Reviews for Out of Granada
Charles Robertson, author of: The Elijah Conspiracy, The Children, The Omega Deception, Red Chameleon, Directive Sixteen, and Strike Zone:
Out of Granada, new author Ben Fine’s leap into historical fiction, is a rollicking good ride into a venue that few of us have known. Fine masterfully weaves the historical events of 16th century Spain and the expulsion of the Moors from their centuries long dominance in Spain with the fictional Jewish Benzion family and their heroic son Miguel who are also being evicted by the newly dominant Spanish Inquisition.
To save his family and its fortune, Miguel embarks on an incredible journey that takes him on a voyage to the Caribbean, where he is captured by a band of madcap pirates led by an off the charts captain whose insanity is only equaled by Miguel’s bravery and fortitude. A return to the Old World leads to more derring-do and ultimately to a tear jerking finale.
This is an story of adventure, incredible struggle, and, yes, even a love story into the bargain wrapped in a terrific history lesson that will leave you marveling at Fine’s deft intermingling of all the composite parts.
Bravo to Ben Fine for an exciting beginning to his career as a novelist.
Lynne Heinzmann, recipient of the Fairfield Book Prize and author of Frozen Voices (New Rivers Press, 2016):
In Out of Granada, Ben Fine demonstrates his abilities as a master storyteller, spinning the tale of the handsome Granadian commander, Don Miguel Benzion, as he flees from the Inquisition in Spain only to be captured by pirates in Cuba who force him to fight his way back to Europe to reunite with his family.Throughout the novel, the author’s descriptions of scenes and characters are so lively and vivid that the experience of reading the novel feels almost like having a talented raconteur perform the story in person. He also carefully weaves many relevant historical facts into the novel,allowing the reader to easily place this 16th Century tale within its historical and political context. In keeping with the tradition of oral storytelling, Fine slowly reveals the distinctive traits of Don Miguel,interspersing his descriptions throughout the novel, so the reader gets to know the character gradually, like a friend.But the author utilizes his storytelling prowess on his antagonists, too. The pirate captain, Jerusalem, is ruthless but loving, insane yet calculating, all combining to make him one of the many intriguing characters in this swashbuckling historical novel.
Ben Fine 