PAULA READS: Under The Approaching Dark by Anna Belfrage

This is the third novel in acclaimed Anna Belfrage's series the King's Greatest Enemy and so far I believe this to be the best.

The author has kindly donated an ebook to one lucky winner. All you have to do is leave a comment after the post or on our Facebook page  and the draw will take place on Wednesday 3rd of May! Good luck!

Edward II is held prisoner at Kenilworth Castle, having been dethroned by his queen, Isabella, and her lover, Lord Mortimer. Handsome and courageous knight, Adam de Guirande is waiting to travel to Westminster leaving his fiery wife, Kit, at home in Tresaints, nursing her newborn son, Ned. Things are not the happiest at court, for the young Prince Edward is not overjoyed that his father is a prisoner, and relations with his mother and Lord Roger have cooled somewhat. Things are about to become more complicated, as Prince Edward is soon to become a king, and then the problem of what to do with the old king arises, especially when rebellion rears its ugly head. As usual, Adam and Kit are dragged unwillingly into the very centre of the conflict. It is not long before they find that their lives are in danger. Those loyal to Edward Snr, plan to rescue him, and an old enemy turns up to exact his revenge from them, in the most terrible and horrific way.

As I said in my opening sentence, I believe this to be the best in the series so far. The King's Greatest Enemy series has got better with each book. The first two are true nail-biters, unequivocal in the way they keep you turning the page well past your bedtime! If a book can't keep me wanting more, and not want to sleep until I've read one more page, or one more chapter, then all I can say is, its not as good as it should be. The King's Greatest Enemy series has that quality, however this, the third, has a slower, but surer pace. There is a much slower build up of the tension, but because I have already read the first two books, I am waiting, just waiting, for the 'fun' to start and for me to find myself whipped up into a roller coaster ride of heart-stopping havoc. You feel you are stepping onto a knife edge, knowing something is coming, but you don't know when. I can honestly say, that its a rare quality in a book, I find, that can make me feel a sense of joy when I read, but this book does that for me.

The author knows her period well, and is able to weave the salient points into the story with ease and skill, and without feeling that she has to info dump in all the historical detail, thus spoiling the story. The characters of Kit and Adam are extremely likable, and expertly drawn, and I have to confess that I prefer this Kit of earlier. She is maturer, and with that maturity has come wisdom and gentle forbearance, which she did not possess before. Adam has grown into the man he was destined to be, strong, honest, possessing the moral fibre expected of a knight. But he also has his sensitive side, which the author allows him to show, every once in a while. Even the minor and supporting characters have all grown, either for the worst or the better. An example is Mortimer, once that shining example of a goodness, whom Adam had looked up to all his life and has become somewhat tainted by his own success, but is humanly played by this author's version of him.
The author's prose is not sunk into a quagmire of archaic mud, but is written using a mixture of modern and olde-worldy, though there is more of the new than the old. For those who prefer more of the use of antiquated language, they may not be happy with some of the phrases, but for me, I would prefer to understand than have to wade through a marsh of obsolete words.
This book has more romance than battle in it, but it is not a 'ladies book' full of sickly romance and corny sex. There are many facets that make up the story, one of them being intrigue and murder, and I dare any reader to not find it to their liking unless they are only interested in blood, guts and gore and no story.
As I said, romance plays a big part in this book, and I must be honest, I'm not a fan of the historical romance genre, however this is not like the usual romantic yarns where the relationship between 2 people is at the core of the narrative. Despite all the other aspects that fill the pages, Kit and Adam's love for each other still manages to shine through the deceit, the greed and the immoral hypocrisy of the times, and it is easy to see how the Mr & Mrs Beckhams of the 14thc are fast becoming everyone's favourite couple. I absolutely adore them.

Google the words Historical fiction definition, and this is the first search that comes up as defined by yourdictionary.com which says: Historical Fiction is defined as movies and novels in which a story is made up but is set in the past and sometimes borrows true characteristics of the time period in which it is set. A novel that makes up a story about a Civil War battle that really happened is an example of historical fiction.
Under the Approaching Dark fulfills this simple explanation, being a made up story, set in the 14thc against the true characteristics of the period and with true historical events as its background. Within this scope, Ms Belfrage had added other elements, one being the love story of two people who were initially thrown together against their wills and defy the odds and fall hopelessly in love. There are, of course, included within the narrative true events, and there is hatred, betrayal, danger and adventure also thrown into the mix. Through the eyes of our two love-birds, Kit and Adam, we are able to see how the affect of Lord Mortimer's affair with the wife of the deposed king, Edward II, plays out, causing rifts within the kingdom, amongst the nobles and between the young king Edward III and his mother. Essentially, Ms Belfrage is very cleverly killing two birds with one stone, by appealing to those who love the romance aspect of the story and to those who like the history and the characteristics of the world. Perhaps one characteristic in particular being the pugnacious world of knights, male camaraderie and the violence of the era.
Trying to write historical fiction that pleases everyone can sometimes be a thankless task, for some people might pick on this word, or that word, as not belonging to that era. In my opinion, as long as someone does not write, for example, "oh golly gosh", then I'm generally ok with modern language being used. Ms Belfrage, in my opinion, uses just about the right mix for something written in this time. Most importantly, I 'get' it and it doesn't ruin my experience like some books I have read that read like Shakespeare.
Now, I know that there are some readers who skim through sex scenes for whatever their own reasons might be. When writing something romantic, is it right that in whatever era, we should ignore what happens behind closed doors, after all, it is often shown very graphically on film and TV, these days? (I wonder if people skim the sex scenes in films also?)...Not in this book, though, does the author shy away from sex. Miss Belfrage is a skillful writer of romance and sex. If you take the time to read some of her beautiful scenes, you will see that there is more to them than just two people humping each other. Skillfully, Ms Belfrage will engage the reader in these scenes by allowing them to assimilate the emotions of the characters. And, because the relationship between Kit and Adam is such an important aspect of the story, to skip these scenes is like missing a whole set of episodes in a TV series, you will lose the essence of the story. These scenes are some of the most tenderest ever written by an author and if there were an award for such a thing, Ms Belfrage would win it.

...He touched his lips to hers, a chaste caress, no more. "Can we stop talking about this?"
She nodded, her eyes luminous pools of darkness.
"Good."  This time, he kissed her until there was no air left in his lungs, until his blood pounded through his veins and all he could think was of her.

Belfrage shows the story through Kit and Adam's point of view only, so at least one or the other is in every scene. As mentioned before, the couple have grown and matured throughout the books and whereas I have always loved Adam, I was not totally enamoured by Kit in the beginning. I did like her character, however she was often complaining about something to do with Adam, and not always without cause, but once everyone could see how much Adam loved her, she continued to accuse him wrongly of being unfaithful and I wanted to jump right in the book and slap her silly face! She was also quite wilful, and for some strange reason I didn't like it too much, however, toward the end of the last book, I was warming to her and once I'd settled into Under the Approaching Dark, I decided that I liked her a lot more. She has matured, and although she is still fiery and passionate, I feel it is appropriately channelled. Truthfully, I think there is a lot about Kit that reminds me of myself! Apart from her beauty and red hair of course!
One of the other things I liked most about this book is Belfrage's use of dialogue. The author clearly adept at using appropriate dialogue and not resorting to 'telling' the story, which for me, is often a lazy way of writing because you don't have to work as hard when crafting relationships between characters, or designing an exciting scene. You can feel the tension as Mortimer and the young King Edward cross words:

"Are you unhurt, my lord? Adam's hands flew over the king's arms, his head. 

"Leave me alone!" Edward shook him off, but not before Adam felt the tremors running through him...Edward's face was streaked with mud and dominated by wide eyes. His hair was a mess, the fine linen of his shirt torn and dirty.

"What are you waiting for?" the king asked, eyes darting from one dead man to the other. "Sit up and ride.Ride, damn it, and kill every single one of them."

"They have the advantage." Mortimer handed his sword to one of his squires. "We ride against them, they slaughter us."

"I did  not take you for craven," Edward said. There was a collective intake of breath. Mortimer took one long step towards the king, who sidled away from him.

"What did you say?" Lord Roger's voice dropped dangerously low.

"I called you craven." Edward straightened up.

"No man has ever called me that and lived. Count yourself fortunate you're nothing but an untried lad." Mortimer nudged at the closest corpse. "He died for you, my liege. so did tens of others. And you would waste more lives just to soothe your wounded pride?" 

This book is beautifully crafted by an author who has won many awards, including IndieBRAG, and Indie author award from the HNS. You just cannot go wrong with a book that has been created by someone with such an accolade. Under the Approaching Dark  is the perfect recipe for an historical fiction novel, it has it all going on: kings, queens, knights, conflict, damsels in distress and villains who need destroying. All this against a well-researched historical background of an era I neither knew nor cared little about but now feel that this may be one of the most interesting eras.
Ms Belfrage writes exceptionally well, and there is never a boring or dull moment as we allow ourselves to be immersed in the fascinating world of the 14thc. I highly recommend this book to all no matter what genre you prefer, because as a book, it is a joy to read.

About the Author

I was always going to be a writer - well in between being an Arctic explorer, a crusader or Richard Lionheart's favourite page (no double entendre intended - I was far too innocent at the time) Anyway, not for me the world of nine to five, of mortgages and salary checks. Oh no; I was going to be a free spirit, an impoverished but happy writer, slaving away in a garret room.

Life happened. (It does, doesn't it?) I found myself the bemused holder of a degree in Business Admin, and a couple of years later I was juggling a challenging career, four kids, a husband (or was he juggling me?) a jungle of a garden, a dog, a house ... Not much time for writing there, let me tell you. At most, I stole a moment here or there.

Fortunately, kids grow up. My stolen moments became hours, became days, weeks, months... (I still work. I no longer garden - one must prioritise) It is an obsession, this writing thing. It is a joy and a miracle, a constant itch and an inroad to new people, new places, new times.

You can find Anna at her Website

And you can buy her books here

Paula Lofting is the author of Sons of the Wolf and The Wolf Banner 

You can also find me at my blog

1066: The Road to Hastings and Other stories

PAULA READS: DAYS OF SUN AND GLORY BY ANNA BELFRAGE

The author is generously giving away a signed copy of this exciting book. A SIGNED COPY!! To be in with a chance of winning just leave a comment on the blog below, or on our Facebook Page. 

The Winner shall be drawn on the 23rd of August

This beautifully written love-story-come-historical-intrigue was just the thing to keep me hooked. It has everything a book needs to keep me turning the pages, love, betrayal, conflict, and a fantastic leading lady and man. It is rare for me to give out such praise for a novel these days as it takes a lot to float my boat, but this book deserves the accolade of the most highest. Its absolutely awesome.

Lord Mortimer and Isabella
ride at the head of their contingent

In this second of Ms Belfrage's The King's Greatest Enemy, we see fictional characters, Adam and his lovely wife, Kit, struggle to keep themselves out of trouble as they mingle with dangerous courtiers at the palace of Edward II. Adam's former lord, Roger Mortimer, having escaped from custody, is somewhere abroad, working on his revenge strategy, and Adam is now sworn to serve the young Prince Edward. Kit has to serve the queen, but her traitor's blood soon becomes known to the king, and he banishes her from court, separating her from her beloved Adam, who is honour bound to stay and serve his young prince. This is how we start Days of Sun and Glory, and we are set from then, on a path in the game of thrones and murder and intrigue, as various players lust for power and revenge.

Kit is forced to say goodbye to her Adam

What I love most about this book is the manner in which the author develops her characters. In the first book, we see a beautiful Isabella whose air of mystery had me wondering if we were really seeing the 'true' Isabella. She is portrayed as both kind and helpful, and appears to be erring on the side of right, although she can be caustic at times, and very 'queenly' but we get the impression, she is going to help Adam and Kit because she is a 'nice' lady. In Days of Sun and Glory, we begin to see a different Isabella emerging and along with her, a new Mortimer, whose character is obviously affected by his time in that hell hole of a prison he was incarcerated within. Belfrage knows how to flesh out characters, presenting them in such a way, that we get to know them, learn about their foibles as if we are Kit and Adam ourselves. I love how she is able to keep us in the mindsets of the de Guirandes, offering the reader a truly powerful emotional experience, by showing us exactly what they feel, sense, hear and see of their world. 

Secondly, I love the relationship between the two main characters, Kit and Adam. I love the love story that stirs my very being when we read their scenes together. Whether they are arguing or making love, Ms Belfrage takes us into their world and we 'see' their scenes unfold as if we are them for those moments. Its rare that I wake up from a scene and am surprised that I have come back to reality. And its rare that I dream about a book that I am reading and that I am one of its characters, so immersed in the story was I. 

In the first book, I was not always fond of Kit. She could be very self-centred, often making it all about her, and Adam was sometimes so laid back to the point of being stupid. In this second book, I am in love with them both, although if I'm honest, I usually take Adam's side in an argument, telling Kit exactly what I think of her version of events.

Edward and Despenser

I have always had a soft spot for Edward II. Yes, he was a failure as a king,  but he was a man ahead of his time, out of his time zone, in a world where people were not openly deviant without it being at their peril, and especially if they were king. Edward, it seemed, disliked the art of kingship, and preferred to be out thatching roofs or making boats with the lower echelons of his subjects. However we do not see these characteristics in Ms. Belfrage's book, and as endearing as these qualities might be, they were not conducive in the conducting of the affairs of a kingdom. He loved other men and was extremely generous to those he favoured, so much so, to the exclusion of others he should have been kinder to. Ms Belfrage shows us the darker side of Edward, the one where he behaves like a petulant child who does not get their own way. The man who loves blindly to the exclusion of all common sense and allows men such as the Despensers to do harm to others, with Edward turning a blind eye to the evil short-comings of Hugh Despenser and his cronies. He allows Despenser to continue in his mission to destroy Adam and his family in his deadly game of cat and mouse, abusing poor Kit and Adam with blackmail and all sorts of torments. 

Lord Mortimer  

Ms Belfrage draws her characters very well, and her fictional protagonists mingle seamlessly with historical persons of the time. The author's ability to absorb her fiction into true events and politics of the time, hooks the reader in, thereby keeping you turning page after page as Kit and Adam show us their world through their eyes. This is very cleverly done, and I love how we are kept in the mindsets of these two characters, who are close enough to the events and the main players to have been affected by them. They don't always like what is happening, but their positions in life mean that they are powerless to prevent what is happening. 

This book is like a game of chess, and the board is setting in which they play, it is their world, their environments and each line of squares is a pathway. On one side we have the king, and his Despenser, aptly in the queen's position. On the other, we have Mortimer and Isabella, respectively in the same positions. Each player's actions have heavy consequences on those around them, including Kit and Adam, who play as pawns, and the young Prince Edward, in the knight's position, all of whom suffer the most. And there are other 'pieces' who also play their parts.

The young Prince Edward

The world in which we find ourselves is the 14thc, but the main focus is not on the buildings, the environment, the clothing, and the everyday things that might add to a backdrop. Ms Belfrage is a competent writer and does not need to flood the pages of her book with endless descriptive passages. Her world is there, within the narrative, slipped in with the prose, what they may be eating, wearing or doing is written into the sentences without hampering the flow of the story.

I have to say that I loved this book, and believe it to be a triumph even over the first in the series, In the Shadow of the Storm, which is a fabulous book also. I cannot recommend it any more highly and those who love Anna Belfrage's books will adore this! I am looking forward with baited breath to the next in the series! 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Had Anna been allowed to choose, she’d have become a professional time-traveller. As such a profession does not exist, she settled for second best and became a financial professional with two absorbing interests, namely history and writing. 

Anna has authored the acclaimed time-slip series The Graham Saga, winner of multiple awards, including the HNS Indie Award 2015. Her new series, The King’s Greatest Enemy, is set in the 1320s and features Adam de Guirande, his wife Kit, and their adventures during Roger Mortimer’s rise to power.

To buy a copy of Anna's book - here is the Universal link:  http://myBook.to/DOSG

Read more about Anna on her website: Website: http://www.annabelfrage.com

Follow her on Twitter @Anna_Blefrage

Check out her news on  Facebook on her Matthew&Alex page

and her Amazon Page  

 Paula Lofting is the author of Books 1 & 2 in the Sons of the Wolf series and is currently working on her 1066 Blog and new website.

She can be found on Twitter  and Facebook Page

The Virgin of the Wind Rose and the Genius of Glen Craney by Linda Root

The author is offering an e-book copy to one lucky reader. To be in with a chance of winning this amazing book, leave a comment below, or on our Facebook page. The prize draw will be held on Friday 3rd June 2016. Good luck!

 When I was a student, I wondered how a young  Mozart could have understood music well enough to write a symphony. I asked the same question about Paul Klee and the visual arts, and T. S. Eliot and poetry.  I knew the answer when it came to Coleridge.  Occasionally I encounter a contemporary historical novelist who provokes me to ask almost the identical question: How can the person whose book I am reading have acquired in a single lifespan the knowledge required to have written it?  Glen Craney is of that ilk.

When I began reading Glen Craney’s novels, I started with The Spider and the Stone. I said to myself, ‘Aha! Craney is a Scottish medievalist. But, after reviewing The Yanks are Starving, I recast Mister Craney as a 21^st Century John Dos Passos--a modern writer with a journalistic flair and a 20^th Century social conscience.  The next book in my To-Be-Read stack was The Virgin of the Wind Rose, and I am baffled.  If I were not a committed skeptic, I would suspect him of channeling.

 Of the Glen Craney books I have read thus far,  I found the first chapters of 'Wind Rose' to be the most challenging.  In today’s socio-political climate, I have over-dosed on blind followers of charismatic leaders with hidden agendas. By page 38, I had endured quite enough of co-protagonist Jaqueline Quartermane.  I was amazed that a writer  I consider an enlightened humanist could create her. In my past life, I had many acquaintances with federal officers, a fact which made me skeptical. Surely the Human Resources Team at Quantico had the wherewithal to filter out the nut cases.  Then, I remembered Wind Rose is a novel, not a Yucca Valley Town Council Meeting. Irrationality in fiction is excusable.  Thus, my high expectations when it comes to Mister Craney kept the pages turning. He would not have made a True Believer like Agent Quartermane --a religious zealot with an unyielding belief in a fundamentalist dogma despite mountains of evidence to the contrary--unless he had a reason.  Read on,  read on, the Muses commanded.  
By that point, Craney had introduced a deliciously mischievous male co-protagonist named Elymas to counterbalance Quartermane inane naivete. Since the character Elymas, also known as Moses Rosen, aka Boz, seemed to have the stamina to deal with  Quartermane without closing the book on her, what right had I to write her off so casually?  
When I read further, I discovered Jaq Quartermane was not the only character in the book being manipulated by a charismatic leader.  The otherwise canny character Jamaal is equally enthralled by his idol Yahya's words, “Your home is not of this world. The Awaited One asked me to bless you with these Leaves of Paradise from Yemen. He wants you to have a taste of what is soon to come.'  Just as Quartermane has a handler and a mentor, Jammal has the mysterious Yahya calling the shots for the Awaited One, The Mahdi.  Both he and Quartermane anticipated the End Days as coming soon, but from opposite sides of the Apocalypse.  Drugs are only one means of capturing the fertile minds of characters in Craney's book. Symbolism, mind-control, and an emotional appeal to God and Country are present in both the Christian and the Muslim leadership. Jaq's mentor, the televangelist, utilizes them all, but so does his Muslim counterpart.
The parallel plot:   Enter the 15th Century
Not not all of the Mind Benders in the novel live in the 21st Century. The Virgin of the Wind Rose is a novel with parallel plots. I should have anticipated as much from its curious subtitle: A Christopher Columbus Mystery Thriller. The companion plot to the one which begins with the murder of Agent Quartermain's fiance is a tale set in the late 15^th century. While their misadventures are different than those of Jaqueline Quartermane and her mystery man, they deal with the same universal issues of truth,  faith, betrayal and manipulation. The suggestion that the three somewhat inept aspiring Portuguese mariners were going to have something to do with the discovery of America was enough of a tease to keep me reading,  although I had survived several of their misadventures without a sign of Christopher Columbus or the Pinta, the Nina, or the Santa Maria.  I was unable to close the book until I knew who had murdered Ms. Quartermane’s fiancé Paul Merion, but I was equally curious to sort the Christopher Columbus angle.  When a fourth aspiring mariner joins the group--a Genoese named Cristobal Columbo, who meets the others while they are incarcerated, it is tempting to consider that portion of the puzzle solved, but when the most astute of the original trio, Zarco, is framed for a crime he did not commit so soon after Cristobal appears, something does not feel right.  When Zarco is executed, Cristobal is assigned to Isabella's court, where his sexual prowess equals his potential as an explorer.
The composition of Henry, the Navigator's supporters, includes a large contingent of Jewish intellectuals at a time when Portugal's near neighbor Spain was in the clutches of warrior queen Isabella and her henchman Torquemada.  But with Prince Henry's death, that all changes.
Fifteenth Century protagonist Pero, and his erstwhile companions  Dias and Zarco are being indoctrinated in cosmology, learning about navigational aids such as the compass and the wind rose, and dealing with the flatness of the earth, our less than intrepid modern heroine Jaq is being set up.  With Boz's unsolicited help, she is learning to appraise her part in the unfolding drama differently.  Too many dead bodies are showing up to make this a simple mystery involving the murder of her fiance.  She begins to question her own background, even her ethnicity. No one seems to be who she thought they were, herself included.

Without dropping spoilers onto the page, there are some aspects of Craney’s novel worthy of mention to would-be readers.  Some reviewers have compared it to the works of Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code.  They do share a common attribute. Their story lines convey the message that to understand what is happening in the present, one needs a healthy grasp of what has happened in the past. This is not a novel where the reader can skip over the 15th-century plotline to get to the meat of the modern murder mystery.  I tried it and it didn’t work.  While the plots seem to progress independent of one another,  that is an illusion.  
As to the similarities between Dan Brown and Craney, while both authors are extraordinary wordsmiths, I find Craney the more sophisticated storyteller. Both are excellent tour guides through a different landscape. Thanks to the introduction of a word puzzle in the early pages, and the significance of both plots to the specter of The End Times, Craney made me work harder.  Those who enjoy a challenge will favor this book over Brown's.  One caveat: Do not belabor over the diagrams and the word puzzle. They will solve themselves in time. 

 A noteworthy feature of Virgin of the Wind Rose is its somewhat tongue-in-cheek treatment of social issues, both in the 15^th century and the present.  The author’s wide-range of experience and good-natured cynicism is never far beneath the storyline.  The political commentary is there, but Craney avoids hitting his reader over the head with it as if it were a blunt instrument.  As for a touch of the Supernatural, it is certainly present but brilliantly framed. It is not a device used at the end to shore up weaknesses in the plot, but an integral part of a story. Furthermore, in the best tradition of Alan Quartermaine and Lara Croft and yes, Dan Brown’s alter ego Robert Langdon, there is a code. In this case, it is the aforementioned word puzzle needing to be solved. It all meshes neatly in the end.

One trick I often use when I review a book is to refrain from writing the review too soon.  Best to let it age a bit, like Jameson’s and portered cheese. When I am ready to write the review, I try to do my first draft from memory, and I rarely read reviews written by colleagues.  Then I open the book at a random page of dialogue to see how long it takes me to identify the speaker, with one exception:  In books with parallel plots such as this one, or in reviewing time-slips, I try to spot the chronology first.  In my first test of Wind Rose, in a few seconds, I found my speaker threatening to cut another with a sword—and I knew I was probably not in the 20the century  F.B.I.office in Washington D.C. Each character has a distinctive voice.  Even when Craney speaks and sees through the eyes of the character Pero, who we discover is a linguist, he spares his reader the assault of 20^th-century anachronisms.  In an area of the world famous for its antiquities, random narrative passages do not always place the setting in the proper timeline. There are just as many dark, dank corridors, secret rooms and labyrinths in Pero's adventures as there are in Ms. Quartermain's. The politicos in each era speak differently, but their motives are the same.Yet, Craney frames the segments of a complex plot in such a way that the reader is not confused.
The three young men in the expanding 15th-Century sea-faring world bring a touch of pathos to the tale missing in the contemporary narrative.  Agent Quartermain is a bit too naive and pedantic to be likable by anyone but Elymas/Boz and even he can only take so much of her.  The earlier plot is populated with colorful characters, with vignette performances from Queen Isabella and Henry the Navigator. By the same token, the present day cast has a disturbingly contemporary flavor given the current political climate. Treachery, betrayal, exploitation, and the forging of alliances based on a thirst for power and motivated by unbridled greed abound.  As for Craney's treatment of the mysterious event often referred to as The End of Days, an exchange between Boz (aka Elymas) and a minor character from Jaq Quartermane's past frames it for the reader.  When Boz promises the adventure he embarked upon with Jaq Quartermane is not over yet – her family doctor responds “Never has been over. Never will be.'  And thus, the reader is left knowing the Apocalyptic End Time will have to wait for another day and another book, and perhaps another code or word puzzle.  As for the resolution of the parallel plot, the subtitle characterizing the novel as ‘a Christopher Columbus mystery' suggests more to come on that stage as well. Readers who love a heady historical mystery full of both the archeological and the apocryphal will be waiting for the next book.

Linda Fetterly Root, May 6, 2016

~~~~~

Glen Craney is a screenwriter, novelist, journalist, and lawyer. He holds degrees from Hanover College, Indiana University School of Law-Indianapolis, and Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism.

As a member of the Washington, D.C. press corps, he covered national politics and the Iran-contra scandal for Congressional Quarterly magazine. His feature screenplay, Whisper the Wind, about the Navajo codetalkers of World War II, was awarded the Nicholl Fellowship prize by the Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Sciences for best new screenwriting.

His debut historical novel, The Fire and the Light, received several honors, including being named Best New Fiction by the National Indie Excellence Awards and a Finalist/Honorable Mention Winner by Foreword Reviews for its Book of the Year in Historical Fiction. In 2014, he was named a double BOTYA finalist by Foreword Reviews for The Spider and the Stone and The Yanks Are Starving. He is also a two-time recipient of the indieBRAG Medallion.

The Virgin of the Wind Rose is available on Amazon as a paperback and an ebook.

Website