The Fair GodsShortly after the discovery of a new continent by Christopher Columbus, would-be privateers from Spain rush to the shores of the new world seeking to acquire land, riches, and the power that came with both. Among these hearty individuals is Hernando Cortés, who, along with his native translator Malinali Tenepal—baptized in the Catholic faith as Marina—manage to overcome the might of the Aztec empire.

It is a tale of greed, self-righteousness, power, and betrayal. It is also a tale of guile, strategy, alliances, and inevitable change.

The two volumes of The Fair Gods tell the story of how a small band of men aided by a native woman accomplished the most remarkable feat of conquest in history. They were, as described by General Lew Wallace (author of Ben Hur and The Fair God), “men never seen before or since.

”The ArrivalOn a squally winter’s night, a small contingent of Spaniards numbering no more than five hundred darts out of Cuba’s Manzanillo harbor aboard some acquired ships. They do so, fleeing from arrest by Governor Velásquez’s order, who has labeled their leader, Hernando Cortés, a traitor.

Thus begins the epic story of Cortés and history’s most daring conquest. Early into the expedition, they receive their most valuable treasure, a native princess who had been sold into slavery by her step-brother, chief of the Paynala.

Through her interaction with the local tribes, she becomes indispensable. Her ability to translate not just words but also the real message behind them allows for her own hidden agenda.

Once allies are made on the coast, Cortés and his expedition plunge into the interior, chasing riches, power, and position. They face the unknown terrain and weather, plus the many indigenous tribes who might be loyal to the Aztec empire or, in other cases, willing to ally with the Spaniards to remove the yolk of domination exerted by the Aztecs.

As the expedition heads toward the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan, they are well aware that the governor’s troops are not far behind, carrying the irons those troops intend to use to drag them all back to Cuba and a hangman’s noose. .