Martin Elsant's Blog: Elsant’s Inquisition Trilogy

I am so honored that with Acts of Dreams winning this award, now all three books in my Inquisition Trilogy have been granted the B.R.A.G. Medallion! For me, this feels like the literary equivalent of a grand slam home run! I am very, very grateful.

And for all the sports fans out there, I know that 4 runs are scored with a grand slam and that doesn’t quite correspond to the 3 components of a trilogy. But for me, neither ‘hat trick’ nor ‘trifecta’ conveys the excitement I feel about receiving the B.R.A.G Medallion for each of the books in my Inquisition Trilogy. So I’m sticking with the grand slam analogy. Arithmetic be damned!

This is the last place I submitted my book Acts of Dreams for review. The Historical Novel Society is known to be a group of tough reviewers, but fortunately, this review of the concluding volume of my trilogy was quite positive. It’s nice to go out on a high note, and that high note is most evident in the review’s final paragraph which I’ve pasted below:

Acts of Dreams vividly portrays historical figures and the times, moving from masque dances in Queen Elizabeth’s court to Francis Drake’s voyages and Walter Raleigh’s New World explorations, and offers compelling courtroom drama. Its strength lies in its depictions of individuals who struggle with religious intolerance and the myths and outright lies that undergird it. A fascinating story, well told.

https://historicalnovelsociety.org/re...

What I liked best about this Clarion Foreword Review is the reviewer’s appreciation, not only of Maria’s strength, but also of her (and Will’s) patience and kindness.

Here’s the review:


https://www.forewordreviews.com/revie...

ACTS OF HOPE
PART 2 OF THE INQUISITION TRILOGY
Martin Elsant
G & M Publishers
(350pp)
979-868699097-5

Clarion Rating: 4 out of 5

Acts of Hope is an ambitious, adventurous story of love and religious dedication set during the Inquisition.

In Martin Elsant’s historical romance novel Acts of Hope, the fight against the Inquisition threatens the future of religious freedom.

Though they were in love, Maria and Ari said goodbye over religious differences while fleeing the Inquisition. Though still reeling from her losses, Maria finds new love and hope with Will, a Jewish doctor who shares her religion and respects her independence. The powerful couple gets involved in an enterprising plan to save Jewish victims of the Inquisition and move them to a safe haven, the in-construction city of Tiberias. Their journey winds Maria back to Ari, who has been collecting stories of Inquisition abuses with the hopes of convincing the pope to shut it down. The future of both Jewish and Christian people may depend on Maria and Ari’s spiritual missions.

Maria is a strong, smart woman who struggles with her belief in God; reclaiming her Jewish heritage is almost an act to spite the Inquisition, instead of a matter of following her faith. Still, she is a proud and avid student. Her wealth affords her privileges: luxurious descriptions of her home, and the warm Jewish traditions celebrated there, arise. Maria’s business savvy and sharp mind are highlighted through her innovative problem solving as she enhances the plans to the establishment of Tiberias.

Maria and Will create a solid foundation for their relationship with patience and kindness. Will enjoys the challenge of Maria’s questions; their exchanges help to explain Jewish practices and stories, as well as how they are interpreted and applied. The potential for conflict is tantalizing as Ari and Maria’s stories meet. But instead of predictable drama, Ari and Will’s dynamic complements the novel’s exploration of harmony between Christian and Jewish beliefs, and Ari’s family background is used to question the role of ancestry in religion.

The book’s exciting secondary characters include Ya’akov, a Jewish pirate who sails with Hebrew letters on his sails in defiance of the Inquisition; Esther, a beautiful bar owner capable of breaking both hearts and heads; and Aisha, a woman who was exiled from the outskirts of Tiberias by her own clan. Aisha’s story, in particular, is developed in gripping terms: she trains to become a warrior and exact her vengeance. Love stories emerge, and though some of them manifest with speed, they are undeniable in their chemistry.

Jewish and Christian history is covered in dense, thorough passages that come between changes in location and perspective, while ample action helps to balance the casts’ heavy and frequent philosophical discourses. The story begins with Maria in England, but also stops in Jerusalem and Tiberias; an introductory note explains which elements are borrowed from history.

Featuring surprises, disappointments, and geopolitical hostilities, Acts of Hope is an ambitious, adventurous story of love and religious dedication set during the Inquisition.

Reviewed by Delia Stanley
February 15, 2021

I entered Acts of Faith: Part 1 of The Inquisition Trilogy into the Writer’s Digest self-published book competition. I did not win any awards, but yesterday they sent me the following review. It was so favorable that I decided to post it below:

Greetings Authors,

Below is a brief commentary for your entry in the 28th Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards, thank you for your participation!


Entry Title: Acts of Faith: Part 1 of The Inquisition Trilogy
Author: Martin Elsant
Judge Number: 10
Entry Category: Genre Fiction

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Structure, Organization, and Pacing: 5

Spelling, Punctuation, and Grammar: 5

Production Quality and Cover Design: 5

Plot and Story Appeal: 5

Character Appeal and Development: 5

Voice and Writing Style: 4

Judge’s Commentary*:

Acts of Faith takes a footnote in 16th century Portuguese history and infuses it with drama, suspense, and humanity and turns it into an exciting read. Historical facts and details are seamlessly incorporated into the very fabric of the story so that the narrative was not only believable but fresh and immediate for readers.

The Inquisition was a dark time in history. When writing about cruelty, such as torture and execution, it can be tempting to give the readers all of the gory details. However, I thought that the novel did a good job of portraying the cruelties of the Inquisition honestly, without sensationalizing the pain and death of the victims.

The characters had a complexity and honesty to them that felt very human. This is especially true of Diego and Chico, who, though products of their time, have a modern take on theology and philosophy that readers will appreciate. Ari and Maria had a great chemistry, and though readers wish they could have their happily ever after, the reality of their parting feels right. Each of the characters starkly different perspectives on religion challenges the reader to question everything—and draw their own conclusions.

Although this is already a strong narrative, I think that incorporating more sensory details would bring readers even deeper into the story. For example, when Ari sees his room at the monastery for the first time, he is struck by how small and dismal it is. And though readers can see the room in their minds, if you were to also include other details that appeal to the reader’s senses, such as the room’s musty smell, or any sounds that can be heard, then readers will feel as though they are in the room alongside Ari and Chico.

Acts of Faith breathes life and hope into the dark era of the Portuguese Inquisition and infuses it with hope and determination as a group of friends conspire to free an innocent man from certain execution.