L'Alambicco Letterario

Il mistico del giudizio Davide S. Cataldo Trama dal libro Palermo, gennaio 2019 . Un grimorio dimenticato emerge dall’ombra, attirando l’attenzione di Sílain, un’anima dall'esistenza tormentata. L’oggetto lo conduce a Zanaia, ma insieme scoprono che il mistero non si ferma lì: sono entrambi risucchiati nei macchinosi segreti di un Ordine occulto. Duecento anni prima , Lord Acanfora Buonconvento, custode del grimorio, aveva indagato su Adoir Monne, un confratello dell’Ordine di Eldur. Le sue scoperte avrebbero sconvolto l’equilibrio non solo dell’Ordine, ma del mondo intero, sotto lo sguardo enigmatico di Bahargül , un’entità incomprensibile. Intanto, il colera devastava anche l'Europa. Recensione L’opera “Il mistico del giudizio” di Davide Cataldo è un romanzo low fantasy la cui idea di fondo ha senz’altro un gran fascino: un intreccio tra storia e fantasy che prometteva colpi di scene e intrighi di livello. Tuttavia, il potenziale della trama – pur intrigante nel suo scheletro...

Masks and Shadows Stephanie Burgis Storyline The year is 1779, and Carlo Morelli, the most renowned castrato singer in Europe, has been invited as an honored guest to Eszterháza Palace. With Carlo in Prince Nikolaus Esterházy's carriage, ride a Prussian spy and one of the most notorious alchemists in the Habsburg Empire. Already at Eszterháza is Charlotte von Steinbeck, the very proper sister of Prince Nikolaus's mistress. Charlotte has retreated to the countryside to mourn her husband's death. Now, she must overcome the ingrained rules of her society in order to uncover the dangerous secrets lurking within the palace's golden walls. Music, magic, and blackmail mingle in a plot to assassinate the Habsburg Emperor and Empress--a plot that can only be stopped if Carlo and Charlotte can see through the masks worn by everyone they meet. Review “Masks and Shadows,” authored by Stephanie Burgis, is a compelling historical fantasy set within the richly atmospheric context of t...

I Medici, decadenza di una famiglia Matteo Strukul Storyline Seventeenth-century Paris is the essence of vice and violence. Maria de' Medici, recently married to Henry IV of Bourbon, soon finds herself contending with the rapacious ambitions of Henriette d'Entragues. Henry himself has promised his favorite, in a written document, that he would marry her, and now that paper is the weapon with which she blackmails him. But it's not the only threat: another comes from a group of nobles conspiring to overthrow the throne. Sensing that her and the king's fates are becoming increasingly precarious, Maria decides to rely on Mathieu Laforge, a highly skilled spy and assassin capable of thwarting more than one plot. However, the queen does not yet know that her destiny will be marked by the constant struggle against those who seek the end of her reign. When Henry IV of Bourbon dies, a victim of yet another conspiracy, the unstoppable rise of a star of first magnitude in French p...

I Medici, Legacy Matteo Strukul Storyline Fontainebleau, 1536. Francis II, Dauphin and heir to the French throne, is dead. Poisoned. And the royal court believe Catherine de' Medici to be the murderer. Catherine's husband Henry will now be the next King of France – and the Medici are known to stop at nothing in the pursuit of power. But not yet queen and without an heir of her own, seventeen-year-old Catherine cannot be sure of securing her family's legacy. To ensure the conception of an heir, she will need to seek help from an unexpected ally: Nostradamus, the reclusive astronomer and purported seer. Dismissed by most as a charlatan and a heretic, Catherine knows he will be her only hope in becoming a mother to the future king. Amid court intrigues, betrayals, and humiliations, Catherine waits. She awaits the death of her father-in-law, King Francis, and the birth of a son to carry her name. For once she is queen, Catherine de' Medici's power will only grow. Review...

I Medici, Supremacy Matteo Strukul Storyline The second instalment in a prize-winning series charting the rise of the House of Medici as they become Masters of Florence and progenitors of the Renaissance. Lorenzo de' Medici is to be wed. The marriage will cement a powerful alliance for his family. But his heart belongs to another. Torn between love and power, he has become complacent. He has forgotten the bloody path he forged on his ascent to power, and the enemies left in his wake. When the family's historical enemies and shadowy new conspirators put their bloody plot into action, the consequences will be terrible. In order to protect their supremacy, the Medici will enact a violent vengeance from which few will be spared. Review In this second chapter of the "Medici" saga, Matteo Strukul shifts the focus to Cosimo de’ Medici's grandson: Lorenzo the Magnificent. Set between 1469 and 1479, the main events revolve around three pivotal occurrences: the rebellion of...

I Medici, Ascendancy Matteo Strukul Storyline Giovanni de' Medici is dead. A lifetime of shrewd investment, strategic alliance and sly manipulation saw Giovanni climb from mere money-lender to the top echelon of Florentine society. But success has left a slew of bitter enemies in his wake - and there are whispers his untimely demise wasn't accidental. Florence is a nest of vipers, and with the Medici family's wealth in the hands of Giovanni's untested sons, Cosimo and Lorenzo, there are those who feel that now is the time to strike, to destroy the upstarts and seize their holdings. Review “Medici: Ascendancy” marks the beginning of a saga that introduced me to the writing of Matteo Strukul and made me fall in love with his work. This book takes off quickly, thanks to a smoothly flowing plot and the author's extraordinary ability to make us feel like privileged spectators, a distinctive trait of all his works that I deeply appreciate. The characters are beautifully c...

The Girl who Knew Da Vinci Belle Ami Storyline Art historian Angela Renatus is haunted by dreams of Leonardo da Vinci and a mysterious painting of Giuliano Medici and his mistress Fioretta Gorini. A painting that, as far as the world knows, doesn't exist. Compelled by her visions, Angela is determined to find out the truth. When Angela is contacted by art detective Alex Caine, she's shocked to learn that he too is seeking the same painting. Alex's client, a wealthy German financier, is determined to clear the name of his late uncle, Gerhard Jaeger, an art historian, who went missing in Florence, during World War II. In letters written before his disappearance, the historian describes his love affair with a beautiful young Italian woman named Sophia Caro and the discovery of an extraordinary painting by the great master himself-a painting depicting Giuliano and Fioretta. Angela and Alex journey to Florence in search of the priceless treasure. Is it a lost da Vinci, potential...

The Pumpkin Spice Café Laurie Gilmore Storyline When Jeanie’s aunt gifts her the beloved Pumpkin Spice Café in the small town of Dream Harbor, Jeanie jumps at the chance for a fresh start away from her very dull desk job. Logan is a local farmer who avoids Dream Harbor’s gossip at all costs. But Jeanie’s arrival disrupts Logan’s routine and he wants nothing to do with the irritatingly upbeat new girl, except that he finds himself inexplicably drawn to her. Will Jeanie’s happy-go-lucky attitude win over the grumpy-but-gorgeous Logan, or has this city girl found the one person in town who won’t fall for her charm, or her pumpkin spice lattes... The Pumpkin Spice Cafe is a cozy romantic novel with a grumpy x sunshine dynamic, a small-town setting and a HEA guaranteed! Review "The Pumpkin Spice Café" narrates the romantic relationship between the new owner of a café and a local farmer. This work serves as an ideal selection for readers in search of a narrative that is both uncomp...

Love Letters to the Virgin Mary David Richards Storyline David is a man who has spent his entire mortal life searching for a single woman on a planet with billions of people. At the start of the pandemic, he sees a post on Instagram of a woman; he knows he has seen the picture before. As the pandemic spreads, he wrestles with the dark night of his soul, only to begin to awaken to his identity. Then, with the fog of mortality lifting from his mind, David realizes his mission: unite the nations of Abraham and bring about heaven on earth. The time has come to awaken the gods. His greatest quest will be finding the strength to lift a certain hammer. His greatest challenge will be coming to terms with who he is. Review I had the opportunity to read and review this book through the platform onlinebookclub.com. Therefore, the full version of the review can be found on their website. The narrative presents a distinctive first-person account by the author, accompanied by an engaging preface tha...

The Magician's Secret Charles Townsend Storyline Practical Joker Delvin sets up as a magician after being falsely accused of murder and inheriting the murdered magician's magic tricks. But strange things seem to be happening. Is he performing real magic and not just tricks? Is there a secret that he doesn't know? He desperately need to find out. When the ruthless Princess Jarla hears about him, his problems really begin. She believes his magic is real, and she forces him to join her in trying to stop a war with a neighbouring country. What is this secret that The Guild of Magician's are so determined to keep, that they kill anyone who learns it? Delvin will need all his cunning and skill with magic tricks to succeed and survive. Review I had the opportunity to read and review this book through the platform onlinebookclub.com. Therefore, the full version of the review can be found on their website. The narrative of "The Magician's Secret" by Charles Townsen...