Crescent Tides

Author: J. Aaron Gruben
Genre: Historical Fiction

An alternate history time travel tale! Dr. Calvin Schmitt, a burned-out veterinarian with a long neglected interest in medieval history, is accidentally whisked back to 16th century Mediterranean. Or was it an accident? Cal and his friends are suddenly the major obstacle in the wild scheme of an enigmatic villain intent on changing the world, and must decide if preserving the future they once knew is worth risking their lives in the past. Within these pages you will find carefully researched historical facts centered around the pivotal Battle of Lepanto, combined with speculative science fiction, philosophical discussion, relevant debate about the religious wars between the east and west, quirky humor, and page-turning storytelling.

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Reviewer: Camille Murray

I don’t say this often, but I’m saying it now: this book has made my top ten favorite books ever list. J. Aaron Gruben amazed and delighted me with his masterful blend of historical fiction and scifi. The cultural details were vivid, the characters diverse, and the emotional impact powerful.

Probably my favorite aspect of Crescent Tides, however, was that Gruben deals with philosophical, religious, and political topics between the modern era and medieval times, and he does it in a way that it really flows right out of the story itself.

Over all, this is one of the best historical fiction books I’ve ever read, and beyond a few typos I don’t think I would change anything. Please, please tell me there will be more books by this author!

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Reviewer: Olivia R.

I've never read a book like this one! Calvin's first scene immediately pulled me in. There were loads of intriguing and suspenseful scenes. I really enjoyed the drawn illustrations throughout, as well as several unique characters! I'm not usually a fan of time travel books, but this one was interesting and the Christian message strong. Just think...what if history could be changed?

I found a lot throughout this book that I just couldn't concentrate, especially with the historical details. The general details of events and circumstances seemed almost too much at times, and toward the end several POVs were brought in that made the scenes a little scattered. There were a few grammatical errors and I found a lot of sentences put in parentheses rather distracting.

This book made me consider a lot of things, and I commend the author for writing such a full book. If you like time travel stories, with intriguing twists, this one is for you!

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