Man of the Fields
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| Author | Henry F. Wilde |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Bella Ignagni |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Alternate history, Fantasy, Military Science Fiction |
| Publisher | Amazon |
Publication date | March 26, 2022 |
| Media type | Print & E-Book |
| Pages | 263 (paperback) |
| ISBN | 979-8-428-16641-5 Search this book on  . |
Man of the Fields (subtitled The Next Crusade for Salem) is a 2022 alternative history, fantasy, and military science fiction novel by American writer Henry F. Wilde.
The point of divergence occurs on October 30, 1692, during the height of the Salem Witch Trials, where all the witches of Salem rise up against the Puritans. Soon, all witches throughout the world immigrate to North America and create their own witch utopia. The Spanish Inquisition overthrows the Catholic Church and declare war against the American witch nation.
Premise[edit]
The novel takes place in an alternate 1917 as the war between the American witches and the Inquisition has reached a stalemate. After the death of the Holy Imperial Emperor of the Inquisitional Nations, the main protagonist Arturo Mattei, a former inventor turned missionary, is called to bring a special device that could not only change the war, but the entire fate of humanity.
Setting[edit]
Background[edit]
In the Man of the Fields alternative history, the witches of Salem rise up against the Puritans and slaughter every first born Puritan child on October 30, 1692. Therefore, all the colonists in Northern and Southern America flee back to Europe and ask the Catholic Church to help irradicate the witches. Meanwhile, all persecuted witches throughout the world, immigrate to the Americas and create their own witch utopia.
The Americas are a heavily matriarchal, theocratic society that is divided into multiple provinces based on culture and form of witchcraft. Salem is the capital of the entire nation, growing from a small village to a gargantuan, chaotic, diverse metropolis. They have formed a strong alliance with the Native Americans. The Native Americans form two territories in Canada and South America, calling it the Northern and Southern Indigenous Confederations, while forming a close political alliance with the American witches. The alliance is solely based on revenge for the Catholic Church's unspeakable acts during colonization.
By 1917, the American witches hold some advanced technology such as cars, submarines, and telephones. However, the American witches still manage to use horse-and-carriages, broomsticks, and sacrifice infants in order to attain special magical properties. There is a constant generational struggle of accepting technology and maintaining the old traditions of witchcraft. The witches of America follow the deity of the Horned Father, who is a combination of all culture's devilish deities such as Lucifer, Loki, and Papa Legba. They believe that the Horned Father is the root of freedom and justice, believing that evil is the way to everlasting life. However, the nation is tested as a growing infertility crisis is at hand, questioning the faith of their deity and government. Promiscuity, polyamory, and same-sex relationships, slavery, cannibalism and mass murder are extremely common within the Americas.
The Inquisitional Catholic Nations are a patriarchal, theocratic society that follows the strict teachings of the Catholic Church and the Malleus Maleficarum, a sacred book that teaches the reader how to identify, catch, and persecute a witch under the name of God. Cardinals act as governors of countries. The nation is highly militarized with military police known as Samuelites, as well as Hammer of Witches (HOWs), an elite special forces unit that is designed to handle specialized missions concerning witch affairs. The nation is also known for its extreme violence and policing methods to purge non-Catholic individuals. All citizens of the Inquisitional Nations must be Catholic, otherwise they will face enslavement or death. Citizenship is offered but it is nearly impossible to attain, thus providing an abundance of enslaved workforce for the Inquisition. Enslavement is not based on a matter of race but instead based on religion. Any non-Catholics have the potential of being enslaved. However, a group of missionaries known as Travelers are known for their pacifism and universal acceptance, outside the control of the Inquisition. Travelers are scattered around the world, helping those in need. Homosexuality, promiscuity, and heresy against the Inquisition will result in immediate execution by the Inquisition.[1]
Genre[edit]
The novel is classified as a alternative history, fantasy, and military science fiction novel. The novel holds some steam punk elements as well as Christian imagery.
Reception[edit]
Man of the Fields has received 4/5 stars on Amazon. It has sold hundreds of copies worldwide.
Criticism[edit]
The novel utilizes imagery based on biblical works, as well as classical works of art. Specifically, Wilde has used imagery inspired by the works of Francisco Goya's Black Paintings in this novel. Some readers found this imagery to be "unoriginal" and "predictable" due to the symbolic subject matter.[citation needed]
However, majority of readers find his works to be "excellently crafted" and provides "characters that come to life".[citation needed]
See also[edit]
- List of alternate history fiction
- List of military science fiction works and authors
- Cultural depictions of the Salem witch trials
References[edit]
- ↑ Wilde, Henry F. (March 26, 2022). Man of the Fields: The Next Crusade for Salem. United States: Amazon. p. 263. ISBN 979-8428166415. Search this book on
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