My family would like to share the latest book we read called Fraternity of Brothers: A Medieval Fiction Novel About Friendship and Redemption (Medieval Mysteries of Galen Book 1) by Marina Pacheco (Author). I received a PDF Copy of the book from the Author and Voracious Readers in exchange for this review. Inside this post are my affiliate links if you click on the links and make a purchase I will make a small percentage from the items you purchase.
Fraternity of Brothers the Author makes the main theme of abuse and in the story takes place in a Monastery, very little development of the life of monks of the era was in evidence. This is a series of books that can be read as a stad-a-alone. Be prepared because the book touches on rape so I wouldn’t share this story with my sister because she has been raped in the past so it does contain triggers for some people.
Galen is about thirteen when he is viciously raped and beaten and left for dead outside his father’s great hall. When his father sees him, he instantly disowns him and Galen is taken away to a monastery where he spends several months recuperating. He is taught scribing, and excels in it. But his life is circumscribed because the Holy Monks treat him like a sodomite who committed the worst sin. He is extremely lonely when a young well-known illustrator joins the monastery.
He is excellent at his work, and chooses Galen as scribe. Naturally the Men of the Lord challenge his choice, but Alcuin is stubborn. Galen backs away in fear of Alcuin dropping him as a friend. Eventually Alcuin learns of Galen’s constant and unrelenting pain and an injury that just won’t heal. As the story goes on, Galen has to face his father and a few other warriors who know about his shame.
The book ends with a resolution of all.
About the book:
Cast out for a crime committed against him, his future looks bleak. Until an unexpected visitor gives him hope for justice.
Medieval Europe, 996 AD. Fifteen-year-old Galen survived a horrendous assault, only to be exiled by his family. Taken in by monks and grateful to be spared as a suspected sinner from the execution block, he ekes out a lonely existence of unrelenting pain. But he gains a chance to prove himself worthy when a famous young illustrator arrives at the abbey and selects him to help with an important manuscript.
Thrilled to be handpicked for his superb scribing skills, Galen fears the other members of the order will sabotage his newfound fellowship with their whispered accusations. But when more brutal attacks rock the quiet community, a confrontation with his assailant might force him to finally speak his truth.
Will Galen find his voice and triumph over trauma and tragedy?
Fraternity of Brothers is the first book in the compelling Life of Galen historical fiction series. If you like fighting for acceptance, finding absolution, and authentic depictions of the harsh Middle Ages, then you’ll love Marina Pacheco’s riveting novella.
About the author: Marina Pacheco
I am a travelling author who currently lives in Lisbon, after stints in London, Johannesburg, and Bangkok. My ambition is to publish 100 books. It’s a challenge I decided upon after I’d completed my 33rd book. Or I should say, my 33rd first draft. I am currently working at getting all of those first drafts into a publishable state. This is taking considerably longer than I’d anticipated! Especially as I keep getting distracted by ideas for yet more books.
I am very lucky that stories keep occurring to me, and I am able to write quite a lot in a day. Having said that, I’m a binge writer. When I’m on a roll I’ll happily write three or four thousand words a day (my record was 18 000 words in one day). But I can also have months where I hardly write at all.
I am an introvert and I think that makes me quite sensitive to overstimulation. I find rollercoaster, action-packed blockbusters too stressful to read. This probably influences my writing which reviewers have described as gentle. They are the kind of books that are perfect to curl up with on the sofa on a rainy day or take to the park to read under a tree. They are feel-good stories where good triumphs over evil and the girl gets the boy with some bumps along the way.
If you want to get in touch, there’s plenty of options: Facebook: Twitter: @marinapacheco15
Email for press inquiries, speaking or anything else: hi@marinapacheco.me
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
