The King of Silk

By Joe Douglas Trent

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Michael Patriote is riding the crest of a wave of business success when he’s mugged in a Manhattan alley in Joe Douglas Trent’s The King of Silk. He awakens in Italy in 1492 with nothing but his clothes and a Rolex. Though clues bombard him that this is his second chance to find love, friendship, God and happiness, he realizes he’s landed in a volatile time: Venice’s stranglehold on trade is about to falter as new routes open to the Americas. As he helps one employer after another into the world of manipulative high finance, no lesser personages than Savonarola, King Charles VIII of France, the Doge Agostino of Venice and Ludovico Sforza are moving like pieces on a fateful chessboard. It turns out that what Michael thought was cutthroat corporate battle in the 21st century can’t compare with late 15th century Italy. With surprisingly intriguing description – from some of the most basic concepts in accounting to hair-raising sea battles – Michael leads the reader on his opportunistic path to see if he will reach for all he lacked in his former life.