Sunrise on the Mediterranean

BOOK: Sunrise on the Mediterranean
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WARNER BOOKS EDITION

Copyright © 1999 by J. Suzanne Frank

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including
information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may
quote brief passages in a review.

Cover design by Diane Luger

Cover illustration by Franco Accornero

WARNER BOOKS

Hachette Book Group

237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017

Visit our website at
www.HachetteBookGroup.com
.

First eBook Edition: April 2009

ISBN: 978-0-446-56146-4

Contents

Copyright Page

FOREWORD

PART I

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

PART II

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

PART III

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 8

CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 10

PART IV

CHAPTER 11

CHAPTER 12

PART V

CHAPTER 13

CHAPTER 14

PART VI

CHAPTER 15

CHAPTER 16

PART VII

CHAPTER 17

AFTERWORD

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

READING GROUP GUIDE

ACCLAIM FOR THE NOVELS OF
SUZANNE FRANK

SUNRISE ON THE MEDITERRANEAN

“Colorful … intriguing…. The juxtaposition of modern-day observations and expressions and archaic situations gives a good
shot of humor to the clever, suspenseful narrative.”

—Publishers Weekly

“Suzanne Frank triumphs again with another mesmerizing tale of love and adventure in the ancient world….An exceptionally talented
writer, Frank brings us one thrill after another as she allows us to view history in an amazingly fresh light without sacrificing
one iota of reality.”

—Romantic Times

“A delightful twist on biblical history…. Not since Jean Auel’s Ayla has there been a heroine as resourceful as Chloe….Fast
paced and wildly entertaining, this third book in the series stands alone but makes the reader want to hunt down [the first
two books].”

—Booklist

“A compelling time-travel tale full of vivid characterizations, with historically accurate settings and a picturesque backdrop
illuminating a bygone era …by far the best to date.”

—New-Age Bookshelf

“A perfect combination of fact and fantasy… . The author’s solid knowledge of the Old Testament mixed with her quirky humor
will transport you.”

—Kerrville Daily Times
(TX)

“Fans and newcomers alike should enjoy this… . Frank effectively uses her knowledge of the Old Testament in her re-creation
of ancient Israel … recommended.”

—Library Journal

SHADOWS ON THE AEGEAN

“Imaginative. Creative. Ingenious. Engrossing. Suzanne Frank has given her readers a brilliantly written, magical story.”

—Clive Cussler, author of
Atlantis Found
and
Valhalla Rising

“A top pick—4 1/2 stars! … Everything a romance fan would want and much, much more. A treasure indeed!”

—Romantic Times

“An exotic, erotic, breathtaking adventure … wondrously conceived, brilliantly executed. I look forward with great eagerness
to Suzanne Frank’s next book!”

—Barbara Wood, author of
The Prophetess

“Part Mary Renault, part Jacqueline Susann, Frank delights in re-imagining … lost rituals of love and religion, but she also
finds moments of refreshing humor in the contrast between Chloe’s modern sensibility and ancient manners… . Fans will stay
tuned.”

—Publishers Weekly

“A tour de force of imagination,
Shadows on the Aegean
brings a magical world to brilliant life. Masterfully told.”

—Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, authors of
The Ice Limit
and
Riptide

“Suzanne Frank has absolutely surpassed her debut book with this second novel of rapturous romance and high adventure.”

—Bertrice Small, author of
The Duchess

“Brings all the splendor and beauty known as Atlantis into our reading world… . If you loved Diana Gabaldon, then this author
is not one to be missed. Ms. Frank is simply a gifted historical writer. Fantastic! 5 bells!”

—Bell, Book & Candle

REFLECTIONS IN THE NILE

“Good storytelling… . Ancient Egypt comes alive!”

—Diana Gabaldon,
New York Times
bestselling author of
Voyager

“An adventure you won’t want to put down.”

—Detroit Free Press

“Totally engrossing … the characters are exceptional.”

—Midwest Book Review

Also by Suzanne Frank

Reflections in the Nile

Shadows on the Aegean

To Dan

GLOSSARY

adon/adoni
(ad-o-nee)—man, sir, dear sir

akchav
(ahk-shahv)—Hebrew for emphatic “now”

Ashdod (ash-dohd)—Philistine city

Ashqelon (ásh-ki-lawn)—Philistine city

Ashterty (ash-téar-tee)—consort of Ba’al and fertility goddess in the ancient Near East

avayra goreret avayra
(áh-vay-rah gore-er-et áh-vay-rah)

transgression begets transgression

Ba’al (bah’ahl)—Near Eastern god of thunderstorms, among other things

bereshet
(b’ray-shéet)—the first word in the Hebrew Bible, meaning “in the beginning”

b’rith
(breet)—covenant

b’seder
(bí-say-der)—Hebrew term of agreement

b’vakasha
(bih-vak-ah-shah)—Hebrew for “please”

chalev v’d’vash
(ha-lev-oo-di-vash)—milk and honey

chesed
(hés-said)—lovingkindness

Dagon (day-gone)—fishtailed god of the Pelesti (Philistines)

Derkato
(dér-kay-toe)—mythological consort of Dagon

echad
(áy-had)—one

el
—god

elohim
(el-o-heém)—angelic warriors and divine courtiers

Gaza (gáh-zah)—Philistine city , also known as Aza

giborim
(gíb-or-eem)—David’s private guards

guf—
body/flesh

g’vret
(give-rett)—lady

ha
—the

hakol b’seder
(há-coal bih-say-der)—“everything is all right”

hal
(hall)—biblical term for devoting something to God through utter destruction

Hamishah (hám-i-shah)—term for the five Philistine cities of the plain

har
—mountain

henti—
an Egyptian measure of distance, similar to stadia

herim
(háir -eem)—holy war

I AM—the name of God

isha
(eé-shah)—woman

Keftiu (kéf-too)—Crete and the Cyclades islands Kemt—Egyptian for Egypt

ken
—Hebrew for “yes”

kinor
(kéen-or)—ten-stringed harp

laylah
(lié-lah)—night

Levim
(lév-eem)—the Tribes’ priests

lifnay
(leáf-nay)—Hebrew for “before” in the chronological sense

lo
—Hebrew for “no”

mah
—what

melekh
(meh-lehch)—king

Moshe—biblical Moses

nachon
(náh-hohn)—enthusiastic Hebrew agreement

nasi
(nah-sée)—prince

nefesh
(néf-ish)—soul

nishmat ha hayyim
(neesh-máht-ha-há-yeem)—the divine breath of God that starts life

Pelesti (páy-lee-stee)—ancient term for the Philistines

qiryat
(kir-ee-yáht)—city

Qiselee (kí-see-lee)—Philistine city

Rosh Tsor haHagana
(rosh tsore ha-hahg-ah-nah)—leader of the army

sela
(sáy-lah)—amen

serenim
(sáre-i-neem)—the Philistine leaders

Shabat
—Hebrew for the Sabbath, sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday

shalosh
(shá-losh)—three

shtyme
(shtai-yeem)—two

tani’n
(tán-in)—pre-battle pep talk and dance

teraphim
(téar-ah-feem)—totem statues Thummim (thóom-eem)—oracular stone

todah
(tóe-dah)—thank you

tov
(to-ev)—good

Tsidon (sí-don)—modern Sidon

Tsor (sore)—modern Tyre

tzadik
(zá-dick)—holy man/prophet Urim (érr-eem)—oracular stone Yaffa (yah-fah)—ancient Jaffa

yam
(yahm)—Hebrew for “sea”

yelad/im
(yéll-ah-deem)—child/children

Zakar Ba’al
—the official title of the ruler of Tsor

zekenim
(z’káy-neem)—the seventy leaders of the Tribes

FOREWORD

History is known, illuminated. Details that elude the
historical record sculpt it from the shadows.

How does this darkness shade what we already know?

What of things that aren’t documented?

What of wars that aren’t fought? What of plagues that are
conquered before they become epidemics?

What of leaders who escape assassination?

Are the things that are not transcribed, the truths that are
never told, the events, good and bad, whose potential is
never
realized, equally vital?

As negative space in art delineates the structure of a
shape, does what has not happened
lend line, form, and credence to
that which has?

Ultimately, the truths on which we base our lives are half-
known, because we see only what we are told exists.

P
ART
I
C
HAPTER
1

I
WAS DROWNING IN SPACE
; then space became water.

Okay, at least drowning in water was logical.

Of course, logical wouldn’t matter much if I were dead.
Dead?

I opened my mouth to scream in protest, only to gag on the aforementioned water. Light surrounded me, blue to one side, pink
from the other. Which direction was up? I kicked reflexively, propelling myself toward the pink, away from the blue.

I broke through a salmon-tinted glass ceiling, gasping for air, swallowing huge lungfuls of it. All around I saw rosy water,
ruddy sky. What on earth? Then I felt it, throbbing through my bones and blood: recognition.

There are few places one knows instinctively; this was one of mine. I had played in these waters on almost every coast: Turkey,
Greece, Italy, Israel, Lebanon, Morocco. The colors were unmistakable, the taste unforgettable.

I was in the Mediterranean. Sunrise was embracing the now blue black sea with fingers of rose, gold, and lavender.

I wasn’t drowning.

Nor was I comforted to find myself in the middle of the Med, with neither land nor ship from horizon to horizon. My legs hadn’t
stopped moving, keeping me afloat. Shivering, I moved through the water, looking for a warm current. I passed through one,
then turned around to return to it.

“Dagon be exalted!”
I saw them at the same time I heard them. Before I could kick away, a wide, flat thing flew at me, covering my head, my arms,
imprisoning my movements. I flailed, tried to get free, but I was caught. I cursed as I went under, able to use only my legs
to surface again. In the back of my consciousness I heard a chant,
“Dagon, Lord of the Sea, we bow to thee.”
My brain was refiring the image I’d seen: a canoe carrying four bearded men in dresses. The thing tightened around me, slipping
lower, stopping my legs from paddling.

I really was going to drown.

“Dagon, Lord Dagon, we bring—”
The rest of it was submerged with my ears. Water burned in my nostrils, familiar briny Mediterranean seawater. How could
I have ever known it would be my last—my thought was interrupted as someone yanked my head above water, his hands in my hair,
half ripping it from the roots.

BOOK: Sunrise on the Mediterranean
12.03Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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