I have a new guest author on my blog. Justin Newland published his historical fiction novel The Mark of Salamander (Book 1 in The Island of Angels series) in October 2023. Today, he’s talking about his research and historical data behind the novel.
Guest Post
My historical fiction novel, The Mark of the Salamander, was published in October 2023. It’s the first in a two-book series, The Island of Angels, which tells the epic story and secret history of England’s coming of age during the Elizabethan era. Book two is out in October, 2024, and is entitled The Midnight of Eights.
This post explores the some of the unwritten story of Sir Francis Drake’s voyage around the world, which features in the novel. It’s unwritten because Drake was only the second person who achieved this extraordinary feat of seamanship.
The Nao Victoria
The first was Ferdinand Magellan, who achieved the same feat between 1519 and 1522. The main ship in Magellan’s fleet was the Nao Victoria or the Victory in English.
When Drake set about designing his command ship, where did he look for a template? The obvious thing to do was to base his design on one that had worked before – namely, that of the Nao Victoria (see image of the replica of the ship).
Drake set sail from Plymouth Hoe in December 1577 with a fleet of five ships. Whereas today, a ship navigates using modern satellite technology, Drake had none of that. So how did he navigate the world’s oceans, when he, nor any other Englishman before him, had ever done so?
Drake had access to a rudimentary globe provided, by the Flemish cartographer, Abraham Ortelius.
Rudimentary globe by the Flemish cartographer, Abraham Ortelius.
It shows the general lay of the land and the sea, but in itself would not be much use in navigating say, the treacherous seas of the Straights of Magellan.
He needed specific information about the sea currents and the winds, the lay of the shores and the weather patterns.
He did have some technological help, in the form of the astrolabe, which was used for making astronomical measurements for navigation.
Astrolabe
The planisphere astrolabe was used to calculate the position of the sun and prominent stars with respect to both the horizon and meridian.
But only Magellan had sailed that way around the globe before him, so how could Drake know how to navigate the world’s ocean? Well, he tapped into local knowledge, namely that provided by local pilots. A standard practice at the time was to beg, borrow or steal – depending on which way you look at it – the pilots from the local fishing vessels the fleet encountered. One of them was a man named Nuno da Silva, whose prolific local knowledge helped Drake sail across the South Atlantic from Africa to South America.
Remember as well that this was a time of high religious morals and profound belief in the intervention of the Almighty in affairs of the day. In other words, people were superstitious, and none more so than sailors.
Drake was effectively leading his 164 men and boys in the crew into the unknown, albeit the known unknown. Yes, he had some technological help, the astrolabe and the globe, the pilots and his own skills of seamanship. But he also relied on those that knew the way, and that had travelled the course before. No, not just the pilots, but the sea birds and the fish. Those creatures knew instinctively how to get the assistance of a tail wind, and the benefit of a sea current pushing them forward. I imagined that Drake did the same – and followed the flocks of sea birds and shoals of fish as they crossed from one continent to the other.
This is how I imagined Drake achieved this incredible feat, and one that could be said to have changed the course of English history.
About the Book
The Island of Angels Series, Book 1
Genre: Historical Fiction
Date Published: October 2023
Publisher: The Book Guild
1575
Nelan Michaels is a young Flemish man fleeing religious persecution in the Spanish Netherlands. Settling in Mortlake outside London, he studies under Queen Elizabeth’s court astrologer, conjuring a bright future – until he’s wrongly accused of murder.
Forced into the life of a fugitive, Nelan hides in London, before he is dramatically pressed into the crew of the Golden Hind.
Thrust into a strange new world on board Francis Drake’s vessel, Nelan sails the seas on a voyage to discover discovery itself. Encountering mutiny, ancient tribes and hordes of treasure, Nelan must explore and master his own mystical powers – including the Mark of the Salamander, the mysterious spirit of fire.
THE MARK OF THE SALAMANDER is the first in The Island of Angels series: a two-book saga that tells the epic story and secret history of England’s coming of age during the Elizabethan era.
About the Author
Undeterred by the award of a Doctorate in Mathematics from Imperial College, London, he conceived his debut novel, The Genes of Isis (Matador, 2018), an epic fantasy set under Ancient Egyptian skies.
His second book is a historical thriller, The Old Dragon’s Head (Matador, 2018), and is set in Ming Dynasty China in the shadows of the Great Wall.
His third, The Coronation (Matador, 2019), is another historical adventure and speculates on the genesis of the most important event in the modern world – the Industrial Revolution.
The Abdication ( Matador, 2021) is a mystery thriller in which a young woman confronts her faith in a higher purpose and what it means to abdicate that faith.
His latest is The Mark of the Salamander (Book Guild, 2023) and is the first in a two-book series, The Island of Angels. Set in the Elizabethan era, it tells the epic tale of England’s coming of age.
The second in the series, The Midnight of Eights, charts of the uncanny coincidences that culminated in the repulse of the Spanish Armada and is due to be published later this year.
Author, speaker and broadcaster, Justin appears on LitFest panels, gives talks to historical associations and libraries and enjoys giving radio interviews.
He lives with his partner in plain sight of the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England.
Contact Links
Website: https://www.justinnewland.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/justin.newland.author/
Twitter: @JustinNewland53
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/jnewland
Pinterest: @jnewland0711
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjustinnewland/
Purchase Link
https://mybook.to/MarkofSalamander
Giveaway
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