Dean Hamilton
@tyburntree.bsky.social
...I am Fortune's fool. Author of The Jesuit Letter, Black Dog and Thieves' Castle. Marketer, writer, cat wrangler, walker of bear-dogs.
For no particular reason - a camel, from the Vatican museum.
Love the expression...
Love the expression...
November 10, 2025 at 6:21 PM
For no particular reason - a camel, from the Vatican museum.
Love the expression...
Love the expression...
It’s weird. The early snowfall hit with most of the fall foliage still on the trees.
The snow reflects and refracts the light off the leaves and everything is cast in this “ insta” filter of colour, gilded in burgundy, gold and green everywhere in my neighborhood.
Can’t even describe it.
The snow reflects and refracts the light off the leaves and everything is cast in this “ insta” filter of colour, gilded in burgundy, gold and green everywhere in my neighborhood.
Can’t even describe it.
November 10, 2025 at 4:09 PM
It’s weird. The early snowfall hit with most of the fall foliage still on the trees.
The snow reflects and refracts the light off the leaves and everything is cast in this “ insta” filter of colour, gilded in burgundy, gold and green everywhere in my neighborhood.
Can’t even describe it.
The snow reflects and refracts the light off the leaves and everything is cast in this “ insta” filter of colour, gilded in burgundy, gold and green everywhere in my neighborhood.
Can’t even describe it.
Most fiction embedded in the Tudor era tends to be tales of Court intrigue, set amidst the silken splendor of palaces. Mine tends to hang about in ale-soaked taverns, muddy streets and fetid back-alleys where cold-steel by lantern light offers redemption or grim death by turn.
#Questpit #Q #HF
#Questpit #Q #HF
November 6, 2025 at 3:04 AM
“a 16th century Richard Sharpe…”
Kit Tyburn, ex-soldier turned play-actor, fresh sprung from Newgate Prison, dives into the arcane killing of a would-be sorcerer.
But London’s back-alleys hide so very many secrets… including a dangerous pair of killers on the hunt.
#Questpit #Q #HF
Kit Tyburn, ex-soldier turned play-actor, fresh sprung from Newgate Prison, dives into the arcane killing of a would-be sorcerer.
But London’s back-alleys hide so very many secrets… including a dangerous pair of killers on the hunt.
#Questpit #Q #HF
November 5, 2025 at 11:37 PM
Someone is killing the sorcerers of London.
Kit Tyburn, ex-soldier turned play-actor, is tasked to investigate an arcane killing, and finds himself entangled in a vicious plot that may threaten the Crown itself.
London’s back-alleys hide so very many secrets…
#Questpit #Q #HF
Kit Tyburn, ex-soldier turned play-actor, is tasked to investigate an arcane killing, and finds himself entangled in a vicious plot that may threaten the Crown itself.
London’s back-alleys hide so very many secrets…
#Questpit #Q #HF
November 5, 2025 at 8:42 PM
If you are looking for an excellent book on how Guy Fawkes' Gunpowder Plot roiled up into the cultural/literary side of things, James Shapiro's "1606: William Shakespeare and the Year of Lear" is a fantastic read!
November 5, 2025 at 6:17 PM
If you are looking for an excellent book on how Guy Fawkes' Gunpowder Plot roiled up into the cultural/literary side of things, James Shapiro's "1606: William Shakespeare and the Year of Lear" is a fantastic read!
I had two days visiting Florence last month and everytime I went around a corner I remembered another incredible, informative bit of history. Fabulous piece of work!
November 5, 2025 at 3:01 PM
I had two days visiting Florence last month and everytime I went around a corner I remembered another incredible, informative bit of history. Fabulous piece of work!
One of my favorite book series is Arturo Pérez-Reverte brilliant, under-rated Captain Alatriste series.
A surprisingly poetic, thoughtful set of adventurous historical fiction books set in the Golden Age of Spain. The series follows a quixotic former soldier turned sword-for-hire.
A surprisingly poetic, thoughtful set of adventurous historical fiction books set in the Golden Age of Spain. The series follows a quixotic former soldier turned sword-for-hire.
November 4, 2025 at 9:03 PM
One of my favorite book series is Arturo Pérez-Reverte brilliant, under-rated Captain Alatriste series.
A surprisingly poetic, thoughtful set of adventurous historical fiction books set in the Golden Age of Spain. The series follows a quixotic former soldier turned sword-for-hire.
A surprisingly poetic, thoughtful set of adventurous historical fiction books set in the Golden Age of Spain. The series follows a quixotic former soldier turned sword-for-hire.
The Doge's Palace in Venice has a very impressive Armory.
I now have sword envy...
I now have sword envy...
November 3, 2025 at 4:48 PM
The Doge's Palace in Venice has a very impressive Armory.
I now have sword envy...
I now have sword envy...
Some pics from my wandering Piazza San Marco, early morning - damp, rainy and mostly empty but...atmospheric!
October 30, 2025 at 6:52 PM
Some pics from my wandering Piazza San Marco, early morning - damp, rainy and mostly empty but...atmospheric!
For a deep-dive read into this fabulous bit of cartographic lore, check out Here Begins the Dark Sea by Meredith Francesca Small.
It's just excellent!
It's just excellent!
October 29, 2025 at 6:34 PM
For a deep-dive read into this fabulous bit of cartographic lore, check out Here Begins the Dark Sea by Meredith Francesca Small.
It's just excellent!
It's just excellent!
Another highlight of my Venetian visit was the chance to see the Mappa Mundi -a 15thc map by Venetian monk Fra Mauro- at the Correr Museum. You can get a close-up look at this phenomenally detailed, 2-m square map, as well as an interactive screen version.
October 29, 2025 at 6:34 PM
Another highlight of my Venetian visit was the chance to see the Mappa Mundi -a 15thc map by Venetian monk Fra Mauro- at the Correr Museum. You can get a close-up look at this phenomenally detailed, 2-m square map, as well as an interactive screen version.
Visited the Piraeus Lion when I was in Venice. Sculpted in 360 BC, it was looted from Athens by the Venetians in 1687 & now sits outside the gates of the Venetian Arsenal.
If you look closely (B&W, it shows the details better), you can see the carved runes left by Vikings in the service of Byzantium
If you look closely (B&W, it shows the details better), you can see the carved runes left by Vikings in the service of Byzantium
October 28, 2025 at 8:25 PM
Visited the Piraeus Lion when I was in Venice. Sculpted in 360 BC, it was looted from Athens by the Venetians in 1687 & now sits outside the gates of the Venetian Arsenal.
If you look closely (B&W, it shows the details better), you can see the carved runes left by Vikings in the service of Byzantium
If you look closely (B&W, it shows the details better), you can see the carved runes left by Vikings in the service of Byzantium
It was extraordinary.
October 28, 2025 at 3:24 PM
It was extraordinary.
The interior of the Basilica di San Marco in Venice is mind-blowing. The detail of the Byzantine frescos and mosaics is other-worldly and extraordinary.
October 28, 2025 at 3:18 PM
The interior of the Basilica di San Marco in Venice is mind-blowing. The detail of the Byzantine frescos and mosaics is other-worldly and extraordinary.
Last place in Italy we stopped at was the fabled La Serenissima - Venice.
Damn.
Damn.
October 28, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Last place in Italy we stopped at was the fabled La Serenissima - Venice.
Damn.
Damn.
I’m thinking the neighborhood Halloween decorations are getting a little out of hand….
October 28, 2025 at 12:59 AM
I’m thinking the neighborhood Halloween decorations are getting a little out of hand….
Hit the Uffizi gallery in the afternoon, but exhaustion took its toll and I failed to get through a big chunk of the museum.
What I did see...wow.
What I did see...wow.
October 24, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Hit the Uffizi gallery in the afternoon, but exhaustion took its toll and I failed to get through a big chunk of the museum.
What I did see...wow.
What I did see...wow.
Went on a Fiat tour of the hills overlooking Florence.
Visited Abbazia di San Miniato al Monte, an 11th c church and abbey on the hill, getting a spectacular view of the Duomo and the cityscape.
Have to say, Italy and Tuscany lives up to its reputation.
Visited Abbazia di San Miniato al Monte, an 11th c church and abbey on the hill, getting a spectacular view of the Duomo and the cityscape.
Have to say, Italy and Tuscany lives up to its reputation.
October 24, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Went on a Fiat tour of the hills overlooking Florence.
Visited Abbazia di San Miniato al Monte, an 11th c church and abbey on the hill, getting a spectacular view of the Duomo and the cityscape.
Have to say, Italy and Tuscany lives up to its reputation.
Visited Abbazia di San Miniato al Monte, an 11th c church and abbey on the hill, getting a spectacular view of the Duomo and the cityscape.
Have to say, Italy and Tuscany lives up to its reputation.
Ran across the Largo di Torre Argentina site in Rome, while wandering over to Campo de' Fiori. This where Julius Caesar met his stabby fate at the hands of the Senate. It's now a designated cat sanctuary (there's one kitty visible in the lower left corner of the picture). www.gattidiroma.net/web/en/
October 23, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Ran across the Largo di Torre Argentina site in Rome, while wandering over to Campo de' Fiori. This where Julius Caesar met his stabby fate at the hands of the Senate. It's now a designated cat sanctuary (there's one kitty visible in the lower left corner of the picture). www.gattidiroma.net/web/en/
Oooooo....the latest Bernard Cornwell Sharpe book just dropped.
There goes all my free time for the next day or so...
Got it from Kobo rather than Kindle because...well, Amazon is a little problematic these days.
There goes all my free time for the next day or so...
Got it from Kobo rather than Kindle because...well, Amazon is a little problematic these days.
October 21, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Oooooo....the latest Bernard Cornwell Sharpe book just dropped.
There goes all my free time for the next day or so...
Got it from Kobo rather than Kindle because...well, Amazon is a little problematic these days.
There goes all my free time for the next day or so...
Got it from Kobo rather than Kindle because...well, Amazon is a little problematic these days.
As an added bonus, I had forgotten that Sir John Hawkwood, the infamous English mercenary condottiero also graced the walls of the cathedral.
October 20, 2025 at 2:21 PM
As an added bonus, I had forgotten that Sir John Hawkwood, the infamous English mercenary condottiero also graced the walls of the cathedral.