The Coronation by Justin Newland

Release: November 5th, 2019
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Matador
Source: HF Virtual Book Tours
Find it at Goodreads, Amazon US, Amazon UK, B&N.

It is 1761. Prussia is at war with Russia and Austria. As the Russian army occupies East Prussia, King Frederick the Great and his men fight hard to win back their homeland.

Meanwhile, in Ludwigshafen, a Junker estate in East Prussia, Countess Marion von Adler celebrates an exceptional harvest. But Russian troops soon requisition them. When Marion tries to stop them, a Russian Captain strikes her. His Lieutenant, Ian Fermor, defends Marion’s honor, but the Russian troops stab him for his insubordination. The Russians abandon him, and Fermor becomes a divisive figure on the estate.

Close to death, Fermor dreams of the Adler, a numinous eagle entity, whose territory extends across Northern Europe’s lands and with a mysterious connection to the Enlightenment. What happens next will change the course of human history…

About the Author:

Justin Newland was born in Essex, England, three days before the end of 1953.

He loves literature with swashbuckling sea stories, pirates, and tales of adventure. Justin has a Doctorate in Mathematics from Imperial College, London. He also worked in I.T. and later ran a hotel.

Besides, he has multiple tastes in literature, from fiction and fantasy to science fiction. Along the way, history, both ancient and modern, fascinated him. Later, his attraction turned to mythology, religion, and philosophy. Justin writes secret histories in which real events and historical personages are motivated by supernatural forces.

His debut novel, The Genes of Isis, is a tale of love, destruction, and short power. It is set under Ancient Egypt. It is also the secret history of the human race.

His second is The Old Dragon’s Head, historical fantasy and supernatural thriller during the Ming Dynasty in the Great Wall of China’s shadows. It is about the secret history of the factors that shaped the beginnings of modern times.

His third novel, The Coronation, reveals the secret history of perhaps the single most important event of the modern world, The Industrial Revolution.

He lives with his partner in plain sight of the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England.

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The Coronation Review:

The central part which I enjoyed about the story is how the author mixed fantasy with historical fiction. As soon as the author introduces Adler the eagle and how Ian dreams of his prophecy, you know the book will be interesting. Moreover, the author includes the fantasy element in a mysterious manner where you don’t decipher why Marion and Fermor experience it. At the same time, the author also blends the story with the historical events that took place. We get snippets of Elizabeth Petrovna’s life and the Anglo-Austro-Russian Alliance.

Additionally, I enjoyed the author’s style of writing. I admire the way he creatively included many subplots to the story. Each chapter is short and easy to follow and has a mini experience of the characters. For instance, I liked the scene where Fermor leads them to the tunnel and the vaults to experience a miracle. Another part that was gripping was Caspar’s trial and the sentencing.

Similarly, Marion and Fermor shine in the lead. You see many sides of Marion, like her frustration on seeing how Bruno gets recruited in the Prussian Army, or her guilt as she searches for Egor (and later Sisi), and the fear she experiences from the dream visions.

The supporting characters like Lester, Christoph, and Skoda add nicely to the plot. There are some characters like Alexander that got on my nerves and how he throws shade at Fermor. I also liked Ursula and the close bond she shared with Marion. After reading this book, I felt like I got to know all the characters personally. On a side note, I did not even know what a fontanelle was until I read this story.

Overall, “The Coronation” does an excellent job in its historical details and supernatural elements, and I liked it!