“Selene of Alexandria is pure fiction magic.”
—Story Circle Book Reviews

“…readers will be captivated.”
—Historical Novel Society

“This is a ‘must-have’ for you readers out there.”
—BookPleasures.com

“This book is outstanding, not just for a first novel, but for any novel.”
—Lacuna: Journal of Historical Fiction

“Selene of Alexandria does what historical fiction does best—weave historical fact, real-life historical figures, and attention to detail with page-turning, plot-driven fiction.”
—The Copperfield Review

SELENE of Alexandria

by Faith L. Justice

Set in AD 412 Alexandria, Egypt and based on historical events, this story of ambition, love and political murder brings to life colorful characters and an exotic time and place. SELENE is bright, impulsive, stubborn, and a little spoiled by her father, a city councilor. Since her mother’s death, she longs to become a physician—an impossible dream for rich Christian girls who never engage in a profession. But Selene perseveres and gains a powerful champion—HYPATIA, the renowned mathematician and Lady Philosopher of Alexandria.

The old Christian Patriarch dies and the city splits in support of two candidates. After days of rioting, CYRIL, is proclaimed Patriarch and sets about consolidating the Christian sects and purging Alexandria of pagans and Jews. ORESTES, the new Augustal Prefect, struggles to keep the peace and also seeks the advice of Hypatia. He finds her a woman of enormous personal charm and astute political insight and places her first among his advisors, to the humiliation of the new Patriarch. These events set the stage for a contest of wills between Church and Empire.

Selene struggles in her new life. Under Hypatia’s guidance, she takes classes and apprentices in medicine. She gives up security and the love a young man for the danger of poor neighborhoods and the hostility of her classmates. It’s not long before Selene and Hypatia are unwittingly drawn into the deadly rivalry between Cyril and Orestes. Selene comes of age amidst riot, plague and political intrigue, but will she survive the consequences of her own ambitions and impulsive actions?

Additonal information on SELENE OF ALEXANDRIA.

Ebook available in Kindle (US, UK, Germany), Nook, iPad, Sony Reader and all other eBook formats.

Pbook at Amazon (US, UK, Canada, Germany),  Barnes and Noble, Booklocker and all bookstores.

View book trailer here.

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About the author:

Faith L. Justice, a science geek and history junkie, has worked as a lifeguard, paralegal, systems analyst, human resources executive, college professor, freelance writer and novelist. It’s not that she can’t keep a job; it’s that there always seems to be something new to learn.  She writes in her historic land-marked home “The Suffragette House” in Brooklyn, New York where she lives with her husband, daughter and the required gaggle of cats.  For fun, Faith likes to dig in the dirt—her garden and various archaeological sites.

Faith’s award-winning short stories and poems have appeared in such publications as Alternate Realities, The Copperfield Review and Beyond Science Fiction and Fantasy.  She’s published over fifty articles in venues such as Salon.com, Writer’s Digest (cover article,) The Writer and Bygone Days. She’s completed a second book, Twilight Empress: A Novel of Imperial Rome; and is working on two new novels—both set in the time of Imperial Rome and featuring strong female protagonists. Check out Faith’s blog Historian’s Notebook for “History in the News,” book reviews, “reel vs. real” essays on historical movies, interviews with authors, book giveaways and much more. You can read sample chapters, short stories, interviews with award-winning authors and more at Faith’s website.