I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

A man torn between two worlds must navigate faith versus cultural survival in author Rickard B. DeMille’s “Black Legend: An Empire Burns.”

The Synopsis

One man. Two faiths. A culture on the brink of annihilation.

Yucatán, 1562. When Diego, a Mayan turned Catholic priest, returns to his homeland with his mentor, zealous Franciscan friar Brother deLanda, he is torn between the two worlds that made him. Trained to see his native traditions as heresy, Diego struggles with his past while serving the very Church that suddenly seeks to erase it.

Rumors of human sacrifice surface in the town of Mani, and deLanda launches a merciless campaign to purge the region of “paganism.” Arrests mount. Ancient books and sacred relics are gathered. Diego’s own brother and wife are imprisoned, labeled rebels.

In a single night, the spiritual and intellectual legacy of the Ancient Mayan Empire is burned to ash.

As deLanda’s crusade spirals into tyranny, Diego must choose: uphold the Church that gave him purpose, or defy it to rescue those he loves and preserve a civilization being burned out of history.

Black Legend is a powerful historical novel of faith, betrayal, and the cost of cultural survival. Perfect for fans of The Name of the Rose, Silence, and The Power of the Dog.

The Review

This was a tense and compelling read. The author did an incredible job of capturing the tension and the heavy atmosphere of the cultural clashes that came with the conflicts between the Mayan and the Church, while also bringing the rich setting of the Yucatan and both the mysterious jungles and developing Catholic cities to life in vivid detail using powerful imagery in the writing style. The dialogue between the characters really underscores that tension, and highlights the challenges that arose, and the attention to detail the author gave to the history of the era was perfectly captured.

The driving force of this narrative was in the duality of the protagonist, Diego, and the spiritual conflict that arose not only in him but in his people as well. The horrible realities of the erasure of Mayan culture and the violence it sparked were artfully depicted here. The often difficult journey between the faith one is born into and the faith one is brought into was felt in every agonizing obstacle and choice Diego had to make along the way. His connection to his family and friends in the Mayan people and his admiration for the Church leaders who converted him sparked both intrigue and heartache in the divide between these two peoples, and made for a thought-provoking discussion.

The Verdict

Compelling, engaging, and thoughtful in delivery, author Rickard B. DeMille’s “Black Legend: An Empire Burns” is a must-read historical fiction novel. The twists and turns and the chilling atmosphere that hangs between these characters and the dynamic character arcs and history that are brought to life make this a thrilling historical fiction read that shines a light on a vastly underappreciated moment in history that needs to be recognized. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

About the Author

Rick DeMille was born in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he lived until attending Brigham Young University. After graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Spanish, he became a commissioned officer in the Marine Corps, and spent three years on active duty and three years in the active Reserves.

Then, one day, he wrote a Y2K guide and everything changed. A life-long interest in writing was revived, and that interest became a passion.

Rick wrote everything. Beginning with several short stories, which were published online by websites such as BeWrite.com, won several contests and were eventually placed in an anthology from Magellan Books. From there, he tried his hand at flash fiction and also wrote several screenplays.

His plays placed in the 2005 SouthWest Writer’s competition and in 2010 he placed in the Writers’ Digest screenplay contest, but his passion was still for novelized fiction.

In 2010, he began work on his first novel, HELLFIRE, which, since being released, has been a Top Ten Best Seller in Canada, Australia, Brazil, Germany, and France.

Rick DeMille continues to grow and develop his writing talents and looks forward to all the new projects the future has in store.

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