Garibaldi Secondary teacher-librarian Keith Thomson recommends The Shadow of the Lion by Mercedes Lackey, Eric Flint and Dave Freer.
The most difficult thing about #FridayReads is which author and which book to choose. There are so many good ones amongst the thousands on offer in the library! It is not an easy choice, and I must confess that I really could not decide on an author, so I selected a book created by three authors. The Shadow of the Lion is written by Mercedes Lackey, Eric Flint and Dave Freer, all award-winning authors of fantasy and science fiction books. Any of their books is worth reading, but when the three of them get together, it results in a truly great book.
The Shadow of the Lion is the first book in the Heirs of Alexandria series, so if you enjoy it there are another five waiting for you. An alternate history, the story is set in Renaissance Venice. But it is a different world, one in which the Library of Alexandria was not destroyed, and its secrets of magic were not lost. In the murky canals of Venice, a terrifying monster lurks while members of two of Venice’s oldest families struggle to survive and defeat this evil. But the monster is only a servant of a greater evil that has plans for destroying Venice and much else. Who will control this jewel of the Mediterranean?
I loved exploring this interesting alternate world, while learning about real historical characters and locations. It’s a fascinating mix of history and fantasy. Enjoy!