“A Man of Honor begins where the tragedy [of Hamlet] concludes. Nelson provides Horatio with agency and depth…. New characters are well integrated and the historical setting is vivid.”
—Critic's Report,
The BookLife Prize (2020) Publishers Weekly
4.4 (out of 5 stars) IndieReader
4 out of 5, Clarion Reviews
Available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook
Finalist, Literary Fiction
14th Annual National Indie Excellence Awards (2020)
2020 Notable Indie Books, Top 100
Shelf Unbound
Two Silver Medals: Best First Book & Best Cover
IBPA (2020)
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About J. A. Nelson
J. A. Nelson’s passion for exploring connections between history, literature, and evidence in written texts has shaped her life—from a BA (Occidental College) and MA (The George Washington University) in cultural studies to a two-decade career at the National Archives of the United States, working with historical documentary treasures and helping people access unique stories in those records. A native of Los Angeles, Ms. Nelson lives with her husband in Northern Virginia. A Man of Honor, or Horatio’s Confessions is her debut novel.
About A Man of Honor
How far would you go to keep a deathbed promise?
Amid rising war between rival kings, a dying prince extracts a promise from his friend, Horatio: “Tell my story.” But how will Horatio preserve his honor and the prince’s legacy while surviving this murderous kingdom and the men who would rule it?
Aided by unexpected allies, a courageous lady-in-waiting and a disgraced French nobleman, Horatio’s perilous quest becomes a life-risking journey to save his dignity and the family he craves.
This historical adventure story tells the fictional tale of how Horatio’s oath gave birth to the legend of Hamlet.
