About the Book
Constantine
Some lives are too extraordinary to remain buried by history. Constantine Phaulkon lived one of those lives.
A Greek boy who watched pirates murder his parents. A penniless teenager who fled his shattered island in a small boat with nothing but a sword and a few coins. A young man who talked his way into the mighty East India Company and learned the trader’s art from masters. And finally, a trusted advisor who rose to become the second most powerful man in the Kingdom of Siam, serving alongside King Narai himself.
Spanning three continents and five decades, Constantine sweeps readers from the blood-soaked shores of Cephalonia to the bustling docks of London, from the spice markets of Mombasa to the jeweled palaces of India, and finally to the golden temples of Siam. Along the way, pirates attack, corsairs battle, and a forbidden love story unfolds between Constantine and Maria, the Japanese Portuguese woman who followed him across the world.
At its heart, this novel carries a message that resonates powerfully today. Constantine succeeded not by demanding that others change, but by adapting himself. He learned languages, honored foreign customs, and served faithfully until jealousy and political intrigue destroyed him. His story reminds us that love, loyalty, and intelligence can transcend borders, even when power built on royal favor proves fragile.
Mike Holt’s prose carries the rhythm of a master storyteller who has lived the journey he describes. His sentences breathe with authenticity, balancing heart-pounding action with quiet emotional depth. Readers can smell the spices in Mombasa markets, feel the oppressive heat of the Siamese sun, and hear the whispers of court intrigue. Having spent thirty years in Thailand and traveled extensively across Asia, Holt brings sensory details to every page that no library research could ever provide.
This book will transport historical fiction lovers who crave richly detailed settings. It will thrill adventure seekers hungry for pirate battles and political conspiracies. It will capture romance readers who believe in love that spans continents. And it will speak to anyone who has ever felt like a stranger in a strange land, reminding them that home can be found anywhere by those with courage enough to seek it.
A Greek boy who watched pirates murder his parents. A penniless teenager who fled his shattered island in a small boat with nothing but a sword and a few coins. A young man who talked his way into the mighty East India Company and learned the trader’s art from masters. And finally, a trusted advisor who rose to become the second most powerful man in the Kingdom of Siam, serving alongside King Narai himself.
Spanning three continents and five decades, Constantine sweeps readers from the blood-soaked shores of Cephalonia to the bustling docks of London, from the spice markets of Mombasa to the jeweled palaces of India, and finally to the golden temples of Siam. Along the way, pirates attack, corsairs battle, and a forbidden love story unfolds between Constantine and Maria, the Japanese Portuguese woman who followed him across the world.
At its heart, this novel carries a message that resonates powerfully today. Constantine succeeded not by demanding that others change, but by adapting himself. He learned languages, honored foreign customs, and served faithfully until jealousy and political intrigue destroyed him. His story reminds us that love, loyalty, and intelligence can transcend borders, even when power built on royal favor proves fragile.
Mike Holt’s prose carries the rhythm of a master storyteller who has lived the journey he describes. His sentences breathe with authenticity, balancing heart-pounding action with quiet emotional depth. Readers can smell the spices in Mombasa markets, feel the oppressive heat of the Siamese sun, and hear the whispers of court intrigue. Having spent thirty years in Thailand and traveled extensively across Asia, Holt brings sensory details to every page that no library research could ever provide.
This book will transport historical fiction lovers who crave richly detailed settings. It will thrill adventure seekers hungry for pirate battles and political conspiracies. It will capture romance readers who believe in love that spans continents. And it will speak to anyone who has ever felt like a stranger in a strange land, reminding them that home can be found anywhere by those with courage enough to seek it.