Master of Verona by David Blixt

Pietro Alaghieri travels with his exiled father, Dante Alighieri, to Verona to meet the poet's new patron, Francesco "Cangrande" Della Scalla. Cangrande is rumored to be Il Vetro or the Greyhound, a man prophesied about to turn Italy on her head. Pietro, with his two new best friends, Romeo Mariotto Montecchio and Antonio Capulleto, ride out with Cangrande to battle Padua. Pietro saves Cangrande's life and becomes his right hand man and confidante. Following Cangrande on a secret mission to bring his heir to Verona, Pietro becomes intertwined in the private life of the ruler of Verona.  Cesco, the boy, is raised by Cangrande's loving sister who believes in the prophecy. Pietro bonds with the boy and becomes his rescuer and champion. Pietro must also continue his battle with Padua and it's champion knight. When a peace treaty leaves his best friends rivals in love, Pietro is torn. Thought the stars may determine a man's fate, it is up to him to determine how they will guide his life.

Pietro starts out as a boy living in the shadow of his famous father and deceased elder brother. But his bravery and honor soon make a name for Pietro, who almost eclipses his father.  For this story, he does. Pietro serves Cangrande, a true Renaissance man who loves battle, clever conversation, wine and women. The eclectic cast of this book is completed by a rival on the battlefield, two lovers, a heartbroken friend, a devoted sister, a brilliant poet, a doctor, a Moor and a barren wife. The plot is always thick with love, lust, honor, treachery and twists. While the book is large, the story is larger than life. This is a wonderful read!!

About the Book

The Master of Verona (Book One, Star Cross'd Series)

Publication Date: April 23, 2012 | Sordelet Ink | 592p

SYNOPSIS: 

Romeo & Juliet is the greatest love story ever told. And every story has a beginning.

A sweeping novel of Renaissance Italy, THE MASTER OF VERONA follows Pietro Alaghieri, eldest son of the poet Dante, as he’s caught up by the charisma and genius of Verona’s ruler, Cangrande della Scala. Pietro risks battles, duels, and murder to impress his new lord. At the heart of the story is an infernal plot against Cangrande’s bastard heir, and the rivalry of two friends over the affections of a girl. That rivalry will sever a friendship, divide a city, and initiate a feud that will someday produce the star-cross’d lovers.

Based on the plays of William Shakespeare, the poetry of Dante, and the history of Italy, THE MASTER OF VERONA is a novel of brutal warfare, lost friendship, and dire conspiracy, combining to create a heart-stoppingly epic journey into the birth of the Renaissance that recalls the best of Bernard Cornwell and Dorothy Dunnett.

About the Author

Author and playwright David Blixt's work is consistently described as "intricate," "taut," and "breathtaking." A writer of Historical Fiction, his novels span the early Roman Empire (the COLOSSUS series, his play EVE OF IDES) to early Renaissance Italy (the STAR-CROSS'D series, including THE MASTER OF VERONA, VOICE OF THE FALCONER, and FORTUNE'S FOOL) up through the Elizabethan era (his delightful espionage comedy HER MAJESTY'S WILL, starring Will Shakespeare and Kit Marlowe as inept spies). His novels combine a love of the theatre with a deep respect for the quirks and passions of history. As the Historical Novel Society said, "Be prepared to burn the midnight oil. It's well worth it."

Living in Chicago with his wife and two children, David describes himself as "actor, author, father, husband. In reverse order."

For more about David and his novels, visit www.davidblixt.com.

I received  this book from Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours. 
Link to Tour Schedule:  http://www.hfvirtualbooktours.com/2012/11/david-blixt-virtual-book-tour-december.html
Twitter Hashtag: #DavidBlixtVirtualTour