Description: A richly detailed 16th-century Mediterranean epic chronicling the violent clash between the Ottoman Empire and the Knights of St John, perfect for fans of Bernard Cornwell's The Last Kingdom and James Clavell's Shogun.
In 16th-century Malta, siblings Domenicus and Katrina Montesa live under constant threat of raids by the Ottoman Turks, the staunchest enemies of the Knights of St John. All the while, hundreds of leagues away in Istanbul, young Demir's dream of becoming an imperial horseman in the Sultan's cavalry provides his only solace against relentless torment by his cruel older brother. The 1551 Turkish invasion of Malta and the island's bloody defence will forever change the lives of those it touches, from nobles and peasants, knights and corsairs, to tyrants and galley slaves, on both sides of the conflict. Sweeping across the Mediterranean world--from Malta, a barren Christian outpost, to Istanbul, the glittering seat of Islam, from prison cells to palace gardens, from soaring cliffs to open sea lanes, the men and women of Eight Pointed Cross face corruption, oppression, broken vows, and betrayal as two great empires collide.Brief description: Marthese Fenech is the bestselling author of an historical saga set in sixteenth-century Malta and the Ottoman Empire. She has also written an award-winning script based on her Siege of Malta trilogy. Obstinate curiosity has led her to seventy countries across six continents. Research guided her to the ancient streets her characters roamed, the fortresses they defended, the seas they sailed, and the dungeons they escaped. She calls both Ontario and British Columbia home, where she lives with her brilliant, mathematically inclined husband and brilliant, musically inclined dog, known to lead family howl sessions on occasion.
Review Quotes: "Marthese Fenech plunges you into her slice of history so deftly that you do not just read it, you live it."--Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch, award winning historical fiction author of Don't Tell the Nazis and Stolen Girl