Customer Reviews

The Cartographer ~ 1492

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Maybe because also in 1492 - There was the Spanish Inquisition, Christians burning at the stake, Moslems and Jews being expelled from their homelands in Spain.

No history book ever mentioned Columbus' spirituality - why? Was he hiding a secret that the world is just now discovering? This historical fiction begs that question... using his private journal and understanding the political environment he was forced to deal in, author Othniel Seiden paints a picture of intrigue surrounding Christopher Colombus as has never been seen before...

This historical fiction novel is set in ancient Spain during the time of the Inquisition and the dark ages, one Don Jacob Duponte (fictional) was falling in love and enjoying his career and travels as a cartographer. Unbeknownst to him, someone called him a heretic and in those days, that is all it took to have someone thrown into a torture chamber or worse all in the name of the Inquisition.

Don Jacob was rescued because of his talents as a cartographer by the explorer Christopher Columbus, who at the time of their meeting was still trying to get Queen Isabella of Spain to finance a journey across the Atlantic.

Thrown then into intrique and a secret world where one's personal spirituality had to be kept hidden for fear of the Inquisition, Don Jacob found himself protecting secret Jews; Jewish people who had to keep their faith and their heritage totally secret.

The adventure unfolds right from the pages of Columbus' own journal - with these amazing characters woven in.

This novel takes the reader aboard the Santa Maria to experience the superstition of the crew and the hope of the man in charge. It takes the reader to the shores of the new world where they were warmly greeted and told of vast treasures.

Then sailing back across the sea, through storms that should have killed all on board.

The writing is exquisite. The adventure is captivating. The story is based on fact. The humanity of these explorers and their loved ones is compelling!

On the pages of this book unfolds an adventure where the characters are crisp, real and well defined and in the case of Christopher Colombus - legendary.

In the history books, we learn mostly of the voyage itself, but not too much attention played out on what was happening culturally around the events. The Inquisition and persecution of Christians was constant. This historical novel is based upon Christopher Colombus' private journal.

Reading between the lines of the journal, the author Othniel Seiden sees a pattern of spiritual practice that has never been discussed about Columbus and one that might shed a new and deeper dimension on this historical figure and the times he lived in.

It was a great read and a fascinating subject!

As an historical fiction buff, I'm glad to see someone is writing good historical novels. I hope Mr. Seiden continues along the path of this book with meticulous research and weaving in a love story, intrigue, adventure and of course, historical events. I can hardly wait to read his next masterpiece.

The first Columbus voyage was described so clearly, you really felt like you were there and gratefully so, because the struggle to just get the ships was so trying. This gives the reader a perspective into Columbus that doesn't exist in the history books - perhaps because it is too controversial. Who cares - I loved it!!! You will too. Great book!

I wrote The Cartographer when a chapter research for another Jewish historical novel I was writing, "Seed of Avraham," grabbed me and wouldn't let go. It was while researching the Spanish Inquisition chapter of "Avraham" that I became fascinated with a few surprising facts.

First was the fact that the majority of the people burned at the stake were Christians, for only Christians could be charged as being heretics by the inquisitors. All that it took to be arrested was for an enemy of yours to accuse you.

Secondly, because the Inquisitors had no power to put Jews or Muslims to the stake, they had them expelled from Spain. On August 2nd, 1492 all Jews had to be out of Spain, and that was the exact date Columbus chose to set sail for China to the West. Coincidence? Not at all.

There is compelling evidence that Columbus might have been a "Secret Jew" and that he chose this day to leave along with his co-religionists. Both The Cartographer and this period of history are full of intrigue, romance, and church politics.

I found myself compelled to write the story of the 'real' Christopher Columbus.

There have been numerous debates over the validity and history of Christopher Columbus. Othniel Seiden writes in such a way that it offers a very compelling and fresh angle to this world explorer. I recommend this book to anyone with a love for history and exploration.

I really didn't like this book. The author spent a lot of time on the years leading up to the voyage, which
I wasn't expecting, and the romantic parts were very much like a Harlequin romance novel. It wasn't as well written as I had been led to believe and I found a lot of it,actually, to be fairly poorly written.
At times I felt like I was reading a high schoolers paper. Also, there were a tremendous amount of typos in
the book which I realize is not the author's fault, but come on!!
I do feel like a learned a little about the voyage, but I have read a lot of historical novels, and this one just
does not measure up to most.