Book Review: The Saracen Blade

Cover by James Mooso

Book Review: The Saracen Blade by Frank Yerby The Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II was born in Jesi, Italy in 1194. But another child was born on that day in that place. Pietro, son of Donati the armorer and his lovely wife Maria, was delivered by one of the same midwives as she’d gone into… Continue reading Book Review: The Saracen Blade

Movie Review: The Black Room (1935)

Gregor and Anton reunite for the first time in a decade.

Movie Review: The Black Room (1935) directed by Roy William Neill In the Tyrol region of Austria, twin sons are born to Baron Frederick de Berghman (Henry Kolker). He is not pleased by this turn of affairs, as there is a prophecy about his family line. The first Baron de Berghman was stabbed to death by… Continue reading Movie Review: The Black Room (1935)

Book Review: Hope of Ages Past

Book Review: Hope of Ages Past by Bruce Gardner In 1618, accountant’s son Peter Erhart and military advisor’s son Hans Mannheim witness an outrage in Prague, Bohemia. The two Catholic governors of this Holy Roman Empire province are tossed from a tower by their Lutheran colleagues. Hans has a moment of panic, and temporarily flees. Peter finds Hans and his kindness manages to… Continue reading Book Review: Hope of Ages Past

Book Review: The Transplanted

Book Review: The Transplanted by John Bodnar This volume, written in the 1980s, is a survey of patterns of immigration into urban areas of the United States between 1830-1930 (approximately.)    It covers those who came to stay, those who just came to get a nest egg to improve life in their home country, and… Continue reading Book Review: The Transplanted

Anime Review: The Rose of Versailles

Anime Review: The Rose of Versailles In the Year of Our Lord 1770, Empress Maria Theresa of Austria and King Louis XV of France decided to seal an alliance between their countries with a political marriage.  Thus it was that Louis-Auguste (later Louis XVI) and Marie Antoinette were married.  So it was in our world… Continue reading Anime Review: The Rose of Versailles