Spin’ and indulge in this assortment of sensational tales. A thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining read!

Reflections: Book One of The Erebus Equilibrium
Reviewed by Kerry Orchard,
author of The Thoughtmaster's Conduit.

Neil Cladingboel's first book, Reflections, in his Erebus Trilogy, left me hungering for more. It is a fast paced, exciting foray into a fantastical tale of personal pain and triumph. The blend of science, fantasy, real and alternative world realities left me breathless.

Jonathan Malone, shrouded by guilt over the death of sister is projected suddenly into Erebus, a world that is nowhere but everywhere. It is simply in between, the space that exists betwixt the gates of heaven and hell. Do not think of Erebus as purgatory, it is not that simple - it is so much more. Erebus is about balancing between the two, maintaining space. The conflict that exists between good and evil.

Mirrors play a key role in this intriguing tale as the medium through which Jonathan's sister's death was produced, and the gateway to Erebus. Neil's use of mirrors is much more than a gateway however, it is, as the title suggests, the reflection of that within.

Through the story Jonathan struggles to move on with his life, to get past his guilt through the love of his father and his wife, Alison. His personal struggles are done with gravity and intensity. When he succeeds and begins to live, another twist!

Here, we have the ultimate struggle between good and evil, the Watcher and the Keeper. Heaven and hell. Puppets and play things, the omnipotence of those who control the universe, and all that we can and cannot see.

The characters were well written and complex. Their lives had meaning and it was easy to get to know them.

The ending is superb and not at all what I expected. I happily anticipate reading the next book and following this fantastical trail right to its end. I would highly recommend 'Reflections' to any fantasy or science fiction fan.

Feature Review for Reflections
by Eric Gilmartin, author of Wolfpack Stories.

A delightful new fantasy saga kicks off in "Reflections" by Neil Charles Cladingboel, a rising author with a deft touch for mixing bizarre fantasy with scenes of everyday life in the "real" world we all inhabit - or think we do, anyhow. His hero suffers a horrendous personal loss in his youth, and struggles to put his shattered life back together; just when he thinks he's succeeded - with a busy career, a loving wife, and a feeling of peace and happiness to show for his years of dignified grief and hard work - he discovers his pivotal role in a surreal power struggle, being waged in a parallel dimension by puppet-master forces who could be called angels and demons, alien beings, or raw forces of dream energy.

Mr. Cladingboel's treatment of his protagonist's suffering is nicely handled, never overwrought, and his initial skepticism at the strange events unfolding around him, and within him, goes on just long enough to make the point. The author really likes his characters, and cares for their welfare, which makes it easy for the reader to do likewise, and the intrusive dream-beings, who use mirrors and other reflecting surfaces to enter and exit our world (hence, one meaning of the title) are imaginative, complex, and captivating - particularly once it becomes unclear which side is actually the good, and which is the bad.

This book makes me anticipate the later books in this saga with keen interest, and want to recommend it to other readers with great enthusiasm ... so I will!

Feature Review for Reflections
by Adrian Rogers, author of The Time Tunnel and The Grail.

As the first book of this trilogy Neil Cladingboel's 'Reflections' blends elements of fantasy, science fiction, this world and alternative world realities, the esoteric and the everyday. It is the story of Jonathan Malone, a young man haunted by guilt as a result of his inadvertent involvement in the death of his younger sister Sarah, when they were both children. He is projected into 'Erebus' - the alternative world neither heaven nor hell but in between - through the medium of mirrors.

Of course the use of mirrors in a story is nothing new. Stephen Donaldson has done it in his Mordant novels, but Cladingboel's handling of mirror imagery is quite different, though equally deft and original. In 'Reflections' mirrors are not merely a method of passing from one world to another, but also reflectors of various levels of the inner self, and a means of testing that self. This exploration of the psyche is achieved without portentousness, quite the opposite in fact, this author's language being straightforward but bright and fresh, his narrative swift paced and flowing.

'Erebus' itself is an original concept despite the ancient origins of that name. Though portrayed as a 'between' world it is not like purgatory, being concerned not so much with the purging of guilt as with the maintainance of balance. In other worlds Cladingboel consciously or unconsciously evokes the hermetic principle - 'as above, so below'.

Like all good fantasies it is a struggle between good and evil, between the Keeper and the Watcher, with Jonathan, his father, his wife Alison, and one time school bully Billy Robinson caught up in the conflict between opposing forces. But just when a 'happily ever after' ending seems imminent there is a twist... on the last page in fact that opens the whole story out again. The author shows, throughout the book, a mastery of the art of scene and character transition, but this ending is perhaps his greatest coup, providing a seamless transition into the next book. Consequently, having read 'Reflections' you will want to buy Vol 2 and read on.

I have no hesitation in recommending this book as an absorbing and excellent read, and cannot help reflecting on the fact that Neil Cladingboel is only one of a raft of writers producing rich and imaginative work that has not been taken up by mainstream publishers. The fact that this is so says a great deal about, but very little for the Australian publishing industry.