Blood of a Gladiator: (Leonidas, the Gladiator Mysteries, Book 1
Written by Ashley Gardner
Leonidas is a gladiator who knows nothing about survival. He is tired of fighting and wishes to die. When he is mysteriously freed by an unknown benefactor and gifted to a scribe who used to be a slave, Leonidas must learn to survive in ancient Rome with no marketable skills.
The two major characters could not be more different. Combined with an assortment of minor characters, their journey is unpredictable and touched with tinges of mystery. The author does an excellent job of researching and describing historical details of life in ancient Rome.
This is the first book in a series. It certainly has my attention and I want to read other books in the series.
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The author is a veteran submariner in the British navy. This book benefits from his experience and attention to detail.
As the tale opens, a British submarine is en route to Norway to target German ships, when it is badly damaged by an Arctic storm. Already under stress, the crew struggles to maintain composure and teamwork because they are being pursued by the Nazis.
The adventure is fast-paced and the characters intense. Readers experience life as a submariner. Fans of World War II history and naval warfare will enjoy the first book of this series.
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Maya has just died. She finds herself in a heaven very different from what she imagined.
Her spirit guide, Zachariah, whisks her on a tour through her past lives which include ancient Egypt, Greek Sparta, pirates and Vikings, and finally to the plague in medieval London. Maya just wants to be with the family she had before she died.
The book ends with a sneak peek into Book Two of the series which brings her to the papal court in Rome. Characters are interesting enough and the plot moves along evenly.
I found the first book interesting. Recommended for young adult and adult audiences. Not sure if the momentum of the concept can carry on through a whole series.
Mollie and Annabelle are two friends living in 1883 Manhattan. Mollie is a pickpocket and Annabelle, a prostitute. The two share a dream of moving to the other side of the river when the Brooklyn Bridge is completed. When they meet Miss DuPre who runs a settlement house, it appears their dreams just might come true. But there are dangers around every corner in the tenement district.
The author presents a vivid picture of the setting in Victorian Manhattan, and the characters appear authentic. I especially enjoyed the dialogue. If you enjoy historical fiction, this one is an enjoyable quick read.
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An enjoyable historical fiction read based on real characters. A well-researched tale that follows several families during World War II and the Spanish flu pandemic.
The characters are believable and well-developed. Readers are drawn into the tragedies, the struggles, and at times, a bit of humor despite the awful circumstances. Each of the separate stories hits the mark and makes a deep impression on the reader.
If you enjoy historical fiction, adventure, and in-depth characters, you will like this tale.
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The novel Saving Dr. Warren… A True Patriot answers that question through the eyes of a 14 year old boy.
Steve O’Dell loves to write and does it well. But as an eighth-grade student at Needham Middle School, his talent sometimes seems more an embarrassment than a blessing.
Then, on Veterans Day 2001, Steve’s award-winning essay propels him into an adventure twisting through Revolutionary battles and bloodshed. Thanks to the bizarre bequest of a manuscript and a musket ball from a long-lost family war hero, Steve’s journey with the Revolutionary War hero Dr. Joseph Warren begins.
A time-traveling talisman missing from the archives of one of Boston’s oldest historical societies takes Steve through portals of history, where he walks side by side with a real Boston patriot. He makes house calls with Dr. Warren on March 5, 1770, and stumbles onto the bloodstained streets of the Boston Massacre. From the killings of March 5 to boarding tea ships in 1773, Steve’s history book explodes to life as he helps Dr. Warren and forges a friendship with Boston’s True Patriot. Steve watches Dr. Warren launch Paul Revere on his midnight ride, and he helps Dr. Warren dodge British musket balls in the first battles of the War for Independence. With each adventure, Steve tastes the light that ignites The Revolution.
Steve will eventually convince others that the Revolutionary relic he was given really does open portals through time, but he faces his most difficult quest alone—saving Dr. Warren from the onslaught at Bunker Hill. Can he do it? And if he fails, will he ever return to this century?
Saving Dr. Warren…A True Patriot rips through the pages of history. From the Revolutionary War to the vanishing veterans of World War II, to the ashes of September 11, 2001, Saving Dr. Warren demonstrates to both old and young that patriotism, standing like an old oak tree on a grandfather’s farm, has and will endure.
Jeff Mckenna resides in a peaceful Southern Utah town amidst the red rocks that make up National Parks like Zion and Arches. He loves mountain biking over the brightly colored sandstone that surrounds him, as well as new trails he finds when he goes on cross-country RV trips with his wife. Along with reading entertaining historical fiction novels, Jeff believes a great way to learn to love America is by exploring her beautiful landscape and visiting cities and states from sea to shining sea.
Jeff’s love for his country is what has fostered his love for writing. Uncovering America’s history can be messy, but Jeff dives in with both hands to uncover what lies hidden in our nation’s past. He loves to reveal forgotten heroes and help them come alive for young Americans as they race through the pages of his historical fiction novel, Saving Dr. Warren… “A True Patriot.”
Jeff would love to hear about the American heroes you’ve discovered as you’ve dived into history!
As a historian and educator, I applaud the author’s mission to teach young people history while making their journey an entertaining one. I try to do the same with my nonfiction history series.
McKenna pens a novel of historical fiction in which the reader embarks on a time travel adventure. One learns about 9-11, World War II, and the American Revolution. In Part One, readers meet Steve O’Dell, the protagonist. When his eighth-grade teacher announces a Veterans Day essay contest, Steve’s only interest is winning the $500 prize. He gets his best friend Grace to brainstorm with him for ideas, but he decides to pitch the piece only to what he thinks the judges want to hear. When Steve wins the contest, he gets annoyed about the publicity it engenders.
Then Steve discovers an uncle who was a World War II hero. He has been given a manuscript and a musket ball that will allow him to travel back in time to the American Revolution. He walks alongside Dr. Joseph Warren. Steve will find himself at The Boston Massacre and The Boston Tea Party, watch Dr. Warren dispatch Paul Revere, and dodge the musket balls at The Battle of Bunker Hill. Will Steve survive the carnage and find a way to return to the twenty-first century?
This exciting adventure packs lots of historical knowledge inside a compelling middle-grade adventure that will be enjoyed by adult readers as well.
Bodies in the Tiber: An Ancient Rome Political Thriller: The Sertorius Scrolls Book 3
Written by Vincent B. Davis II
Quintus Sertorius has just returned from five years of fighting for the Roman republic in the north. He is eager to return to Rome and pick up his life with a family that he is certain barely remembers him.
Davis has a fluid writing style. He bases his historical fiction on research, but he is adept at creating interesting and complex personal characters. It is the year 100 B.C. While Rome has been victorious, the republic has never been in greater danger. Sertorius has been writing a diary of sorts in his scrolls for the past year documenting history while also providing personal glimpses into his ambitions as well as his fears.
This is the third book in the series which begins seven years earlier when Sertorius loses his father and his rural village. In a struggle to survive and provide for his family, Sertorius leaves them and is thrust into the role of politician in a corrupt society.
The author uses his own military experience to enrich his story. An engaging and fascinating read for anyone interested in ancient history.
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Buzzy is a Briad dog living on a plantation farm in Monticello with her owner, Thomas Jefferson. Buzzy enjoys spending her days sitting at the feet of her master while he writes letters, romping in the vegetable garden, and playing tug of war with Thomas. One day, Thomas informs Buzzy that he has been elected president and that they will be moving to Washington, D.C. Buzzy is sad, afraid and confused. She does not want to leave her friends Caractacus, the horse, Bull, the farm dog, and Dickie, the pet mockingbird. When moving day arrives, she places her sleeping pillow, her dish, and her rope in the sleeping crate herself. After arriving at her new home, Buzzy is happy to discover that she likes her new surroundings and surprised to see Dickie will be staying as well.
This beginning chapter book is based on historical fact. It is delightfully illustrated. Targeted for children in the four to eight age range, I believe it most appropriate for primary grade children who are beginning to read. The story is well-written and is perfect for children whose families are planning a move to assuage many of their fears about leaving friends and familiar circumstances behind.
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Short novel of Christian historical fiction based on a true historical account of the 1775 conflict in the village of Mentonomy, Massachusetts. Betsy Russell is an eighteen year old girl living in a Patriot family near colonial Boston. Her village is busy preparing a militia for the inevitable battle looming on the horizon with the British. Betsy feels slighted that her younger brother Noah is taught how to fire a musket, while she is expected to stay home and play a support role. When Betsy confides her feelings to the blacksmith, he gives her a small knife to defend herself and protect her family. Betsy could never imagine what role that knife would play in her future.
The battle brings both joy and tragedy to the Russell family. Betsy will grapple with grief, struggle with her Christian faith, assume heavy family responsibilities, become a nurse, and find out about love in many unexpected ways. This novel is based on actual historical events; the fictional characterizations and quotes from the Bible add a humanistic element to the narrative. Some of the battle details are a bit graphic, which is the reason I would suggest the target audience to be age thirteen and older.
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Middle grade historical fiction tale focusing on Jack and his younger sister Mary. The family lives on a farm in Connecticut. One day the children are shocked to learn that their parents are selling everything and heading West on a wagon train in the hopes of finding gold in the California hills. The author traces the journey as the family heads north to Albany and then west to Missouri. There they meet Mr. Booth, the wagon master who will guide them to California.
Shaper goes into detail about the supplies and the preparation needed to prepare for the journey. I do think more time should have been spent describing in detail what the children saw on the journey. In that respect the plot is a bit uneven. One night the members of the wagon train observe someone watching them. Jack and Mary are warned to run if their father signals them. The adventure begins when the children become separated from their parents and are left on their own. A kindly stranger rescues them and brings them into San Francisco, where they work to earn their keep. Will the children be reunited with their parents and what happened to the rest of the members of the wagon train?
The story ends abruptly, if satisfactorily. Some readers may question whether telling the children to run and hide and that they will be found when the danger is past is a realistic scenario. The plot features a traditional nuclear family story with a bit of history about the mid nineteenth century, but may be short of adventure for some 21st century readers. I would still recommend it as an easy chapter book for early middle grade readers. Teachers might use it as a read aloud to supplement this period of American history.
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September 25, 2022
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