A Turning Wind
Book two in The Chosen Man Trilogy
“The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth
about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind
returneth again according to his circuits.”
Ecclesiastes 1:6, King James Bible.
Ludo da Portovenere, one time corsair, sometime merchant, secret agent of monarchs, servant of none.
From the trading colony of Goa to the royal courts of England and Spain, Ludo da Portovenere completes difficult and dangerous secret commissions on his own terms and for his own reasons. But, as these tasks bring him closer to success, Ludo is forced to confront dangerous secrets of his own.
While Ludo pursues a delicate mission for
the English queen in the Spanish royal court, Alina, Baroness Metherall,
faces new challenges and dangers while trying to come to terms with
what it means to be married to one person and love another. Ultimately,
Ludo and Alina must decide who they really are, and to what extent
their shared past should influence their future.
Reviews
“Harlond's brilliantly realized portrait
of the sea-trade in 17th century is a gem...Ludo is a great character
with wit, intelligence and daring. Exploiting his position as an
envoy between Charles I and the Spanish court results in a seafaring
novel of danger and double-dealing. Highly recommended.”
Deborah Swift, author of Pleasing Mr Pepys.
“Ms. Harlond details a credible, intricate
world of deals and alliances, threats and opportunities, uncertainty
and trust, in which her hero, the wily Genoese merchant Ludo da
Portovenere, must tread with extreme caution. Let's hear yet more
of him!”
Antoine Vanner, author of The Dawlish Chronicles series.
A wonderful, adventurous, swashbuckling read. Set in the 1640 period of Europe, we continue the story of Ludo da Portovenere, an entrepreneurial merchant who not only travels to distant lands and back and trades his goods, but who uses his position, his special wares, his charisma, moreover, following his own agenda, strikes ties with the British and Spanish monarchies to pursue this agenda, all the while being hunted down by a man who wants to see him dead. This is a wonderfully written story, full of romance, adventure, danger, and intrigue. Ludo is a fascinating character, mysterious, yet principled, an outsider who is riding the edge between life and death in a time when the Spanish Inquisition is looking for any provocation to stake those who wander from the Vatican's mandates, and warring states, pirates, thieves and more. The author takes great care to paint virtual images of life in that period, and in doing so, she animates the story with another dimension of color and vitality. If you like thrilling adventure - this is a great series to sink your teeth into. Highly recommended. Review by International Writers Inspiring Change
The novel is published by Penmore Press Ltd.