By Jason Zapata
The war would be decided by the siege of Orléans,
An isolated French bastion along the river Loire.
Sought after by John Plantagenet and his forces,
English usurpers who claimed the French throne. (more…)
Tag: history
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The Siege of Orléans
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I, Dracula: Part Three
By Jason Zapata
There are some divisions no force can reconcile
My presence is a blasphemy the faithful resists
To keep humanity ignorant such evil exists
I dwelled in the Carpathian Mountains in self exile
Power and wealth I began to gradually compile
Plotting a conquest even God could not dismiss
Fulfilling my role as adversary and antithesis
The only purpose I held to be worthwhile
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I, Dracula: Part Two
By Jason Zapata
I ruthlessly sought to end Wallachia’s state of unrest
By enslaving the Boyars who could not escape guilt
Traitors who labored until Poenari’s walls were rebuilt
Because they dared to aid the Ottomans in their conquest
Those slaves who survived were impaled on my behest
On the shores of the Raul Roameni their blood was spilt
Where I had recovered Elisabeta’s body from the silt
With my power secure I began the campaign in Bucharest
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Review of "Rex Mundi: The Guardian of the Temple"
“Rex Mundi: The Guardian of the Temple” written by Arvid Nelson and illustrated by Eric J is an impressive graphic novel. The story takes place in Paris. The year is 1933, but with the backdrop of a revisionist past. Avrid Nelson’s France along with all of Europe is still ruled by monarchies. The Ottoman and Holy Roman empires still exist. Guilds and knightly orders exert influence on society, while sorcery is very real and policed by the Church. All these themes are flawlessly interwoven. Despite the factual and historical differences, the tale feels like it takes place in 1930’s Paris.
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I, Dracula: Part One
By: Jason Zapata
By the Order of The Dragon I was knighted
To defend Wallachia and faithfully support
His holiness Pope Pius II’s crusade to thwart
The Turks who left Constantinople blighted
Crescent moons marked that land as benighted
Many prayed for the fall of the Ottoman Court
I never possessed a tongue for such a resort
Battle was the only psalm I wished recited
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Pillars of the Earth By Ken Follett
Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett is without a doubt one of the most impressive novels I’ve read in a long time. With the background of Medieval Europe, this period specific piece centers on the building of a cathedral in the sleepy village of Kingsbridge. The author does a marvelous job depicting medieval Europe. Readers see the squalor of the peasantry, the barbarity of armored men, and the machinations of the ruling class. The buildings come to life as well. Mr. Follett’s descriptions of the period specific architecture and buildings are very accurate. But what makes this epic so powerful is the cast of memorable characters whose often volatile interactions center on the cathedral’s construction.
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