Selene of Alexandria

By Faith L. Justice


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SYNOPSIS:

Set in AD 412 Alexandria, Egypt and based on historical events, this story of ambition, love and murder brings to life colorful characters and an exotic time and place.  SELENE is bright, impulsive, stubborn, and a little spoiled by her father, a city councilor.  Since her mother’s death, she longs to forgo the privileges of her class to become a physician—an impossible dream for upper class girls who never engage in a profession.  But Selene perseveres and gains a powerful champion—HYPATIA, the renowned mathematician and Lady Philosopher of Alexandria.

The old Christian Patriarch dies and the city splits in support of two candidates. After days of rioting, the Patriarch’s nephew CYRIL is proclaimed Patriarch and sets about consolidating the Christian sects and purging Alexandria of pagans and Jews.  ORESTES, the new Augustal Prefect, struggles to keep the peace and also seeks the advice of Hypatia.  He finds her a woman of enormous personal charm and astute political insight and places her first among his advisors, to the humiliation of the new Patriarch.  These events set the stage for a contest of wills between Church and Empire.

Selene struggles in her new life.  Under Hypatia's guidance, she takes classes and apprentices in medicine.  She gives up security and the love of a young man for the danger of poor neighborhoods and the hostility of her classmates.  It's not long before Selene is unwittingly drawn into the deadly rivalry between Cyril and Orestes.  She comes of age amidst riot, plague and political intrigue .  But will Selene survive the consequences of her own ambitions and impulsive actions?

 

Book trailer:

 

 

Praise for Selene of Alexandria:

"Readers will be captivated. Fans of Gillian Bradshaw’s classic The Beacon at Alexandria may especially enjoy Selene and find a promising new historical novelist who shares the same gift for wonderfully researched, vividly evoked, good old-fashioned storytelling." --Historical Novel Society

"I am enthralled with the work of this author… [She writes] with beauty, brilliance, and brutal honesty. Run to the bookstore and buy this for yourself." -–BookPleasures.com

"Selene of Alexandria is pure fiction magic...I couldn't put this book down. I love the way Justice mixed historic facts with her fictional character's lives, dreams, loves, and aspirations...Selene of Alexandria made me laugh and cry, hope and despair. I can't wait to see what else Faith L. Justice has in store for us." --Story Circle Book Reviews

"Selene of Alexandria has received high praise from a number of reviewers and deserves every word of it. This book is outstanding, not just for a first novel, but for any novel. Once you’ve read it, I’m sure you’ll join me in waiting impatiently to read Justice’s next project! --Lacuna: A Journal of Historical Fiction

Selene of Alexandria does what historical fiction does best—weave historical fact, real-life historical figures, and attention to detail with page-turning, plot-driven fiction...Justice gives you all the tools you need to follow the story, and she expertly brings you along for the ride. --The Copperfield Review

 

Finalist for a Global eBook Award

August, 2011

 

Global eBook Finalist medal

 

 

Available at Booklocker, Amazon, Barnes and Noble or any online bookstore.

 

Now available in all ebook formats
including Kindle, Nook, Sony Reader and Epub for iPad

 

Selene of Alexandria cover

 

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