Brief Description
Mutiny, murder and mayhem on the first circumnavigation of the world. In 1518 the world is divided between Portugal and Spain by a line on the map but no one knows on which side the fabulous Spice Isles lie. Ferdinand Magellan is the only man with the knowledge, experience, talent and determination to settle the question.
Learn More about the Book
It's 1518 and the Line of Demarcation divides the world between Portugal and Spain but no one knows on which side the fabulous Spice Isles lie, least of all the inhabitants. Only one man has the knowledge, experience, talent and determination to settle the question: Ferdinand Magellan, who is hated both in Spain and Portugal.
Antonio Pigafetta, former ambassador from the Holy See to the royal court of imperial Spain, casts his lot with a captain set up to fail. Pigafetta has no idea what he has let himself in for. Mutiny, murder, shipwreck and religious wars are just part of it but Pigafetta survives long enough to tell the story of the greatest sea voyage in history so that, as he tells the king of Spain, the fame of so noble a captain shall not perish in our time.
About the Author
John Regan is a master mariner and author who truly appreciates the achievements and shortcomings of Ferdinand Magellan. With the 500th anniversary of the voyage coming up it is time to evaluate the significance of the first circumnavigation and of the remarkable man who made it possible. Having sailed around the world in Magellan's wake John Regan is able to bring a unique perspective to this dramatic tale. Review by: Boris Seaweed on July 09 2016: This historical novel is a literature monument to Ferdinand Magellan and the men of his expedition who first circumnavigated the Earth about 500 years ago and proved in reality that our planet is a globe. It is also a tribute to 'supernumerary' Antonio Pigafetta on whose diary the book is based and who in fact was a secretary and scientist of the expedition. The author has done a great job studying, interpreting and giving vitality to Pigafetta's records, penetrating into the nuances of the political situation at that time and allotting psychological features to the people closely associated with the preparation and conduct of the expedition, as well as those, whom they met along the way or tried to destroy it. The fact that the author, professional sailor himself, has repeated the route of the expedition makes this book unique.
Review Quotes
1. This historical novel is a literature monument to Ferdinand Magellan and the men of his expedition who first circumnavigated the Earth about 500 years ago and proved in reality that our planet is a globe. It is also a tribute to 'supernumerary' Antonio Pigafetta on whose diary the book is based and who in fact was a secretary and scientist of the expedition. The author has done a great job studying, reinterpreting and giving vitality to Pigafetta's records, penetrating into the nuances of the political situation at that time and allotting psychological features to the people closely associated with the preparation and conduct of the expedition, as well as to those whom they met on the way or who tried to destroy it. The fact that the author, professional sailor himself, has repeated the route of the expedition makes this book unique. Review by: Boris Seaweed on July 09, 2016: (review of free book)
