Calafia: The Untold Story of California's Beginnings

by Rick Walker

Calafia is a historical fiction thriller about the story of the Spanish discovery and colonization of Alta California, known today simply as California. This gripping account chronicles the life-and-death clash of cultures on the early western frontier. From power mongers pulling strings behind the scenes to the explorers carrying out their often-brutal orders, this novel is loaded with actual accounts and versions of the people’s history of California. A rarely told origin steeped in violence and marked by struggle, this tale of U.S. history is narrated by Sergio Monino. After a lifetime of service as a transcriber to King Charles III’s chief minister and to several Alta California governors, Sergio sits at his desk in Monterey in 1818 to pen Calafia for posterity. Part memoir, part narrative history, his story is filled with political intrigue, military exploits, daring exploration, religious beginnings, and development. As fascinating, as it is distressing, through Calafia Sergio shares a sympathetic account of the indigenous people who would eventually be displaced by European pioneers in one of the greatest U.S. historical adventures threaded through land and sea.

470 pages, Paperback

First published April 10, 2020

Reviews

[Kathy Fritschi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A forgotten history

This romanticized version of the European settlement of Alta California is easy to read. But the romantic escapades of the narrator are hard to believe, but I suppose incidents like these did occur. The story compelled me to anticipate Vol. II and the rest of the story.

[Anne Chalmers · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just never came to a point

Though the character development was well done and there seemed to be several interesting story lines in play, the book ends with nothing being resolved. I learned almost nothing and was sorry to have spent time patiently reading this book

[Rick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wanted More

Hate the way it ended

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