Grant de Graf to Cut His Teeth on Powerful Novel

Feb. 9, 2010 - PRLog -- NEW YORK -  Author Grant de Graf snaps the ribbon with the launch of his historical novel Cavalier's Call (ISBN 978-0-557-22972-7), in early spring. The story is based on fact and unfolds towards the end of Portugal's fourteenth century, in an era that immediately precedes the Age of Discovery. Ironically, it is a period that has remained relatively unexplored by the writing fraternity.

Historians have also exhibited a certain restraint in conducting any meaningful research on Portugal's conquests of the high seas. Clearly, de Graf had to dig deep for the facts to fully absorb how the country came to be a powerhouse amongst the nations of the world. He is appreciative of the remarkable manner in which their initiatives laid the foundations for widespread colonization. This was a strategy that Spain, the English and Dutch followed, enacted in the hope that explorers would return to their shores with precious bounty and merchandise from foreign lands.

Colonization, as de Graf is aware, is not free from controversy. The author of Cavalier's Call is a native South African, who is familiar with the cries of disdain that echoed across the savannahs of Africa during the days of apartheid. He knows well the struggle and tears of protest against the legacy that colonization had fathered.  Nevertheless, the policy of exploration and conquest became a hallmark amongst the leading nations of the time, and laid the playing field for the discovery of Southern Africa and the Americas. There are probably few nations in the world today, including China, that are unaffected by the impact that it carved on their soil.

As a prelude to a first read the author offers his audience a video clip. It is an enchanting introduction of the early venture capitalism that motivated Portugal to search for a new trade route, and pursue exploration. This may be viewed from Grant de Graf's blog. It allows one to appreciate the serious implications of decisions that were volleyed across the nation's drawing boards during that era. However, Cavalier's Call deals primarily with the period prior to the Age of Discovery, as it was de Graf's intent to capture the mood and spirit that led up to Portugal's coming of age and true independence.

The interplay of different personalities is commendably constructed. At the outset of the novel, the relationship that the main character Joao de Aviz enjoys with his father, the king, is touching, even admirable. De Graf has clearly used accounts from his own personal experience, having lost his father at an early age, to bring to the table some meaningful and candid insights. The author's ventures in life, which extend from a stint as a jackeroo on sheep stations in Australia to a position as a trader on Wall Street, do not make him a candidate who will need tissues to wipe the back of his ears. De Graf warmly captures the childhood relationship that Joao de Aviz and Nuno Álvares Pereira enjoy during their impressionable years, as they gallop across the sierras of Portugal and Castile in quest of their trophies.

The appointment of Joao to defend a man charged with murder in the royal court, moves the story to a new pace. De Graf is a master at recreating the mood and play for power that existed in the legal battles of the time. The tone is enthralling and intriguing.

Ines Peres is the daughter of the all-powerful Don Antonio Esteves, the courtier who leads the bench of prosecution in the royal court, and Joao's bitter opponent. Joao falls for the feisty and strong-willed Ines Peres, and the couple elopes with henchmen in hot pursuit. Although the plot is uncomplicated, chapters are filled with twists that come at the most unexpected moment, adding to the energy that drives the pace. Cavalier's Call is engaging and captivating, and turning the pages of this historical piece of fiction is a breeze.  

A sample read of the first chapters of Cavalier's Call is available for review through a link from the author's website, and provides a good example of de Graf's style of writing. It is sophisticated and interesting, consistent with that of a historical novel. Although there are no steamy bedroom scenes, there is the use of occasional imagery that is suggestive of a D.H. Lawrence style.

The first edition is in English, but translations into Spanish and Portuguese are sure to follow. A sequel is also in the making. The book trailer, which is available for review on YouTube, is a strong appetizer and makes the prospect of reading Cavalier's Call, compelling. The teaser can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWvPmdwka_s or on Grant de Graf's Blog at http://grantdegraf.blogspot.com/ ~ Although no film rights have yet been secured, if the videos are anything to go by, it is difficult to comprehend why the novel will not be snapped up by the circuit.



De Graf joins a line of novelists that are entering a changing industry and pioneering their own path to publication. No attempts were made to identify an agent or secure a publisher to represent the author. "Such initiatives would have just protracted the process of publication," says de Graf. "I was keen to see the book go to print in an expedited fashion." The novel will be listed through Amazon, Borders, Barnes&Noble, and all major distributors. It will also be downloadable as an ebook from LuLu, and accessible via Kindle and iPad.

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Cavalier's Call makes its entry onto the successful and appealing bookshelf of historical novels by veteran writers. The author, Grant de Graf, freelances for a number of news channels and tabloids, and has a strong interest in history and wildlife. He is a seasoned globetrotter who speaks at charity events regularly. His full bio is available for review at http://www.grantdegraf.com/About