taly, 1326. While the brilliant and wily Cesco is schooled in his new duties at the hand of a hard master, Pietro Alaghieri travels to Avignon, current seat of the Papacy, to fight his excommunication and plead for Cesco's legitimacy. He doesn't know an old foe has been waiting to ruin Pietro's life and seize control of Verona for himself.
Back in Verona, separated from everyone he trusts, Cesco must confront his ambitious cousin, a mysterious young killer, and the Holy Roman Emperor himself. A harrowing series of adventures reveal a secret long hidden, one that threatens Cesco's only chance for true happiness.
Inspired by Shakespeare, Dante, and Petrarch, this Renaissance novel of intrigue and passion reflects the heights of drama, exploring the capricious whims of lady Fortune, who has her favorites - and her fools.
"This is one of the most exciting, and satisfying, reads that I have immersed myself in for a long time. There is a masked rapist, an assassin, political machinations, chases, fights, scandal - and romance. David Blixt is a gem of a writer." - Helen Hollick, author of The Pendragon's Banner trilogy
"David Blixt is a man of many talents--an actor, director, author. Not all of you may be lucky enough to watch one of his plays, but you all can read one of his novels, which I recommend that you do as soon as possible. In his hands, history comes to bright, blazing life." - SHARON KAY PENMAN, The Sunne In Splendour and Lionheart
Blixt, David: - Repeated Editor's Choice from the Historical Novel Society (VOICE OF THE FALCONER, FORTUNE'S FOOL, THE FOUR EMPERORS) and 2015 Finalist for the M.M. Bennetts Award for Historical Fiction (THE PRINCE'S DOOM). Author David Blixt's work is consistently described as "intricate," "taut," and "breathtaking." A writer of Historical Fiction, his novels span the Roman Empire (the COLOSSUS series, his play EVE OF IDES) to early Renaissance Italy (the STAR-CROSS'D series) up through the Elizabethan era (his delightful espionage comedy HER MAJESTY'S WILL, starring Will Shakespeare and Kit Marlowe as hapless spies). His novels combine a love of the theatre with a deep respect for the quirks and passions of history. As the Historical Novel Society said, "Be prepared to burn the midnight oil. It's well worth it." David continues to write, act, and travel. He has ridden camels around the pyramids at Giza, been thrown out of the Vatican Museum and been blessed by John-Paul II, scaled the Roman ramp at Masada, crashed a hot-air balloon, leapt from cliffs on small Greek islands, dined with Counts and criminals, climbed to the top of Mount Sinai, and sat in the Prince's chair in Verona's palace. But David is happiest at his desk, weaving tales of brilliant people in dire and dramatic straits. Living in Chicago with his wife and two children, David describes himself as "actor, author, father, husband. In reverse order." For more about David and his novels, visit www.davidblixt.com.
