The Spirit of the Times
by Justin Newland
From a land of milk,
And a Road of Silk,
To a ring of roses,
And a dance of posies,
Comes the tale of the spirit of the times!
In fourteenth-century Central Asia, Karia is a young woman living under the yoke of Mongol occupation. But she’s different. She’s a fighter with supernatural powers. She could use them to keep the Black Plague at bay and solve the mystery of the purple skies at dawn – if only she could overcome her self-doubt.
Travelling in caravans on the Silk Road, she faces dangers seen and unseen – from sandstorms and slave traders to the desert djinn and folk who believe she’s a witch. She fears losing Abi, her little cousin, who’s fascinated by roses and the dance of the Whirling Dervishes of Bukhara.
When Karia falls in love with an English sailor fleeing the Knights Hospitaller, they sail to England with Abi to unravel the meaning of the purple skies, a dance, a posy tree, and a ring of roses.
The Spirit of the Times is part history, part fiction and part speculation: on the origin of disease; the power of innocence; the unfortunate aspects of custom and dogma; and humanity’s ability to respond to the governing influence or spirit of the times.
In Conversation with Justin Newland
What inspired you to start writing?
I wanted to discover the origins of the times I live in, and how that influences who I am. My debut novel explored an alternative explanation of the origins of our genetic. Now, twenty years later, there’s a seventh novel, conjuring The Spirit of the Times.
What was the hardest part about writing this book?
It depends what you mean by ‘hard’. Yes, there were difficulties along the way, such as trying to imagine the feelings and thoughts of the main character - a young Turkic woman living in the 14th century in a culture and in a land I knew little about.
But then hard is good, didn’t you know? Because the area of greatest potential growth is always in that which is hard, that which confounds, that which resists. Hence the wise saying, lean against that which resists you. Look at the grass that grows between the cracks of the pavement. Little by little, it pushes up through the tiniest crack, seeking the light, seeking growth, wanting to live. Are we humans not the same?
Does one of the main characters hold a special place in your heart? If so, why?
Karia is the central character, a young woman whose life is uprooted by the arrival in her town of the Black Plague. Much is known about the spread of the plague, where and when it started, how quickly it moved from town to town, and the fleas and rats that carried it across seas and over deserts. But nothing is ever reported about the first case. How did it arise? What caused it? That is why I love historical fiction, because as a novelist, you can speculate on profound matters such as this. And I do.
Karia is a feisty character who doubts her abilities, yet overcomes those doubts because, as we all know, Necessity is the Mother of Invention. Often people are not in control of their lives, which are pulled from side to side by greater influences, such as drought, famine, war, earthquakes, political turmoil, social upheaval, and so on. In Karia’s case, it’s firstly foreign (i.e. Mongol) occupation of her land, and secondly the arrival of the plague. These are the things that resist her and against which she has to lean. The story is about how she deals with those exigencies, and what kind of person that makes her.
What do you hope your readers take away from this book?
I’m always surprised by what readers take away from my books. I think what they take away depends on many things, notably their reason for reading the book in the first place, their ability to suspend their critical faculties, and to allow their imagination to be moved by the writing. I get the most satisfaction from a reader who takes away from my novels the exact same things I wanted them to.
More generally, I hope they take away a lot of questions. I write novels because I have a lot of questions about life, and living in today’s world. I wrote this novel to question the status quo about many things. I try to question the assumptions we make about our lives. In this novel, I wanted to question the origin of disease; the power of innocence; the unfortunate aspects of custom and dogma; the meaning of folk songs and nursery rhymes, and finally, humanity’s ability to respond to the governing influence or spirit of the times.
Justin Newland
July 2026
Music that inspired the novel, and which beautifully evokes the Steppes of Central Asia:
Justin Newland
Justin Newland's novels represent an innovative blend of genres, from historical adventure to supernatural thriller and magical realism.
Undeterred by the award of a doctorate in mathematics from Imperial College, London, he conceived his debut novel, The Genes of Isis (Matador, 2018), an epic fantasy set under Ancient Egyptian skies. Next came The Old Dragon’s Head (Matador, 2018), set in Ming Dynasty China in the shadows of the Great Wall.
The Coronation (Matador, 2019) features the Great Enlightenment and speculates on the genesis of the most important event in the modern world – the Industrial Revolution. The Abdication (Matador, 2021) is a mystery thriller in which a young woman confronts her faith in a higher purpose and what it means to abdicate that faith.
At this point in his writing career, after four self-published books, Justin was offered a part-funded contract with the Book Guild.
The Mark of the Salamander (Book Guild, 2023) is the first in a two-book ‘The Island of Angels’ series. It tells the epic tale of England’s coming of age during the Elizabethan era. The second in the series, The Midnight of Eights (Book Guild, 2024), charts the uncanny coincidences of time and tide that culminated in the repulse of the Spanish Armada.
His latest novel, The Spirit of the Times (Matador, 2026), is to be published in July. It tells the story of a young Kyrgyz woman’s journey westwards along the Silk Road. With purple skies at dawn, and a supporting cast of Genghis Khan, the Black Plague, a perplexing rhyme, a ring of roses, it explores the greatest mystery of all – the spirit of the times.
Justin’s enduring passion is to explore the origins of our current time. This prompted a broad research into what we’ve inherited from history – encompassing Egypt, China, Prussia and Tudor England.
He also writes entertaining talks which he gives to the WI, U3A, Probus, Rotary and local historical associations. Please visit his website for a current list of the talks.
Alongside the talks, Justin promotes his work with regular book signings at TG Jones (ex. WH Smith) high street stores, selling over 3,500 books since 2019. He has sponsored over 40 UK and US blog tours, given frequent radio interviews and penned many guest posts.
His current book signing motto is: Enjoy, Imagine, Discover.
As a member of the Society of Authors, he has Public and Products Liability Insurance.
Born in Essex, England, three days before the end of 1953, he lives with his lady in plain sight of the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England.
Connect with Justin:
Website • Facebook • Instagram
Amazon Author Page • BookBub • Goodreads
