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Mists of Palenque #1
The Visionary Mayan Queen: Yohl Ik'nal of Palenque
Enter the world of a Mayan Queen
Yohl Ik'nal, first Mayan woman ruler, must overcome forces opposing her rule . . . betrayal and revenge, attack by enemy cities, and shamanic powers. Using her visionary ability, she saves her city from destruction, builds temples to honor her father and the Gods, and brings prosperity to her people while finding a love that sustains her.
But she foresees a time of darkness and devastation coming. Danger lurks ahead and she must choose a successor, either her weak son or willful daughter. Can she trust her vision to reveal the will of the Gods? The results of her choice will lead to ruin or bring her city to greatness.
Discover the opulent world of royal court intrigue, exotic ceremonies on towering pyramids, shamanic journeys, calendars and healing sciences of the ancient Mayas. Experience the excitement of sacrificial rituals and strategic battles for dominance in this exquisite city soaring in mountain mists.
A dynasty hangs in the balance . . .
Yohl Ik'nal, first Mayan woman ruler, must overcome forces opposing her rule . . . betrayal and revenge, attack by enemy cities, and shamanic powers. Using her visionary ability, she saves her city from destruction, builds temples to honor her father and the Gods, and brings prosperity to her people while finding a love that sustains her.
But she foresees a time of darkness and devastation coming. Danger lurks ahead and she must choose a successor, either her weak son or willful daughter. Can she trust her vision to reveal the will of the Gods? The results of her choice will lead to ruin or bring her city to greatness.
Discover the opulent world of royal court intrigue, exotic ceremonies on towering pyramids, shamanic journeys, calendars and healing sciences of the ancient Mayas. Experience the excitement of sacrificial rituals and strategic battles for dominance in this exquisite city soaring in mountain mists.
A dynasty hangs in the balance . . .
289 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 2014
39 people are currently reading
808 people want to read
About the author
Leonide Martin
7 books142 followersLeonide (Lennie) Martin: Award winning author, retired California State University professor, former Family Nurse Practitioner, Research Member Maya Exploration Center.
Dr. Martin writes narrative nonfiction and historical fiction. Her nonfiction is genealogical research on the Acadian (Nova Scotia) roots of her South Louisiana Vial-Martin family that has lived for 7 generations in "upriver" parishes - 30 miles north of New Orleans along the Mississippi River. The quest led back 14 generations to original French settlers in the 1600s who created a unique culture. The founder of her lineage was an early governor of Acadia and nobleman from Champagne, near Paris. After 6 generations creating rich farmlands from marshes, the Acadians were forcefully expelled by British conquerors in 1755; scattered across Europe and Atlantic British colonies who received them with hostility. This exile of politically neutral Acadians is not considered violation of international law and ethnic cleansing. After years in exile, many Acadians journeyed to Louisiana and joined French settlements. Martin's ancestors went to the "Acadian Coast" and became landowners and professional leaders. They intermarried with French and Spanish Creoles, lived through the Louisiana Purchase, statehood, Civil War, and 2 World Wars; eventually forgetting their Acadian roots. The quest for these roots showed transition to mainly Creole heritage. Colorful personalities, political and educational leaders, curious events including a family feud, and the process of reconnecting estranged branches are highlighted in this book.
Dr. Martin’s historical fiction books portray ancient Maya culture and civilization through stories about both actual historical Mayans and fictional characters. She studied Maya culture and history from both scientific and indigenous viewpoints, lived five years in Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico, and apprenticed with Maya Elder Hunbatz Men, becoming a Solar Initiate and Maya Fire Women. Other indigenous teachers in Guatemala included Maya Priestess-Daykeeper Aum Rak Sapper and Maya elder Tata Pedro. The ancient Mayas created the most highly advanced civilization in the Western hemisphere, and Martin’s work is dedicated to their wisdom, spirituality, scientific, and cultural accomplishments through compelling historical novels.
Martin’s interest in ancient Mayan women led to writing the Mayan Queens’ series called The Mists of Palenque. This 4-book series—each book stands alone—tells the stories of powerful women who shaped the destinies of their people as rulers themselves, or wives of rulers. These remarkable Mayan women are unknown to most readers. Using extensive research and field study, Martin aspires to depict ancient Palenque authentically and make these amazing Mayan Queens accessible to a wide readership.
Dr. Martin lives with her husband David and white cat in California's Temecula Valley wine country, where she enjoys reading, gardening, nature walks, tap dancing, classical music, and wine tasting.
Blog: http://leonidemartinblog.wordpress.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leonide.martin
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lenniem07
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/leonide-martin
Dr. Martin writes narrative nonfiction and historical fiction. Her nonfiction is genealogical research on the Acadian (Nova Scotia) roots of her South Louisiana Vial-Martin family that has lived for 7 generations in "upriver" parishes - 30 miles north of New Orleans along the Mississippi River. The quest led back 14 generations to original French settlers in the 1600s who created a unique culture. The founder of her lineage was an early governor of Acadia and nobleman from Champagne, near Paris. After 6 generations creating rich farmlands from marshes, the Acadians were forcefully expelled by British conquerors in 1755; scattered across Europe and Atlantic British colonies who received them with hostility. This exile of politically neutral Acadians is not considered violation of international law and ethnic cleansing. After years in exile, many Acadians journeyed to Louisiana and joined French settlements. Martin's ancestors went to the "Acadian Coast" and became landowners and professional leaders. They intermarried with French and Spanish Creoles, lived through the Louisiana Purchase, statehood, Civil War, and 2 World Wars; eventually forgetting their Acadian roots. The quest for these roots showed transition to mainly Creole heritage. Colorful personalities, political and educational leaders, curious events including a family feud, and the process of reconnecting estranged branches are highlighted in this book.
Dr. Martin’s historical fiction books portray ancient Maya culture and civilization through stories about both actual historical Mayans and fictional characters. She studied Maya culture and history from both scientific and indigenous viewpoints, lived five years in Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico, and apprenticed with Maya Elder Hunbatz Men, becoming a Solar Initiate and Maya Fire Women. Other indigenous teachers in Guatemala included Maya Priestess-Daykeeper Aum Rak Sapper and Maya elder Tata Pedro. The ancient Mayas created the most highly advanced civilization in the Western hemisphere, and Martin’s work is dedicated to their wisdom, spirituality, scientific, and cultural accomplishments through compelling historical novels.
Martin’s interest in ancient Mayan women led to writing the Mayan Queens’ series called The Mists of Palenque. This 4-book series—each book stands alone—tells the stories of powerful women who shaped the destinies of their people as rulers themselves, or wives of rulers. These remarkable Mayan women are unknown to most readers. Using extensive research and field study, Martin aspires to depict ancient Palenque authentically and make these amazing Mayan Queens accessible to a wide readership.
Dr. Martin lives with her husband David and white cat in California's Temecula Valley wine country, where she enjoys reading, gardening, nature walks, tap dancing, classical music, and wine tasting.
Blog: http://leonidemartinblog.wordpress.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leonide.martin
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lenniem07
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/leonide-martin
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
August 6, 2017
As a historian I'm always interested in attempts to popularize history using fiction. It can be well done -- full characters, engaging plot, clear historical background that doesn't get in the way of a story, and pushing the boundaries of what we know by filling out events with logical possibilities. It can be poorly done -- stereotypical characters, a lot of telling not showing events, long sections expounding historical information instead of the characters simply living out the events, and too little historical facts as a starting point. This book, the first in the "Mists of Palenque" series from Martin, is somewhere in between.
Yohl Ik'nal was a real Mayan Queen, the events of her life are primarily hidden in the past. Martin has done her research so the information she gives us seems reasonable. However there is far more telling us what things look like, why people act as they do, and giving a lot of background information minus any action from the characters. The characters are relatively filled out. Yohl Ik'nal feels like a real girl and woman burdened and privileged at the same time by her family's status as rulers. I would rather sit with her as she read or heard about the events we are told rather than paragraphs of information dumps.
Similarly I wanted to stay with Yohl Ik'nal but by the 2/3rd way through the novel we start seeing life through the experiences of her daughter who has her own book in the series so we really don't need to change viewpoints in this book. I felt like more time was spent with Yohl Ik'nal's father and the decisions he made versus showing us the first Queen as ruler. In fact we skip over years of time after she ascends the throne that I am curious about.
Martin was a professor of Nursing, while I do not think you need to be a historian to write popular history, the background of her life and the tone of the book leans heavily toward modern mysticism and not historical research. Her greatest claims to authority fall onto her initiation into and being part of modern day Mayan traditions. While it is undoubtedly the case that the Mayans place a great deal of value on their religion I wanted more than that. We see into Yohl Ik'nal's father making decisions grounded in everyday life and I feel that was short changed with the time jumps for the Queen. Instead from the moment we meet her, she is roaming other dimensions and seems more in tune with the divine realm.
I found my mind wandering through the long passages of information dumps, I found myself frustrated by Yohl Ik'nal's becoming less a focus for the story after becoming queen. Then I hit the last section of the book which takes a 180 degree turn and introduces a fictional female archeologist discovering the Queen's tomb. Write a separate book about that or better yet, give us the real story about the discovery of the first queen of the Mayans because she was real.
Yohl Ik'nal was a real Mayan Queen, the events of her life are primarily hidden in the past. Martin has done her research so the information she gives us seems reasonable. However there is far more telling us what things look like, why people act as they do, and giving a lot of background information minus any action from the characters. The characters are relatively filled out. Yohl Ik'nal feels like a real girl and woman burdened and privileged at the same time by her family's status as rulers. I would rather sit with her as she read or heard about the events we are told rather than paragraphs of information dumps.
Similarly I wanted to stay with Yohl Ik'nal but by the 2/3rd way through the novel we start seeing life through the experiences of her daughter who has her own book in the series so we really don't need to change viewpoints in this book. I felt like more time was spent with Yohl Ik'nal's father and the decisions he made versus showing us the first Queen as ruler. In fact we skip over years of time after she ascends the throne that I am curious about.
Martin was a professor of Nursing, while I do not think you need to be a historian to write popular history, the background of her life and the tone of the book leans heavily toward modern mysticism and not historical research. Her greatest claims to authority fall onto her initiation into and being part of modern day Mayan traditions. While it is undoubtedly the case that the Mayans place a great deal of value on their religion I wanted more than that. We see into Yohl Ik'nal's father making decisions grounded in everyday life and I feel that was short changed with the time jumps for the Queen. Instead from the moment we meet her, she is roaming other dimensions and seems more in tune with the divine realm.
I found my mind wandering through the long passages of information dumps, I found myself frustrated by Yohl Ik'nal's becoming less a focus for the story after becoming queen. Then I hit the last section of the book which takes a 180 degree turn and introduces a fictional female archeologist discovering the Queen's tomb. Write a separate book about that or better yet, give us the real story about the discovery of the first queen of the Mayans because she was real.
December 3, 2015
Book 1 in the Mists of Palenque Series
Set in Palenque (ancient Lakam Ha) during the Maya Classic period (250-900 CE), this is the first of four story of Ancient Mayan Queens. Yohl Ik”nal is the first woman who ruled at the height of the Maya civilization.
It is evident the author’s passion with the Mayan civilization, its culture and cosmology. It must have taken Ms. Martin intense research as well as numerous queries with indigenous elders in order to write such a detailed account. The saga also revives the love of archaeologists and adventurers to uncover ancient cities in tropical jungles.
This is a hard book to follow and keep focus. As I was flipping the pages I saw myself in a class room with a passionate professor detailing everything to an extreme: headdress, costume, food, pathways, culture, ritual, agriculture, etc…you name it is all there vividly described in minutiae. This is actually the main reason it took for ever to move along…. This is one story that lack direction and drifts way too much. Names, dates and some passages are also in the Mayan language I guess the author wanted to provide some authenticity but it made it difficult to keep track and understand. I skipped too many of those passages and finally the story lost me.
This book may be excellent for some to gain a tad of knowledge about the extraordinary Mayan people but for those who wish mostly entertainment will find that the writing style overpowers the plot and the experience quite boring. Unfortunately I gave up mid-way….. This is one series that will please some and turn others away.
Not to say this is not a good book it simply was not for me. It is the way I see it.
Set in Palenque (ancient Lakam Ha) during the Maya Classic period (250-900 CE), this is the first of four story of Ancient Mayan Queens. Yohl Ik”nal is the first woman who ruled at the height of the Maya civilization.
It is evident the author’s passion with the Mayan civilization, its culture and cosmology. It must have taken Ms. Martin intense research as well as numerous queries with indigenous elders in order to write such a detailed account. The saga also revives the love of archaeologists and adventurers to uncover ancient cities in tropical jungles.
This is a hard book to follow and keep focus. As I was flipping the pages I saw myself in a class room with a passionate professor detailing everything to an extreme: headdress, costume, food, pathways, culture, ritual, agriculture, etc…you name it is all there vividly described in minutiae. This is actually the main reason it took for ever to move along…. This is one story that lack direction and drifts way too much. Names, dates and some passages are also in the Mayan language I guess the author wanted to provide some authenticity but it made it difficult to keep track and understand. I skipped too many of those passages and finally the story lost me.
This book may be excellent for some to gain a tad of knowledge about the extraordinary Mayan people but for those who wish mostly entertainment will find that the writing style overpowers the plot and the experience quite boring. Unfortunately I gave up mid-way….. This is one series that will please some and turn others away.
Not to say this is not a good book it simply was not for me. It is the way I see it.
October 13, 2015
This is the second book of this author that I’ve read. I have to say, after the first book (it was actually the third in the series), this time I was fascinated enough with the Mayan history to look up every famous name and learn more about these ancient rulers. Archeology has always been of interest to me, and seeing a photograph of a real location or a tomb really makes it more enchanting. However, I wouldn’t say that I’m very familiar with the Mayan culture, and I think for a book to draw someone to the topic so strongly it’s a great result and a big compliment to the author. After all, it’s easy to interest a reader who’s already into it, but it’s thrice as hard to make a story like this compelling to a fan of different genres.
However, considering that the story is centered around a woman and her personal challenges, fueled by political intrigues and conflicts, it’s easy to slip into it and enjoy it as a women’s fiction novel with a historical edge to it. It’s very important for a book like this to create realistic, believable characters that reader can feel for, and the author has done a great job, once again.
The author’s personal experience with the Mayan culture and her knowledge of it has helped in creating a very clear picture, which I really appreciated, considering how new the subject is to me. I’ve noticed it even in the previous book – how easy it was to follow the story and imagine the scenery and understand the meaning of every element without any distractions, like “what’s this? what does it mean? I don’t get it”. If they taught us history in school with stories like this, I for sure would’ve remembered much more of it :)
Overall, a very strong beginning of the series, that I once again recommend to everyone who’s into historical fiction!
However, considering that the story is centered around a woman and her personal challenges, fueled by political intrigues and conflicts, it’s easy to slip into it and enjoy it as a women’s fiction novel with a historical edge to it. It’s very important for a book like this to create realistic, believable characters that reader can feel for, and the author has done a great job, once again.
The author’s personal experience with the Mayan culture and her knowledge of it has helped in creating a very clear picture, which I really appreciated, considering how new the subject is to me. I’ve noticed it even in the previous book – how easy it was to follow the story and imagine the scenery and understand the meaning of every element without any distractions, like “what’s this? what does it mean? I don’t get it”. If they taught us history in school with stories like this, I for sure would’ve remembered much more of it :)
Overall, a very strong beginning of the series, that I once again recommend to everyone who’s into historical fiction!
June 1, 2018
The Visionary Mayan Queen is about the Mayans first female ruler. Yohl Ik'nal is the only surviving child of Kan Bahlam I, the ruler of the Palenque. Yohl Ik'nal is trained to become the next ruler of the Palenque. There has never been a woman ruler before, and Yohl Ik'nal must bear the weight of the responsibility. She has a vision that her reign could lead to the downfall of her kingdom. When Yohl Ik'nal becomes ruler, she faces many challenges. She knows that each decision she makes could either save or bring ruin to her own people. She wonders if the successor should be her weak son or her strong-willed daughter. She also learns that there is a conspiracy of nobles, who dissent her reign that are planning on bringing destruction to her city. Does Yohl Ik'nal have what it takes to save the kingdom or must she witness the decline of her dynasty?
I was eager to read The Visionary Mayan Queen because I did not know much about the Mayans. Yohl Ik'nal’s story intrigued me because she was a woman ruler of the Palanque, a great city in the jungle that the Mayans eventually abandoned. I wanted to learn more about who she was. In this novel, Yohl Ik'nal starts out as an idealistic girl. She dreams of traveling to far away places. However, she has to quickly mature once she is the chosen successor. Throughout the novel, I thought that Yohl Ik'nal was a strong and capable ruler. She cared about her kingdom and wanted to lead it into greatness rather than see it into its decline. She was beset by hard choices, and I thought that she made wise ones.
Overall, this was an intriguing novel about an unknown ancient Mayan queen. Except for Yohl Ik'nal, I thought there was not much development with secondary characters. The novel seemed rushed in most parts, especially the battle scenes. There was a lot of telling instead of showing, and this made it hard for me to experience it. I also did not like how the story suddenly switched to the 1992 discovery of an ancient Mayan tomb in the middle of the plot. It was jarring and could have been added at the end or left out. However, the author showed that she clearly did her research on Mayan history and culture. She brought the abandoned city of Palenque to life. The Visionary Mayan Queen is full of political and courtly intrigue, drama, and romance that is sure to treat historical fiction lovers. I am excited to read the next book in the series, The Controversial Mayan Queen, which is about Yohl Ik'nal’s daughter Sak K’uk. This novel will certainly be a refreshing read for those who want to take a break from the usual European or United States setting novels.
I was eager to read The Visionary Mayan Queen because I did not know much about the Mayans. Yohl Ik'nal’s story intrigued me because she was a woman ruler of the Palanque, a great city in the jungle that the Mayans eventually abandoned. I wanted to learn more about who she was. In this novel, Yohl Ik'nal starts out as an idealistic girl. She dreams of traveling to far away places. However, she has to quickly mature once she is the chosen successor. Throughout the novel, I thought that Yohl Ik'nal was a strong and capable ruler. She cared about her kingdom and wanted to lead it into greatness rather than see it into its decline. She was beset by hard choices, and I thought that she made wise ones.
Overall, this was an intriguing novel about an unknown ancient Mayan queen. Except for Yohl Ik'nal, I thought there was not much development with secondary characters. The novel seemed rushed in most parts, especially the battle scenes. There was a lot of telling instead of showing, and this made it hard for me to experience it. I also did not like how the story suddenly switched to the 1992 discovery of an ancient Mayan tomb in the middle of the plot. It was jarring and could have been added at the end or left out. However, the author showed that she clearly did her research on Mayan history and culture. She brought the abandoned city of Palenque to life. The Visionary Mayan Queen is full of political and courtly intrigue, drama, and romance that is sure to treat historical fiction lovers. I am excited to read the next book in the series, The Controversial Mayan Queen, which is about Yohl Ik'nal’s daughter Sak K’uk. This novel will certainly be a refreshing read for those who want to take a break from the usual European or United States setting novels.
November 7, 2022
“The Visionary Mayan Queen: Yohl-Ik'nal of Palenque” is the first in a series by Leonide Martin about Mayan Queens. It was great and I’m excited to continue the series.
The historical fiction part of the story could be more developed, but the space spent on historical information is necessary due to readers’ lack of familiarity with the history of the ancient Maya. The calendar priests and theology is quite fascinating as well as their recognition of the cycle of history, that the Mayan empire would eventually fall as all do.
There is also the story of a modern Mayan archaeologist taking part in the discovery of the Mayan Queens’ tomb. As I’m generally not a fan of the story-within-a-story literary device, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this part. I imagine it will continue in the other books of the series.
It only got a small mention, but I had not previously heard of the practice of skull shaping. I initially found it quite bizarre and looked for more information. I wondered how it could not damage the brain, although of course it makes sense because pieces of the skull are still moveable in infancy. As a new mother, I thought about the “Back to Sleep” campaign, which is laying babies on their back for sleep to reduce the risk of SIDS. This does cause some flattening of the skull, usually mild resolving as the baby grows and moves more on their own. Rarely, infants have needed a helmet to shape it more typically. The articles I read about considered it a cosmetic practice, a desired shape; Alternatively, I wonder if the process was thought to protect infants and the change of shape merely a side effect.
The historical fiction part of the story could be more developed, but the space spent on historical information is necessary due to readers’ lack of familiarity with the history of the ancient Maya. The calendar priests and theology is quite fascinating as well as their recognition of the cycle of history, that the Mayan empire would eventually fall as all do.
There is also the story of a modern Mayan archaeologist taking part in the discovery of the Mayan Queens’ tomb. As I’m generally not a fan of the story-within-a-story literary device, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this part. I imagine it will continue in the other books of the series.
It only got a small mention, but I had not previously heard of the practice of skull shaping. I initially found it quite bizarre and looked for more information. I wondered how it could not damage the brain, although of course it makes sense because pieces of the skull are still moveable in infancy. As a new mother, I thought about the “Back to Sleep” campaign, which is laying babies on their back for sleep to reduce the risk of SIDS. This does cause some flattening of the skull, usually mild resolving as the baby grows and moves more on their own. Rarely, infants have needed a helmet to shape it more typically. The articles I read about considered it a cosmetic practice, a desired shape; Alternatively, I wonder if the process was thought to protect infants and the change of shape merely a side effect.
November 20, 2017
Beautifully written, and extremely well researched, I think.
The author has a fine grasp of words and puts them together skillfully, but unless you are fascinated with the complexities of the Mayan calendar it is a hard read.
There is not much story. Most of the book is a complicated study of the Mayan system of government, their accurate method of measuring time , and a great deal of mysticism.
I found myself skipping over many pages of time calculation and looking for the story about the leading characters. There was not much there.
The main story concerns a young girl who is a talented seer. She becomes the chief ruler of her City/State in spite of her gender. Her ability to visualize future events contributes to the peace and prosperity of her subjects.
She is the only character in the book that held my attention, and her story ends unsatisfactorily with her death and a last confusing vision. It is a clumsy lead in to another book. Unfortunately there were no other characters or events in this book that would inspire me to delve into the follow up. I just don't care enough to struggle with the difficult names, multiple characters who do nothing important, or the constant lessons about time calculation in the Mayan world.
The author has a fine grasp of words and puts them together skillfully, but unless you are fascinated with the complexities of the Mayan calendar it is a hard read.
There is not much story. Most of the book is a complicated study of the Mayan system of government, their accurate method of measuring time , and a great deal of mysticism.
I found myself skipping over many pages of time calculation and looking for the story about the leading characters. There was not much there.
The main story concerns a young girl who is a talented seer. She becomes the chief ruler of her City/State in spite of her gender. Her ability to visualize future events contributes to the peace and prosperity of her subjects.
She is the only character in the book that held my attention, and her story ends unsatisfactorily with her death and a last confusing vision. It is a clumsy lead in to another book. Unfortunately there were no other characters or events in this book that would inspire me to delve into the follow up. I just don't care enough to struggle with the difficult names, multiple characters who do nothing important, or the constant lessons about time calculation in the Mayan world.
June 7, 2021
Like a more interesting version of a textbook on an ancient Mayan civilization. Sooo much info about their culture, buildings, religious beliefs, etc etc. Not a big fan of the ending though. The last part felt like it was contrived 1- to provide a lot of scholarly info about current research (well, not THAT current), and 2- to act as a teaser for book 2 (which I won't be reading since it seems like it will be much of the same).
January 10, 2018
a short book. I really enjoyed the first half about the life of the ancient Mayan queen, good historical details. The second section set during the modern archaeological dig had less plot development.
August 14, 2015
Hot cocoa, corn cakes and venison stew. The food enjoyed in Leonide Martin’s remarkable The Visionary Mayan Queen: Yohl Ik'Nal of Palenque, the first book in her Mayan trilogy, Mists of Palenque, is well worth the price of admission all on its own. The compellingly appetizing descriptions of food are not only fun to read, they also illustrate this historical novel’s four main strengths. Yes, FOUR.
1. Unless we are ourselves scholars, readers of historical fiction must summon a measure of faith in the author’s skill and integrity . The meticulous care with which Professor Martin not only describes the meals themselves, but their ingredients, preparation and presentation is consistent throughout and based on research that skeptics can easily reference ( it’s described in the back of the book)! This applies to every aspect of the Mayan civilization she portrays. While her passion for detail and authenticity occasionally goes the way of Biblical measurements and genealogies, Professor Martin’s readers are damn confident that the fiction is fiction and the facts are facts!
2. Although I suppose a few readers might only recommend The Visionary Mayan Queen to friends who enjoy dynastic drama and intrigue, the novel is so rich and multifaceted that the little part of our brain turned on by royal machinations is literally lost in a universe of sparking, invigorated synapses: all our senses are aroused, we’re moved emotionally, our religious and metaphysical beliefs are challenged and we have a lot of fun.
3. Professor Martin is an excellent writer. Her remarkable talent is obviously augmented and honed by a lot of hard work. Her strategically placed descriptions paint images so vivid with such economy of strokes that we forget about the painter entirely. We simply want to eat the stew and smell the flowers.
4. Fun. That’s the third time I’ve said it. History is serious business which will be ignored if it’s not shared in a fun way (that’s four).
Read Leonide Martin’s remarkable book. It’s a treasure waiting to be discovered.
1. Unless we are ourselves scholars, readers of historical fiction must summon a measure of faith in the author’s skill and integrity . The meticulous care with which Professor Martin not only describes the meals themselves, but their ingredients, preparation and presentation is consistent throughout and based on research that skeptics can easily reference ( it’s described in the back of the book)! This applies to every aspect of the Mayan civilization she portrays. While her passion for detail and authenticity occasionally goes the way of Biblical measurements and genealogies, Professor Martin’s readers are damn confident that the fiction is fiction and the facts are facts!
2. Although I suppose a few readers might only recommend The Visionary Mayan Queen to friends who enjoy dynastic drama and intrigue, the novel is so rich and multifaceted that the little part of our brain turned on by royal machinations is literally lost in a universe of sparking, invigorated synapses: all our senses are aroused, we’re moved emotionally, our religious and metaphysical beliefs are challenged and we have a lot of fun.
3. Professor Martin is an excellent writer. Her remarkable talent is obviously augmented and honed by a lot of hard work. Her strategically placed descriptions paint images so vivid with such economy of strokes that we forget about the painter entirely. We simply want to eat the stew and smell the flowers.
4. Fun. That’s the third time I’ve said it. History is serious business which will be ignored if it’s not shared in a fun way (that’s four).
Read Leonide Martin’s remarkable book. It’s a treasure waiting to be discovered.
April 12, 2016
I couldn't get through this book. I was interested in the premise, Maya historical fiction centered around one of the few queens, but the writing was just too hard to trudge through. The first few typos were tolerable, but then there were more. The author obviously knows the history well, but the efforts of wrap the facts into smooth story are awkward and unsuccessful. The writing is stilted and frequently overwrought or cringe-inducingly cliche. I enjoyed some of the imagery and historical context, but it wasn't possible to sink into the story. When the narration to an archaeologist's field journal filled with narrative histories, inconsistencies, and childish reports, I had to quit. I just couldn't suspend disbelief any longer.
Edit: In the end, I did go back to read the rest of this. The historical part of the narrative was passable, and after I visited Palenque I was interested enough to push through. It was also the only book I had left. Character development improved toward the end.
Edit: In the end, I did go back to read the rest of this. The historical part of the narrative was passable, and after I visited Palenque I was interested enough to push through. It was also the only book I had left. Character development improved toward the end.
August 24, 2014
I found The Visionary Mayan Queen: Yohl Ik'nal of Palenque by Leonide Martin to be an interesting book. It made me feel sad, in a way, for it spoke of a culture that is gone, forever. I enjoyed it most when it concentrated on Yohl Ik'nal and the journeys of her spirit. Being interested in mythology, it was amazing for me to acknowledge that the Jewelled Tree of Mayan myth was like Yggdrasil, the world tree of Norse myth. There were times when the book became less like a novel and more like a history book, as when Yohl Ik'nal is lectured by her father on the Mayan calendar, in great detail. Its author is an expert on Mayan culture, and she proves that on every page she has written. I found the journey Yohl Ik'nal led me on, back into the past, to learn the ways and customs of a civilization that is gone forever to be one worth taking.
April 9, 2014
"The Visionary Mayan Queen: Yohl Ik'Nal of Palenque" is magically written. The novel achieves three things, first, the story takes the reader through a fascinatingly entertaining tale, second through the world of the Maya and lastly the scenery descriptions allows the reader to become an eye witness to the story.
Taking a reader through the world of the Maya is no easy task, Ms. Martin, not only managed to educate the reader about the Maya but she made the education incredibly entertaining and suspenseful. The amount of research and learning she accomplished on the Maya is quite impressive.
I strongly recommend this book for anyone that enjoys an entertaining story and for those that want a window into the Maya, for no other author has made that view so real.
Taking a reader through the world of the Maya is no easy task, Ms. Martin, not only managed to educate the reader about the Maya but she made the education incredibly entertaining and suspenseful. The amount of research and learning she accomplished on the Maya is quite impressive.
I strongly recommend this book for anyone that enjoys an entertaining story and for those that want a window into the Maya, for no other author has made that view so real.
April 24, 2014
The Mayan civilization is fascinating but I will admit that I don't know very much about the pre-Columbian
or pre-conquest history of the area. I was drawn to the idea of a female ruler and the author introduced a strong, wise woman who put duty to her people first. We see glimpses of the daily life of the people-- food, flora, religious practices, clothing, architecture, and the Mayan calendar.
Ms. Martin's book is well research and her notes at the end provide additional information. I enjoyed her writing style especially the syntax in the conversations--this written piece almost has an oral feel or lilting quality. I could "hear" the characters speak.
No sex
No graphic violence
or pre-conquest history of the area. I was drawn to the idea of a female ruler and the author introduced a strong, wise woman who put duty to her people first. We see glimpses of the daily life of the people-- food, flora, religious practices, clothing, architecture, and the Mayan calendar.
Ms. Martin's book is well research and her notes at the end provide additional information. I enjoyed her writing style especially the syntax in the conversations--this written piece almost has an oral feel or lilting quality. I could "hear" the characters speak.
No sex
No graphic violence
July 16, 2014
A rare woman of vision
A rare woman of vision
So much new information, research and history. Add to that a wide cast of credible characters, both major and minor. Taking up the challenge of depicting an era near the end of a civilization. I did find the segue to more present times more distracting than informing. Really enjoyable.
A rare woman of vision
So much new information, research and history. Add to that a wide cast of credible characters, both major and minor. Taking up the challenge of depicting an era near the end of a civilization. I did find the segue to more present times more distracting than informing. Really enjoyable.
February 11, 2014
Any student of Mayan history and culture will find much to appreciate in Leonide Martin’s The Mists of Palenque. Yohl Ik’Nal and her moment in history have been painstakingly researched and vividly imagined. The Mayan world, its myths, temples and lush jungles are all here.
July 28, 2014
I got this book for free on amazon. I enjoy historical fiction and I enjoy the Mayan culture, but I could not get into this book. The writing style didn't flow. It read like a text book that wasn't even true, since it's fiction. It may be good for some people, not for me. I gave up.
May 15, 2014
I found this glimpse into Mayan life fascinating. Sometimes the author gets a little lost in the explanations of architecture, history, etc, and the movement of the story gets bogged down.
April 5, 2017
Great book. It really transported me back to the land of the Ancient Maya. Great plot and story.
August 7, 2016
I have set this book aside for now . The names and locations and descriptions in the Maya language comprised so much of each page that it detracted from the flow of the story
Want to read
February 25, 2016kindle 289 (Guatemalalatinamerica)
March 27, 2017
This is a historical fiction novel about Yohl Ik'nal, a Maya queen who ascended to the throne of Palenque in 583CE. The book is the first in a trilogy detailing the early years of Yohl Ik'nal and her reign.
I didn't finish the book. I had my doubts when it began with Yohl Ik'nal meditating in the jungle, then abruptly mind traveling to speak with a young (Scottish? Scandinavian?) girl who also visited the "realm of faeries." While I'm not opposed to fantasy, I generally expect historical fictions to trend more towards history than outright fiction.
I also found the dialogue to be stilted and lacking in subtlety. Characters simply state their feelings to one another, or allow the omniscient narrator to tell us exactly what so-and-so was thinking. While Maya culture is formal and regimented, I feel there are better ways to demonstrate this than through awkward dialogue. Along these lines, Martin also gives the reader explanations and translations for various aspects of Maya life, often in parentheses within the paragraph. While this isn't entirely a bid idea, this approach is more appropriate for an academic work; within a fictional setting the effect is jarring and tend to take the reader out of the story.
Leonide Martin is a scholar of Maya history, and there is no debating her knowledge. However, her strengths do not seem to lie in the fictional realm. A less fictional, more historical/anthropological work might be better suited to showcase her attention to detail and intimate knowledge of the subject matter. Something along the lines of The Woman Who Would Be King, by Kara Cooney, which stays mostly within the verifiable history but adds in conjecture by the author would have worked well here.
In all, I feel like the fictional aspects of this book are not as engaging as they could be, and the historical aspects are not well integrated with the fictional portions of the book. Yohl Ik'nal is a fascinating figure, and one certainly deserving of wider attention. Maya history enthusiasts may still want to investigate this book, but this may not be the best for the more casual reader.
A copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. The Visionary Mayan Queen is currently available for purchase.
I didn't finish the book. I had my doubts when it began with Yohl Ik'nal meditating in the jungle, then abruptly mind traveling to speak with a young (Scottish? Scandinavian?) girl who also visited the "realm of faeries." While I'm not opposed to fantasy, I generally expect historical fictions to trend more towards history than outright fiction.
I also found the dialogue to be stilted and lacking in subtlety. Characters simply state their feelings to one another, or allow the omniscient narrator to tell us exactly what so-and-so was thinking. While Maya culture is formal and regimented, I feel there are better ways to demonstrate this than through awkward dialogue. Along these lines, Martin also gives the reader explanations and translations for various aspects of Maya life, often in parentheses within the paragraph. While this isn't entirely a bid idea, this approach is more appropriate for an academic work; within a fictional setting the effect is jarring and tend to take the reader out of the story.
Leonide Martin is a scholar of Maya history, and there is no debating her knowledge. However, her strengths do not seem to lie in the fictional realm. A less fictional, more historical/anthropological work might be better suited to showcase her attention to detail and intimate knowledge of the subject matter. Something along the lines of The Woman Who Would Be King, by Kara Cooney, which stays mostly within the verifiable history but adds in conjecture by the author would have worked well here.
In all, I feel like the fictional aspects of this book are not as engaging as they could be, and the historical aspects are not well integrated with the fictional portions of the book. Yohl Ik'nal is a fascinating figure, and one certainly deserving of wider attention. Maya history enthusiasts may still want to investigate this book, but this may not be the best for the more casual reader.
A copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. The Visionary Mayan Queen is currently available for purchase.
March 27, 2017
This is a historical fiction novel about Yohl Ik'nal, a Maya queen who ascended to the throne of Palenque in 583CE. The book is the first in a trilogy detailing the early years of Yohl Ik'nal and her reign.
I didn't finish the book. I had my doubts when it began with Yohl Ik'nal meditating in the jungle, then abruptly mind traveling to speak with a young (Scottish? Scandinavian?) girl who also visited the "realm of faeries." While I'm not opposed to fantasy, I generally expect historical fictions to trend more towards history than outright fiction.
I also found the dialogue to be stilted and lacking in subtlety. Characters simply state their feelings to one another, or allow the omniscient narrator to tell us exactly what so-and-so was thinking. While Maya culture is formal and regimented, I feel there are better ways to demonstrate this than through awkward dialogue. Along these lines, Martin also gives the reader explanations and translations for various aspects of Maya life, often in parentheses within the paragraph. While this isn't entirely a bid idea, this approach is more appropriate for an academic work; within a fictional setting the effect is jarring and tend to take the reader out of the story.
Leonide Martin is a scholar of Maya history, and there is no debating her knowledge. However, her strengths do not seem to lie in the fictional realm. A less fictional, more historical/anthropological work might be better suited to showcase her attention to detail and intimate knowledge of the subject matter. Something along the lines of The Woman Who Would Be King, by Kara Cooney, which stays mostly within the verifiable history but adds in conjecture by the author would have worked well here.
In all, I feel like the fictional aspects of this book are not as engaging as they could be, and the historical aspects are not well integrated with the fictional portions of the book. Yohl Ik'nal is a fascinating figure, and one certainly deserving of wider attention. Maya history enthusiasts may still want to investigate this book, but this may not be the best for the more casual reader.
A copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. The Visionary Mayan Queen is currently available for purchase.
I didn't finish the book. I had my doubts when it began with Yohl Ik'nal meditating in the jungle, then abruptly mind traveling to speak with a young (Scottish? Scandinavian?) girl who also visited the "realm of faeries." While I'm not opposed to fantasy, I generally expect historical fictions to trend more towards history than outright fiction.
I also found the dialogue to be stilted and lacking in subtlety. Characters simply state their feelings to one another, or allow the omniscient narrator to tell us exactly what so-and-so was thinking. While Maya culture is formal and regimented, I feel there are better ways to demonstrate this than through awkward dialogue. Along these lines, Martin also gives the reader explanations and translations for various aspects of Maya life, often in parentheses within the paragraph. While this isn't entirely a bid idea, this approach is more appropriate for an academic work; within a fictional setting the effect is jarring and tend to take the reader out of the story.
Leonide Martin is a scholar of Maya history, and there is no debating her knowledge. However, her strengths do not seem to lie in the fictional realm. A less fictional, more historical/anthropological work might be better suited to showcase her attention to detail and intimate knowledge of the subject matter. Something along the lines of The Woman Who Would Be King, by Kara Cooney, which stays mostly within the verifiable history but adds in conjecture by the author would have worked well here.
In all, I feel like the fictional aspects of this book are not as engaging as they could be, and the historical aspects are not well integrated with the fictional portions of the book. Yohl Ik'nal is a fascinating figure, and one certainly deserving of wider attention. Maya history enthusiasts may still want to investigate this book, but this may not be the best for the more casual reader.
A copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. The Visionary Mayan Queen is currently available for purchase.
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