“The dean of alternate historians” (Booklist),Harry Turtledove envisioned a Confederate victory inThe Guns of the South and an American revolution thatnever happened in The Two Georges. Now the bestsellingmaster brilliantly reimagines what was to be–or not
to be-in Shakespeare’s time….
The year is 1597. For nearly a decade, the island of Britainhas been under the rule of King Philip in the name of Spain.The citizenry live under an enforced curfew-and in fear of
the Inquisition’s agents, who put heretics to the torch inpublic displays. And with Queen Elizabeth imprisoned inthe Tower of London, the British have no one to unite themagainst the enemy who occupies their land.
William Shakespeare has no interest in politics. His passion isthe theatre, where his words bring laughter and tears to apopulace afraid to speak out against the tyranny of the
Spanish crown. But now Shakespeare is given an opportunityto pen his greatest work-a drama that will incite the peopleof Britain to rise against their persecutors and change the
course of history….
“An intricate and thoroughly engrossing portrait of an
era, a theatrical tradition, a heroic band of English
brothers, and their sneering overlords.”
-Publishers Weekly (starred review)