Ancient Cultures
Time passes. Cultures flourish and fade; empires strive to rule the world, only to have it snatched from them by the relentless force of marching years. On this month's Spotlight page we look at the early beginnings of Christianity in Judea -- and the impact of Christian rule in Alexandria. We sample the might and glory of the Roman Empire -- then challenge common assumptions of the Roman conquest of Britannia. We sing noble sagas with the Vikings, and explore the might-have-beens of prehistoric America. Time passes, but humanity remains the same.
Woman Redeemed by Christine Blake
Woman Redeemed is the Every(wo)man story that embraces the feminine influence on history and celebrates the strength of women in community with one another. Mary Magdalene is a product of a multi-cultural region: empowered by the tales of Roman women and grounded by Jewish heroines of traditional stories. She is a universal symbol of renewal and redemption. As such, Mary Magdalene transcends Judeo-Christian tradition and personifies femininity at its most enduring and inspiring.
Christine Blake holds a Masters Degree in Multi-Cultural Education from National University and a Bachelors in English from the University of San Diego. She has taught literature and writing for many years as well as served as Youth Minister, further completing her certificate at the Archdiocese of Denver. Christine makes her home in Evergreen, Colorado with her husband and two boys.
Reviews:
"Christine Blake, through Mary Magdalene, tells the story of every woman's self-doubt, temptations, pain, and startling experiences against a backdrop of political ambition, splendid architecture, industry, and traditions. She brings together the intersecting lives of the Jews and Romans, fishermen and prophets, women in community and women rebels." ~ Barbara Milbourn of Writers in the Sky
"I was spellbound by this story. The idea of actually walking down the street in
fishing village of Magdala with Mary and her father was very new to me." ~ Patrick
Mackeown of Litarena
Read more about this book and Christine Blake at the author's website.
Remembering
Hypatia by Brian Trent
On a November night in Egypt, 414 A.D., one of history's most brilliant individuals was assassinated. Her name was Hypatia, teacher and scientist of the fabled Great Library of Alexandria and the last glimmer of hope before the Dark Ages. Remembering Hypatia is a vivid retelling of a now-forgotten historical tragedy, when courage stood against fear, when the legacy of the wise vanished in the dark. Author Brian Trent resurrects the ancient world's most famous metropolis and explores the final days, not just of a brilliant mind, but of a lost era. . .
Brian Trent is a nationally-published journalist, essayist, and novelist. He resides in Connecticut.
Reviews:
"A riveting character study and a haunting vision of an enlightened society on the brink of the Dark Ages." ~ Yale Bookstore Author Series
"An absolutely wonderful historical fiction novel with an almost lyrical rhythm to the writing." ~ Writer's Digest
Read more reviews and the first chapter of Remembering Hypatia at the author's website.
Soldier of Rome: The Legionary by James Mace
James Mace has served in the U.S. military since 1993. He is a full-time soldier with the Idaho Army National Guard and a veteran of the Iraq War. He wrote numerous articles on bodybuilding and physical fitness before turning his attention to writing historical novels. He lives in Meridian, Idaho.
Author Comments:
"Artorius is the main protagonist in the Soldier of Rome series. Often refered to as my alter-ego, I think of him as what I would like to see myself as ideally. The son of a former Roman soldier, Artorius initially enlists in the legions in order to avenge his brother Metellus who was killed during the Teutoburger Wald disaster. His hatred of the Germans, paticularly the Cherusci, drives him. He lives by the creed taught to him by his brother; with a strong mind and a sound body, one can accomplish anything."
Learn more about James Mace and the Soldier of Rome series at the author's website.
The Pict by Jack Dixon
The Pict tells the exciting and imaginative tale of how one enigmatic man united the scattered and reclusive Pictish tribes of ancient Scotland (Pictavia) into a loose but resilient confederation in a dramatically successful bid to stave off Roman conquest. The Pict explores the invasion's impact upon the culture and the future of this fiercely independent people, and upon the man who so effectively led them to war.
Jack Dixon’s lifelong fascination with history inspires him to write stories that bring historical characters to life. He lives in Delaware County, Pennsylvania.
Reviews:
"Jack Dixon's first novel is a straightforward tale of heroism in an ancient, barbaric culture." ~ iUniverse Book Reviews
Awards:
Honorable Mention for Fiction at the 2007 London Book Festival
Notable Book in the General Fiction Category of the 2008 Eric Hoffer Book Awards
To find out more about this book and the Picts, visit the author's website.
The King of Vinland's Saga by Stuart Mirsky
An historical adventure in the heady tradition of Sir Walter Scott, James Fenimore Cooper and H. Rider Haggard, this book sweeps the reader back to a time when bold men hazarded harsh and unknown seas in search of treasure and fame. Denied his birthright at home, Sigtrygg Thorgilsson, orphaned grandson of Leif Eiriksson, must seek his due overseas -- in Leif's half-forgotten land claim of nearly 50 years before on the shores of the New World -- despite the opposition of greedy and unforgiving kinsmen who would keep his inheritance from him.
A product of Brooklyn College with a BA in philosophy, Stuart W. Mirsky, like many writers before him, became enamoured of 12th century Icelandic prose early on, finding both inspiration and a writer's education in these frequently under-appreciated medieval masterpieces. A student, for many years, of the oriental martial arts, he also travelled, wrote for various publications, and today earns his keep as a mid-level municipal bureaucrat in a major northeastern American city.
Reviews:
"The King of Vinland's Saga is a wonderfully rich adventure novel, with memorable characters, a storyline that is faithful to the mediaeval Icelandic sagas, and enough sword- and axe-play to please even the most jaded of adventure readers." ~ SF Site Book Review
"This is full adventure Saga set in Greenland, coastal Canada and Maine in the US, and depicts "first contact" between the Norsemen and the Indians of the US. The story unfolds centring around a man, with his two feet in two separate cultures and his love for a woman from each." ~ AllReaders.com
American
Indian Victories by Dale R. Cozort
American Indian Victories presents over twenty realistic, well-researched alternate history scenarios where the American Indians fare significantly better than they did historically. For example, one scenario explores what might have happened if the advanced Indian civilizations of Mexico and Peru had exchanged ideas and technology before Columbus. Another scenario looks at what it would have taken to get a civilization equivalent to the Aztecs and Incas in Eastern North America, and what might have happened to that civilization when the Europeans arrived. What would have happened if Carthage had colonized Mexico, or if the Spanish conquistadores had established independent kingdoms, or if more of the the ice age animals of the New World had survived? This book explores all of those possibilities, and many more. This book should appeal to history buffs and science fiction fans alike.
Dale Cozort is a semi-pro author of science fiction, mysteries, alternate history scenarios, and stuff that doesn't fit comfortably in any genre.
Reviews:
"Dale R. Cozort’s American Indian Victories is an intriguing examination not only of a variety of alternative historical scenarios but also a look at how alternate history is constructed. Cozort provides the reader with some of the historical background needed to make sense of his alternate historical scenarios, pointing out areas which are ripe for counterfactual musings ... Cozort’s speculations range over the entire American continental masses, with discussions of South, Central and North American Indian culture. Similarly, he feels comfortable with a range of periods, whether the pre-Columbian Incas or the Susquehanna of the seventeenth century." ~ Steven Silver's SF Reviews
Author Comments:
"The title promises Indian victories. What do I mean by that? The alternate history scenarios in this book will have American Indian cultures surviving in significantly larger numbers than in our time-line, for a significantly longer time than in our time-line, and/or with significantly more of the core of their cultures intact than in our time-line. The scenarios range from serious to whimsical."
Feud!
by Michael Wilson
In the Middle of the ninth century one man rose to conquer all of Norway giving all the clans that did not submit a choice, death or exile. Thus, starting a feud that would last for over one hundred years. Through a tangled web involving greed, treachery and lechery one courageous man tries to chart an honorable course.
Michael Wilson is a U.S. Navy veteran and a business owner and currently resides near San Francisco, California.
Reviews:
"In this book, you get how society as a whole functioned from building and navigation of ships to courting, weddings and burials. I highly recommend this book!" ~ Amazon Customer Review
Visit the author's website and read a sample from Feud!.
Parthian Retreat by Jack Adler
Two young Parthians, brother and sister, are caught up in the great rivalry between Rome and Parthia in Asia Minor during first century A.D.. At that time Parthia was Rome's greatest enemy, fightng over land as well as trade routes to Seres, land of silk. Larius and Kyra become wards of Rome when their father, a Parthian nobleman, is killed in battle. In order to save his sister from slavery and possibly worse, Larius is caught up in political intrigue when he agrees to become a spy for his would-be benefactor, the Roman procurator, Publius. From this point on things become more complicated for both Kyra and Larius. As their lives intertwine with history, they experience the good and the bad. Most of all, they survive, heroic and strong.
Jack Adler draws upon his experience as a free lance travel writer for the LA Times, as well as on his background and degree in history to tell this tale. Adler teaches writing for Writer's Digest as well as for UCLA extension classes ant the University of California, Los Angeles.
Check out the website for Bellissima Publishing, the publisher of Parthian Retreat for more info.
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