• Home
  • Historical Fiction

The Chukchi Bible

By the celebrated author of A Dream in Polar Fog, a collection of the myths and stories of Yuri Rytkheu's own family that is at once a moving history of the Chukchi people who inhabit the northern shores of the Bering Sea and a beautiful cautionary tale rife with conflict, human drama, and humor. We meet fantastic characters: Nau, the mother of the human race; Rau, her half-whale husband; and Rytkheu's own grandfather, fated to be an intrepid traveler, far-ranging whaler, living ethnographic exhibit, and the last shaman of Uelen. The Chukchi Bible moves through vast Arctic tundra, sea, and sky -- and to places deep within ourselves--introducing readers, in vivid prose, to an extraordinary mythology and a resilient people.
Views: 28

A Dusk of Demons

Ben must uncover the secrets of his home, the strange demons that lurk in dark corners, and his destiny as the Master of Old Isle in this adventure from the author of the Tripods series.Ben lives a carefree life on Old Isle, far away from horrible demons that terrorize the people on the mainland. He shares his home with Mother Ryan, Antonia, Paddy, and the Master. They're not his real family, but they're the only family he's ever known. Then, in a single day, Ben's quiet existence is turned upside down. After the Master dies and reveals a startling connection, Ben becomes the new Master of Old Isle. And when demons burn his house to the ground and his family leaves their home, Ben is forced to stay behind. Soon Ben manages to escape and begin a journey across the sea and the countryside to learn the secrets of his heritage. But he is being pursued by people who wish to use his power for their own selfish purposes, and time is running short for him...
Views: 28

Galactic Council Realm 2: On Duty

'On Duty' is the 2nd book in the Galactic Council Realm Series. Continuing the exploits of Lt. Phelan Oscar Piran from 'On Station', 'On Duty' is an adventure. Piran is in route to a new duty assignment with Special Navy Operations. Detoured by the Druid Council of Elders to investigate troubles between Construction Station workers and Druids, he uncovers a broader conspiracy, a powerful traitor, and an ominous centuries old pledge. 'On Duty' is a Space Opera with Space Cats, Marines, Navy Aviators, Martial Arts, Space Battles, Piracy, detective mysteries and side tales, all interwoven in the unfolding story of the Galactic Council Realm. The Galactic Council Realm Series consists of books #1 'On Station', #2 'On Duty' and #3 'On Guard'.
Views: 28

Heir to the Duke (The Duke's Sons #1)

Life is predictable for a Duke's first sonAs eldest son of the Duke of Langford, Nathaniel Gresham sees his arranged marriage to Lady Violet Devere as just another obligation to fulfill-highly suitable, if unexciting. But as Violet sets out to transform herself from dowdy wallflower to dazzling young duchess-to-be, proper Nathaniel sets out to prove he's a match for his new bride's vivacity and daring.Or so he once thought...Oppressed by her family all her life, Lady Violet can't wait to enjoy the freedom of being a married woman. But then Violet learns her family's sordid secret, and she's faced with an impossible choice-does she tell Nathaniel and risk losing him, or does she hide it and live a lie?
Views: 28

A Love to Last Forever

All Beth Gallatin has really wanted out of life is to settle down in one town, with one man, and raise a family. But with her father's roaming ways, she's always been denied that dream; instead, she found solace in reading romantic books. With her father's passing, she can, for the first time, dare to claim the rugged Montana frontier as her home. Nick Lassiter has loved Beth since she first came to town, but she's always seemed to think of him more as a brother. Just when he finally gets Beth to consider him, however, a challenger threatens the affection growing between them. But neither Nick nor Beth is prepared when they must face the consequences of Nick's complicated past. As a past fraught with unwise choices and guilt invades their world, can Nick and Beth find a love that will last forever?
Views: 28

The Gathering

Night Breeds Book 2 - sequel to The Calling Rayna Ford didn’t believe in monsters, until she became one herself. As a newly turned werewolf awaiting her first shift, she puts all her trust in Garrett Kincaid, the man who accidentally infected her and changed her life forever. When old enemies resurface and take her from the one man who vowed to protect her, Rayna must face her fears alone.
Views: 28

The Two Hearts of Kwasi Boachi: A Novel

“The first ten years of my life I was not black.” Thus begins this startlingly eloquent and beautiful tale based on the true story of Kwasi Boachi, a 19th- century African prince who was sent with his cousin, Kwame, to be raised in Holland as a guest of the royal family. Narrated by Kwasi himself, the story movingly portrays the perplexing dichotomy of the cousins' situation: black men of royal ancestry, they are subject to insidious bigotry even as they enjoy status among Europe’s highest echelons. As their lives wind down different paths–Kwame back to Africa where he enlists in the Dutch army, Kwasi to an Indonesian coffee plantation where success remains mysteriously elusive–they become aware of a terrible truth that lies at the heart of their experiences. Vivid, subtle, poignant and profound, The Two Hearts of Kwasi Boachi is an exquisite masterpiece of story and craft, a heartrending work that places Arthur Japin on a shelf that includes Joseph Conrad, J.M. Coetzee, Kazuo Ishiguro and Nadine Gordimer. From the Trade Paperback edition.From Publishers WeeklyDutch singer/actor Japin's debut draws on extraordinary real-life material: in 1837 two young Ashanti princes, Kwasi and Kwame, were taken to Holland, ostensibly to receive a European education, but in fact as peons in a cynical exchange between the Ashanti king (Kwame's father) and the still active slave traders. Kwasi tells the strange story as a gentle, peevish old man living on a failed coffee plantation in Java at the turn of the century. He remembers his jungle boyhood with cousin Kwame, the coming of the Dutch traders and his and Kwame's early years as curiosities at a Dutch school. Later embraced by the royal court, the two went on to college and became offbeat figures in Dutch society, struggling to persuade themselves that they had really found a new life. Kwasi, the more adaptable, cherished a passion for a Dutch princess until she married elsewhere for convenience. Kwame, deeply uneasy at his equivocal role, joined the army and was posted back to Africa where, eventually realizing that he was a mere plaything of the Dutch, he killed himself. Only toward the end of his life is Kwasi aware that he, too, has lived in self-deception. Japin tells the tale with imaginative empathy and, in the case of Kwame, truly powerful poetic re-creation. However, his incorporation of text from authentic 19th-century documents is disconcerting. This is an unusual story that could appeal to an appetite for the odd corners of history, but perhaps is too close to history to please the lovers of literary fiction who would at first seem to be its natural readers. (Nov. 21) Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. From BooklistJapin's beautifully written debut novel is based on the true story of two West African princes, Kwasi and Kwame, who are sent by the king of Ashanti (modern-day Ghana) to study in Holland in the 1830s. In Holland, they attend a private boarding school, where Kwasi excels at his studies and Kwame at art. Neither boy fits in; they are ridiculed by some and shunned by others. Kwame never ceases to long for the day he can return home to Africa, whereas Kwasi embraces the new culture and tries to blend in as much as possible. The boys' different reactions to Dutch culture drive a wedge between them, and they choose separate paths. As Kwame tries to return home, Kwasi accepts a government post, only to encounter prejudice from every side. Both face harsh disappointments: Kwame from the home he thought would not forsake him, and Kwasi from the realization that the abandonment of his native culture has harmed him most of all. Quietly moving, Japin's novel is a powerful study of displacement and disillusionment. Kristine HuntleyCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Views: 28