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whatyoutolkienabout's review
5.0
Introduction
I was sent a copy for a book tour hosted by ZooLoos Book Tours. My reviews are always honest and all opinions are my own. #JustinNewland #TheMarkOfTheSalamander #ZooLoosBookTours #BookTourReview #HistoricalFantasy #HistoricalFiction #Ad
Review
The Mark of The Salamander is the first in a duology which seeks to tell the secret history of England in the Elizabethan Era. Set in 1575 it follows Nelan Michaels who is a young Flemish man fleeing religious persecution in the Spanish Neverlands. He settles outside of London in Mortlake where he studies under John Dee, the Queen’s court astrologer. A bright future lays ahead of him until he is falsely accused of murder. Forced to become a fugitive, Nelan is pressured to join the crew of the Golden Hind. Thrust into a strange new world on board Francis Drake’s vessel, Nelan sets on a voyage of discovery in which he finds Mutiny, ancient tribes and hoards of treasure. But he also must explore and master his own mystical powers, including the Mark of the Salamander, the mysterious fire spirit.
Having focused on The English Renaissance and Elizabethan era for my Master’s degree I was more than excited to read this one. I would say it is a solid 4.5 stars which I have rounded up to 5 (mostly because of John Dee!). Newland merges history and fiction to create an interesting tale with a touch of magic and mysticism. The characters were well rounded and believable. I did find Nelan a tad annoying at points but in fairness he was delt a terrible hand in terms of fate and can perhaps be forgiven for his actions. I find that writing historical figures can sometimes be difficult, how do we really know what they were like beyond bits and pieces of surviving records or diaries? But Newland manages to bring them to life well and with respect, keeping them true to what we know from these documents etc. For Example John Dee and Francis Drake are true to the characters we believe they were (if that makes sense!) from the documents we have surviving by or about them.
Tied with the characters I found the writing enjoyable and easy to engage with. I did feel Newland does a good job of transporting is back in time with smells, sights and sounds. While on the Golden Hind you felt like you were on the ship with its close quarters etc. I am excited to see where the second book takes us and if Nelan gets his revenge. If you enjoy historical fiction that is written well and shows good research tied with a little bit of magic and mysticism you will love The Mark of the Salamander. I was biased because anything with John Dee is an instant win for me but thankfully this novel is more than worth the five star rating!
I was sent a copy for a book tour hosted by ZooLoos Book Tours. My reviews are always honest and all opinions are my own. #JustinNewland #TheMarkOfTheSalamander #ZooLoosBookTours #BookTourReview #HistoricalFantasy #HistoricalFiction #Ad
Review
The Mark of The Salamander is the first in a duology which seeks to tell the secret history of England in the Elizabethan Era. Set in 1575 it follows Nelan Michaels who is a young Flemish man fleeing religious persecution in the Spanish Neverlands. He settles outside of London in Mortlake where he studies under John Dee, the Queen’s court astrologer. A bright future lays ahead of him until he is falsely accused of murder. Forced to become a fugitive, Nelan is pressured to join the crew of the Golden Hind. Thrust into a strange new world on board Francis Drake’s vessel, Nelan sets on a voyage of discovery in which he finds Mutiny, ancient tribes and hoards of treasure. But he also must explore and master his own mystical powers, including the Mark of the Salamander, the mysterious fire spirit.
Having focused on The English Renaissance and Elizabethan era for my Master’s degree I was more than excited to read this one. I would say it is a solid 4.5 stars which I have rounded up to 5 (mostly because of John Dee!). Newland merges history and fiction to create an interesting tale with a touch of magic and mysticism. The characters were well rounded and believable. I did find Nelan a tad annoying at points but in fairness he was delt a terrible hand in terms of fate and can perhaps be forgiven for his actions. I find that writing historical figures can sometimes be difficult, how do we really know what they were like beyond bits and pieces of surviving records or diaries? But Newland manages to bring them to life well and with respect, keeping them true to what we know from these documents etc. For Example John Dee and Francis Drake are true to the characters we believe they were (if that makes sense!) from the documents we have surviving by or about them.
Tied with the characters I found the writing enjoyable and easy to engage with. I did feel Newland does a good job of transporting is back in time with smells, sights and sounds. While on the Golden Hind you felt like you were on the ship with its close quarters etc. I am excited to see where the second book takes us and if Nelan gets his revenge. If you enjoy historical fiction that is written well and shows good research tied with a little bit of magic and mysticism you will love The Mark of the Salamander. I was biased because anything with John Dee is an instant win for me but thankfully this novel is more than worth the five star rating!
ameliakwp's review
adventurous
emotional
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
kintara81's review
4.0
I LOVED this book - it is set in my favorite historical time period. Anything written in the Tudor times will be an instant hit with me and this was no different. I loved to read about Nelan coming of age story and how he had to adapt to coming into his powers relating to the Salamander. He goes through some stuff and even though he is beaten down at every turn he find his way to rise above and succeed. We are taken on a wild adventure which shows us the extremes of poverty and religious discourse which was present during the times. I need the next book to find out what happens to Nelan and his life.
bonniereads777's review
5.0
A powerful combination of history and the supernatural
London 1575. Accused of a murder he did not commit, Nelan Michaels flees for his life. Trying to start over, he apprentices with a blacksmith and learns to work with fire. As time goes by, memories of his persecuted past begin to surface, and he finds himself in many adventures. Along the way, he discovers and hones rare and special powers.
Set in Elizabethan England, this powerful historical adventure will grab you and not let go. The supporting cast of characters is strong and includes Queen Elizabeth I’s favorite pirate, Francis Drake, and her Astrologer John Dee. The main character, Nelan, is easy to connect with. The author’s ability to combine fascinating history with the supernatural in a compelling way is proven once again. This book, the first of two in a series, is a personal, magical tour of the Elizabethan era. The action, characters, and history will keep the reader glued to the page. Highly recommend to all fans of historical fiction and the supernatural.
I received a free copy of this book via Zooloo’s Book Tours. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
London 1575. Accused of a murder he did not commit, Nelan Michaels flees for his life. Trying to start over, he apprentices with a blacksmith and learns to work with fire. As time goes by, memories of his persecuted past begin to surface, and he finds himself in many adventures. Along the way, he discovers and hones rare and special powers.
Set in Elizabethan England, this powerful historical adventure will grab you and not let go. The supporting cast of characters is strong and includes Queen Elizabeth I’s favorite pirate, Francis Drake, and her Astrologer John Dee. The main character, Nelan, is easy to connect with. The author’s ability to combine fascinating history with the supernatural in a compelling way is proven once again. This book, the first of two in a series, is a personal, magical tour of the Elizabethan era. The action, characters, and history will keep the reader glued to the page. Highly recommend to all fans of historical fiction and the supernatural.
I received a free copy of this book via Zooloo’s Book Tours. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
kaz_loves_books's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
5.0
Here’s my review of The Mark Of The Salamander
It took a few pages at the start for me to get into this book as the era is earlier than I usually read but once Nelan is accused of murder and he goes on the run, I get really interested in reading the book. The story becomes more alive and invigorated while we follow Nelan in his travels whilst he finds employment in London then going on Francis Drake’s ship, the Golden Hind and setting sail for the other side of the world. On his hand, he has a mysterious mark of three wavy lines like the salamanders, they sometimes show when fires are alight. He is trying to work out how to use them to his advantage. I found the book to be intriguing and it held my attention to the end. It must have taken some research to gather all of these facts and then sit and write them, no easy task I would assume, the author did a good job. It will be interesting to see what book two has in store for us.
Blurb
1575: Nelan Michaels is a young Flemish man fleeing religious persecution in the Spanish Netherlands. Settling in Mortlake outside London, he studies under Queen Elizabeth’s court astrologer, conjuring a bright future – until he’s wrongly accused of murder. Forced into the life of a fugitive, Nelan is dramatically pressed into the crew of the Golden Hind.
Thrust into a strange new world on board Francis Drake’s vessel, Nelan sails the seas on a voyage to discover, discovery itself. Encountering mutiny, ancient tribes and hordes of treasure, Nelan must explore and master his own mystical powers – including the Mark of the Salamander, the mysterious spirit of fire.
The Mark of the Salamander is the first in The Island of Angels series: a two-book saga that tells the epic story and secret history of England’s coming of age during the Elizabethan era.
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