Title : The Hermetica of Elysium Author: Annemarie Banks Publisher: Knox Robinson Publishing Category: Historical literature/romance/fantasy When the publisher approached me with this book and asked if I’d review it, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to or not, because historical romance is a genre that doesn’t generally interest me. However, the fantasy element and the theme of the power of words and philosophy drew me in and I discovered a rich and surprising read that far surpasses what this books genre designation would have you expect. We meet the central character, Nadira in 1494 in Barcelona, where she is a servant to a wealthy spice merchant.  A man badly beaten by mercenaries looking for the book, The Hermetica of Elysium is brought to the merchant’s stable. When his brother comes looking for him, the man is already dead, but he discovers that Nadira can read Ancient Greek, Latin, Arabic and Hebrew making her one of the few people who can read the book they seek. While the Black … [Read more...]