More than six centuries ago a stranger stumbled on a village in a remote valley in Northern Italy, seeking refuge from vengeance in the world outside. But there was something different about the valley, something strange about its people. Nothing was as it seemed. Did chance take him there, or were greater forces at work, calling him to play a role? Guided by fate, he would find himself at the center of an ancient mystery--and for a time the heritage of civilizations would rest in his hands. Before he was done, he would devise a gift like none before and vanish into history, leaving behind the seeds of rebirth and hope for future generations... Sanctuary of the Gods is vividly told, bringing history to life for its readers. The main story takes place at the dawn of the Renaissance, when European civilization was beginning its painful rise back towards the heights it had achieved in the days of Greece and Rome. There are also three detailed flashbacks to earlier periods: -A similar time more than 2,000 years before, when Greek civilization first began -The high point of Greek civilization in the age of Alexander The Great -Rome's decline, in the years following the Empire's conversion to Christianity. Sanctuary of the Gods is a story of survival against all odds, of human triumph over death and annihilation. It shows how a tiny village in Northern Italy became the last secret sanctuary of the old pagan religion, surviving through nine hundred years in hiding only to perish in the Black Death that swept Europe in 1348, and how, in those dark and terrifying days, a handful of survivors created the Tarot cards so that the heart of their religion would not perish with the sanctuary, but would survive in a hostile world, its origins forgotten, until the time was right for its rediscovery. For readers who are intrigued by the story and want to get to the heart of it, to discover the truth behind the things they've read, an appendix is provided. There, in 120 pages complemented by numerous illustrations, what at first seems too incredible to be anything but fiction is transformed by the evidence into compelling fact. Sanctuary is beautifully written with a clarity that brings the past to life and holds the reader's interest from beginning to end. For a Pagan or Tarot enthusiast, or for lovers of historical fiction, its appeal is apparent. But the story is powerful, and even readers who have never been interested in these subjects will find the book hard to put down. It gains the readers's attention because the characters and scenes described are lively and interesting, and because its vision is fresh and new, entirely unexpected. Be prepared for some surprises: the view from the Sanctuary is not like anything you have ever seen before...