Praying Nun
Shipwreck Saga Book 1
Michael Smorenburg
Historical Thriller
uncharted shipwreck, the mysteries she hides, and the brutalized
souls who suffered her holds.
1985 two divers discovered an ancient uncharted shipwreck off South
Africa’s Cape of Storms. Salvaging the wreck only inflames the enigma
with the trail of secrets compounding and the wreck refusing to yield
her identity. Countless vessels, some crammed with bullion, have
joined this ship graveyard over the centuries, but what sort of
galleon was this, leaving only cannon, cannon balls and scant few
clues behind? Three decades pass before the Smithsonian of Washington
solves the riddle.
1794 on the fevered coast of Mozambique. Chikunda and his wife Mkiwa,
stripped naked and shackled, are heaved aboard the São José de
Africa. Only a miracle may save them from the horrors below deck
where more than 400 fellow slaves are crammed. But nobody can guess
what fate has in store.
you’re a Wilbur Smith or Clive Cussler fan, you will be riveted by
this fact-inspired fictionalized tale by Michael Smorenburg, based as
it is by personal experience, extensive research and the legacy of
artifacts salvaged from the São José de Africa. Pick it up now to
go on the adventure of a lifetime.
Reckoning
Shipwreck Saga Book 2
slave evades re-capture after his slave ship is wrecked at the
treacherous Cape of Good Hope, only to face handing himself over when
his wife goes missing with the man who rescued them. A tale of hope,
fear and most of all, the yearning for freedom.
1794 and the slave trade is at its ugly peak. When the Portuguese
slave ship Sao
Jose Paquete de Africa shipwrecks
at the Cape of Good Hope, only two hundred of the four hundred slaves
aboard survive.
and his pregnant wife evade re-capture only to face the impassable
cliffs of Table Mountain. With the wild South Atlantic at their
backs, Cape Town’s gallows and whipping post to the north, the
British garrison blocking escape to the south, and dangers of an
untamed African coast to the east of a vast mountain range, escape
seems impossible.
Chikunda’s wife goes missing, he has a monumental choice to make.
Pick up The Reckoning now and lose yourself in a world you never
could have imagined, a world where freedom slips ever more out of a
man’s grasp.
The Praying Nun – A Slave Saga Book 1 by Michael Smorenburg
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.
First of all, there are a few words in the first part of the book that may bother more sensitive readers. Personally, I was not truly offended. Also, this book is historical fiction, easy to read, and is divided into two parts. The first part is actually a completely true story, but the second part is fictionalized. There are some disturbing parts in the second part that may be difficult to read as the reader is given a bird’s eye view into how slaves were treated.
I genuinely enjoyed the second part of the book much more than the first part. I understand and appreciate that the first part had to be written in order to set up the story, and that part was certainly written well enough. I was interested, but for me, part two was the reason I chose to read the book. Part two did not disappoint. I found myself horrified as I read how these slaves were treated on the slave ship way back when. I will never understand how one human being can treat another human being that way.
The third part of the book contained some fabulous historical details and links. The author definitely knows his stuff, and I could easily get lost in everything that was written in that third part. Knowing that there was an actual slave ship that sank and was later discovered and somewhat pillaged is an intriguing part of this book.
Smorenburg (b. 1964) grew up in Cape Town, South Africa. An
entrepreneur with a passion for marketing, in 1995 Michael moved to
California where he founded a business consultancy and online media
and marketing engine in the burgeoning internet. In 2003 he returned
to South Africa where he launched a security company. In 2015 he
divested of the business to write full time. Michael’s greatest love
is the ocean, keeping up with the latest breakthroughs in science,
understanding the cosmos and sharing all he learns.
the tour HERE
for exclusive excerpts, guest posts and a giveaway!
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2 Comments
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The cover looks very interesting.
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“The Praying Nun” is my favorite cover. This series sounds exciting and interesting.
Marilyn
