itibaren Auce Municipality, Letonya itibaren Auce Municipality, Letonya

In many respects Rocamora, Man of Masks is an exceptional historical novel. The story is set against the background of the first half of the seventeen-century Europe (in general) and Spain (in particular). This was the period of the Thirty Years War (1618-1648) with all its savagery. The Spanish and Austro-Hungarian (formerly Holy Roman) Empires, ruled by Hapsburg cousins, were pitted against France, the Netherlands (then the United Provinces), Sweden and the Protestant principalities of Germany. In Spain, weak, vain, petty, bigoted and debauched Philip IV reigned while his favorite, the Count Duke Olivares ruled (for over twenty years before his abrupt and total fall in the book and in fact). Spain and the Hapsburgs were four generations removed from the glory days of Emperor Charles V who ruled both Empires. While still a great power, Spain was no longer the dominant world power. Under Philip IV, Spain was fading and failing inexorably and rapidly under the weight of religious fanaticism, prejudice, bigotry, venality and wholesale corruption of the organs of state and the aristocracy. Author Plat shows us all of this in vivid and arresting detail while telling one man’s highly unusual and compelling story, a story of honor, love, intrigue, romance, combat and murder. Rocamora is more than an exciting story, which it certainly is. It is an exploration of fundamental human values tested by the extremes of stress. I cannot recommend it highly enough.