Order of Darkness- Stormbringers

Luca is an inquisitor for the church. He is tasked with riding through towns and finding signs of the apocalypse and report to Rome. He is accompanied by his childhood friend, Frieze, Brother Peter and two young women- Isolde- on a mission to find her godfather and get his help and her servant Ishraq- a muslim girl of great learning. Feelings between the two couples are heating up. Luca, tied by his vows to the church is reluctant to give Isolde any hope for a future together. Frieze, who wears his heart on his sleeve, will promise the world to Ishraq. As the travels come upon a group of children making their way to Jerusalem, they are stunned by the leader of the children Johann, who seems to be talking to God. When a tidal wave hits the town, all their faith is tested. And when a mysterious Ottoman slave ship appears in town, captained by the glamorous and handsome Radu Bey, the travelers are drawn even further into the web of mysteries. Philippa Gregory writes amazing historical fiction for adults and she has taken her love of history and created a fascinating young adult series. This is book two with more to follow as our group of young adults heads to Venice to find the source of some interesting gold. The story is infused with questions of learning- mainly if girls should be educated and the vast knowledge the Ottomans had that the others didn't. It also has great moments of humor thanks to the character of Frieze. I look forward to their time in Venice, one of my favorite settings for stories. Happy reading my friends!