Etched in Starlight Hannah’s Heirloom ~ Prequel by Rosie Chapel

​Author Rosie Chapel introduces us to Etched in Starlight:
Maxentius
Only eighteen years of age, army recruit Lucius Maxentius Valerius, arrives in Armenia, a world away from the comforts of Rome. Rather than a career in politics, as his family would have preferred, he has chosen a life in the military. Being a soldier in the Roman Army is not for the faint hearted; there is no such thing as an easy campaign and, here in the wilderness of Armenia, they face the Parthians, a formidable enemy, one whom the Romans underestimated once before — to their downfall. This does not deter Maxentius; he has long wanted this life.
It becomes apparent, that Maxentius is a born solider. His uncanny ability to anticipate the actions of the enemy, desire to understand and empathise with the local populace and reasoned perspective on any given strategy, gains the young man the respect of comrades and his superiors and he is promoted with unusual rapidity. A soldier with such instincts is a desirable commodity and, after four years in Armenia, Maxentius is dispatched to Masada, an isolated outpost in the middle of Judaean Desert, taking command of the local garrison. Although a rather mundane assignment, it would be a welcome respite after several years of warfare. 

Hannah
Hundreds of miles away in Jerusalem, a city descending into chaos, a young girl is training to be a healer under the watchful eye of her uncle. Not your conventional Hebrew maid, Hannah bat Avigail, forgoes traditional feminine pastimes, spending her days treating all manner of wounds and ailments. Relishing the challenge, Hannah dreams of becoming a physician. 
The city is rife with dissent and clashes between advocates and opponents of Roman rule are commonplace. Everyday Hannah and her uncle deal with injuries more typical of a battlefield than a civilised society. Worse, her brother and his friends are caught up in the violence and she fears for their lives.
Deprivation and disease add to the increasing instability, inflaming the agitators and encouraging radical groups to join forces hoping to oust the Romans once and for all. In a desperate bid for weapons, a band of rebels venture into the desert, to a fortress guarded by a Roman garrison.
Hannah’s brother refuses to leave his sister alone in an increasingly lawless city and so she travels with him, accepting that, if nothing else, her skills as a healer will probably be required.

Masada
In the aftermath of the attack on Herod’s citadel, Hannah finds and, against her brother’s wishes, treats three badly injured soldiers. Unexpectedly, one of them touches something deep inside her; something that, despite him being an enemy and a captive, she cannot ignore. 
Maxentius regains consciousness to the knowledge that this impregnable citadel has fallen and that he is likely one of only three of his garrison to survive the ambush. Uncertain of his future and in a haze of agony, he realises he is in the care of a young woman. A young woman, whose startling green eyes and impish smile, will turn his world upside down 
In the days that follow and against impossible odds, they come to realise that they are more than healer and captive, their fate already etched in starlight.

Etched in Starlight is the prequel to the Hannah’s Heirloom Trilogy.

​I want Rosie for my time traveling companion when I go to ancient Rome and Jerusalem. She must have been there numerous times already. She writes about the period and places so well, I almost feel like I have been there before. Her descriptions of the buildings, food, clothing and daily life are so detailed and complete. She understands the milieu clearly whether she is describing the daily life of a soldier or a physician. Her characters are alive as I read her work.
I really enjoyed the story of Hannah and Maxentius, there was a nice mix of action, dialog and description. The POV while not pure is managed well with the adequate use of tags so we don’t get lost or confused.
I loved the book and give it 4.9 of 5 STARS!

You can buy Etched in Starlight:
https://www.amazon.com/Etched-Starlight-Hannahs-Heirloom-Prequel
https://www.amazon.com.au/Etched-Starlight-Hannahs-Heirloom-Prequel
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32912700-etched-in-starlight
 
You can follow Rosie:
https://twitter.com/RosieChapel2015
https://www.facebook.com/RosieChapelTheAuthor/
http://rosiechapel.com/

​Copyright © 2017 Mark L Schultz except for the author's introduction ​