|
|
| The Hours Count: A Novel by Jillian CantorOn June 19, 1953, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were executed, becoming the only U.S. citizens put to death for espionage during the Cold War. Their neighbor, Millie Stein, is shocked by the news -- just as she was shocked when the FBI raided the couple's modest home in Manhattan's Lower East Side. How could such a seemingly ordinary middle-class Jewish couple possibly be involved in selling atomic secrets to the Soviets? As Millie attempts to reconcile the happy family she's befriended with the criminals the government proclaims them to be, readers receive a guided tour through a dark chapter of 20th-century American history. |
|
| The Wake: A Novel by Paul Kingsnorth"To them i wants to cnaw it i is named buccmaster of holland." Thus does the narrator of this stylistically complex novel introduce himself. A once-prosperous Lincolnshire landholder, Buccmaster has lost both his family and farm to the conquering Normans. In the year 1066, he and his fellow Saxon survivors flee into the forests and fens, vowing to reclaim England from the foreign invaders and abolish Christianity in favor of ancient Pagan traditions. Written in a dialect that, while modern, evokes Old English, The Wake immerses readers in a bleak, vividly rendered medieval society in which warfare and vengeance are the order of the day. |
|
| Sword of Honor: Or, Hours of the Dog by David KirkFollowing his lord's defeat in the Battle of Sekigahara, samurai Musashi Miyamoto, sickened by the slaughter, refuses to commit seppuku and instead denounces the "Way of the Sword," the code by which he has thus far lived his entire life. Now an outlaw with a hefty price on his head, he travels to Kyoto to confront his enemies at the powerful Yoshioka sword school. Set in Japan during the rise of the Tokugawa Shogunate, this sequel to Child of Vengeance boasts a strong sense of place, authentic period detail, exciting displays of swordsmanship, and a sympathetic protagonist forging his own path in a society in the midst of a dramatic transformation. |
|
| Mrs. Engels: A Novel by Gavin McCrea"No one understands men better than the women they don't marry," explains Lizzie Burns, the Irish lover (and aspiring wife) of German philosopher and Communist Manifesto co-author Frederick Engels. In 1870, Frederick and Lizzie move from Manchester to London to be closer to Karl Marx, whose work Frederick supports with the profits from his family's textile mill. As Engels and Marx, both sons of privilege, circulate among the city's upper-crust, working-class Lizzie -- illiterate, yet intelligent -- observes with a keen eye and a sharp wit the flaws and foibles of those around her. |
|
| The Gold Eaters: A Novel by Ronald WrightWahan, a young man of the Tallán, lives in a coastal fishing village ruled by the Inca Empire. Captured by conquistadors, baptized, and christened "Felipe," Wahan, already fluent in both the language of his people and the Quechua of the Empire, learns Spanish and becomes an interpreter. By facilitating communication between the gold-seeking European imperialists and the bemused Inca officials, who believe that such "barbarians" pose no threat to their superior society, Wahan witnesses firsthand the clash of cultures that will lead to the Empire's downfall and Francisco Pizarro's conquest of the land now known as Peru. |
|
| 1356: Go With God, But Fight Like the Devil by Bernard CornwellLeading his ruthless band of mercenaries through the war-ravaged French countryside, Thomas of Hookton -- known to both friends and enemies as "Bâtard" -- searches for la Malice, the legendary sword of Saint Peter, an artifact supposedly imbued with the power to turn the tide of battle in the favor of whichever side possesses it. Of course, Thomas' primary loyalty is to himself, so it's anybody's guess as to which army will prevail when English, French, and Scottish troops converge on Poitiers for what will become a pivotal battle in the Hundred Years' War. Fans of the author's Grail Quest series will enjoy the hunt for a sacred relic as well as the meticulously researched and action-packed battle scenes that propel this novel. |
|
| The Iron King by Maurice Druon; translated by Humphrey HareOriginally published in France in 1955, this sweeping 1st volume in a seven-book saga about the Hundred Years' War finally makes its English-language debut. Set in the year 1314, the story takes place during the reign of despotic French King Philip the Fair and focuses on disenfranchised Lord Robert of Artois, whose attempts to reclaim his birthright ignite a conflict that will engulf all of France and destroy a dynasty. Steeped in sex, violence, and political intrigue, this book will captivate readers of sprawling, dramatic, and intricately plotted historical fiction. And fantasy fans take note: in his introduction to the novel, Song of Ice and Fire series author George R.R. Martin calls The Iron King "the original game of thrones." |
|
| World Without End by Ken FollettTwo centuries after the events of The Pillars of the Earth, which saw the construction of an elaborate Gothic cathedral in the English town of Kingsbridge, the world is a different place. Although the Church still plays a central role in European life, war and plague have shaken the foundations of society. Beginning on All Hallow's Day in the year 1327, four children witness an event that will influence their lives, as well as the future of their country. Like its predecessor, World Without End combines a large ensemble cast, multilayered plot, and well-researched historical details to tell a sweeping, dramatic family saga. |
|
| Company of Liars: A Novel by Karen MaitlandIn 1348, nine strangers band together for survival as the plague ravages England. Disfigured relic-peddler Camelot leads the group as each member reveals his or her story. Con man Zophiel exhibits (among other dubious marvels) an embalmed mermaid, although Cygnus, who possesses a swan's wing instead of an arm, is no mere sideshow act. Musician Rodrigo and his apprentice Joffre have been dismissed from their posts, while expectant couple Adela and Osmond flee a community that disapproves of their union. Midwife Pleasance and her albino ward Narigorm round out the cast. Yet as the travelers begin dying, it becomes clear that at least one member of the company harbors a deadly secret. This novel "infuses a Canterbury Tales scenario with the spectral chill of an M. Night Shyamalan ghost story" (Publishers Weekly). |
|
| The Time of the Wolf by James WildeIn 1062, King Edward of England, childless and ailing, has no heir -- prompting William, Duke of Normandy, to stake his claim to the throne. With constant Viking raids destabilizing the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, the only man standing in the conqueror's way is Hereward of Mercia, a ruthless Saxon warrior known as "the Devil of the Fens." Inspired by the exploits of a real 11th-century warrior of the same name, this novel is the 1st in the Hereward series, followed by The Winter Warrior. Its courageous hero, gritty, richly detailed depiction of medieval England, and visceral violence may appeal to fans of Bernard Cornwell's Saxon stories. |
|
|
|
|
|