Book Title
The Absolution of Mars
Series
n/a
Author
T.F. Troy
Publication Date
January 21st, 2025
Publisher
Historium Press
Pages
302
Genre
Historical Fiction, American Civil War Spy Novel
Politics, Friendship, or Greed? Which of these was the true author of the Confederate conspiracy to decapitate the Union?
The Absolution of Mars by T.F. Troy is a masterful blend of historical fiction, human drama and moral exploration. Set against the backdrop of a racially fraught period in American history, the story does not back away from the harsh realities or racial biases of the day.
The narrative introduces Jemm Pender, a former slave with a superior intellect, who rises to become a key agent in the National Detective Police Force. Jemm is tasked to trace the movements of J. W. Boyd, a Confederate spy working out of Canada.
From its intriguing opening scene, where playful dialogue among children hints at deeper mysteries, the story captivates with a blend of vivid detail and emotional depth. Jemm's quest intertwines with his wife Marnie and Aunt Cordelia, both blessed with remarkable capabilities that are being lost to the scientific thought of the day.
Troy tackles difficult topics with honesty and precision, creating moments that are as painful as they are profound. The prose is rich and evocative, with dialogue that breathes life into the characters and their struggles. The Absolution of Mars is a poignant, thought-provoking exploration of history, identity, and humanity, recommended for readers seeking depth and nuance.
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The Absolution of Mars
Excerpt Two:
Before the men could even grab Boyd, the sergeant is on him, searching his pockets, pulling out a billfold with more than $1,000 dollars in it, a red journal, and three newspaper clippings.
The other two soldiers grab Boyd by the armpits, his legs dangling and dragging behind him, unconcerned about favoring the leg in the splint.
Boyd sees red, then white. As they lift him up, he comes to and feels his neck bend awkwardly to one side. Nothing is working.
Boyd sees red then white. As the soldiers pull him up the steps to Garrett’s porch, he comes back once again. He tries to spit up the blood and phlegm gurgling in his throat, but is unsuccessful. He starts to choke.
Boyd sees red then white. He coughs up blood and wakes. His breath gurgles, as he continues to spit blood and phlegm from his mouth. The lieutenant stands over him.
“The wound looks fatal,” he says to Boyd. “Do you wish to make a last statement.”
Boyd looks at him, realizing his situation, and tries to nod head but is not successful.
“Smith, Smith is, paid...paid companion,” Boyd says, as blood flowed from the corners of his mouth. His eyes roll back in his head. “Not a part of this.”
Boyd sees red, then white.
One of the two soldiers who had carried him, speaks up. “Corbett grabbed some personal belongings,” he says.
“True,” says the sergeant. “Lookey here, what we got. More than $1,000 in U.S bills, plus some clippings here.”
“Garrett, I need some brandy, a sponge,” the lieutenant says. “I want a final confession.”
Richard Garrett dutifully steps inside the house, his frightened family and manservant still on the porch as the first pink and grey slivers of dawn can be seen on the horizon.
Boyd sees red, then white.
“Anything else?” the lieutenant asks the sergeant as Garrett steps inside, but the sergeant ignores him.
“I said anything else, sergeant!” the lieutenant shouts louder, bringing Boyd back to consciousness.
“Journal. My journal,” Boyd says, passing out again. He comes to as Garrett applied the brandy to his lips. “Journal explains,” he says, as his eyes rolled back in his head. “Bell, Bell.”
“Ask Not for Whom the Bell tolls,” the lieutenant says, quoting John Donne’s immortal poem and hoping to give a man he saw as an actor a great last line.
“He musta dropped that journal in the barn,” the sergeant says.
Boyd tries to shake his head and coughs. Blood begins flowing freely from the corners of both lips.
Boyd sees red, then white.
His brother comes down the steps of his home in Maryland and smiles at him. His mother comes out from the kitchen, a concerned look on her face. “Why?” she asks, as Boyd is jolted back to consciousness.
Boyd sees red, then white. A sharp pain comes from the base of his neck, as he opens his eyes and sees the lieutenant.
“Tell my mother I died for my country,” Boyd says. “Raise my hands. Please raise my hands, that I may see them one last time” he pleads.
The soldier that helped carry him to the porch raises his hands up to Boyd’s gaze, and Boyd shakes his head slightly.
“Other, other side,” he gasps.
The soldier turns Boyd’s palms toward him, and the man known to the Garrett family as Captain Boyd whispers his last words on earth. Words that would be later used to confirm his identity.
He currently serves as Executive Editor of Cleveland Magazine’s Community Leader as well as the Editor of Ohio Business Magazine.
He also writes features for Northern Kentucky Magazine and Dayton Magazine, among other regional publications. His work with those publications has won him numerous awards, taking first, second and third place in Ohio for Magazine Feature Writing.
Troy’s work has appeared in major metropolitan daily newspapers including the Cleveland Plain Dealer and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
In addition to the previously mentioned publications, Troy also held positions as a Senior Editor for both ABC/Capital Cities and ICD Publications in New York.
His work has appeared in numerous national consumer and trade periodicals throughout his career. In his first book Cleveland Classics: Great Tales from the North Coast, Troy interviewed local and national Cleveland celebrities such as: Jim Brown, Bob Feller, Patricia Heaton and Arsenio Hall among others. The Absolution of Mars, set just after the Civil War, is his first novel, but third book.
Author Page on Publisher Website https://www.historiumpress.com/t-f-troy
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https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/187283019-tf-troy
