Book Blurb:
Who was the Headless Horseman?
1776. Wolfram Kaspar Von Hultz of Hesse-Cassel is about to embark on a perilous journey to fight the American rebels with the Hessian force allied to the British Army. Although a reluctant soldier, he knows his birthright is to fulfill his duty to the Landgraf. Wolfram takes his place in the world under the guidance of his surrogate uncle and mentor, the charming yet calculating Colonel Johann Rahl.
Across the ocean and on the outskirts of Sleepy Hollow, Hulda Aupaumut lives in a cave beneath Raven Rock. Although shunned as a witch by the wary townspeople owing to her Bohemian-Mohican heritage and skill as a healer, Hulda remains to aid and protect those dear to her from the impending doom of war. As violence approaches, Hulda unknowingly discovers mysterious new abilities through her family grimoire from Bohemia, and its connection to the unexplainable power of Raven Rock.
Wolfram and Hulda's paths draw closer until they become forever entwined in Sleepy Hollow, united in the common goal of protecting the town and seeking revenge against the man who, twenty years earlier, unknowingly changed both of their lives.
Raven Rock exists within the canon of Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, weaving together details from the classic American horror tale, local folklore, and the historical context of the American Revolution.
Book Buy Link: https://geni.us/YdCCswN
Author Bio:
Nichole Louise received a BA in Integrative Arts with a minor in History from Pennsylvania State University and an MFA in Creative Writing (Thesis with Distinction) from Rosemont College. She has published articles and short stories, most notably in the Journal of the American Revolution. She lives in Philadelphia, PA. Find out more at www.NicholeLouise.com
Editorial Review:
"Raven Rock": A Magnificent Saga of History, Mystery, and Humanity
Gold eyes observed her; a beast tracking its prey. Elizabeth van Tassel had thought the tan body was a curved boulder, but the slide of pebbles from the ridge above told her otherwise. She froze, her already labored breath from the half-laced stays now ceasing. She instinctively laid her hand across her protruding abdomen, fingers spreading wide over the buttercream homespun. She held the creature’s gaze, unable to turn her head to determine a place to hide. But there would be no hiding now that it had seen her. They were locked in this moment, gold eyes lazily blinking every now and then while her own grew dry without the luxury to blink. The creature had her and it knew it.
In the mist-laden tapestry of American folklore, there exists a nexus where the luminous strands of history entwine with the enigmatic threads of legend. "Raven Rock," a profound prequel to the renowned tale of Sleepy Hollow, emerges as a riveting and tantalizing narrative that unfurls a unique and enthralling perspective on the American legend. With the deft strokes of historical fiction interwoven intricately with the ethereal tendrils of folklore and fantasy, the brilliance of this saga shimmers through the ages.
Within the pages of this masterful opus, characters breathe with a resounding vitality, each etched with a profundity that lingers in the reader's psyche. Their journeys, borne of conflict and embroiled in the turbulent tides of war, illuminate the boundless spectrum of human resilience and frailty. The verisimilitude with which these characters are endowed—vividly portrayed and intricately layered—imbues the narrative with a resounding authenticity that beckons readers into the bosom of the 18th-century setting.
The dialogue, a symphony of eloquence and authenticity, serves as a conduit to the characters' innermost turmoils, resonating with the epoch's veracity and unveiling the intricacies of their personalities. Amidst the backdrop of strife and societal upheaval, the narrative unfolds with an unfaltering richness of detail, emotion, and profound character development, ensnaring the reader's emotions in an unyielding grip.
Sweat trickled down her back, tickling at the base of her spine. She had never been one for the heat, and two weeks into September seemed a late stay for summer. She was more than ready, as she was every year, for the blustery winds that swirled the fallen leaves. For the comfortable feeling of being wrapped in her furs in front of the fire while the brisk gusts of autumn whipped about the forest. There was power in the time of year when the leaves turned red and gold and sunset, when plants and animals either began to wilt and die or prepare for winter slumber, building strength through the months until the following spring. And the power she felt at Raven Rock in the autumn time was an energy etched deeper upon her soul than anywhere she’d ever been. This place was comfort and protection and beauty, with fragmented whispers of the unknown and realms unseen. The time and place of her thriving.
Themes as vast as the panorama of human existence sprawl across the narrative canvas—war, the plight of slaves and women, the intricate tapestry of human relationships, the cultural ethos of the time—all intricately interwoven into the fabric of this saga. The narrative's prowess lies in its ability to harmonize these themes with an impressive storyline, each element converging to engender a tapestry teeming with life and pulsating with historical accuracy.
The writer's virtuosity manifests through the meticulous incorporation of sensory details, rendering the reader an unwitting inhabitant of the vividly described surroundings. The tapestry of words weaves an immersive atmosphere that breathes, pulsates, and enchants—an enchantment that beckons the reader deeper into the heart of the narrative.
Mystery and suspense, threaded with finesse, pervade the narrative tapestry, captivating the reader's attention in an unyielding embrace. This captivating blend of elements maintains an inexorable hold over the reader, stoking the fires of curiosity and prompting an insatiable hunger for revelation.
The narrative's duality, expressed through the perspectives of Wolfram, a Hessian soldier, and Hulda, an enigmatic healer wielding supernatural abilities, embarks on a journey that transmutes the contours of the American Revolution into an uncharted realm of exploration. Wolfram, thrust reluctantly into the fray alongside Hessian soldiers in the throes of conflict, finds his fate interwoven with that of Sleepy Hollow's mysterious healer, Hulda Aupaumut.
Hulda, bearing the weight of societal ostracization as a purported witch and delving into the depths of her Bohemian-Mohican lineage, discovers latent abilities that bind her destiny to the impending cataclysm of war. As their paths converge amidst the spectral aura of Sleepy Hollow, a shared objective materializes—a mission forged by a desire to safeguard their home and exact retribution upon the architect of their shared misfortunes.
The allure of their burgeoning connection is juxtaposed against the harrowing backdrop of war, pain, and a labyrinthine tapestry of history. This juxtaposition, wrought with meticulous precision, elicits a poignant resonance that tugs at the heartstrings, compelling readers to bear witness to their achingly beautiful journey.
“I think I…I was there, somehow.”
The shadow falling over her face told him she was not jesting. It also told him he should not be hasty in denying her words.
“I’m not sure I understand.”
She placed the sack at their feet and rubbed her own hands for warmth. “I thought it was a dream. I was sure of it, until I went to the Philipse Manor and saw the aftermath. The body of a hare laid near the door of the manor.”
“What are you saying?” He nodded toward the rucksack. “That you were a…”
She jerked her head up to meet his gaze with defiance. “This is not a delusion, Wolfram. I tell you the truth. I do not know how it was possible, but I saw it, through a hare’s eyes. When we found it, it had been shot, but I already knew that because it was Colonel Rahl who’d done it. He aimed right between my—its eyes.”
This village has a way of making the impossible seem possible.
The author's brilliance shines forth in the seamless integration of multiple languages—English, German, and Mohican—seamlessly interwoven into the narrative's fabric. The inclusion of historical minutiae, from the annals of the French and Indian War to the spectral presence of indigenous tribes like the Abenaki, bespeaks a commitment to authenticity that grounds the characters within the fertile soil of their cultural context.
"Raven Rock" stands resolute as a self-contained masterpiece, an engrossing narrative exquisitely crafted with prose that resonates with a rare, breathtaking splendor. The author's commendable feat in spinning a tapestry teeming with cultural and historical riches, punctuated by characters whose essence seizes the reader's soul, demands the ready companionship of a box of tissues.
The saga woven within these pages transcends the boundaries of time, its essence seeping into the reader's soul to linger, indelible and ineffable. The resonance of Wolfram and Hulda's odyssey endures, an indomitable imprint that shall linger within the reader's heart for epochs to come, a testament to the profound artistry and sagacity encapsulated within "Raven Rock." This book is very highly recommended.
*****
“Raven Rock” by Nichole Louise receives five stars and the “Highly Recommended” Award of Excellence from The Historical Fiction Company
Award:
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