Mariners of Byzantium: Full Colour Edition

This beautiful full colour edition features paintings by artist Patrick Nunes.

An inquisitive twelve-year-old merchant's son named Andrew from ninth-century Italy sets sail with his father on his first voyage to Constantinople, queen of cities and marketplace of the world.

Join Andrew and his father as they sail across the vast Mediterranean Sea aboard a lone merchant vessel, with only their wits and faith to keep them alive. Hear about mercy, loyalty, and courage as you walk the streets of ancient Constantinople. Journey through the enchanting lands of Byzantium as they once were centuries ago, in a world of beautiful art and simple devotion when hardship was matched only by people's compassion.

Unexpected encounters with pirates and the imperial navy threaten to prevent their safe return home, where their loved ones wait in agonizing silence. Andrew meets men of great generosity who show him that real value in life cannot be purchased. This fictional story of life and hope relates the history of the period while showing how the church preserved justice and civilization in a dark time.

Review Quotes

"Mariners of Byzantium is a very interesting attempt to evoke the Byzantine world in an entertaining and engaging way."
- Professor Ken Dark Author of Constantinople Archaeology of a Byzantine Megapolis.

"Merlino, who holds a master's degree in medieval history, has clearly studied his subject well; the novel showcases how family dynamics, the merchant trade, religion, and politics influenced both society and day-to-day life at the time. Leo and Andrew are not so much individualized characters as they are windows that allow the reader to peek into their world and witness how quickly a seemingly straightforward trip could, due to the forces that powered the Byzantine Empire, transform into a monthslong journey rife with both positive and negative experiences."
- Kirkus Reviews

"Mariners of Byzantium does a good job of presenting those distant times in a way that should appeal to YA readers. The evocative illustrations help reinforce the sense of personality and place."
- Professor Marcus Rautman Author of Daily Life in the Byzantine Empire.

"I particularly like the illustrations which give you a sense of the scale of the large building interiors. I think the artwork in Mariners of Byzantium will connect well with a young readership."
- Peter Dennis Illustrator of Byzantine Warship vs Arab Warship and The Walls of Constantinople AD 324-1453.

"Patrick Nunes has produced fine illustrations whose figurative, architectural, ornamental and landscape elements are well integrated. They are true both to the historical setting of the book, and to the artist's signature style."
- Daniel Mitsui Author and Illustrator of Christian Labyrinths.

"Nunes' color illustrations, meant to evoke the art of the times, punctuate the introductions of settings and historical items, allowing the reader to visualize the landscape along with Andrew."
- Kirkus Reviews

"Patrick's serene and simplified linework and harmonious colors feel both reminiscent of the ancient Byzantine art, but also fresh and vivid. His illustrations will reward and delight readers of the Mariners of Byzantium in many scenes of calm, intimate stillness as well as vistas of mystery, danger, and grandeur."
- John Folley Illustrator of Colors of Creation.

Mark Merlino holds master's degrees in Medieval History and Cultural Heritage from Bilkent University in Ankara and the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.

Patrick Nunes is a visual artist based in Orange Country California.