Publication Date: September 25, 2023
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.
Seventeen-year-old Nelan Michaels finds his dreams of attending university shattered when he is unjustly accused of murder.
On the run in England’s Elizabethan era, he discovers an affinity for fire and finds work as a smithy apprentice. Author Justin Newland uses this as the foundation for the first installment of a mystical tale in The Mark of the Salamander.
The time period is filled with religious unrest as the Protestants and Catholics continue to snipe at each other. Nelan and his father had fled the Netherlands to escape religious persecution.
The author serves up a twist when Nelan is conscripted as a crewman aboard Francis Drake’s ship. It’s through the ensuing adventures that Nelan grows to appreciate his mystical powers.
The Mark of the Salamander blends history and the supernatural packaged in the diminutive form of a young man.
JUSTIN NEWLAND’s novels represent an innovative blend of genres from historical adventure to supernatural thriller and magical realism. His stories explore the themes of war and religion, and speculate on the human’s spiritual place in the universe. Undeterred by the award of a Doctorate in Mathematics from Imperial College, London, he conceived his debut novel, The Genes of Isis (Matador, 2018), an epic fantasy set under Ancient Egyptian skies.
- The historical thriller, The Old Dragon’s Head (Matador, 2018), is set in Ming Dynasty China in the shadows of the Great Wall.
- The Coronation (Matador, 2019) was another historical adventure and speculates on the genesis of the most important event in the modern world – the Industrial Revolution.
- The Abdication (Matador, 2021) is a mystery thriller in which a young woman confronts her faith in a higher purpose and what it means to abdicate that faith.
- The Mark of the Salamander (Book Guild, 2023) is the first in a two-book series, The Island of Angels. Set in the Elizabethan era, it’s an epic tale of England’s coming of age.
His work in progress is the second in the series, The Midnight of Eights, the charting of the uncanny coincidences that led to the repulse of the Spanish Armada. Author, speaker and broadcaster, Justin appears on LitFest panels, gives talks to historical associations and libraries and enjoys giving radio interviews and making podcasts. Born three days before the end of 1953, he lives with his partner in plain sight of the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England.
02/15 Review @ Novels Alive
02/16 Review @ The AR Critique
02/20 Book Talk with Fran Lewis Radio Interview
02/20 Review @ Just Reviews
02/22 Review @ Coffee and Ink
03/17 Review @ Guatemala Paula Loves to Read
Thanks for your review Amy, and for participating in the PIC blog tour of The Mark of the Salamander.