My Review of "Lucia’s Renaissance" by C. L. R. Peterson

Inquisition, Pestilence during the Italian Renaissance

 

For most of us, the word Inquisition conjures up Medieval Spain and Portugal. However, during the waning decades of the Italian Renaissance and after the pope had returned to Rome, Catholic zeal to combat the Reformation of Martin Luther struck terror for enlightened Italians. Many of them died under the torture from the Grand Inquisitor and his zealot henchmen.

The author begins the story of young Lucia Locatelli and her family in 1571 in Verona. An extremely bright child, Lucia discovers Martin Luther’s hidden doctrines in her father’s study. Fired up by her thirst for learning and unfettered young idealism, her fervor sends her family on a terror-stricken path. Her physician father is branded a heretic and imprisoned. To atone, he is sent to the pestilence-ridden Venice. Eventually, Lucia follows him there in hopes of a new beginning.

Lucia’s Renaissance is told in first-person from the few main protagonists. A relatively easy read, the novel’s subject is nevertheless terrifying, and I kept reading in hopes of a better outcome for the Locatellis. Wisely, the author did not romanticize those terrible times when a careless word could spell death.

This is a debut novel for C. L. R. Peterson.

With the annotation about her extensive research, hopefully she will continue writing and pen a more intricate tapestry of those times. I did find the extremely large dropped caps irritating on my Kindle. I was surprised that the one German sentence was mangled. A quick Google search would have given her the perfect “Wer sind Sie?”
Other than that, the book was perfectly edited.



https://www.amazon.com/C.L.R.-Peterson

Edward Always Tells a Good Story

... but somehow, it will differ greatly from the truth.

From December 3 until Christmas, a different short story or excerpt by my historical fiction writer friends will be posted every day  

on Helen Hollick's blog:

The shared theme is DIAMONDS

https://discoveringdiamonds.blogspot.com/

On December 13, it's Edward's turn to charm the gullible Mrs. Joe Bunting. Snuggled into the folds of her short neck sits a strand of exquisite South Sea Pearls. While Edward compliments her on them, his appreciative eye immediately spies the large yellow diamond in the clasp. Something he will not comment on in case the woman might grow suspicious.

After their delightful lunch with several glasses of heady California Chardonnay, Betsy Bunting foots the bill for Edward to accompany her on her trip to Egypt. In a strictly platonic manner, of course.

  Read Edward's entire California Interludes
in this short volume

http://tinyurl.com/pe3rnak
 

Once in Cairo, our wily Edward becomes the nemesis to my protagonists in the modern portion of the Legends of the Winged Scarab series (Books 2-5) where he is no longer quite so charming, to put it mildly.

Buy individually for $3.99 each - 

or the 4-Novel Box Set for only $5.99

 http://www.amazon.com/Inge-H.-Borg/e/B006QYQKUS

My Review of "Swift for the Sun,"

a Novel by Karen Bovenmyer 

 

  This is an excellent fluid read. I obtained a free copy as part of  reviewing it for Helen Hollick's historical fiction review blog -  https://discoveringdiamonds.blogspot.com/swift-for-sun-by-karen-bovenmyer

It easily earned five stars from me as a Discovered Diamond.

 

Genres: Multicultural & Interracial/Gay Romance

amazon.com/Swift-for-the-Sun

In the beginning, the title “Swift for the Sun” conjured up everything from old sailing ships swiftly following the sun - to other flights of fancy involving smugglers and privateers (which it does). At the end of Bovenmyer’s novel, I realized that I was wrong in assuming it to be a rollicking pirate fable or – as one of its genre is listed as gay romance - a man loving another man; it was so much more (even though I, too, have loved men – but then, I am a woman).

Benjamin Swift (as he introduces himself to us in this first-person account) is young, impetuous and a bit of a bungler who doesn’t listen too well to advice from his more experienced mates. This becomes sadly evident when, as captain of the Sea Swift, he puts his ship squarely on the rocks on cursed Dread Island.

Deeming himself the only survivor of the wreck, the young seafarer is understandably spooked when he finds himself face to face with a blond island savage who masters survival a lot better than our handsome Benjamin. After initial life-threatening quarrels and mutual mistrust, the two men (both being predisposed by nature or circumstance) fall deeply in love.

This is when the author’s mastery of human needs and wants shines. Lust and love are aptly intertwined with Benjamin’s secret hope to be rescued. A storm does bring a ship - and with it terrible trouble brews for the two. Sun could easily “take care” by himself of unwanted intruders into their isolated paradise; but during an ensuing fight, Benjamin feels he needs to prove himself.

That’s when I shouted at my Kindle, “For heaven’s sake, he told you to stay put!” I had become utterly involved in the two protagonists’ fates and desperately wanted them to escape their seemingly inexorable doom clamped on them by their “rescuers.”

Apart from the thrill of exotic seafaring adventure, the novel left me with a much deeper question about loyalty, the bond between two human beings, and the moral choice between killing for freedom or submitting to Man’s laws. “What would any of us have done?”

 * * * * *

A Gem for Discerning Readers

 When I found that Andrew Levkoff’s new book, Little Gods, A Tale of Ancient Wonders could be pre-ordered, I stood in line being familiar with his award-winning “The Bow of Heaven Trilogy.” 

Just a few days ago, “Little Gods” finally went live on my Kindle and – four-hundred pages plus notwithstanding – I finished it abandoning all other duties (except for feeding the cat).

With Little Gods, one definitely puts on one’s thinking cap. It is also apt to haunt one’s dreams as it poses philosophical as well as dreaded existential questions: Why does Mankind worship God and gods? Why does Man wage war? Why is love so elusive?

But not to worry. There is plenty of tension in a hamlet of Ancient Mesopotamia. Levkoff cleverly weaves the moral of his story into the relationship between two young boys, Scolotes and Melyakhat. One good, the other bad – we initially assume. Wrong. Levkoff is deft in exposing the many sides of human beings as there is no clear division - not even in saints nor in the little gods – and we begin to feel empathy for both as they seek acceptance in their community. Their struggles become epic during those ancient times. And then, there is the beautiful Leyla ...

Another twist is the insertion of Hovan’s struggle in modern Iraq – on the same soil where the Little Gods lived, loved, and fought to stay alive.

Little Gods is by no means a quick, forgettable read. If it were, it would not deserve five stars from this discerning reader. It is a gem for historical fiction lovers who will appreciate the extensive Glossary and Timeline at the end with the also appended Bibliography underlining Levkoff’s extensive research and knowledge of his subject matter.

https://www.amazon.com/Little-Gods-Tale-Ancient-Wonders

Check out Andrew Levkoff's excellent Trilogy here:

https://www.amazon.com/Andrew-Levkoff