Books with author Cecelia Holland

A novel of primitive England and the birth of the breathtaking monoliths known as Stonehenge, from “a first-class storyteller” (People). In a time before recorded history, on an island that many centuries later would come to be known as Britain, Moloquin, the Unwanted One, dreams of a pathway to the heavens. Cast out as a child, he survives by his wits alone on the fringes of tribal society and grows into manhood driven by one powerful and unshakable ambition: to build a link between the earthly and the spiritual worlds through the raising of an impossible structure. But to accomplish such a momentous feat in this primitive age of stone will not only require superhuman strength, it will entail unraveling the very fabric of life. Still, Moloquin will not be deterred in his quest, and he will stand courageously against all enemies, court untold disaster, sacrifice what he must, and remake his entire world to see his great vision gloriously realized. One of today’s foremost historical novelists, Cecelia Holland explores the strange and enduring mystery of Stonehenge, one of the true wonders of the ancient and modern world. A breathtaking speculation, Pillar of the Sky is an unforgettable tale brimming with action, colorful characters, vivid detail, intelligence, and wonder, while presenting a possible history of the man-made miracle on Salisbury Plain that confounds scientists, scholars, and archaeologists to this day.

A sixteenth-century family joins with pirates and William of Orange to fight the Spanish Inquisition in this novel of the Dutch Revolt by “a first-class storyteller” (People). Consistently ranked among the top authors of historical fiction, along with Mary Renault, Mary Stewart, Phillipa Gregory, and Diana Gabaldon, the great Cecelia Holland now transports readers to the sixteenth-century Netherlands in an exciting tale of resistance and rebellion against cruel Spanish oppressors that combines unforgettable fictional characters with real historic personages. No one was safe from religious persecution in the Dutch Low Countries when the “conqueror king,” Phillip II of Spain, dispatched the Catholic Church’s Inquisition to the Netherlands in the late 1500s. The van Cleef family has suffered mightily, with a father executed by a Spanish hangman and a mother driven into madness. Now their children, Jan and Hanneke, must survive on their own by any means necessary as fate carries them down separate but equally dangerous paths. Jan’s destiny is on the high seas—and ultimately in the royal court of England’s Queen Elizabeth—as he and his uncle Pieter boldly retake the old man’s captive ship and join the infamous pirates known as the Sea Beggars in their quest to drive the enemy invaders from Dutch waters. Remaining behind in Antwerp, Hanneke, meanwhile, is forced to endure a series of devastating trials that would crush a young woman of weaker spirit and sensibilities. Strong, courageous, and independent, she embarks on a harrowing journey to Germany in the company of refugee ruler William of Orange ahead of the impending terror of Spain’s sadistic Duke of Alva. But young Hanneke soon realizes there can be no escape or safe haven anywhere as long as her country is in chains, and she vows to dedicate her life to the perilous cause of freedom. A sweeping and epic historical novel rich in color and stunning period detail, Holland’s The Sea Beggars is an enthralling, action-packed adventure that interweaves fact with brilliant invention. It is yet one more fictional excursion into the breathtaking world of the past by an author the New York Times praises as “a literary phenomenon.”

Djela's grandfather, Psin Khan, has returned as head of the Merkit tribe from fighting the enemies of the Mongols.A trusted member of the Kha Khan’s court, Psin is always ready and willing to entertain Djela with stories of bravery and sacrifice. Djela wants to prove that he too can live up to his family name.And when his father praises him during archery practise he is sure he is about to receive his first adult bow.But then everything goes wrong.To protect his friend Djela lies to his father.And no Mongol could tolerate a deliberate untruth... Djela is sent off to the far north station as punishment, herding the family flocks of cattle and horses for a month. There was nothing Djela hated more.But there was excitement at the North Camp he had not anticipated. Some of the men insisted that a ghost tiger was killing their calves. Whatever it was, it eventually became Djela's job to track it down. And it was in his relentless pursuit of the mysterious beast that he became a true heir to his grandfather…‘a master story-teller’ - Houston ChronicleCecelia Holland is widely acknowledged as one of the finest historical novelists of our time. She is the author of more than thirty novels, including ‘Hammer For Princes’ and ‘The King’s Road’.Endeavour Media is the UK’s leading independent publisher of digital books.