"Phen's evocative prose breathes life into colonial Peru...readers will be eager for future installments." - Booklife Reviews, Editor's Pick
A Horse for the Last Inca is an epic tale of resilience and rebellion, set against the backdrop of one of history's darkest eras. In colonial Peru, at the same time as the American Revolution, enslaved Indians organized to rebel against their Spanish oppressors. This rebellion covered as much territory as the American Revolution and with greater casualties, but is little known in the United States. This is the first of three volumes of a fictional account of the rebellion.
The story unfolds through the eyes of 16 year old Tom s, a member of an enslaved family on a cattle-raising hacienda where he cares for the horses. When a forbidden ride on a prized colt ends in tragedy, his life takes a devastating turn, and he is sentenced to the silver mines of Potos - a virtual death sentence. The journey to the mines and the work there will test the very limits of his spirit.