The Third Book of Samuel

The 16th Century was an intriguing time in which large changes occurred in Western Europe. Martin Luther published his religious theses, principally against church indulgences, and the Roman Catholic Church lost a large part of its membership to what became the protestant Lutheran/Calvinist sect. Nations were divided and wars took place over the separation. Even secular culture changed. Printing had been invented so that people could read the opinions of others -- a very dangerous concept. Far away lands had been explored by enquiring sailors and in the east the Spice Islands were in full swing while the Americas had been discovered and even populated. Printing and travel, both opened people's minds to the wider world and to its variety. Trade expanded across the globe. What had been a trickle of goods from China to Europe through Venice became a flood of new goods brought under Portuguese and Dutch flags through Lisbon, Amsterdam and Antwerp. No longer were people confined to their homes and towns by servitude. Moreover, if they could not afford to travel at least they could dream of other worlds through the talk and tales of travellers. And the tastes of other lands came to their own markets: potatoes and tomatoes had just been introduced. This story explores the possible adventures of one young man, Samuel, poised on the edge of this change, who sought something different. He is a composite of people of his age. He meets people of all types, some good, some bad and some downright evil. The story is placed in the middle-to-late 16th Century and complies mostly with historical fact. Some small liberties are taken with dates and ages in order for the tale to include most of the important changes to people's lives in that century, so this is not a historical reference. It is intended to be an enjoyable tale, historical fiction, which could lead the reader to investigate the 16th Century and find that it is vastly more intriguing than even this story shows.