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.
The Silk Road in the 14th Century
My novel, The Spirit of the Times, is set in the 14th century and its opening chapters take place in the Silk Road towns of Central Asia notably Balasagun, Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva. Following the Mongol invasion of the 13th century, the area was called Moghulistan.
Despite or perhaps because of the occupation, the Mongols opened up the Silk Road to trade, both east to west and west to east. As long as the occupied lands accepted the Yassa, the Mongol law code, the people were allowed to maintain their local rules, and to follow whatever was their religious inclination, be it Nestorian Christian, Catholic, Buddhist, Tao, or Islam. This degree of tolerance, unusual for the times, opened up the spread of ideas back and forth along the many trails of the Silk Road.
The Silk Road was an artery that connected people and ideas. Its workhorse was the Bactrian Camel. With two thick humps and shaggy fur, the creature was perfectly designed to survive the freezing passes of the Heavenly Mountains and harsh deserts of the Aral, the Kyzylkum, and Karakum. With three eyelids, they could literally close out a sandstorm without any difficulty whatsoever. They not only carried heavy loads, but with their natural instincts for sudden changes in the weather, they acted as early warning systems for the caravan leaders.
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| Ink Painting of groom and horse. Public domain. |
The Mongols instituted what became known as the Mongol Peace, or Pax Mongolica. At one time its huge Empire stretched from Mongolia and China across India and Central Asia, across the Caspian and Black Seas as far as Hungary. One of the ideals of Pax Mongolica was to allow a woman to walk the length of the Silk Road on her own, without fear of molestation. Even today, that would be an achievement.
News and messages – as well as spies and emissaries – travelled back and forth along the Silk Road. The horse riders (an ink painting is shown in the image) who carried the messages were known as Arrow Messengers and were a vital part of the massive communication and supply network called the Yam. They would stop at the many staging posts set up along the length and breath of the Silk Road.
In the Islamic world, the traffic along the Silk Road was called a caravan, a Persian word that meant a group of desert travellers. They were led by a caravanbashi, literally the father of the caravan. The larger staging posts were called caravanserai, a rectangular enclosure where the travellers could rest, and with an entrance high and wide enough to allow the Bactrian camels to come and go. The image shows the Izadkhvast Caravanserai in Fars Province in Iran. The locals would set up their stalls in these staging posts, hoping to sell their wares to the travellers, and vice-versa. There were kitchens too, to feed the voyagers, and grain stores for the camels, horses and mules. Every caravanserai was populated by wildlife, notably feral cats who were encouraged to stay and keep the rats at bay.
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| Izadkhvast Caravanserai in Fars Province in Iran. Public domain. |
To end, here’s a story that surprisingly links the Mongols to the Virgin Mary. The opening up of the Silk Road from the 13th century allowed lapis lazuli mined in the Badakhshan Province in Afghanistan to make its way onto the palettes of Renaissance painters. They made a paste out of the semi-precious stone and created what is known as ultramarine (shown in the image), which they used as a blue pigment to colour the luminous sacred robes of the Virgin Mary.
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| Ultramarine. Screenshot. |
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
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