REVERSED

In a world where Timbuktu, Cairo, and the Andes rise as empires-while Europe stumbles in chains-five unforgettable lives collide in a battle of knowledge, power, and hope.
REVERSED: The Lion and The Cross is an epic blend of history and allegory that asks: What do we crown, who do we silence, and what seeds will we plant for tomorrow?

What if history had run in reverse?

In this sweeping alternate-history epic, the great centers of power are not Rome or London-but Timbuktu, Cairo, and the Andes. Empires rise on wisdom, gold, and flame, while Europe staggers under chains and hunger.

At the heart of this reimagined world stand unforgettable figures:

• Idris, the young scholar who learns to read the sky itself.

• Sami, the hungry boy whose spark could ignite a generation.

• Robert, a beggar-turned-rebel whose crown is made of ash.

• Suleiman, whose thunder shakes nations.

• Matteo, whose shadow spreads where light falters.

REVERSED: The Lion and The Cross is more than a novel-it is a parable about knowledge and power, oppression and freedom, shadows and seeds of hope. As banners blaze, chains tighten, and children rise with fragile flames, you are invited to witness a story that lingers long after the last page.

Richly layered, cinematic, and deeply allegorical, this debut by Al Santos blends history, faith, and imagination into a narrative perfect for readers who love epics that wrestle with power, justice, and hope.