Crossroads of Empire — Michael J. Cooper

Winner of the 2024 CIBA Hemingway First Place Prize for 20th Century Wartime Historical Fiction2024 SF Writers Conference Writing Contest Finalist-Adult Fiction. . . both a gripping page turner and a series of carefully observed character studies. Beautifully written in a voice and in details that capture the era, Crossroads of Empire is a must-read for readers of all ages -Chanticleer Book ReviewsThe story of Evan Sinclair that began in Wages of Empire continues in Crossroads of Empire. Having survived German artillery, poison gas, and friendly fire in helping to turn the tide of the war in its first months, Evan barely survives his hospital ship's sinking by a German U-boat. Left with amnesia, he no longer remembers who he is.Likewise, Evan doesn't recall that, despite the European war, the true source of conflict is in Ottoman Palestine, since it's from Jerusalem's Temple Mount that Kaiser Wilhelm II dreams to rule as Holy Roman Emperor over Arabian oil reserves and the Suez Canal.The Middle East Front soon explodes with pitched battles at Suez and Gallipoli as Evan's story is interwoven with those of historical figures Gertrude Bell, T. E. Lawrence, Winston Churchill, Faisal bin Hussein, and Chaim Weizmann.During his quest to recover his memory Evan will discover far more: love for his father, grief for his late mother, and hidden secrets of his bloodline-an unbroken lineage that stretches back to the Crusades and will determine his future role in the Great War.