THE ROUTE TO PRESTER JOHN

The name of Prester (Presbyter or Priest) John first appeared on the world stage at the time of the crusades. In a letter purported to be from him he describes himself as a powerful king who ruled a vast and prosperous Christian kingdom believed to be in Ethiopia.

Whether it was a myth, a legend, or true, the appearance of his name and reputation helped start the first explorations south of Europe and sparked the interest of Prince Henry the Navigator.

It’s the middle of the fifteenth century. A flat earth has become round and the new ability to establish latitude at sea persuades a few intrepid mariners to venture ever farther into unknown waters. The fearful cape at Bojador has been conquered, opening the way for the great age of exploration. Impatient to find a route to the Spice Islands and join forces with Prester John, Prince Henry the Navigator sends one little ship after another to explore the uncharted West Coast of Africa.

Carlos Melo embarks on the Mariagalante as second mate and puts to sea to carry out Prince Henry’s commands. Explore the African coast with him, meet alien peoples, witness bizarre customs, and trade for gold. Join him in his battle with mutineers, his odyssey in the open ocean in a longboat, his contest with Berber pirates.

As a sequel to his previous seafaring novels, Ed Tilston has written another salty tale to stir your imagination and take you on a fascinating voyage of discovery with the early mariners. Enjoy the trip!

THE RAPE OF TAWANTINSUYO

A tale of the Conquistadors; of exploration, discovery, treachery, gory conquest, and wanton torture and slaughter.

Captain Alonso Pinzon, son of the great seaman and navigator, Martin Alonso Pinzon, who headed the discovery of the new world in 1492, sails into Hispaniola. He sees ships returning from Mexico laden with treasure and learns of a new rich land, an Eldorado, far to the south on the shores of the newly discovered Pacific Ocean.

Disgusted with the brutal treatment by the Spaniards of the local Indians in Hispaniola he decides to join the expedition to the south led by Francisco Pizarro. He crosses the isthmus at Panama, is appointed to the command of the caravel, Vencedor, and, with two other ships laden with men, horses, and materiel, sails in convoy to the south. On arrival he marches with the expedition through the coastal desert and across the soaring ramparts of the Andes to Cajamarca where he witnesses the bloody massacre of over 4000 unarmed Indians and the capture of the Inca.

Alternating with Alonso’s story is the tale of Manco, an Inca noble.

After months of enduring the continuing brutality of his fellow Spaniards Alonso decides to leave the expedition, find a ship and return to Panama. En route he meets Francisco de Orellana with whom he struggles across the Andes again to search for the “Land of Cinnamon” and reaches the tropical jungle on the eastern side.

At the headwaters of the Amazon he builds a primitive sailing vessel and sails down the river. Follow him as he encounters tribes of head-hunters, Amazon women, strange animals and practices. Eight months after entering the river Alonso reaches the Atlantic and sails north back to the Caribbean and a voyage home.



To continue please click on "The Methuselah Legacy", above.