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J. G. Harlond
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The Chosen Man Kindle Edition

by J. G. Harlond (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 33 ratings
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Book 1 in The Chosen Man Trilogy by award-winning historical crime writer J.G. Harlond
A secret commission, an untrustworthy secret agent.
He can create havoc, and profit by it – but can he escape the consequences?
‘an exciting tale of romance, intrigue, tragedy and murder’ Readers’ Favorite 5*
Rome 1635. As Flanders braces for another long year of war, a Spanish count presents the Vatican with a means of disrupting the Dutch rebels’ booming economy. His plan is brilliant. They just need the right man to implement it. Enter Ludovico da Portovenere, charismatic spice and silk merchant. Intrigued by the commission —and hungry for profit—Ludo sails for Amsterdam.
His voyage is interrupted by a storm that brings him a quick-witted young admirer to use as a spy. Then a pirate raid that brings him a girl, Alina, who won’t go home.
Set in a world of international politics and domestic intrigue, The Chosen Man spins an engrossing tale about the Dutch financial scandal known as tulip mania—and how decisions made in high places can have terrible repercussions on innocent lives.
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  1. Print length
    372 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publication date
    July 29, 2015
  5. File size
    6434 KB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
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Editorial Reviews

Review


Reviewed by Louanne Piccolo for Readers' Favorite
The Chosen Man by JG Harlond is an historical novelset in 17th century Europe during the period known as "Tulip Mania". Tulipbulbs in the Netherlands were fetching incredibly high prices at the time,making many people extremely rich. The story of Ludovico de Portovenere, Marcosand Alina takes place between 1635 and 1637 and leads us in a breathless chasearound Italy, Spain, the Netherlands and England. Spain, no longer able tocontrol the Netherlands, enlists the help of the Vatican to bankrupt the tulipmarket. Ludovico, a charismatic spice merchant, is the perfect agentprovocateur for the job. Fearless and enterprising, he must accomplish hismission despite dangerous encounters with pirates and assassins. Can one mansucceed in manipulating the fall of the successful tulip market?
JG Harlond spins an exciting tale of romance, intrigue, tragedy and murder inThe Chosen Man. The plot is fast paced, the story line is action packed, thetone is amusing, and the characters endearing and larger than life. The ChosenMan made the fall of the tulip market - the first major economic meltdown inhistory - come alive. Although I was transported back to a time of adventureand swashbuckling action on every page, I was also captivated by the loveaffair blooming between Ludo and Alina. The theme of men and women strugglingto survive in a time of war and uncertainty is based in fact, and makes thiscaptivating novel believable and far richer for it. I was delighted to see thatThe Chosen Man is the first book in a trilogy; I'm looking forward to readingthe others!

A compelling adventure with humour and serious implications, filled with believable and complex characters. A Vatican plot to manipulate the political landscape of Europe . . . A story with lessons for the modern world. -- Ann Swinfen, author of the Christoval Alvarez Series, Flood and This Rough Ocean.

The mark of a good book is the sense of loss you feel when you reach the end. I finished The Chosen Man yesterday and I'm still thinking about the characters today! I hope the author does a sequel. The characters are believable, and the plots wound together faultlessly. I was fascinated to learn more about Tulip Mania and the descriptions of the house and staff at Crimphele in Cornwall were perfect. This book would make a very good film. A first class read. -- Ricky Leach, journalist and reporter for SUR in English, Spain.

Fun and full of energy, black comedy abounds. The slow-burning romance between Ludo the loveable rogue, and Alina, the feisty Spanish girl stranded in a foreign country, adds to the enjoyment. An entertaining read.-- Jean Gill author of Song at Dawn series, winner of the Global ebooks award for best Historical Fiction.

The Chosen Man is an ambitious book which takes 17th century characters - from four different European countries - and successfully weaves their lives into a tapestry of political and religious intrigue and drama. (It) has everything: shipwrecks; kidnap; piracy and romance - all set against the well-researched background of the first economic bubble in history. -- Karen Charlton best-selling author of the Detective Lavender series.

About the Author

Secret agents and skulduggery,crime and romance that cross continents
J.G. Harlond(Jane) writes page-turning historical crime fiction. Each story is set against a background of real events involving intrigue and downright wickedness, and shows how decisions made in high places can affect the lives of ordinary people.
For many years Jane worked in International Education, she then gave up a successful and enjoyable career to become a full-time author. After travelling widely, she is now settled in southern Spain

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0130WO43S
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Penmore Press LLC (July 29, 2015)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ July 29, 2015
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 6434 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 372 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 33 ratings

About the author

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J. G. Harlond

J. G. Harlond

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Secret agents, skulduggery, crime and romance . . .

Award-winning member of the British Historical Novel Society, J.G. Harlond (Jane) writes page-turning historical crime stories that weave fictional characters into real events. Jane's books have achieved recognition as Discovered Diamonds (x5), Readers' Favourite 5* (x4), Wishing Shelf Red Ribbon, Author Shout (x2) and Chill With a Book awards.

After travelling widely (she has visited or lived in most of the locations in her novels), Jane is now settled in southern Spain.

Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
4 out of 5
33 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

John H. Manhold
5.0 out of 5 stars 5* For readers designated below.
Reviewed in the United States on June 3, 2019
Verified Purchase
The Chosen Man ISBN: 9781942756057 Penmore Press LLC, an adventure/Romance copyright 2015 and written by J. G. Harlond.
Time and Place: The first half of the seventeenth century was a period of intense political and religious intrigue. The Hapsburg Emperor Ferdinand had vowed to impose Catholicism throughout the empire before his death and was harrying the Spanish monarch, Don Felipe, to regain the Netherlands. Cardinal Richelieu of France signed a treaty with the Dutch, and French ships raided the Spanish galleons as they brought supplies to their troops as they attempted to regain the lost terrain. The Vatican aligned with the side espousing Catholicism, of course, and wide-ranging attacks by the Mediterranean corsairs known as Turks in such places as Cornwall estates in England for plunder and slaves was a constant concern throughout Europe.
Plot: John Hawthorne, a somewhat frail English priest is given the assignment by a conniving Cardinal of the Vatican aligned with Spanish Noblemen to make an offer to the “chosen man” to manipulate the tulip market in Holland so it eventually would collapse. The underlying idea was to take advantage of the “Tulip Mania’ affecting the country by undermining the country’s monetary system, thus a need to curtail funds for continuing war with Spain. “In the 1636 tulip bulbs in Holland were weighed on ‘goldsmiths’ weights but many of the bulbs were worth more than their weight in gold. One Dutch merchant paid 6,650 guilders for a dozen bulbs at a time when 300 guilders would have kept an entire family for a whole year.” The priest finds the ‘chosen’ Ludovico da Portovenere, a large, handsome, competent, purported Genoese Merchant who also appeared to have an unexplained working relationship with the Mediterranean corsairs. The story develops following Ludo’s activities but simultaneously rather equally interspersed with those of several others: Marcos Alexendro, son of a Spanish tavern keeper with ideas and hopes of upward mobility beyond his present station in life; Alina, the oldest daughter of a deceased mother and still living Spanish Grandee father impoverished by his constant attempts to continue court life, has dreams of romantic rescue and return to the life she had known; Sir Geoffrey, owner of the large estate, Crimphele in Cornwall England; Thomas, frail son and close friend of John Hawthorne since childhood who inherits the land. Additional interesting characters that contribute variously to the story include: Crook-back Aggie, the estate’s hunchback (?) cook who has occult powers; Meg, a young maid: Molly, another and sometimes caretaker of the young heir-apparent to the estate with her husband; McNab, the estate’s hired controller who had a hidden dark background and numerous nefarious plans; Elsa, a wealthy widow now enamored of the tulip market, as well as Ludo; and even more characters with still lesser influence on the plot, or rather, intermingled plots.

Discussion: This is a tale consisting actually of quite complicatedly interwoven plots with a large number of characters. They are wrapped together in a manner that provides details of a most fascinating occurrence in history in just as fascinating and chaotic period of world turmoil. If the prospective reader is interested if fictionalized history with action and romance thrown in, this book is for you.
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Purple
4.0 out of 5 stars Well written historical fiction with memorable characters and an intriguing plot
Reviewed in the United States on June 6, 2019
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Very well written historical fiction of the finest kind. This is an intricate tale with many differing threads to keep up with. Slow at the beginning, the story picks up steam as the characters separate to follow differing paths. A fascinating read of a time in history with which I was completely unfamiliar - tulips were apparently highly sought after and extremely valuable in the 1630s. This is the underpinning of the story but not at all the only thing going on. Well worth the read for fans of historical fiction.
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Réal Laplaine
5.0 out of 5 stars A tale of intrigue, adventure and romance
Reviewed in the United States on May 1, 2020
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The Chosen Man, by J.G. Harlond, is the kind of book you immerse yourself into at night, allowing the author to take you back to a little known period in the 1600's Europe. The story centers on Ludovico, an Italian merchant, a daring man who travels dangerous routes in search of new cargos to sell on the European market, in fact, somewhat reminiscent of Marco Polo. In this story, Ludo has entered the burgeoning tulip trade which has sparked into a wildfire in the Netherlands. He is approached by officials in Spain, who are fighting to regain control of territory under Dutch rule, and to this end, they want him to help break the back of financial stability in the Netherlands by manipulating and sabotaging the tulip trade there - the new backbone of that area. Ludo, while principled in some respects, is in it for the money and he sees an opportunity and so grasps it. It is a deal laced with great suspicion and dangers. In his travels he comes across a young lady, Alina, whom he saves from slavery at the hands of people who would sell her into sexual bondage, and arranges a new and respectable marriage for her - but in his heart, he discovers that he is in love with her. Therein begins the convolutions, twists and turns, the intrigue, the romance and adventures. Most striking about this book, I find, is the historical tidbits it provides, an insight into a time during the 1600s when a simple flower changed a world. Moreover, the style and elegance of writing is noteworthy. This is an author with a wonderful and powerful ability to conjure up a story through words. It's not a fast-paced book, but a steady one, that keeps you reading to the end, and it is the first in a trilogy, which makes you want to know what new adventures await Ludovico in the books to come.
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Katherine
4.0 out of 5 stars Intriguing Historical Novel
Reviewed in the United States on July 31, 2019
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The Chosen Man takes the real life Dutch historical Tulip Mania and spins a tale of lies, betrayal, mystery, action and romance that reaches everyone from the Pope to a townswoman. The novel seems well researched without being too factual and the characters seem to fit in the time period very well. While historical novels are not typically my favorite, this one captured my interest (I love a good romance plot line) and I’m glad I read it.
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Jan Hart
5.0 out of 5 stars Superbly written - with a captivating plot
Reviewed in the United States on June 10, 2019
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Having spent a number of years in The Netherlands and with a penchant for historical novels, this was a novel I had to add to me weekly book reads. And a good choice it turned out to be.
This is superbly written, with a richness of words, captivating plot, and impressive knowledge of the period (well, at least to me). For those having lived or studied in Holland with an interest in it’s history, this is a must..
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Top reviews from other countries

Bob Harlond
5.0 out of 5 stars Proud of my cousin for writing such excellent and eloquent words
Reviewed in Canada on August 22, 2016
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Riveting reading. Proud of my cousin for writing such excellent and eloquent words. Heres to the next one. Well done Jane!!!
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Susanna
5.0 out of 5 stars An Ambitious Book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 4, 2013
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'The Chosen Man' is an ambitious book which takes 17th century characters - from four different European countries - and successfully weaves their lives into a tapestry of political and religious intrigue and drama. 'The Chosen Man' has everything: shipwrecks; kidnap; piracy and romance - all set against the well-researched background of the first Stock Market crash in history. Once the characters had stopped travelling and settled down into their allotted roles, I loved it. Harlond brilliantly evokes both the buzzing commercial excitement and culture of the Dutch capital - and the gentle beauty and slow rhythm of a remote Cornish baronial estate. Yet menace lurks beneath the surface even in this rural idyll. I cared deeply about all the characters and the sinister undertones of both locations were well-sustained, ensuring I came back to the book quickly to check they all survived.

Harlond is also ambitious in the theme of romance. Never mind a love-triangle, this was a love quartet. Alina's dilemma kept us on our toes right until the last page. Which one of those three distinctive male characters will the independent Alina choose? Her gentle, aristocratic, yet sickly husband? Marco, the attractive, self-made fellow Spaniard who has always loved her? Or Ludo? Ludo the Italian pirate; Ludo the con man. The bad-boy who lives by his wits, manipulates the Dutch and turns the European balance of power on its head, while side-stepping assassination attempts like we would dodge traffic.

A satisfying ending which demands a sequel.
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cath haye
4.0 out of 5 stars Definitely a page turner
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 25, 2017
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Definitely a page turner. A rollicking enjoyable panorama of the 1630s. 5 stars for characterization and probability. I could see these things happening to these people in those times. My only quibble is that it moved just a little too fast for me and I felt that some key events needed filling out. That said, I look forward to following Ludo's adventures.
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Sarah Harrison
5.0 out of 5 stars Accomplished writer - great read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 7, 2012
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J G Harlond is a real find. The Chosen Man is a debut novel with everything going for it: a cracking story centred on an intriguing and charismatic hero...historical research that's thorough but lightly worn...a thrilling and pleasingly un-tricksy narrative...and a writing style that pleases without setting out to impress.
This book is both generous and traditional, in a good way - that is, the author wants to pull you in and entertain you. And succeeds, in this reader's case, triumphantly.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed there will be more
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Ms Siobhan L Stewart
4.0 out of 5 stars Wide ranging novel around ‘Tulip Fever’ in 1620s.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 26, 2018
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Interesting take on politics and diplomacy in the Thirty Years War. The main action takes place in Cornwall rather than in Spain. Again, this gives some useful insights into the attitudes of the English Catholic community under Charles 1.
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