One of "20 New Historical Fiction Books to Savor in Fall 2020"
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Reviews and Endorsements:
"Kaplan is a gifted storyteller and approaches his story with reverence and nuance. The pursuit of meaning and hope in a dark time is an age-old theme, and yet ever fresh. 'Into the Unbounded Night' is a perfect book to top our reading piles in the coming COVID winter."
- Pamela Miller, Minneapolis StarTribune "Sweeping and absorbing." - Martha Anne Toll, The Millions The moral education of the Celtic maiden Aislin and her travels through an Empire that once united East and West, North and South are described by Mitchell James Kaplan with a sensitivity and literary elegance that are rare among contemporary authors. - Rafael Castro, Arutz Sheva Israel National News “In INTO THE UNBOUNDED NIGHT, Mitchell Kaplan offers a rich rendering of war and humanity in first century Rome — of tradition and loss, and the transformative power of healing and collective memory to find one’s way home.” – NICHOLE BERNIER, Boston Globe Bestselling author of The Unfinished Work Of Elizabeth D "Mitchell James Kaplan is the gloriously talented writer of this dramatic, intense story of conflicting emperors, slaves, priests and exiles in a first century world whose roots and traditions are increasingly torn apart by the brutal rule of Rome. Men and women search for belief and reason, out of which will emerge a new Judaism after the destruction of Jerusalem’s Temple as well as the early beginnings of Christianity. A writer of enormous scope, compassion and poetry, Kaplan has written several of the most compelling characters you will meet in the pages of a book. INTO THE UNBOUNDED NIGHT sweeps over you like a succession of huge waves. It is truly a major novel." – STEPHANIE COWELL, American Book Award recipient, author of Claude And Camille: A Novel Of Monet "Kaplan’s prose is so rich and agile I felt I was breathing the air of these ancient places, and his evocation of character is no less palpable. Fully embodied and driven by ambition, grief, the clear-eyed desire for truth, and fierce maternal love, these characters plunge, march, and stumble toward their fascinating and entangled destinies." – MARISA DE LOS SANTOS, New York Times bestselling novelist (I’ll Be Your Blue Sky) and award-winning poet "I'm a big fan of historical fiction when it's as good as Mitchell Kaplan's INTO THE UNBOUNDED NIGHT. Vividly imagined, INTO THE UNBOUNDED NIGHT pulls the reader along with beautiful prose, strong characters and a wonderfully realized story." – HEIDI W. DURROW, New York Times best-selling author of The Girl Who Fell From The Sky (Algonquin Books), winner of the PEN/Bellwether Prize "A beautiful, informative book. It was gripping throughout, the research never overwhelms the story, but is always part of it. [The] writing is lyrical and evocative of time and place. All the characters are real and interesting. Loved it!" – MARTIN FLETCHER, National Jewish Book Award winner, author of Promised Land “From the mystical lore of Albion to the Roman siege and destruction of Jerusalem, Kaplan’s meticulous research and evocative writing meld seamlessly to create a vivid, textured, and richly imagined story.” —BETH HOFFMAN, New York Times and International bestselling author of Saving Ceecee Honeycutt and Looking for Me "Set in Rome and Judea after the crucifixion of Jesus, Mitchell James Kaplan's finely crafted and intense second novel delves into the minds and hearts of truly captivating characters. An excellent read." – EVA STACHNIAK, winner of the Canadian First Novel Award, author of The Chosen Maiden "Sensually provocative, verbally sharp and critically witted, Mitchell James Kaplan’s INTO THE UNBOUNDED NIGHT brings to life the tumultuous birth of Judeo-Christian monotheism in this intimately woven narrative brimming with righteous and riotous characters striving for survival and transcendence across the ravished landscapes of Judea, the Roman Empire, and Britannia." – JESSICA MARIA TUCCELLI, an Okra Pick winner of the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance for her debut novel, Glow "Kaplan weaves an intricate literary tapestry to create a poetic exploration of early Judeo-Christian and Roman history. He builds a diverse yet connected cast of characters whose encounters inspire timeless self-examination and advance the course of history. An engrossing work not easily forgotten." – THERESE WALSH, critically acclaimed author of The Last Will Of Moira Leahy and The Moon Sisters, founder of the literary blog, Writer Unboxed ==ONLINE REVIEWS== “An outstanding piece that cements action and intrigue with a sense of place, purpose, and perspective. This approach creates a compelling, realistic story hard to put down, strengthened by strong characters who clearly represent both personal interests and broader concerns about their choices and place in the world.” - Midwest Book Review “Deep, rich, and haunting. Mitchell James Kaplan possesses the magnificent ability to breathe life into history with words. Reading this story is an exhilarating experience. I haven’t read a story with such lyrical prose in a long time. This story is wonderful and when combined with the beauty of Kaplan’s words, you wish it continued forever. My Rating: 🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻 (plus a million more)” - Wayward Reader “Brilliant.” - Burton Book Review “Enriching and enjoyable.” - Muse With Me "Kaplan's writing is top notch and there was a bit of magical realism that I loved. Highly recommended!" - Passages to the Past "Into the Unbounded Night is a ‘big’ novel… The writing is wonderful, and it does what really great historical fiction does – entertain and educate – and carries this with ease." - Jennifer C. Wilson "I wasn’t sure this would all work, but strong and complex characters (even Vespasian), a first century world the author brings vividly alive and a plot that spans an empire all come together to spin a fascinating tale." - Bob on Books "A beautifully told story." - 100 Pages a Day "Kaplan writes beautifully. This is a deeply meditative novel infused with questions about life, religion, death, and sin... There is something hopeful in the timelessness of the struggle and the unanswerableness of the questions." - Reading World (Susan Coventry) "Mr. Kaplan’s writing is just magical." - Books, Cooks, Looks "This is an era I know little about, but after reading this fascinating story, I plan to learn more. Mitchell James Kaplan is insightful, direct and gives his characters distinct voices." - Books and Zebras "I went into this book expecting a wonderfully written historical fiction, and what I got was so much more. It was just so beautifully written and equal parts engrossing and engaging. It takes a deep dive into the psyche of humans and shows us at our best and our worst. There is a bit of history, a touch of faith, a dash of magical realism, and topping it off, a wonderful cast of characters." - Ya It's Lit "I thoroughly enjoyed this introduction to [Kaplan's] skillful and mesmerising writing." - Chicks, Rogues and Scandals "Richly researched and beautifully written, holding the reader enthralled throughout... A highly recommended read" - Bookworlder "I loved the writing style... I loved Kaplan’s previous book By Fire, By Water so I was excited to read this, and I wasn’t disappointed." - Bookramblings "I was not expecting the novel to be so poetic! ...I would encourage anyone interested in ancient history, Rome, Jerusalem, and beautiful ficton to read Into the Unbounded Night." - A Book Geek ==INTERVIEWS AND BLOG POSTS== Hasty Book List: https://www.hastybooklist.com/home/author-interview-mitchell-kaplan Between the Lines: https://betweenthelinesbookblog.com/ d Dead Darlings interview (transcription): https://deaddarlings.com/interview-mitchell-james-kaplan-author-unbounded-night/?fbclid=IwAR2zoxx5bIyJyKFCkR6gB__glcab8ZirGitRL7ftkMfk8tOfBDqVbaR53bY Novels Alive: https://novelsalive.com/2020/09/08/interview-mitchell-james-kaplan-into-the-unbounded-night/ Books and Benches: https://www.booksandbenches.com/post/into-the-unbounded-night-mitchell-james-kaplan-interview Let Them Read Books: Book Bustle: https://bookbustle.com/2020/09/18/guest-post-into-the-unbounded-night-by-mitchell-james-kaplan/ The Intrepid Reader: http://www.theintrepidreader.com/2020/09/blog-tour-why-i-love-mitchell-kaplan.html ==PODCASTS AND VIDEOS== A Conspiracy of Lemurs: https://regalhouse.buzzsprout.com/966220/4584218-truth-in-historical-fiction Dead Darlings video (Grub Street): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OgwpZxNjvQ&fbclid=IwAR3KmoTy4TacfFWuKeINSfHcawEMl5UQZ2APQNczGadUiU5vakcC3yX_lqk "A sweeping and absorbing investigation into early Roman Christianity as it split off from Judaism."
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