Tanzanite's Castle Full of Books

Several weeks ago I included the new Carolly Erickson book - Rival to the Queen - in a Weekly Wishlist post with the cover in black and white.  Well...here it is in color!  Although Erickson's fiction books don't seem to get very good reviews, I"ll probably give this one a try due to the subject.  And the cover!

Summary:  From the New York Times bestselling author of The Last Wife of Henry VIII comes a novel about the bitter rivalry between Queen Elizabeth I and her fascinating cousin, Lettice Knollys, for the love of one extraordinary man   Powerful, dramatic and full of the rich history that has made Carolly Erickson’s novels perennial bestsellers, this is the story of the only woman to ever stand up to the Virgin Queen— her own cousin, Lettie Knollys. Far more attractive than the queen, Lettie soon won the attention of the handsome and ambitious Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, a man so enamored of the queen and determined to share her throne that it was rumored he had murdered his own wife in order to become her royal consort. The enigmatic Elizabeth allowed Dudley into her heart, and relied on his devoted service, but shied away from the personal and political risks of marriage.
When Elizabeth discovered that he had married her cousin Lettie in secret, Lettie would pay a terrible price, fighting to keep her husband’s love and ultimately losing her beloved son, the Earl of Essex, to the queen’s headsman.   This is the unforgettable story of two women related by blood, yet destined to clash over one of Tudor England’s most charismatic men.

Dear Ms. Weir:


Having enjoyed some of your non-fiction books and your two novels, Innocent Traitor and The Lady Elizabeth, I was looking forward to reading your most recent release, The Captive Queen, about the formidable Eleanor of Aquitaine. Well, I just finished reading it and I have to say, “Wow!”

What the hell were you thinking?

The wife of two kings and the mother of two more, Eleanor’s life was long and filled with the stuff not even the best of writers could make up. A duchess and ruler in her own right, the events of her life would indicate that she was a woman of intelligence and fortitude with a strength of character seldom seen in women of the time who were constrained by religious and social conventions. But what did you do with all of this wonderful material? You turned Eleanor into a pitiful, whining woman who spends much of her time wondering when she will be getting laid next.

Even though the first section of the book was heavy on Eleanor’s sexual appetite, I could have overlooked this if it had been well written. The sex scenes are often laughable – “emotional orgasms”, Henry gazing on his father’s “manhood” and wondering how they would compare in bed, and an approaching-middle-age Eleanor lusting after every man she comes into contact with – and are more of what I would expect to find in a supermarket bodice ripper. Instead of classy, we get trashy.  Passion between two people can be felt and believed in ways other than clichéd, over-written sex and I didn’t feel much real chemistry between them.

When the honeymoon period is over between Henry and Eleanor, discord quickly builds between them as Henry begins to exert control over Eleanor’s beloved Aquitaine. Eleanor’s response? To cry and wail like a two year old on the playground that Aquitaine is her land and Henry had better stop messing with it. As her husband, Henry was well within his rights – a fact I’m sure Eleanor would have been aware of – and I just can’t imagine her repeatedly resorting to such childish behavior to make a point. What’s worse is that it doesn’t seem to matter what Henry says or does to her, afterwards all she can think about is how much she loves him and how good they are in bed together. Even during her years of captivity, she often wishes she could have him in her bed again. Huh??? I’d be ready to kill the bastard!

Towards the end of the book something weird happens – the writing style seems to change and I found myself enjoying this part more. Was this part written much later than the rest? After the death of their oldest son (Henry the Young King), Henry reaches out to the one person who might understand – his wife. What follows is more maturely written as the pair piece together an uneasy truce built on years of love and respect, although not always trust. The scenes between Henry and Eleanor are poignant and sad and although I had often felt sorry for Eleanor (and somehow I think maybe she would not like people feeling sorry for her), I found myself feeling sorry for Henry too. Unfortunately, the improvement didn’t last as Henry goes off to fight another battle and Eleanor is again a prisoner. Since most of the story is related from Eleanor’s point of view (although third person) this means that much of what happens next is told by various letters to her which dilutes their impact.

I did enjoy seeing Eleanor as a mother. Royal children were largely raised by nurses and attendants and their lives used to further their father’s political interests with mothers having little say or choice in the matter. Despite the recognition by women that “that’s the way it is”, it can not have always been as easy as it is often depicted. Eleanor’s maternal feelings towards her many children (especially her girls) made her seem less selfish.

To be fair, perhaps the problem with writing a book about Eleanor is that Sharon Kay Penman has set the gold standard and rather than try and compete, it is easier to fall back on wild rumors and create somewhat of a caricature. You wouldn’t be the first one to fall into that trap. But really, I expected better.  And I honestly have to wonder how the same person who wrote Innocent Traitor (which I loved) produced this mess.


Like father, like son:  “Those whom God had joined must learn to put up with each other, or live apart, as we have.” Henry’s father talking about his relationship with Matilda.

The reality of being a parent:  “Does any parent ever know happiness in their children? We nurture them, we love them as our second selves, then they go away and leave us….Every time they are hurt, we suffer. If they forget us, we suffer. Is that happiness?.” Eleanor’s uncle Raoul as they discuss her children.

Men will be men:  “[Henry] was past redemption where women were concerned, in thrall to that unruly and mischievous member between his legs that seemed to have an independent life of its own, in defiance of all sense or morality.” Eleanor thinking things through after she finds out about Henry’s involvement with Princess Alys.

Rating: Disappointing/Poor (1.5 stars)

In case the FTC asks: I ordered the UK edition from The Book Depository and then found out I had won an ARC from Library Thing. I read the UK edition. Fortunately, I only paid $10 for it.

On today's date in 1838, eighteen year old Victoria was crowned Queen of England.  She reigned for more than 63 years and gave her name to an entire era.  In 1840, she married her cousin, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and had 9 children.  The couple's children and grandchildren were married out across Europe and the genetic trait of hemophilia that passed to some of her descendants would have tragic consequences years later in Russia.  This is her coronation portrait.

The Artist, the Philosopher and the Warrior by Paul Strathern. Non-fiction. US paperback release January 11, 2011. The Renaissance was a child of many fathers--none more important than the three iconic figures whose intersecting lives provide the basis for this astonishing work of narrative history: Leonardo Da Vinci, Niccolo Machiavelli and Cesar Borgia. Each could not have been more different. They would meet only for a short time in 1502 but the events that transpired, would significantly alter their perceptions--and the course of Western history. In 1502, Italy was riven by conflict, with the city of Florence as the ultimate prize. Machiavelli, the consummate political manipulator, attempted to placate the savage Borgia by volunteering the services of Da Vinci as Borgia’s chief military engineer. That autumn, the three men embarked together on a brief, perilous, and fateful journey through the mountains, remote villages and hill towns of the Italian Romagna--the details of which were revealed in Machiavelli’s often-daily dispatches and Da Vinci’s meticulous notebooks. In a book that is at once a gripping adventure story and a trenchant analysis of how men make history, The Artist, the Philosopher and the Warrior limns each man’s personality, their interactions, and the forces that shaped their world. Superbly written, meticulously researched, here is a work of narrative genius--whose subject is the very nature of genius itself.




The Golden Prince by Rebecca Dean. US release February 1, 2011. Royal intrigue, romance and illicit affairs – Rebecca Dean delivers another glorious novel that will do for Edward VIII what Philippa Gregory has done for Henry VIII. In Edward VIII’s golden years as the Prince of Wales, it seems as if nothing can stand in the way of his becoming one of the most charismatic and beloved kings ever to rule Great Britain and her Empire. But when he befriends the four daughters of the late Sir Greville Houghton, his world is turned upside down. At age 18, Edward enters into a love affair with the youngest of the Houghton girls, 17 year old Lily, and insists that she is the girl he intends to marry. But he cannot marry without his father’s consent, which King George adamantly refuses to give. Crushed, Edward embarks on a series of scandalous and meaningless affairs in attempts to spite his father and bury the memory of his beloved Lily. But it turns out that the tragic consequences of their childhood affair will be far reaching and devastating for both him and for the country he is destined to rule.





The Raven Queen by Jules Watson. US and UK release February 22, 2011. Maeve is one of the most legendary, infamous, and complex women in Irish literature – the woman who would be king. Tired of the shackles put on her by her husband and society, her desire for freedom leads her – and all of Ireland – into war. But even chaos can hold its own beauty, and as Maeve plunges deeper into the affairs of state, it is her own affairs that she never thought she’d have to contend with. Expertly researched, beautifully written, The Raven Queen is a touch of history, a touch of romance and a touch of magic sure to gain Watson a legion of fans.







The She Wolves: Women Who Ruled Before Elizabeth I by Helen Castor. Non-fiction. US release February 22, 2011.
When Edward VI—Henry VIII’s longed-for son—in 1553 the extraordinary fact was that there was no one left to claim the title of king of England; all the contenders for the crown were female. Upon Henry’s demise, England would experience the “monstrous regiment”—the unnatural rule—of a woman. Yet female rule in England had a past. Four hundred years earlier, Matilda, daughter of Henry I and granddaughter of William the Conqueror, came tantalizingly close to securing the throne for herself. Between the 12th and 15th centuries, three more exceptional women—Eleanor of Aquitaine, Isabella of France, and Margaret of Anjou—discovered, as queen, consort, and dowager, how much was possible if presumptions of male rule were not confronted explicitly—and just how quickly they might be vilified as “she-wolves” for their ambitions. The stories of these women—brought to life here in all their vivid humanity—reveal the paradox which the female heirs to the Tudor throne had no choice but to negotiate. Man was the head of woman; and the king was the head of all. How, then, could royal power lie in female hands? The subject of women and power—a compelling combination of the personal and political, of private and public lives—is extraordinarily relevant to our time. By exploring the lives of these women, Helen Castor’s shows us just how far women and men have come—and how little has changed.



The Last Crusaders by Barnaby Rogerson. Non-fiction. US release March 29, 2011.  The Hundred-Year Battle for the Center of the World. The Crusades were the bridge between medieval and modern history, between feudalism and colonialism. In many ways, the little explored later Crusades were the most significant of them all, for they made the crisis truly global. The Last Crusaders is about the period’s last great conflict between East and West, and the titanic contest between Habsburg-led Christendom and the Ottoman Empire in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. From the great naval campaigns and the ferocious struggle to dominate the North African shore, the conflict spread out along trade routes, consuming nations and cultures, destroying dynasties, and spawning the first colonial empires in South America and the Indian Ocean. Acclaimed scholar of Islamic history and author Barnaby Rogerson illuminates the Last Crusades in an accessible and skillful manner. He shows how, to this day, the disputed borders of the Crusades era stand as defining frontiers and dividing lines between languages, nations, and religions. From Constantinople to Fez, from Rhodes to Granada, The Last Crusaders is narrative history at its richest and most compelling.




Madame Tussaud by Michelle Moran. US release April 12, 2011. In the fourth novel from national bestselling author Michelle Moran, we depart from the ancient world and enter the gilded but troubled court of Marie Antoinette and the intriguing story of Marie Tussaud, a woman who survived the French Revolution only by creating death masks of the beheaded aristocracy. When Marie Tussaud learns the exciting news the royal family will be visiting her famed wax museum, she never dreams that the king’s sister will request her presence at Versailles, as a royal tutor in wax sculpting. As Marie familiarizes herself with Princess Elisabeth and beings to know Marie Antoinette and Louis SVI, she witnesses the glamorous life of courts, a much different world than her home on the Boulevard de Temple of Paris where bread can only be had on the black market and men sell their teeth to put food on their tables. The year is 1788 and men like Desmoulins, Marat, and Robespierre are meeting in the salons of Paris speaking against the monarchy; there’s whispered talk of revolution. Spanning five years from budding revolution to the Reign of Terror, Madame Tussaud brings us into the world of an incredible heroine whose talent for wax molding saver her life and preserved the faces of a vanished kingdom.



Broken Promises by Elizabeth Cobbs Hoffman. US release April 12, 2011. This rousing novel explores a little-known by crucial facet of the Civil War in a story brimming with loyalty, courage, love and international intrigue. It is 1861, and the conflict that has been plaguing America for decades has suddenly erupted, pitting the industrial North against the agricultural South. Fearing that England will support the Confederate cause, President Lincoln sends Charles Francis Adams, son of John Quincy Adams, to London to thwart their aid. But when he arrives, accompanied by his son Henry, Adams discovers that the English are building warships for the South and it may already be too late. As he embarks on a high stakes game of espionage and diplomacy in order to save the nation the founding fathers built, his son reconnects with college friend Baxter Sams, a Southerner who has fallen in love with Englishwoman Julia Birch. But Julia’s family reviles Americans and Baxter is torn between his love for Julia, his friendship with Henry, and his obligations to his own family, who have enlisted him to run supplies across the blockade to the help the Confederacy. As tensions mount, irrevocable choices are made that will test the bonds of brothers, lovers, fathers, and sons – and change the fate of an entire country.


The Headhunter’s Daughter by Tamar Myers. US release January 25, 2011.
The second book in Tamar Myers’s new mystery series set in the Belgian Congo—with Myers's first-hand knowledge of the landscape as the backdrop for the stunning story. The plot of this novel is based loosely on Tamar's own family’s history. In 1750 her family was living in Pennsylvania when her Grandfather (about nine “greats” back) was taken captive by the Delaware Indians. Tamar’s ancestor was only seven years old. He was subsequently adopted by a Delaware Indian family and made a full member of their tribe. It wasn’t until ten years later that he was released, and that was against his will. He never did quite adjust to being “white” again.



Our Tempestuous Day by Carolly Erickson. US reissue February 1, 2011.
From 1810 to 1820, while his father, King George III, declined into madness at Windsor, besieged by nightmares of England sinking into the sea, George, the Prince of Wales, served as Regent, creating an epoch in England now known as the Regency Period.
This was the age of the opulent interiors of the prince’s palace, Carlton House, the grand scenic architecture of his Brighton Pavilion, outlandish fashion, extravagant balls, the age of Austen, Shelley and Lord Byron. Yet as Carolly Erickson’s portrait of this quicksilver age shows, beneath the veneer of the chinoiserie and the grand facades, it was also a time of explosive popular unrest, political radicalism, and the European struggle against Napoleon. Aristocratic ennui and decadence contrasted with economic upheavals in the Midlands. While Caroline, Princess of Wales and wife of the Regent, had flagrant affairs and made outrageous scenes at court, the Luddites made midnight raids on textile machinery and murdered mill owners. The fascinating personalities both at court and in society—the Royals, Napoleon, the Duke of Wellington, Hannah Moore and others—provide the dramatic intrigue of this excellent social history, tempered by the larger, dynamic forces of English society in flux. It is history told through the people who made it happen.

 

Salem, Massachusetts, Winter 1692: In the parsonage of Reverend Samuel Parris, two young girls are seated by the fire and play at fortunetelling as snow falls softly outside. What starts as a game sends one of the girls into a hysterical trance, and a small town begins its descent into madness. Accusations of witchcraft would destroy lives and old scores would be settled. Over 150 people would be arrested and imprisoned, with even more accused of consorting with the devil. In Deliverance from Evil, Frances Hill brings her deep historical and political understanding together with her honed skills as a novelist to produce a picture of the Salem witch trials both realistic and emotional.

In the aftermath of Alexandria’s tragic fall, Princess Selene is taken from Egypt, the only home she’s ever known. Along with her two surviving brothers, she’s put on display as a war trophy in Rome. Selene’s captors mock her royalty and drag her through the streets in chains, but on the brink of death, the children are spared as a favor to the emperor’s sister, who takes them to live as hostages in the so-called lamentable embassy of royal orphans…Now trapped in a Roman court of intrigue that reviles her heritage and suspects her faith, Selene can’t hide the hieroglyphics that carve themselves into her flesh. Nor can she stop the emperor from using her for his own political ends. But faced with a new and ruthless Caesar who is obsessed with having a Cleopatra of his very own, Selene is determined honor her mother’s lost legacy. The magic of Egypt and Isis remain within her. But can she succeed where her mother failed? And what will it cost her in a political game where the only rule is win or die?


The Summer Garden by Paullina Simons. US release February 8, 2011.
A novel of the enduring power of love and commitment -- against the forces of war and the equally dangerous forces of keeping the peace. From the bestselling author of The Girl in Times Square, comes the magnificent conclusion to the saga that was set in motion when Tatiana fell in love with her Red Army officer, Alexander Belov, in wartime Leningrad in 1941. Tatiana and Alexander have since suffered the worst the twentieth century had to offer.
After years of separation, they are miraculously reunited in America, the land of their dreams. They have a beautiful son, Anthony. They have proved to each other that their love is greater than the vast evil of the world. But though they are only in their twenties, in their hearts they are old, and they are strangers. In the climate of fear and mistrust of the Cold War, dark forces are at work in the US that threaten their life and their family.   Can they be happy? Or will the ghosts of yesterday reach out to blight even the destiny of their firstborn son? Epic in scope, masterfully told, The Summer Garden is a novel of unique and devastating emotional power that spans two thirds of the twentieth century, and three continents.



Lord John and the Scottish Prisoner by Diana Gabaldon. UK release October 2011.
In this highly-anticipated new novel, Diana Gabaldon brings back one of her most compelling characters: the unforgettable Lord John Grey - soldier, gentleman, and no mean hand with a blade. Set in the heart of the eighteenth century, Lord John's world is one of mystery and menace. Diana Gabaldon brilliantly weaves together the strands of Lord John's secret and public lives. Capturing the lonely, tormented, and courageous career of a man who fights for his crown, his honor, and his own secrets, Diana Gabaldon delivers breathtaking human drama, proving once again that she can bring history to life in a way few novelists ever have.

I've been reading a book I received from Paperback Swap a few years ago (Bianca by Robert Elegant)- one where I didn't realize the main character was a real person, so she is today's mosaic.  Bianca Cappello was born in Venice is 1548, the daughter of one of Venice's noblest families.  When she was 15, she fell in love with a poor young man from Florence, ran off with him and got married.  Once in Florence, she attracted the eye of Francesco de Medici, son of the Grand Duke Cosimo I.  Francesco was already married, but when his wife dies, he married Bianca.  She and Francesco both died on the same day in 1587, possibly from poisoning.  This portrait by Alessandro Allori is believed to be Bianca.

Well, finally I have come to the end of Jack Whyte’s Camulod Chronicles. It has been a rather bumpy road with varying degrees of quality among the eight volumes. I don’t like to leave things unfinished which is why it is really unusual for me not to finish a book. A series is no different and so sometimes I’ve had to push through the pain to get here.


The Eagle picks up the story where The Lance Thrower left off – Clothar the Frank (the lance thrower a/k/a Lancelot) is at the court of Arthur Pendragon and the two have become close friends. With Merlin often no where to be found, the young king surrounds himself with his friends, consulting them for advice. As the Britons continue to try and hold their land against invaders, Arthur is afraid things are going badly and that his men are losing the heart and the will to fight. The answer, Clothar explains, is perceptions and from this, Arthur’s legendary knights will be born, along with the accompanying rituals and ceremonies.

As various petty kings seek to make alliances with Arthur, he decides to seek one of his own out – in Gaul. Hoping to exchange military knowledge for the development of a prosperous trade agreement, Arthur sends Clothar back to Gaul to make it all happen. As a result, a great deal of the book follows Clothar’s adventures in Gaul and since he is the narrator, much of what is happening back in Britain is revealed to him in letters from Arthur and Merlin. While carrying out Arthur’s instructions, Clothar meets a mysterious old woman who seems to have more than a passing interest in Britain’s affairs…

Although Arthur doesn’t think he has the time to deal with a wife, eventually, he is literally forced to take one. Seeking an alliance with a king in the north who controls much of the area, Arthur agrees to marry his young daughter – Gwinnifer. But Arthur’s new queen doesn’t trust her father and so the two of them come up with a plan to make sure that he never gains control of their kingdom and their relationship is nothing more than one of political necessity. When Clothar finally returns to Camulod, he finds that Arthur was seriously wounded during a battle and when a few years later it becomes apparent to himself that he will not fully recover, Arthur sets into motion the events that will lead to his defeat and the eventual destruction of a united Britain. The truth of course will be misconstrued for centuries after. 

Although I thought this book was better than the last one (The Lance Thrower) Whyte still takes way to long to tell a story. I like historical detail, but there is a point where it becomes overkill and this series has definitely suffered from way too much detail. Arthur is still rather elusive as a character, but I came to like Clothar as a man with great character, dignity and honor. As with the rest of the series, I appreciated Whyte’s take on the familiar legend, providing more than plausible explanations for every part of it and weaving a story that makes you say, “yeah, it could have happened that way”.   The way it was all wrapped up though was disappointing and rather anti-climatic.  In the space of a few paragraphs, it's all over.  After eight books and thousands of pages, I expected more of a "bang".


The nature of men:  “Isn’t that the way things are? People stay home, doing nothing, and then expect the impossible from those who go out and try to achieve something.” Connor mac Athol to Clothar discussing his people’s less than favorable reaction to the trade agreements he set up.

Why a sense of humor is important:  “A man who cannot laugh at himself can never see the humor in anyone or anything else, and that is a tragic flaw. For in the lack of humor lie all the seeds of evil and destruction. People who see themselves as being worthy of admiration and who cannot conceive of themselves as ever being a cause for laughter, are far too serious for their own good, and even worse, they generally believe they have a calling to impress the importance of their beliefs on others. God save us from all humorless men, for they are also merciless and implacable.” Clothar explaining to Connor why it is a good thing Mordred has a good sense of humor and can laugh at himself.

How history becomes distorted:  “When great events are undone by mundane things, people often feel constrained to make the failure larger and somehow more significant by lying about what truly happened as if what actually occurred were too ludicrously petty to have brought about such awe-inspiring and cataclysmic results.” Clothar as he reflects on the wild rumors of Camulod and Arthur’s downfall.

Rating:  Average (2.5 stars)

I included this book in last week's 'Weekly Wishlist' post and the cover showed up this evening on Amazon.  The Reluctant Queen by Freda Lightfoot. UK release September 1, 2010; US release January 1, 2011.

A brand-new historical novel from a well-loved storyteller - Sixteenth-century France. Gabrielle d’Esrées’ one wish is to marry for love, but her mother sells her as a mistress to three different men before she catches the eye – and the heart – of Henry of Navarre, King of France. Henry promises to marry her, but Gabrielle’s difficulties have just begun . . . for Henry’s wife will only divorce him if he promises not to marry Gabrielle. Is the love of a king enough to secure her both the happiness and respectability she craves and a crown for their son as the next dauphin of France?

Here are a couple of updated  covers for upcoming releases set during the Italian Renaissance.  I'm looking forward to reading both of them - time to get out of England for a while!!

A brand-new historical novel from a well-loved storyteller - Sixteenth-century France. Gabrielle d’Esrées’ one wish is to marry for love, but her mother sells her as a mistress to three different men before she catches the eye – and the heart – of Henry of Navarre, King of France. Henry promises to marry her, but Gabrielle’s difficulties have just begun . . . for Henry’s wife will only divorce him if he promises not to marry Gabrielle. Is the love of a king enough to secure her both the happiness and respectability she craves and a crown for their son as the next dauphin of France?


Daughter of Xanadu by Dori Jones Yang.  Young Adult.  US and UK release January 11, 2011.

Athletic and strong willed, Princess Emmajin's determined to do what no woman has done before: become a warrior in the army of her grandfather, the Great Khan Khubilai. In the Mongol world the only way to achieve respect is to show bravery and win glory on the battlefield. The last thing she wants is the distraction of the foreigner Marco Polo, who challenges her beliefs in the gardens of Xanadu. Marco has no skills in the "manly arts" of the Mongols: horse racing, archery, and wrestling. Still, he charms the Khan with his wit and story-telling. Emmajin sees a different Marco as they travel across 13th-century China, hunting 'dragons' and fighting elephant-back warriors. Now she faces a different battle as she struggles with her attraction towards Marco and her incredible goal of winning fame as a soldier.




The Land of the Painted Caves by Jean Auel.  US and UK release March 22, 2011.

The highly anticipated sixth book of Jean Auel's Earth's Children® series, THE LAND OF PAINTED CAVES, is the culmination fans have been waiting for. Continuing the story of Ayla and Jondalar, Auel combines her brilliant narrative skills and appealing characters with a remarkable re-creation of the way life was lived more than 25,000 years ago. THE LAND OF PAINTED CAVES is an exquisite achievement by one of the world's most beloved authors.

Orphaned by Rome’s savage legions, Thea, a slave girl from Judaea, has learned what it takes to survive. She knows only violence until a chance meeting with gladiator Arius offers a shred of tenderness. But their bond is severed when Thea is sold again, condemned to rot in squalor. Years later, a singer known as Athena betrays no hint of her troubled past. Catching the eye of the Emperor himself, she is swept into a world of decadence and depravity. But although Domitian fears betrayal from every side, he is unaware that the greatest threat lies next to him – a slave girl who has come to be called the Mistress of Rome...














Aelric, the young British clerk who has become a senator and the trusted henchman of Emperor Heraclius, has come to Alexandria to send Egypt’s harvest to Constantinople and to force the unwilling viceroy to give its land to the peasants. But the city – with its factions and conspirators – thwarts him at every turn. And when an old enemy from Constantinople arrives, supposedly on a quest for a religious relic that could turn the course of the Persian war, he will have to use all his cunning, his charm and his talent for violence to survive.