History tells us very little about the early life of one of the 17th Century’s most intriguing characters. Constantine Gerakis (Falcon – or Phaulkon in French). The history books talk about his achievements in Siam, leading to his promotion by King Narai to become second in power to him. But how did he achieve such a lofty position?
In this novel, the author has created a story about his early life, drawing on historical conditions in that time, and in the process he has created a three-dimensional story about a man who rose to become one of the most amazing foreigners ever to move to Siam. Mike Holt has created a story that will entice and intrigue readers with his descriptions of the many cultures he would have met in his travels across the globe before finally sailing to Siam. He has attempted to describe a lost world full of adventure, challenges, and observations of the cultures he could have seen.
Constantine is not an attempt to redefine history, but a story that makes it possible for the reader to understand what sort of background would create a man who was able to become so powerful he became the favorite of a revered Siamese King.