In a world governed by fear, truth is the greatest heresy.
Pursued by the Crown’s spymaster and hunted by the Inquisition, two fugitives bound
by a dangerous secret fight for love and truth in the chaos of 14th century France.
Meet George F. Brookings
G. F. Brookings is a time traveler. He is fascinated by the lives of people who came before us and made the modern world. Lives that survive only in fragments, stripped of color and depth. Through story, they can speak again, telling us not only how they lived, but what they felt, believed, their hope and dreams.
In The Falcon and the Book, his first published novel, Brookings transports readers to fourteenth-century France, a world shaped by the growing power of the French state and the inquisitorial authority of the Church of Rome. Drawing on extensive research into the landscapes of France and Spain, as well as the defining conflicts of the age, he crafts a dramatic narrative in which the love and truth of two lost souls stand against the forces of fear and control.
Brookings lives in Northern Virginia with his lovely wife, and his dog, Harley, his faithful companion.
He is currently at work on a sequel to The Falcon and the Book, which follows his heroines, as they flee old enemies and new, seeking safety and lives of truth and meaning in the greatest medieval city of all, Paris, in all its majestic beauty and squalor.
The Falcon and the Book
Amiel, a young apprentice bound to a harsh village miller, carries the searing memory of his parents’ execution for heresy. When the body of a local woman is discovered on the miller’s land, suspicion falls on Amiel, and he’s imprisoned for a murder he never committed. His desperate escape leads him to Rachel, the healer who lives at the forest’s edge. She shelters him, and the two forge a deep connection—one that endures even as fate drives them onto divergent roads across southern France and medieval Spain.
Amiel is swept into a world of rogues and rebels, eventually entangled in a conspiracy to topple a powerful bishop. Rachel, meanwhile, faces her own peril as whispers of witchcraft gather around her.
Set against the shadow of the Inquisition, this sweeping historical tale follows two souls fighting to survive a world ruled by fear, corruption, and zealotry. Yet amid betrayal, hidden truths, and unexpected allies, Amiel and Rachel cling to the hope that they might one day claim a life beyond persecution.
Featured Short Fiction
The Mountain
Originally published in the literary journal Copper Nickel, 2016
Osma’s wife, Nadine, approached silently in her sandaled feet and salmon-colored shift with a glass of fresh, iced lemonade in one hand. It was hot already. The heat had come early this year and the hills surrounding the city shimmered in the haze of midday. As he did most days, Osma dozed in a dusty armchair under the shade of the blue awning that fronted the brown brick house. The chair was always turned to face the eroded hips and shoulders of Jabal Sabir.
Why? Nadine had asked him one day, wondering what he saw in the barren, rust-colored promontory. “Why do you stare at that mountain?
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Reviews & Praise
Atmospheric, tense, and deeply moving!
An incredible journey through medieval France and Spain, masterfully balancing brutal political intrigue with the intimate bonds between Amiel and Rachel. A must-read for fans of Ken Follett or Umberto Eco!
A haunting, beautifully woven medieval epic.
A gripping exploration of survival and resilience. The intertwined journeys of Amiel and Rachel bring to life a world of danger and the relentless search for truth. This story lingers long after the final page.
Vivid, immersive, and hard to put down!
The historical setting feels alive, adding a layer of depth and intensity to the narrative. I found myself constantly wanting to read ‘just one more chapter.’ A compelling and fascinating read!
Contact G.F. Brookings
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