Silvester is a slave in 6th-century Byzantium. However, he's never has a problem accepting his lot. As a house servant to a wealthy family, he has been taught to read and write, the rudiments of medicine, and he loves his other task - the training and care of Bubba, the dancing bear. But his stable world is sudenly torn to pieces when the barbarous Huns attack, murdering, looting - and carrying off his young mistress, Ariadne, right from the middle of her betrothal party.
A strange mix of coincidence, duty, and avoiding the legal fallout from this disaster leads Silvester, his bear, and the household's dirty, epileptic holy man to go on a quest... Holy John wants to bring Christ to the Huns (and takes it upon himself to also return a wounded Hun warrior to his tribe), Silvester wants to find and ransom Ariadne, and Bubba just wants honey...
Although published as a YA book, this historical adventure is definitely entertaining for all ages...
(And although the book acknowledges that historically, dancing bears were not usually well-treated, Bubba is well-loved in this book, and never mistreated (well, if someone tries, she can take care of herself!)
A strange mix of coincidence, duty, and avoiding the legal fallout from this disaster leads Silvester, his bear, and the household's dirty, epileptic holy man to go on a quest... Holy John wants to bring Christ to the Huns (and takes it upon himself to also return a wounded Hun warrior to his tribe), Silvester wants to find and ransom Ariadne, and Bubba just wants honey...
Although published as a YA book, this historical adventure is definitely entertaining for all ages...
(And although the book acknowledges that historically, dancing bears were not usually well-treated, Bubba is well-loved in this book, and never mistreated (well, if someone tries, she can take care of herself!)
