A Quest for God and Spices – Book One: The Emissaries
By Dean Cycon
Koehler Books
ISBN: 979-8-88824-515-6
This novel begins the tale of two men – an older monk and a young merchant – as they set out to find Presbyter John, a mysterious king in the Far East. Intrigue and danger are on this journey as well, as others scheme to gain wealth and power at the expense of our travellers.
Excerpt:
The early morning sky was gray and full of menace as one hundred pilgrims boarded the galley Minervi. All but two scurried safely across the wobbly boarding plank, while the crew laughingly fished the others out of the harbor. They all wore the rough, brown wool robes and loose head coverings of pilgrimage, made shabby by weeks on the road, and each clutched a small sack that contained a few copper coins, a wooden spoon, and for a lucky few, an extra shirt. The galley was short, at forty feet long, and squat, designed to be jammed with trade goods and passengers for brief coastal runs. A large boom was secured to the single mast, allowing a huge, ungainly sail to be raised by four crewmen hauling on the coarse, bristly manila halyards. Although the large sail made for greater speed, it also made for exaggerated roll, pitch, and yaw—and very queasy stomachs.
Nicolo arrived late in the boarding and had to squeeze between two fat pilgrims blubbering prayers of protection in some Northern dialect while gripping each other’s hands tightly. He looked back at the raised poop deck to see Captain Fiori smiling and shaking his head. Fiori was the same age as Nicolo and had grown up on the galleys. Nicolo tried to move back toward the stern but was too engulfed in the sweat and prayers of the pious to make any sternway. Mauro looked back at the captain, as well, wondering fearfully if the man was an angel who would deliver him safely on his first sea voyage, or was he Charon, ferrying these poor souls across the River Styx to their eternal damnation. At the captain’s command the twenty rowers began to pull, taking the Minervi away from the dock and out of the harbor. Nicolo noticed how quickly the rank human and tidal smells of the harbor were replaced by the sweet, salty air of the open sea.
Who is this book for?
Fans of historical fiction will appreciate this richly detailed novel, set in the Mediterranean at the turn of the 13th century. With its in-depth exploration of politics, trade, and religion, it offers a vivid journey through medieval cities and daily life.
The Author
Dean Cycon is an award-winning author, lawyer, and social entrepreneur who has hosted PBS specials and appeared on The Today Show and NPR. You can learn more about him and his works on his personal website, or follow Dean on Instagram.
He tells us that “my novel is a literary medieval road trip, reminiscent of Umberto Eco. I had the guilty pleasure of researching on site in Genoa, Rome, Venice, Sicily, Tunisia and Istanbul in museums, state archives and through interviews with wonderful scholars.”
A Quest for God and Spices – Book One: The Emissaries
By Dean Cycon
Koehler Books
ISBN: 979-8-88824-515-6
This novel begins the tale of two men – an older monk and a young merchant – as they set out to find Presbyter John, a mysterious king in the Far East. Intrigue and danger are on this journey as well, as others scheme to gain wealth and power at the expense of our travellers.
Excerpt:
The early morning sky was gray and full of menace as one hundred pilgrims boarded the galley Minervi. All but two scurried safely across the wobbly boarding plank, while the crew laughingly fished the others out of the harbor. They all wore the rough, brown wool robes and loose head coverings of pilgrimage, made shabby by weeks on the road, and each clutched a small sack that contained a few copper coins, a wooden spoon, and for a lucky few, an extra shirt. The galley was short, at forty feet long, and squat, designed to be jammed with trade goods and passengers for brief coastal runs. A large boom was secured to the single mast, allowing a huge, ungainly sail to be raised by four crewmen hauling on the coarse, bristly manila halyards. Although the large sail made for greater speed, it also made for exaggerated roll, pitch, and yaw—and very queasy stomachs.
Nicolo arrived late in the boarding and had to squeeze between two fat pilgrims blubbering prayers of protection in some Northern dialect while gripping each other’s hands tightly. He looked back at the raised poop deck to see Captain Fiori smiling and shaking his head. Fiori was the same age as Nicolo and had grown up on the galleys. Nicolo tried to move back toward the stern but was too engulfed in the sweat and prayers of the pious to make any sternway. Mauro looked back at the captain, as well, wondering fearfully if the man was an angel who would deliver him safely on his first sea voyage, or was he Charon, ferrying these poor souls across the River Styx to their eternal damnation. At the captain’s command the twenty rowers began to pull, taking the Minervi away from the dock and out of the harbor. Nicolo noticed how quickly the rank human and tidal smells of the harbor were replaced by the sweet, salty air of the open sea.
Who is this book for?
Fans of historical fiction will appreciate this richly detailed novel, set in the Mediterranean at the turn of the 13th century. With its in-depth exploration of politics, trade, and religion, it offers a vivid journey through medieval cities and daily life.
The Author
Dean Cycon is an award-winning author, lawyer, and social entrepreneur who has hosted PBS specials and appeared on The Today Show and NPR. You can learn more about him and his works on his personal website, or follow Dean on Instagram.
He tells us that “my novel is a literary medieval road trip, reminiscent of Umberto Eco. I had the guilty pleasure of researching on site in Genoa, Rome, Venice, Sicily, Tunisia and Istanbul in museums, state archives and through interviews with wonderful scholars.”
You can learn more about this book from the publisher’s website
You can also buy this book on Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk
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