The Cybelene Conspiracy

By Albert Noyer

Book Overview

A eunuch archpriest and an unscrupulous senator smuggle products from China to Italy that will change the course of Western history. Surgeon Getorius Asterius, his wife Arcadia, the eunuch archpriest of a pagan fertility cult, the female head of a heretical Arian church, and an ambitious senator in league with a Chinese merchant: these are the prime movers in this mystery set in Ravenna, Italy, in A.D. 440. When Getorius is summoned to examine the castrated body of a youth found by Thecla in her Arian church, who is the sobbing "Vestal Virgin" nearby? Why is the senator smuggling counterfeit Western coins to the Eastern Empire, and contraband Chinese products back to Ravenna? Thecla's coded message leads to a secret tunnel and the sinister temple of Cybele, whose devotees are self-mutilated eunuchs. In a stunning climax, the conspirators try to escape Ravenna, planning to sell one product in Egypt, but failing to recognize the far more deadly nature of the other.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 193559785X
• ISBN13: 9781935597858
• Release Date: October 2011
• Publisher: Amazon Publishing
• Length: 316 Pages
• Weight: 1.01 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.4" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

Great read

This is a well written book which holds the reader's interest. Mr. Noyer develops two interesting characters, the physician Getorius and his wife, Arcadia. In addition, he captures the turbulence of this period of Western history.

Engrossing and superbly written fiction

The writer knows how to capture the readers attention. This suspense-driven, historical novel revolves around a 5th Century surgeon and his wife who are living in Ravenna, Italy, shortly before the demise of the Roman Empire. The emperor's mother, a greedy Roman senator, an Arian woman priestess, a Vestal Virgin, and an Asian merchant are some of the vivid characters, who scheme and plot their way to a stunning and suprising climax. Most interesting was the way the writer took me on an incredible journey back in time. I learned about the food and drink people consumed, the culture and customs, and how physicians treated and cured their patients ailments. Christianity in its early stages and the various religious cults of people trying to hang on to their own beliefs makes it interesting. Throughout the novel, the tightly woven plots of murder and intrigue make this a spellbinding tale and an enjoyable read.