Time Passages: Echoes of Troy: A Time Travel Romance

by Mike DeLucia

A modern warrior.
An ancient war.
A love time was never meant to hold.

Odysseus meets The Bourne Identity in this epic clash of time, loyalty and destiny. Time Echoes of Troy is a sweeping time travel sci-fi fantasy romance by multi-award-winning author Mike DeLucia.

Navy SEAL Alfred Brodini—Brodi—was built to survive anything. Enhanced with experimental DNA and armed with tech centuries ahead of its time, he’s the military’s deadliest asset.

When the U.S. government tests coordinates decoded from an ancient scroll, Brodi is hurled into the distant past—long before Homer’s Iliad—into a Troy on the brink of annihilation.

There, he meets Valeria, a fierce Trojan princess with the heart of a healer—and Astrios, an old soothsayer who knows more about Brodi’s arrival than he should.

As war erupts, Brodi becomes Troy’s only hope in a conflict sparked by King Nekrion, a cunning and dangerous ruler whose hubris has drawn the wrath of the ancient world’s greatest powers.

Meanwhile, in the future, a daughter Brodi has never met waits to be born.
The only path home is through a time slip that will open once, in a place unknown.
When it does, Brodi must choose….
Stay with Valeria… or return to the child who may never know him.

Time doesn’t care about love.
It only ever takes.

Step into a story where hearts collide across centuries... and love may be the only thing worth fighting for.

Get your copy!

BOOKS by MIKE DELUCIA

The Man Who Changed Basketball
Born for the Game
Being Brothers
Settling a Score
Boycott the Yankees

327 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 30, 2025

About the author

Mike De Lucia, grew up in the Throgs Neck/Pelham Bay section of the Bronx and has spent most of his life as an entrepreneur, actor, teacher, director, and writer.

He is the author of the multi-award-winning historical fiction novel, Madness, The Man Who Changed Basketball.

Mike, a green tea enthusiast, travels the world with his wife Lillian, has two children, two grandchildren, and loves receiving emails from readers. If you enjoy his books, have questions, or are interested in a book talk, please reach out: greentbooks@gmail.com.

Website: www.booksbymikedelucia.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mdeluciabooks
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greentbooks

Reviews

[Terri Dixon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't read a lot of this style of story, but I must admit, Mike DeLucia nailed it on his first time in this genre! This story was fast paced, visual, historical and by all means romantic. I love the time travel, the characters, the drive behind the actions of the main character. I loved the resolution to the almost insurmountable situation in the end. Great job! Now you have to write us another one!

[CONNIEBENNETT26 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brodi and Patrice is a story lost in time.!
Mike DeLucia has an original writing style , that effortlessly flows.
Storytelling is authentic on so many levels.
Save our souls or save the world.?

I received a free advanced copy, thoughts , and review are my own and voluntarily.

[Frederick Pilcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had read only the first few chapters of "Time Passages,
Echoes of Troy," by Mike DeLucia, when I realized that Mike
had written a most extraordinary book. It contains elements
of really bizarre science fiction, murderous intrigues at
the highest levels of government, high action scenes with
a lot of killing, and combined with romance and tenderness.
And there was a main character with super powers acquired
through injection with a Alpha Cells, still living DNA from
a 4.5 billion year old meterorite. Well, not as super as
Superman, but a lot more super than Batman.

The character portrayals were good. And the scene descriptions
were so vivid that I could picture them in my mind almost as
if I were watching a movie instead of just reading a book. In my
opinion, this book could be expanded into an action-adventure
hit movie, suitable for the often bloody movies produced in the
2020's.

The year is 2059. With full approval of the President of the
United States, the Alpha Cells are injected into Navy SEAL
Alfred Brodini, known as Brodi for the remainder of the book.
Brodi leads a mission to rescue an ambassador kidnapped and
threatened with death by Al Qaeda fanatics. He and his team
kill all the fanatics and save the ambassador. Brodi is
impervious to the Al Qaeda's gunfire.

Brodi now meets his girlfriend Patrice. She accepts that he
cannot talk about his secret life. Though only a surface
relationship, they are tender to each other.

Then a strange artifact is found near Istanbul, Turkey. An
advanced project has found a time slip. Brodi, with all
his super powers, is sent back to ancient Troy 2000 years
earlier than Homer's "Iliad." King Nekrion, his daughter
Valeria, soothsayer Astrios, and Regent Nastes (who turns
out to be even more nasty than his name implies) treat
Brodi with courtesy when they discover his seemingly magic
powers. Brodi kills an entire swarm of insurgents before
they can kidnap Valeria. Brodi and Valeria now show share
intimate stories and express tenderness to each other. But
Brodi is spied upon by King Nekrion's agents. I expected
that violent conflict would soon occur.

Then Brodi finds a message hidden in his combat suit. Patrice
wrote that she is three months pregnant with his daughter.
Brodi longs to return to his time to hold his daughter in
his arms.

And we are introduced to Pig, a monstrous man who inflicts
immense cruelty. After the first few pages, I skipped over
the rest of the first chapter about Pig. For the subsequent
chapters about Pig, I read only the opening and concluding
paragraphs. By that means I could learn what happened without
having to endure all the gory (I should say hideous) details.

A complex computing mechanism called the Antikythera, which
computes the positions of celestial objects, is found. With
the help of Asterios, he can in principle predict when the
time slip can repeat and Brodi can go back to his own time.
But it is written in obscure ancient languages that neither
Brodi nor Asterios can fully decipher.

Troy has Aegean Sea neighbors, the Achaeans, the Hittites,
the Mycenaens, and more. The kings of these lands, like King
Nekrion of Troy, can on whims declare alliances or wars that
will kill most of the people in both lands. Their kings come
to Troy to celebrate King Nekrion's marriage, but killing
erupts among the delegates. Our 21st century world seems to
be declining into social and political discord. I became
painfully aware of how much worse it would have been to have
lived in the ancient kingdoms as described in Time Passages_
Echoes of Troy.

Each chapter contains a separate substory. I compared them
with the pieces of a puzzle as they were being put together,
one by one. Through each step I formed a picture in my own
mind of how the story would end, at the same time wondering
how close to my predictions the author's ending would be.

Brodi must navigate through all of these perils. Finding the
time slip to return home to greet his daughter upon her entry
into the world is far from assured. He might go elsewhere, or
elsewhen. In either case, he loses Valeria forever.

Trigger warnings. This story contains a lot of profanity,
violence, and cruelty. I was tempted to downgrade my review
from 5 stars to 4 stars because of excessive cruelty. Some of
the cruelty was ordered by King Nekrios himself. But I could
always predict when graphic cruelty was imminent, and could
skip a few pages without losing the track of the story.

Except for excessive cruelty, every aspect of this book merits
5 star rating. To readers who, like myself, cannot tolerate
cruelty, I recommend skipping a few pages when you perceive
that it is coming. And for any other books you may read. I
suggest this procedure also for readers who do not like graphic
sex. Please don't skip an otherwise good story just because
there are a few pages you don't like.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving
this review voluntarily.

[Lillian Patterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Past is Not Past

Time Passages: Echoes of Troy

 

I don’t know what it is about time travel stories that fascinates me so. I guess it's the idea of going back in time and changing things to fix mistakes you've made in the past. That always seems like a good idea because hindsight is 20 and 20/20 and when you look back you can see all the bad decisions and wrong turns and mistakes that you made, and you wish you could go back and change them, and if time travel were real, then you would be able to go back in time and change the things that you've done that didn't go so well. Of course, most time travel stories are full of stern warnings about not tampering with the timeline and not changing things, because if you go back in time and change things then you're going to alter the future and that usually results in a huge mess with lots of complications and lots of bad things happening if we were to take the stern warnings of around the world in 80 days or the butterfly effect or frequency or almost any other time travel story into account we would see that things don't end well when we try to alter the past with information from the future. It's even worse when we encounter a love stories that take place in the past, because then people from the future go back in time and meet someone wonderful and get that beautiful relationship that we've all always dreamed about, and then their hearts have to be ripped apart because they have to leave that person because in order to stay with that person they would have to alter the timeline and horrible things would likely happen so it's always tragic and they always end up having to give up on the one that they love and that is sad beautiful and tragic all at once. Witness the time travelers wife or even Stephen King has tried his hand at writing the sad tragic love story in a time travel novel when he tackled the novel 11/22/63. It’s sad, yo.

So into this landscape comes this novel, which should excite lovers of fantasy and romance and time-travel tales. Here we meet Brodi, who has been enhanced with superhuman DNA and is nigh on Indestructible. He’s a Navy seal, because what else are you going to do with that set of talents but join the military? So Brodi serves in the military, kicking ass and taking names, when suddenly one day naval command intelligence is testing coordinates found on an ancient scroll and wham bam thank you ma'am, Brodi is sent into the past. Into the land of ancient Troy, to be exact, and this is a land besieged by war and violence, about to be wiped off the face of the earth. Here, Brodi meets Valeria, a beautiful princess with dark secrets and hidden talents, and Astrios, an old soothsayer who mysteriously knows more that he ought to about who Brodi is and how he came to be in Troy. As the war rages around them, it soon becomes clear that Brodi is Troy’s only hope for survival. So what to do? As if all out war weren’t bad enough, there’s also the matter of King Nekrion, a ruler whose arrogance has angered the old God’s and caused even more deadly disaster for Troy. And as for Brodi, he doesn’t know what to do, stay in the past with the woman he loves or return to the present where he has a daughter waiting to be born who may never know her father? This is a stunning love story and a fantastical adventure, and it proves the old adage that time waits for no man. If you’re a fan of Sci-fi, fantasy romance, and you just love a well-told story, check this book out!

[Margie Welsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

The plot of Time Passages: Echoes of Troy by Mike DeLucia is simple and straightforward. The MMC hero, Brodi, has been a guinea pig for a top secret military project before, one that (after being injected with ancient alien DNA) turns him into an offensive weapon and a super soldier, one who is nearly impossible to kill. When the government partners with Advanced Innovations to test a system to see if time travel is possible, Brodi is their officer of choice for the mission, the plan to send him back to ancient Troy. Everyone's assumption is that he'll be back in just a few minutes. And he might have been, if armed insurgents hadn't tried to blow him and his "time slip" glider out of the sky, sending him and a cruise middle into the past, into Troy 2986 BCE.

This starts the second part of the story, where Brodi is obsessed with getting home, not just because ancient Troy is a particularly lethal place to be in, but also to get back to the unborn child he discovers, after the fact, that his sometimes lover is carrying. What he doesn't count on is how hard this quest will be, that he may have enemies who want him to stay so they can use him and his abilities to their advantage, or that he may fall in love, and not want to go even if he finds a way to do that. 

Without giving any more spoilers away, I have to say that the story itself is exciting and entertaining, the author being particularly adept at keeping the action going at a fever pitch throughout the novel. He is also excellent when it comes to breathing life and a full range of emotions into his characters. They feel real. (Pig Man, his methods and the instruments of his particular craft were absolutely terrifying.) Poignancy, terror, excitement, grief, joy, passion, thoughts on death....he does it all, and he does it well.

In addition, I loved how the author mixed historical research with mythology to create a world that felt authentic (references to Promethean fire, ancient names for Trojan enemies i.e. Greek / Achaeans, and building the story around the geopolitics of the time). 

One last quote that stuck with me, 

"In war, there are no good sides. Only evil."

I very much hope this author writes more books in the same genre. 

[Amber · Rating 2 out of 5]

I genuinely wanted to enjoy this book, but I found the writing style to be a significant barrier. The third-person point of view shifts erratically between characters without delving into their emotions, creating a disconnect that hindered my engagement with the story.

The narrative often relies on telling rather than showing, making it feel more like a report than a novel.
For instance, when the narrator states, "He tells her about the letter. He almost says more," I found myself wishing for a deeper exploration of the moment. Similarly, the line, "Astrios understands now why the letter affected Brodi as it did on the night of his arrival," exemplifies this tendency to tell instead of show, and this pattern persists throughout the book.

While there is dialogue present, I frequently questioned the author’s choices regarding what to include. Take, for example, the exchange:
"Why do you smile so?" Valeria asks.
"Because I'm interested and I like how you tell it."

This scene could have been a wonderful opportunity to illustrate the chemistry between the main characters, but unfortunately, it fell flat. The lack of genuine connection between them left me wanting more.

Additionally, moments that could have conveyed conflict or internal struggle are glossed over, while less significant dialogues receive undue attention.

On a positive note, the story arc itself is intriguing. However, I wished for more elaboration on key elements, such as the origins of the alien DNA, the nature of the experiments, and the mechanics of time travel within the narrative.

I did appreciate the author’s portrayal of this brutal and realistic world, which adds depth to the storyline.

Overall, while the premise held promise, the execution was not for me.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone with limited reading time, I'm selective about what I pick up. This book completely captivated me from start to finish. Once I reached the 80% mark, I found it impossible to stop until I'd turned the final page—I ended up reading well past my usual bedtime just to see how it all resolved.

Mike DeLucia's writing is excellent, and the story itself is both compelling and well-crafted. The blend of modern military thriller and ancient historical fiction works surprisingly well. The premise of Brodi as an enhanced super-soldier with near-invulnerability adds a fascinating dynamic to the ancient world setting—watching him navigate Troy's politics and warfare with his advanced capabilities while trying to understand this unfamiliar world creates genuine tension and intrigue.

The author particularly excels at character development. King Nekrion is masterfully written as an antagonist you genuinely love to hate—his actions and motivations are clear enough that you understand why he's dangerous, which makes the conflict feel earned rather than forced. The supporting cast, especially Valeria, adds depth and heart to the story.

The pacing is excellent throughout. DeLucia balances action sequences with quieter character moments, and the romance develops naturally without overwhelming the plot. The historical details of ancient Troy feel immersive and authentic, making it easy to lose yourself in the world he's created.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable read, and I'm already looking forward to more from this author. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys time travel romance with strong action elements, well-developed characters, and a plot that keeps you engaged from beginning to end.

[Karen Lopez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Military secrets meet moral dilemmas—past, present, and future—and that collision is one of the biggest takeaways from this gripping time-travel novel. At least it was for this reader.

And speaking of time travel… what a ride. In the present day, the U.S. military has a secret weapon in Navy SEAL Brodi. After a run-in with an experimental lab and a dose of alien DNA, he’s nearly indestructible. So naturally, the next step is to catapult him—quite literally—several thousand years into the past, landing him smack in the chaos of ancient Troy around 1100 BC.

Once Brodi arrives, the brutal, bloody reality of Troy ramps up fast, like a torture wheel spinning out of control. Yet amid all the carnage, the story threads beauty through the darkness. The author crafts a haunting, tragic love story (or… will it be?) between a princess of Troy and a soldier flung from the future.
This story will keep you turning the pages.

[Sherry Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Navy Seal, Brodi is living in a time not far into our future. He's sent on a military mission to go back in time to test coordinates found on an ancient scroll. He finds himself in ancient Troy on the brink of war. As the story progresses, he falls in love with Valeria, the daughter of Nekrion, the cruel King of Troy. When it's time to return home, he has a choice to make. Stay or go back to his pregnant girlfriend.

The world-building in Echoes of Troy is amazing. The vivid detail in the descriptive writing makes readers feel as though they are actually there. The characters are well-developed. Human, flawed, and struggling with emotions. There's plenty of action, blood, and gore for those who like that sort of thing.

Echoes of Troy is cinematic in nature and keeps the reader turning pages. Recommended for those who enjoy epic fantasy, time travel, and romance.

[Kelly Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Time Passages: Echoes of Troy: A Time Travel Romance” by Mike DeLucia is a fascinating mix of historical fiction, fantasy, and romance. (Trigger warnings for extreme brutality & grisly deaths.) This intelligently written story centers on Brodi, a Navy Seal who has been injected with alien cells than have rendered him indestructible. Based on scrolls discovered by his deceased father, who was a CIA decoder, Brodi is sent back in time over five thousand years to the city of Troy. Brodi is knocked unconscious during a rough landing and is taken prisoner, but his captors soon learn he has powers worthy of one of their gods. Brodi is captivated by Princess Valeria, but will he take advantage of an opportunity to return to the present? The clever, well-paced plot kept me engaged from start to finish!

[Patty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was pulled into this story from the beginning. Covert military operations involving time travel sound just like something government would do funded by the taxpayer. Brodi was an interesting character with unique abilities. I found he made a particularly smooth transition to historical Troy. Finding a connection with Valeria also seemed to keep him tethered to his humanity. I was a bit taken back by the violence, dishonesty and pure selfishness of leaders in the past. Clearly people they govern are pawns in intricate games and schemes completely at the king’s bidding. I while the descriptions throughout the novel were excellent, I might suggest adding a trigger warning for some of the extreme horror and torture depicted. In the end, I found it quite satisfying to see how things tuned out.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Janice Spina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Time Passages is a gripping, graphically violent, time travel, romance, fantasy that I couldn’t put down. Even when the violence ratcheted up under the cruel leadership of the ruler of Troy and war, I kept reading to see what the main character was going to do next.

Mike DeLucia did a commendable job of creating a fascinating character in Brodi who is not only brave and resourceful but also compassionate and empathic in every aspect of his life. His growing relationship with Valeria is sweet and touching and adds a lighter element to counteract the cruelty of her father, ruler of Troy.

I highly recommend this book if your love action, adventure and time travel. An enjoyable and entertaining fantasy adventure!

[Nancy Fisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved loved this book! First of all the idea of time travel in this context, is so imaginative and entertaining in this book that the first few lines already had me hooked. I loved the way the author takes his time to build up the historical context of the story and especially the romance of the protagonist and the daughter of the king. I love that the chapters are short and I loved the pace throughout. It’s the kind of book that one can’t put down and is captured by ALL the emotions that unfold as the story deepens, and the ending is everything and then some. Thank you for this story Mr DeLucia. You’re an amazing writer.

[Progress Wings · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brodi: The Human Tank You Lowkey Want to Hug

So, this Brodi guy. He’s your classic “damaged but dangerous” hero, except there’s actual depth like legit trauma.

I didn’t expect to feel for him, but when they revealed his backstory with his dad (aka “The Latin”) and the scar? Whew. That whole CIA linguist turned legend angle made him way more than a gun toting super soldier.

He’s carrying ghosts and vengeance, but still jokes about beer and fajitas.

Brodi’s the heart of the story. If you like layered tough guys, he’s your guy.

[Curious First time Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Romance: Surprisingly Real and Not Cringe

I’m weirdly invested in Brodi and Patrice. It’s raw. They’ve got chemistry, but also this quiet, sad tension. Their relationship feels like two people trying to love while both pretending they’re fine. That fight about asking personal stuff? Oof. Hit home. And the bathroom crying scene after they sleep together? Devastating in the best way.
and the thing is that this romance doesn’t force the love it lets it breathe. Real, messy, and beautiful.

[D.A. Wysong International Author Paranormal Author - Screenwri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riveting Romance With A Twist

Time Passages : Echoes Of Troy A Time Travel Romance is full of fantasy combined with sci-fi romance. DeLucia brings ancient Troy to life with much precision so much that you feel like you're actually there.
The author brings to life an ancient land with diverse characters such as Pig Man who’s a clever nod to the Cyclops from The Odyssey.
One of the best love stories since The Outlander.
The book is Brilliant and a must read!
D. A. Wysong Paranormal Author of the Best Selling Series “Monster Hunters Of America”

[Mark Carmichael · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Time Passages: Echoes of Troy. Mike DeLucia’s storytelling grabs you from the start with an exciting blend of time travel, ancient mythology, and military thriller elements. Brodi, as a futuristic Navy SEAL, is a compelling protagonist, strong, capable, but also vulnerable as he faces a world utterly foreign yet crucial to his fate. The author does a great job balancing detailed action sequences with emotional depth, especially around Brodi’s growing relationship with Valeria and his longing for the daughter he hasn’t met yet.

[Karen Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aliens… but Make It Government Issue

I LOVED the twist that the alien cells might be engineered tech, not biology. Like, that idea stayed in my head long after I stopped reading. It changes the whole meaning of what a “weapon” is. And that gun powered by a literal finger? That was so weirdly cool I kind of wanted one. (Not really. Okay… maybe.)

Feels grounded in sci-fi realism, which makes it even scarier. Super creative.

[Shirley Bear · Rating 5 out of 5]

A romping time travel adventure with lots of action and suspense. Brodi, the hero, goes back in time and faces non-stop devious plots, horror, and sabotage, but he also finds love. Brodi's inner turmoil reaches a crescendo when he must choose the future where his unborn child waits or stay in the past with the woman he loves. I enjoyed this book immensely, even stayed up late to finish it. Well written and edited, which is a bonus. Highly recommended.

[John Bluck · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Navy SEAL is transported to ancient Troy during a modern military experiment. The SEAL, Alfred "Brodi" Brodini, becomes involved in palace intrigue and conflict while he has no clear way to return to modern times. Author Mike DeLucia wrote this exciting novel in the present tense, which accelerates his tale even faster. I believe this book would be the basis for a great movie for the silver screen.

I believe most readers won't be bored by "Time Passages." I highly recommend it.

[Eeva Lancaster · Rating 5 out of 5]

More than the romance, I loved reading about the culture and practices of ancient Troy, being the geek that I am. It’s always amusing to see how characters from a different timeline will react to modern technology. This multi-genre novel offers a bit of everything—adventure, romance, action, historical fiction, and soft sci-fi. Quite enjoyable. Check it out.

[Joann Spirito · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thrilling and original time-travel adventure! This book blends action, romance, mystery, and rich historical detail into a fast-paced, unforgettable story. The time travel concept feels fresh and inventive, making the plot as surprising as it is engaging. I devoured it in one sitting—it’s the kind of book you simply can’t put down.

[Paul Madsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very typical romance time travel saga

A enhanced soldier on a mission is thrust back in time to a world of hate where true honor means nothing to rulers who have not use for life to other under their care.
Our hero learns that there are reasons to go on.
This minds me of another tale "A Knight In Shining Armor".
This would get a hard " R" rating.

[Gina Salamon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Time Passages takes you to places you likely never dreamed of, filled with intrigue, betrayal and passion.

You'll experience moments of laughter and moments filled with tears, but it will be worth it in the end. Some twists I didn't expect, and some I suspected, with an ending I didn't see coming.

An enjoyable read!

[Sophie Bowns · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author had a decent writing style and I love the front cover. It was a gripping and interesting read throughout. Perfect for your summer TBR.

[Eleanor Wagner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cool concept of our not-so-distant future going back to the time of Troy. Describes the brutality of the time. Very historicallly informed. Thoroughly enjoyed this time-travel ride!

[Michelle Gebo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Time Passages is a fantastic blend of science fiction, fantasy, and romance. The story pulled me in from the start, and the ending was absolutely perfect. I loved this book from beginning to end.

[J. Benedict · Rating 5 out of 5]

Scarred Hearts and Soft Voices


The relationship between Brodi and Patrice gave this action heavy novel its soul. In a world full of classified weapons and shadow conspiracies, their connection felt grounded, honest, and sometimes heartbreakingly fragile. Brodi, for all his physical power, is a man deeply wounded and Patrice, with her voice, her strength, and her patience, sees the cracks he’s desperate to hide.

Their moments, whether shared over fajitas or behind closed doors, were electric. This isn’t just a story about saving the world it’s about two people trying to save each other.

[Volpot · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars. There's a kernel of a good story here, but unfortunately it was not fleshed out in a very captivating way. The MC is a Navy SEAL...but this isn't really fleshed out. Now it seems the Navy has found a piece of magical alien flesh (not otherwise described in any detail) that they feed to our MC (not otherwise described) which grants him certain magical powers (the process of discovery and use of those skills not really expanded upon). Then it seems the US has also discovered certain "time passages" which might allow time travel (the process not really described). Our MC hero is sent back in time to ancient Troy (why him and why to there?). The bulk of the book takes place in ancient Troy where our MC navigates his way through the politics of the time (this part of the story is perhaps best told...though still not all that well). And...the MC develops a relationship with a woman (and this part REALLY isn't told in a believable or compelling manner). So, while it's surprising, I actually think this book would have been better presented as a trilogy so the various essential pieces of the story could have been developed into a more compelling manner. There's just too many things to cram into a single book.