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Maxime’s Year In Books

Maxime’s 2025 Year in Books

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Maxime Trencavel’s Followers (86)

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Cindy Campbell

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Maxime Trencavel

Goodreads Author

Website

https://www.tailofthebird.com

Genre

Science Fiction, Suspense, Thriller

Influences

A.G. Riddle; Glenn Cooper; Reza Aslan; Paulo Coelho; Marcia Clark; Ay ...more

Member Since

February 2017

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Maxime Trencavel writes award-winning speculative thrillers shaped by a distinctly European perspective and enriched by travels through more than twenty countries across five continents. From Brussels’ Turkish and Kurdish neighborhoods to South America and the coasts of the United States, his novels draw on lived encounters with diverse cultures, histories, and traditions to bring authenticity and depth to every scene. With degrees in science and marketing, and a fascination with how myth and history shape human destiny, Maxime crafts sagas in a Western European style—layered, multi-threaded narratives that span millennia and continents. His works, including The Matriarch Matrix and The Matriarch Messiah—winners of multiple international aw ...more

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Popular Answered Questions

How do you get inspired to write?

Maxime Trencavel I am a thinker, ponder, and traveler. These predilections reflect in my writing which is intricate, complex, and plot driven—a narrative taking the re…moreI am a thinker, ponder, and traveler. These predilections reflect in my writing which is intricate, complex, and plot driven—a narrative taking the reader around the globe and through time—both forwards and backwards.

Often my inspirations come from my hikes. Either in nature or through cities and countries I visit. I visit cities, towns, and villages around the globe soaking in the culture, the religion, the ethos, and of course, the food. All of these are stimuli for thinking and pondering. I could be hiking while listening to an audio recording of authors talking about the craft of writing which will stimulate thoughts on how I can rewrite a passage or chapter.

So I start with being a plotter. Yes, I have this huge spreadsheet that mapped out The Matriarch Matrix, which reviewers either liked for its complex, intricate plot, or really disliked it. But once I’m in front of a keyboard, I’m a panser and all sorts of things come out of my fingers within the framework of that chapter. I might do research on interesting ideas that come up spontaneously during the pansing process and there we go to somewhere else. I might have to rewrite another chapter based on the spontaneous ideas that come out which affect the plot and characters.

Good thing for my alpha and beta readers and a great editor who reel some of this back in. But the “within chapter pansing” is where the sheer inner creativity and genius shines through. I listened to a podcast with a well-published author who said he didn’t worry about what he was writing on the first draft. Just let it out. Then fix it or re-craft it on the edits. And so I found the editing process was six times longer than the creation process. But the creativity was not stifled in making that first draft happen.

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Where did you get the idea for your most recent book?

Maxime Trencavel A couple of years ago, I read a news story about an archaeological site in Southern Turkey. Perhaps the oldest sanctuary in the world. Perhaps the fir…moreA couple of years ago, I read a news story about an archaeological site in Southern Turkey. Perhaps the oldest sanctuary in the world. Perhaps the first site of organized religion. The site is Gobekli Tepe, created around 9600 BCE, long before the Giza Pyramids. These ideas caught my attention as the basis for a book. But a I continued to read archaeological thrillers, I thought everything that could be written has already been written. But then as what happens in life, a "sea change" came upon my world and I found the time to write a book about a patriarchy that started in 9600 BCE at Gobekli Tepe and whose influence extended through modern times through their descendants. And as I mapped out the plot, a trusted associate challenged me to change the idea to a matriarchy. As what happens in the writing process, the story evolved into something unlike anything I had ever read before. In the first of three rounds of beta readers deployed to help shape the book over 9 months of editing, this one reader's comment inspired me that there was something to the story. The inspiration to bring this book into reality, into the market. I am looking forward to see if other readers outside of my alpha and beta reader groups find the same in this book.

Q: Is the story unique and interesting?
A: Yes, I found the story both very unique and interesting. I’ve never read anything like it before.

Q. Does the story deliver on its premise?
A. If the premise you’re going for is to follow your destiny and do what is right, I would say you nailed it.

Q. As a reader, did you enjoy the story?
A. Yes, I did enjoy the story. I loved the dynamic of the affliction in both modern times and when it originated. Very unique and cool how you did that.(less)

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Maxime Trencavel’s books

Average rating: 4.29 · 145 ratings · 99 reviews · 4 distinct works • Similar authors

	The Matriarch Matrix 3.87 avg rating — 82 ratings — published 2017 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Matriarch Messiah (Mystery of the Matriarchs, #2) 4.84 avg rating — 63 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Matriarch Matrix 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Matriarch Matrix: A Conspiracy Thriller of Ancient Secrets and Prophecy by Maxime Trencavel (Goodreads Author), Virtual Voice (Narrator) 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

* Note: these are all the books on Goodreads for this author. To add more, click here.

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Maxime Trencavel's Blog

Why the Mongols Never Conquered Jerusalem & Who Was El Qutlugh Khatun’s Nephew–Ghazan Khan

The Matriarch Messiah chapters with El Qutlugh and Asefeh were based on the limited historical records of the Mongols invasion of Syria. Ghazan Khan’s forces reached to 45 miles of Jerusalem with one historical record indicated a raiding party may have made it to Jerusalem. Hence, is crafted the story of El and Asefeh. The lore of the Golden Gate being removed by Ghazan is fictional, but his great

Maxime is Currently Reading

Maxime Trencavel is currently reading

The Twelve Chairs

by Ilya Ilf

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Aug 16, 2025 09:08AM

Maxime Trencavel is currently reading

Daughters of Smoke and Fire

by Ava Homa

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Apr 02, 2025 09:51AM

Maxime Trencavel is currently reading

Maid of Baikal

by Preston Fleming (Goodreads Author)

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Jan 16, 2025 05:10PM

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Maxime’s Recent Updates

Maxime Trencavel is now friends with Philroy Hinds
Sep 30, 2025 05:32AM · like
Maxime Trencavel is currently reading The Twelve Chairs by Ilya Ilf	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Aug 16, 2025 09:08AM · like
Maxime Trencavel finished reading And Quiet Flows the Don by Mikhail Sholokhov	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Aug 16, 2025 09:08AM · like
Maxime Trencavel is currently reading Daughters of Smoke and Fire by Ava Homa	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 02, 2025 09:51AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Daughters of Smoke and Fire by Ava Homa. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Daughters of Smoke and Fire by Ava Homa <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Maxime Trencavel rated a book it was amazing A Lot Like Love (FBI/US Attorney, #2) by Julie James (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jan 28, 2025 07:35AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of A Lot Like Love by Julie James. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — A Lot Like Love by Julie James <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Maxime Trencavel rated a book really liked it Later Gator (Miss Fortune Mystery, #9) by Jana Deleon (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jan 25, 2025 12:42PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Later Gator by Jana Deleon. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Later Gator by Jana Deleon <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Maxime Trencavel rated a book really liked it And Quiet Flows the Don, Vol 1 of 5 by Mikhail Sholokhov	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Would one of the most famous works of the 1965 Nobel Prize for literature winner count as a great work of world fiction? Let's say that is true, which many would agree, then might it also be true that great works of fiction do not have to follow what ...more
Jan 25, 2025 10:26AM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of And Quiet Flows the Don, Vol 1 of 5 by Mikhail Sholokhov. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — And Quiet Flows the Don, Vol 1 of 5 by Mikhail Sholokhov <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Maxime Trencavel rated a book it was amazing Six Red Months in Russia: An Observers Account of Russia Before and During the Proletarian Dictatorship by Louise Bryant	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Wow. What a read. First hand accounts of meeting many of the most famous protagonists and antagonists of the Russian Revolution. I got the idea to read this author's collection of POVs on her time in Russia after watching the Academy Award winning fi ...more
Jan 18, 2025 05:25AM · like · see review
Maxime Trencavel is currently reading And Quiet Flows the Don by Mikhail Sholokhov	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jan 17, 2025 03:32AM · like
Maxime Trencavel started reading Maid of Baikal by Preston Fleming (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jan 16, 2025 05:10PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Maid of Baikal by Preston Fleming. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Maid of Baikal by Preston Fleming <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">

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Quotes by Maxime Trencavel (?)

“So many people want to, they need to villainize others. They need a clear bad guy who suffers the consequences of violating their morality. But isn’t this the essence of intolerance?”
― Maxime Trencavel, The Matriarch Matrix

tags: inspirational, science-fiction, suspense-mystery

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“Our present has happened in the past from where our future appears.”
― Maxime Trencavel, The Matriarch Matrix

tags: inspirational

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