Samuel DenHartog's Blog: The Road to 1,440 - Posts Tagged "england"

Throughout history, few figures have shaped our understanding of the universe as profoundly as Isaac Newton. His revolutionary insights into gravity, motion, and light laid the foundation for modern science, transforming our view of the cosmos. My new book, "The Mind That Moved the World: The Story of Isaac Newton", delves into the life of this extraordinary thinker, offering a glimpse into the mind that forever changed how we perceive the world. From the secluded orchard in Woolsthorpe where an apple famously fell, to the halls of Cambridge where his ideas blossomed, this story captures the pivotal moments that defined his legacy.

Writing this biography was a journey through the intellectual landscape of the 17th century, a time when questions about the nature of the universe were met with wonder and debate. Newton's relentless curiosity and unmatched genius made him both revered and contested in his own time. I’ve sought to bring to life not just his discoveries, but the human side of Newton—the man who grappled with doubts, faced intense rivalry, and relentlessly pursued truths that others dared not imagine.

This book is for anyone fascinated by the quest for knowledge, for those who find themselves gazing at the stars, wondering about the forces that keep them in motion. It’s a tribute to a man whose mind truly moved the world—and a reminder of the power of ideas to shape our understanding of everything around us. As we explore the mysteries he unraveled, I hope readers find themselves inspired by the same sense of awe and discovery that guided Newton's journey.

I’m excited to share "Fables from England", a collection of stories brimming with English folklore's magic, wit, and eccentric charm. Each tale brings readers on a fresh journey into the heart of England’s legendary past, from enchanted forests and towering castles to humble homes where magic sparks the everyday. The collection brings familiar stories to life with rich, immersive detail, capturing the mood of ancient England, where even a simple meal or a forgotten book might hold supernatural surprises.

One of my favorite tales in the collection introduces a humble woodcutter who stumbles upon a fairy, granting him three magical wishes. The simplicity of his life contrasts sharply with the hilarity and misadventures that follow his wishes, turning the tale into a funny and cautionary reminder of how hasty desires can lead to unexpected outcomes. The humor and humanity woven into the story are some of what makes this collection so engaging, as we see characters who are as relatable as they are comical.

Among the darker stories, a young apprentice secretly studies his master’s forbidden book, reciting ancient words that accidentally summon a terrifying demon. As the boy struggles to control the demon’s powers, the story blends suspense and dark humor, showing how the mix of curiosity and foolishness can lead to chaotic consequences. And when a clever child returns to his mother with magical treasure from a giant’s castle, we follow along as his luck—and bravery—carry him to new heights, outwitting dangers and foes that loom over him.

"Fables from England" is a journey into a land where animals speak, simple folks find themselves tangled in magical escapades, and each page brings fresh surprises. These stories are windows into a time when life was touched by wonder and risk, from enchanted birds to mysterious old women with secret knowledge. I can’t wait for readers of all ages to explore these timeless English fables, where the charm of the past meets the thrill of the magical.

When I first read the original story, “Winning His Spurs: A Tale of the Crusades by G. A. Henty,” that inspired me to write this book, I was struck by the power of the setting and the spirit of adventure—but I kept wondering what the tale would feel like if the central figure were someone the world never expected to see in armor. That simple shift, from a traditional squire to a young woman born into the same code of chivalry, opened the door to a deeper exploration of identity, conviction, and the meaning of honor. The time period didn’t change. The battles didn’t soften. What changed was who stood in the middle of it all, shaping the story through her presence.

The heroine at the center of this retelling, Gweneth de Lance, doesn’t wear a disguise or pretend to be anything other than who she is. That felt important to me. Too often, historical stories force women to prove themselves by denying themselves, but Gweneth simply is—a knight, a warrior, a person of conscience in a brutal and uncertain time. Writing her journey meant balancing ferocity with introspection, loyalty with doubt, and always pushing her forward in a world that accepted her role without question but still demanded everything of her.

I didn’t want this to be a story about rebellion or exception. I wanted it to be about legacy, about living fully within a tradition and reshaping it not through resistance, but by embodying its truest form. The Crusades were a time of great conflict, but also of profound cultural encounters and moral complexity. That context gave me room to tell a story that respects the gravity of history while centering a character whose presence brings new resonance to old themes.

This book became a way for me to ask, “What does it really mean to be a knight?” and then follow that question into battlefields, desert marches, and the quiet moments in between. Whether you come for the swords and sieges or the character and conviction, I hope you find something that stays with you long after the final page of "The Ideal Knight".

At its heart, this book is about pursuit—of truth, of meaning, of something buried deep beneath centuries of silence and stone. "Quest for the Incan Treasure" follows Della Montrose, a resourceful and determined Englishwoman who finds herself swept into the dangerous shadows of Peru’s highlands. What begins as a practical decision to seek a new future becomes a relentless search through jungle paths, forgotten ruins, and layers of betrayal. Della isn’t chasing adventure for its own sake—she’s chasing answers, and along the way, the questions only grow more personal.

Peru is more than a setting here—it’s a living presence, shaping every risk Della takes. The Andes rise like ancient sentinels, and the remnants of the Inca Empire press in from all sides, whispering secrets in every crumbled wall and sacred site. The line between legend and history blurs as Della and her companions piece together clues pointing to a treasure hidden during the Spanish conquest—something worth killing for, and worth dying to protect. But the deeper they go, the more the journey tests their loyalties, forcing them to decide what they value more: gold or each other.

Della herself was a joy to write—calm under pressure, fiercely intelligent, and quietly brave. She doesn’t seek the spotlight, but she also won’t be pushed aside. She makes hard decisions and carries their weight without complaint. Her journey isn’t just a physical one across dangerous terrain—it’s an internal one as well, as she uncovers what drives her, what she’s willing to sacrifice, and what kind of legacy she wants to leave behind.

This story is full of narrow escapes, shifting alliances, and the lure of a past that refuses to stay buried. But more than anything, it’s about the cost of discovery and the courage it takes to walk into the unknown. If you love stories where ancient mysteries come alive and characters must earn every step forward, I think you’ll enjoy walking beside Della through "Quest for the Incan Treasure."

After all the buildup, the story finally continues. In this latest installment, our four witches leave behind the familiar streets of East Haven and step into a fractured past where magic still lingers in stone and silence. The riverbank, once a place of quiet reflection, becomes the entry point into something far older. They find themselves in Alexandria during the last days of its great Library, where a secret coven entrusts them with a task only they can complete.

Each girl is pulled into a different thread of time and place. Laurel walks among the firekeepers of ancient Ireland. Susie finds herself in a village ruled by fear during the witch trials of England. Blanca witnesses the fall of a kingdom in Spain as earth magic slips beneath the soil. Andrea follows the wind into the depths of the Black Forest, where superstition and truth twist together. These chapters test who these girls are becoming and ask who they are willing to be.

The heart of this story lives in the way the past speaks to the present. Each setting reveals something elemental about the girls, both in terms of their magic and their character. The history they walk through is not static. It asks for something in return. It demands courage, honesty, and sometimes loss. As they recover the ancient texts, what they truly gather is a deeper sense of what legacy means and how much power lives in what we choose to carry forward.

Back in East Haven, life seems unchanged. But under the stillness, something new stirs. The girls have brought more than magic back with them. They carry memory, responsibility, and a bond shaped by everything they had to survive alone. In the quiet moments after the final page, that feeling lingers. The sense that what was lost has only been waiting to return. And now it has.