An unforgettable story of love, passion, and resistance that follows a brave woman from a small Greek village who finds herself swept up in the long and storied history of her island—and its far-reaching impact on the world itself.
Chania, Crete; 1941.
When mainland Greece falls to the Germans after incredible and heroic resistance, the Greek government flees south to Crete: an ancient island of Gods and Kings, and Myths and Minotaurs.
Maria is a villager whose husband has been away fighting with the Greek army, and after she finds a British soldier that washes up on a secluded beach near her home, and helps nurse him back to health, the Germans then turn south and invade Crete, too.
Occupation, tragedy, and betrayal follow. The lives of Maria and her family change in an instant and she finds herself in a role she never thought she'd have to play—and one that generations of Cretans have had to assume before her.
Steeped in history and filled with unforgettable characters, Island of Ghosts and Dreams is a profoundly moving and decades-spanning tale of passion, honor, family, the great and enduring sacrifices all generations must make for freedom, and our sacred and immortal obligation to follow the strength and power of our heart, no matter where it might lead us.
Who are we? Why are we here? And what's our purpose?
When the first woman wakes up in a field, these are the questions she asks, and begins to search for answers to in the vast new world that's been created for her. When she meets the first man, and they begin to build a life together through the guidance of those that watch over them, the questions become more urgent as betrayal and temptation intrude on peace, conflict comes to Heaven and those above, and love in all its many forms and functions is tested, both above and in Creation.
Compassionately and eloquently narrated by an unnamed angel who goes on to become the world's first guardian angel, this is a bold and provocative portrayal of our first hours that's only been hinted at in ancient texts, as it follows the early life of the first woman and man, and portrays her as the hero of our origin, rather than the opposite of that.
Fresh, original, and fearless in its storytelling, The Rise is a timeless story of Angels and God, Heaven and Earth, Humans and their Nature, and a profound and thought-provoking exploration of the world's first, greatest, and most enduring love story.
A boy who was never meant to be king, a horizon waiting to be explored, a love and legend that moved and created worlds, and has been erased... until now.
Pella, Greece; 341 B.C.
Alexandros is a middle child caught between two warring spouses, born to both a king and queen, but never meant to rule himself. When a mysterious young man arrives from the north, fleeing his own family, and meets Alexandros in a garden in the Macedonian capital, the bond that's created between them will soon become unbreakable and ultimately define both the direction of the Ancient World, and ours.
For fans of The Song of Achilles and Madeline Miller, Young Conquerors is a novel of the vast mysteries of the human heart that gives two of the most important figures in history the love story they deserve and shows how Alexandros, later called "the Great," was shaped, formed, and ultimately turned into the man who would go on to become the greatest conqueror and visionary the world had ever seen, all told through the eyes of the one he loved, and who knew him best.
A beautiful, sweeping, epic, and breathtaking novel from a new and important voice in Greek fiction, this is an intimate and vivid portrait of two of the most famous young men in history as they've never been seen before: caught between youthful ambition and eternal love, and on the precipice of changing the world.
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As World War II intrudes upon their home, three young friends risk everything for freedom, love, and a chance at a better life.
On October 28th, 1940, Mussolini provides Greek Prime Minister Ioannis Metaxas with an ultimatum: either allow Axis forces to occupy their country, or face war, and Greece’s response is swift. “Oxi!” they say. “No!”
In a small village nestled against the radiant waters of the Aegean Sea, we find Alexei, the son of a local fisherman, and his best friend Costa, who were both born on the same night eighteen years earlier and have been like brothers ever since, though now, like all the other young men in their village and throughout Greece they will leave their homes to bravely fight for their country.
But before they go, Alexei asks Philia, the girl that he’s loved his entire life, to marry him, which sets into motion the events which will change the lives of these three and their family and friends forever, and begins an epic and unforgettable story of courage, survival, sacrifice, the strength of the human spirit, and of a love and friendship that will echo across time and generations.
A spellbinding novel and sweeping romance that performs the remarkable feat of creating action-packed scenes, characters that we care deeply about, and revealing in vivid detail the untold story of how Greece helped the Allies to win World War II, and the brave men and women who fought for their country, for each other, and for freedom.
“Island of Ghosts and Dreams is a sweeping story of love and resistance, spanning two generations and capturing the fierce spirit of Crete during the German occupation. History, passion and sacrifice are bound together by the unbreakable will to be free. From the ashes of this war rises a love as timeless as the island itself. A beautiful and poignant must read."
-- Liv Constantine, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Mrs. Parrish
"An epic tale of resilience, passion, and promise, Island of Ghosts and Dreams transports readers to a small Cretan village in the 1940’s and deftly weaves together threads of hope, inspiration, and unflinching love into a stunning illustration of how tragedy can transform us into our best and bravest self.”
― Lori Nelson Spielman, New York Times bestselling author of The Life List
“Set in Crete during WWII and beyond, Island of Ghosts and Dreams is a compelling story of occupation, resistance, and the inescapability of history, exploring the links between beauty and despair, loyalty and betrayal, and loss and reclamation. Christopher Cosmos has a keen, tender eye for the way memory and trauma mark a landscape, for the dramatic complications of refusal and revenge, and for the deep emotional complexity of a life and the quiet power of the stories we tell. Island of Ghosts and Dreams will surprise you at every turn."
-- Natalie Bakopoulos, author of The Green Shore, Scorpionfish, and Archipelago
“Wonderful book. Echoes of ancient times: the love of Greece, the love of love, it all shines against the backdrop of war. Beautiful and savage. I loved it."
-- Conn Iggulden, New York Times bestselling author of the Emperor and Conqueror series
"Rich in historical detail and finely nuanced characters, Island of Ghosts and Dreams is a beautifully written and magnificent novel. Once again, Christopher Cosmos brings to light an important and mostly forgotten moment in history by crafting an evocative and transportive story that you won't want to put down and won't want to end. Highly recommended."
― Yvette Manessis Corporon, international bestselling author of Daughter of Ruins
"Among the many World War II books written lately, this one stands out -- and not only because the fiercest warrior is a woman. Valor runs deep in the characters who populate this book, though they are outnumbered and underequipped, because they're fighting on home turf. And wow is the sense of place strong in this story. Action sequences are as swashbuckling as any movie, the landscape is vivid on every page, and the cost of war is enumerated in lives lost among characters we've come to love. A fast and satisfying read."
-- Stephen P. Kiernan, author of The Glass Chateau
"Winston Churchill said that Greeks don't fight like heroes, but heroes fight like Greeks, and this story proves it; a stunning literary debut about legacy and history, war and peace, fate and destiny, the power of family and stories, and how young love can still shine and endure, even in the face of the greatest evils, and long after we're gone."
—Steven Pressfield, bestselling author of Gates of Fire and The Legend of Bagger Vance
“Once We Were Here is a modern epic, surging with the lifeblood of Greece and her proud history. Beautiful, tragic, and achingly lovely, this story of heroism, survival, and homeland captured my heart."
—Victoria Aveyard, #1 NYT bestselling author of the Red Queen series
“This stirring debut by Christopher Cosmos examines the enduring costs of love and war, and the way family stories--even buried ones--set the course for generations to come. Cosmos is deeply committed not only to his characters and their harrowing experiences, but also to sharing, with insight and empathy, Greece’s powerful and often heartbreaking history.”
—Paula McLain, author of The Paris Wife and Love and Ruin
“Christopher Cosmos gives the reader a front-row seat to six pivotal months in the history of Greece, and the world. Full of both heroics and disasters, Once We Were Here shines a vivid light on the human costs of war, and how we inherit family legacies of love, sacrifice, and secrets."
—Caitlin Horrocks, author of The Vexations