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November 2004 |
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August 2005
NOVEMBER 2005 REVIEWS:
MOCKINGBIRD SINGS
Merrilyn Grove,
PublishAmerica, 2005, $19.95, pb, 189pp, 1413741134
This story follows the lives of two girls, Mockingbird and Star, dedicated to
the priesthood of the Aztec sun god Huitzilopochtli in medieval Mesoamerica.
Both were born with significant signs: Mockingbird with blue eyes, and Star with
a star-shaped birthmark on her forehead. The book follows them as they fulfill
a prophecy that two enlightened leaders would forge a new society based on truth
and love. The author is a social worker who is in the process of writing a
sequel to this book. An interesting read, although the author’s depth of
knowledge regarding the Aztec society and culture seems rather vague.
Brad Eden
THE TRAITOR’S WIFE: A NOVEL OF THE REIGN OF EDWARD II
Susan Higginbotham, iUniverse, 2005, $25.95, pb, 477pp, 0595359590
Eleanor de Clare, favorite niece of Edward II of
England, is the spirited, loving wife of Edward’s intimate and ambitious
advisor, Hugh le Despenser. The English nobles and Edward’s wife, Queen
Isabella, chafe at the closeness of Hugh and the King, and the le Despenser
family earns many enemies through Hugh’s hunger for wealth and land. Eleanor’s
love for Hugh and her family places her in the center of a political storm,
where Queen battles King, nobles usurp the crown, and traitors pay the ultimate
price.
Susan Higginbotham’s work is equally ambitious,
relating this lively tale while deftly untangling the skein of the de Clare and
le Despenser families throughout the fourteenth century. The dialogue is
excellent, the characters are well formed and vibrant, and despite the tendency
of the families to name heirs after their fathers and mothers, leading to a
confusing roll call, Higginbotham dexterously keeps the reader focused.
Higginbotham’s talents lie not only in her capacity for detailed genealogical
research of the period, but also in her skill in bringing these historical
figures to life with passion, a wonderful sense of humor, honor, and love,
leaving the reader to wonder at the fortitude of Eleanor and others surviving
and thriving in such volatile times.
Catherine Perkins
ANNE
BONNY: TALE OF A LADY PIRATE
Robert Q. Hoyt,
Trafford, 2004, $19.30, pb, 330pp, 1412023505
Robert Hoyt's Anne Bonny: Tale of a Lady Pirate is one of the latest of
several books written about the infamous female buccaneer. What little is known
of Anne Bonny is fascinating, and Hoyt wisely incorporates both fact and myth
into his fictionalized retelling. Soon after marrying a sailor, the Irish-born
and American-bred Bonny supposedly met the pirate Calico Jack Rackham, disguised
herself as a man, and joined his crew. Bonny's high seas adventures were
believed to have come to an end sometime around 1720 when she was captured,
tried, and sentenced as part of Rackham's crew. Although it appears that
pregnancy saved Bonny from the gallows, no one actually knows what happened to
her. Hoyt's Bonny is intelligent, passionate, and as violent as the men she
served with and fought against, just as one imagines the real-life Bonny to have
been. Rather than leave the story open-ended, the author creates a fitting
ending for such a maverick, although it's wrapped-up a little too neatly in the
epilogue. The dialogue is entertaining, and the story is packed with historical
details. This book also provides several useful appendices, including a
glossary, a bibliography, and descriptions of nautical time, distance, and
speed, which only add to the reader's understanding and enjoyment of the subject
matter. Well-written, interesting, and fun, Anne Bonny will appeal to
readers of adventure, as well as romance. Recommended.
Catherine
Collins
THE
SCRIBE: LIFE, DEATH & GENDER POLITICS IN ANCIENT EGYPT
Bettye Hughes,
PublishAmerica, 2005, $24.95, pb, 297pp, 1413755968
The Scribe
tells the story of the rise and fall of the remarkable female pharaoh Hatshepsut
from the perspective of a court scribe and protagonist Tetem-re. In an attempt
to add a new perspective to a known history, the book is written as Tetem-re's
first-person account. The story chronicles his rise from poverty and the lowest
social strata of ancient Egypt to his linking of fortunes with the princess and
later Pharaoh Hatshepsut, leading to wealth and station but ultimately downfall
and disgrace. The story does little to add new insight and revelation into the
life and myth of the female pharaoh Hatshepsut if the reader is already familiar
with her through other novels. However, Hughes does add the unique exploration
of social class and wealth in ancient Egypt, which offers a different
perspective of the times. Hughes has a clear and concise grasp on the politics
and religion of ancient Egypt and easily conveys the atmosphere of the landscape
and culture without becoming bogged down in ponderous details. Character
interaction drives this novel, and the characters are well- drawn and
sympathetic as they explore themes of family, loyalty, and immortality. The
novel itself serves almost as a love letter to the craft of writing as the
scribe Tetem-re discovers the joy of words and uses them not only to advance his
life, but also to find immortality and peace for himself and his family.
Amanda Yesilbas
THE
PLAYMAKERS
Graeme Johnstone,
BeWrite Books, 2005, $16.85, pb, 345pp, 1905202083
The collaboration of Graeme Johnstone, who penned The Playmakers, and
Kevin Heeney, who developed the concept and story, has created an absolutely
wonderful novel. The story follows the entwined lives and careers of the
playwright Christopher Marlowe and William Shakespeare, traveling player,
producer, and jack of all trades, as they live, love, create plays, and
ultimately fabricate one of the greatest deceits in history. The novel is a
page-turner with its excellently and intriguingly drawn characters and
compelling, adventure-filled plot. Perhaps the most amazing aspect of the book
is how it creates an absolutely pitch-perfect representation of Elizabethan
England with such brevity and wit. Captured by careful story- crafting, the
politics, social order and religion of the times are masterfully woven together
while avoiding the unnecessary length and ponderous nature of many historical
novels. With great flair, these heavier themes are integrated into the story
without losing any pace or interest. Anyone with an interest in Shakespeare
will delight at how the novel is peppered with witty variations of famous
Shakespearean lines and the suggestion of their origins. Overall, the book
offers a fresh and interesting perspective on the life of Shakespeare that may
challenge and delight readers. This is a highly recommended read not only for
those interested in Shakespearean times, but for anyone looking for a great
story and characters.
Amanda Yesilbas
THE
TURNING POINT
Irene Lape,
iUniverse, 2005, $13.95, pb, 172 pp, 0595344488
Fifteen-year-old Meg Hamilton, raised by her aunt and uncle
since her beloved grandfather’s death, is shocked to hear that her uncle is
planning to leave her childhood home of Sharpsburg, Maryland, to relocate to
Baltimore, forcing her to leave her life and her friends behind. Desperate to
stay behind, Meg dresses—very unconvincingly—as a boy and begins to search for
her long-lost father, a Confederate soldier traveling with Stonewall Jackson’s
unit. She is joined by her close friend Daniel Brandt, a young man from a large
Dunker family who longs to escape the simplicity embraced by his faith and
experience the outside world. Meg and Daniel encounter a number of fascinating
characters on their journey, which eventually leads to Harper’s Ferry and an
emotional encounter between Meg and her father. When the two return home to
Sharpsburg, they find themselves in the middle of the Battle of Antietam, known
as one of the bloodiest days of the American Civil War.
Lape’s combination of Meg and Daniel’s budding romance
with the desperation and terror of war is highly effective. Her knowledge of
Civil War history and the Dunker faith are apparent, and the details, both of
the events that lead to the battle and the battle’s gruesome aftermath, are
well-researched. However, the most impressive aspect of The Turning Point
is the way Lape gives a human face to the Civil War by telling the story of
average Antietam Valley residents whose lives are torn apart by the bloodshed.
This book will appeal to a wide audience, from teens to Civil War buffs to
readers with a general interest in American history. Highly recommended.
Nanette Donohue
THE
FALLEN NIGHTINGALE: A NOVEL
John Milton, Swan
Books, 2004, $39.95, hb with CD, 594pp, 1592980716
This novel is based on the life of the Spanish composer Enrique Granados
(1867-1916). The book details the last 17 years of his life, including his
tragic death in the English Channel. He meets a number of important personages
along the way: Enrico Caruso, Fritz Kreisler, Jan Paderewski, and Woodrow
Wilson. The author did extensive research on Granados for this book, visiting
every location where Granados lived and worked. The book has won numerous
awards, including the Independent Publisher Award, and was a finalist for
ForeWord Magazine’s Book of the Year. Included with the novel is a CD
containing musical works by Granados performed by internationally-acclaimed
pianist Douglas Riva. This is a truly astonishing and wonderful novel on the
life of a little-known late 19th-early 20th century
composer, and the world as it existed at that time in Europe and America. The
CD adds a certain charm to the novel, allowing the reader to actually experience
the musical compositions of the main character of the book.
Brad Eden
HEINRICH THE FOWLER:
FATHER OF THE OTTONIAN EMPIRE
Mirella Patzer, PublishAmerica, 2004, $24.95, pb,
295pp, 1413734405
Set in
10th century Germany, this tale revolves around Heinrich, Duke of
Saxony, and his quest for the throne of Germany. The narrative is concerned with
Heinrich’s struggles for power against other duchies, Germany’s wars against the
marauding Magyars, and Heinrich’s personal life. The book is a hybrid between a
romance novel and an epic historical novel, with weight on the romance side of
the scale.
The story opens with the
failure of Heinrich’s first marriage to Hatheburg, Countess of Merseburg; the
narrative then shifts to Matilda, the Countess of Westphalia, who is living in a
convent in Erfurt, Germany. There she is educated and watched over by her
grandmother, the Abbess. This saintly 14-year-old girl has one ambition, and
that is to become a nun and serve God. Her parents, however, arrange a marriage
to Heinrich, which she refuses. Her grandmother, realizing Matilda’s great
potential, takes her on a tour of the city, where the young girl witnesses great
misery, poverty, and suffering. The Abbess explains to her that as the Duchess
of Saxony, Matilda would have the means to help people.
Matilda agrees to marry Heinrich after taking her
grandmother’s advice. This book supplies steamy love scenes between Matilda and
Heinrich, along with descriptions of their good looks and royal attire. Between
accounts of Heinrich’s battles with other dukes and the Magyars are descriptions
of Matilda’s efforts to help the poor, the wrongly imprisoned, and those
suffering the aftereffects of war. Will Heinrich attain the throne? Will he
acquire the holy, dangerous object he so desires?
The author lists a cast
of thirty characters, many of whom seem a bit shallow. The story can, however,
draw a reader in, especially when the author gets the narrative moving with
dialogue and character interaction.
Judith Carroll
THE
DIARY OF JOSIAH WEBB
John Ruhl,
MajorMicro Press, 2005, $19.95, hb, 157pp, 097659210X
Josiah Webb, a pharmacist in small-town Nappanee, Indiana, during the 1920s, is
dying of cancer. Soon after his diagnosis, he finds a mysterious letter in his
mailbox. The letter, dated 2003, is ostensibly from his future great-grandson
Nathan, who has perfected the science of transporting objects across time. The
two men begin a correspondence, which leads to an unusual and unlikely
friendship. As Nathan perfects his time-travel process, he begins to send larger
objects, eventually transporting himself back to 1924 to meet his
great-grandfather in person. The encounter between the two men is humorous and
touching, made even more so by a clever twist at the end of the book that may
make the reader wonder if the story is partially true.
The story, told in letters and diary entries, is
engaging and fast-paced. Though the historical setting takes a back seat to the
time-travel aspect of the story, Ruhl includes some good descriptions of daily
life in small-town Indiana during the 1920s, as well as some information on the
Amish culture that continues to flourish in the Nappanee area. Readers who enjoy
light time-travel historical novels will enjoy this one.
Nanette Donohue
KOYLI:
BURDENS OF GUILT
John Sales,
PublishAmerica, 2004, $19.95, pb, 244pp, 1413723772
KOYLI: Burdens of
Guilt begins at
14-year-old Albert Wheeler’s childhood home in England where, following a
scandal surrounding the death of his mother, he is forced to assume the identity
of his dead older brother, George. Under this assumed identity Albert, now
George, enlists in the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (KOYLI) and sets off
on an amazing journey.
While stationed in Dublin, George begins developing a new
and separate life of his own. He makes lifelong friends, meets the love of his
life, and has many hair-raising encounters with the anti-British Fenian rebels.
This, however, is not nearly the end of things. He is deployed to fight the
Germans and must leave behind much of his new and happy life. However, his
unhappy past still boils under the surface, catching up with him in a
magnificent turn of events at Antwerp. Can he properly revenge his mother’s
death, save his wife, and fulfill his duty as a KOYLI?
The beginning of the novel is slowed down by many
details; however, these details become important later on when George’s past
catches up with him. Sales does a good job at incorporating dialogue into the
novel, creating a true feel for the times and helping to differentiate between
the different classes. While the novel does at times feel contrived, overall it
is a good and captivating read.
Joey Nicholson
GOD’S
HAMMER
Eric Schumacher,
Paul Mould Publishing, 2005, $22.00, pb, 308pp, 1904959083
The main character of this book is Hakon Haraldsson, the first Christian king of
Norway in A.D. 935. The storyline follows Hakon through his childhood, the
ascension of his brutal brother Erik to the throne of Norway, Hakon’s fostering
in the Christian court of King Athelstan of England, and his return to Norway at
the age of 14 to fight his brother and claim the throne after being called back
by the earls of Norway. The book details the chaos and inner turmoil that Hakon
must face as he fights his brother and reclaims Norway. The author has a strong
background in the history of Dark Ages Europe, and the two maps provided in the
front of the book help the reader to follow the narrative.
Brad Eden
THE
BLOODY BOY
Doug Thomas,
Keltoi Publishing, 2001, $23.00, pb, 458pp, 0973105704
This story is a unique telling of the War of 1812. Jacob Baker, former street
urchin in Great Britain, is a grenadier in the 49th Regiment. As a
member of the Green Tigers, he has sworn to defend British North America against
the invading Americans. Jacob and his regiment are thrown again and again into
the path of the Yankees. He has to survive battles, mutiny, the British Army,
and the high casualty rate of the War of 1812 before he can go back to the woman
he loves. Jacob develops many good friends within his regiment, and the author
writes a moving story about the horrors of this war.
Thomas tells a gripping tale of a young man caught up
in a deadly, horrifying war. The book is intended to be an accurate reflection
of the political and social view of the British North Americans in the year
1812. While most of the characters are fictional, the military characters
ranked above Sergeant were actual people in that day and time, and the author
has thoroughly researched the war and writes of actual battles that ensued. The
descriptions of the social aspects of the time are very revealing and disturbing
as well.
The book is a third-person narrative, and some sample
letters of the main protagonist and the woman he loves are included. Dialect is
used to good effect, even though it makes the story harder to read: Jacob and
Nancy have poor grammar and worse spelling because they are from society’s lower
class. Anyone interested in Canadian history will appreciate this book, and it
has been written so that it could be used to supplement Canadian history
courses.
Naomi Theye
THE
FORTH CONTENTION
Thomas Thorpe,
Port Town Publishing, 2004, $10.95, pb, 250pp, 1594660425
In 1825, William Darmon is about to lose possession of his ancestral home,
Mayfair Hall. Due to dirty politics, his ownership has come into question.
Unless he and his family can find the missing deed to the property, the Darmons
will be left homeless upon the enactment of the Law of Confiscation. There is
hope, however, because a late family friend hid the deed in Egypt decades
earlier. Unfortunately, the clues he left behind only an astronomer will
understand. The Darmons enlist the help of their family, friends, neighborhood
astronomers, and servants in the quest for the property deed.
In this novel, the women characters are incredibly
independent for their time period—one heading off to Egypt accompanied by only
two men servants against horrific odds. The author seems to have done his
homework on the time period, and the plot he has concocted is fantastical, yet
intriguing. The novel, which is the second in a series of four, is full of
incredible coincidences, but is very readable.
This novel is a fast paced adventure that is hard to
put down. Readers of historical fiction, adventure stories, and travelogues
will enjoy it. The author manages to include snippets of world history by
having his protagonists travel from England to Greece to Egypt and back to
France and England. Each location brings its own history and political
perspective to the storyline. Thorpe is a masterful and creative wordsmith.
Naomi Theye
WITCH
Jennifer M.
Wilson, AuthorHouse, 2005, $20.75, pb, 336pp, 1420821091
In 1692, Bridget Bishop was the first woman to be executed
for witchcraft in Salem, Massachusetts. As a young, motherless child in England
she is sent to London to work in exchange for an education. She becomes
attracted to the Puritan faith and meets and falls in love with George, a
handsome young Puritan. George and Bridget are soon married and headed to the
New World. In this novel, Bridget has several journeys, one from the Old World
to the New World, one from childhood to womanhood, and one from dependence to
independence and back again.
The novel is a well-crafted story of Bridget’s
downfall. The author writes skillfully of the time period and sheds light on
some of the feelings a woman of that time may have had. The novel addresses the
prejudices found within the Puritan community of Salem. Bridget becomes
disillusioned with the faith of her peers, and that disillusionment manifests
itself in socially unacceptable ways—such as wandering the woods in search of
herbs and healing plants, sharing a home with another woman, and becoming an
independent widow. Some of these actions become interpreted as witchcraft. This
is the story of one woman, living life on her own terms, and discovering for
herself the varied meanings of heaven and hell.
Anyone who enjoys reading about the stifling lives of
the Pilgrims will enjoy this novel. Wilson tells a story of one woman’s life as
an outcast in a society of outcasts. Most of the story deals with the times, the
woman, and her society; the witchcraft theme is hinted at almost from the
beginning, and prejudice and man’s inhumanity to man is at the core of the
novel.
Naomi Theye
CHILDREN'S
A WINDOW TO
THE WORLD
Eunice Boeve, PublishAmerica, 2004, pb, 110pp, 1413732127
This book is told in the first person by Annie Duncan, a
twelve-year-old girl growing up in Virginia in 1850. She tells about ordinary
everyday things like going to school with her best friend, and collecting the
syrup from the maple trees in the spring. There are also sad times as when her
young brother is very ill.
Her father has gone to California to make his fortune finding
gold. The family receive a letter saying he is missing feared dead. If this is
true it will mean that Annie’s Ma is now a woman on her own with all the
attendant problems of providing for her family. Then a widower –– the pompous Mr
Snell –– comes to live with his daughter’s family on a neighbouring farm. He
starts to pay court to Ma. Annie is horrified. But worse is to come when Annie
finds a runaway slave. The family try to help him. But it is not just the slave
hunters and the forces of the law that they have to hide him from. It is also Mr
Snell because he is a firm supporter of slavery.
Do the Duncans manage to get the slave to freedom? Does
Annie’s mother marry Mr Snell? And is Annie’s father really dead or does he
survive to come back to his family?
This book gives a good picture of rural Virginia in the
years before the Civil War. Above all the position of women is made abundantly
clear. Once Mr Snell shows just how obnoxious he is when Ma says she wishes
women could vote. This is greeted with laughs and sneers.
“Women voting? Why the coloreds will be voting sooner
than women. And that means never.”
And this is the man Ma is thinking of marrying so that
she can provide for her family.
Recommended for girls of eleven plus.
Mary S. Moffat
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