New Novellas: March/April 2020

The spring of 2020 has seen many new offerings to the Latin novella world. In fact, April 2020 has tied the all-time record for the most novellas released in a month! The last, and only other, time four novellas were released in a month was in August 2019.

Take a look at the new novellas below. If any novellas are missing, please contact me.

	Ovidius Mūs Jocelyn Demuth (March 1, 2020) As the title implies, this novella contains three stories from Ovid's Metamorphoses (Pyramus and Thisbe, Baucis and Philemon, and Pygmalion) told by mouse figurines made of felt. The full-color photographic illustrations are adorable! Find the full LNDb entry here. Available from Amazon.
	Vōx in Tenebrīs Andrew Olimpi (March 20, 2020) Olimpi follows up his adaptations of stories from Silver-Age prose authors (Fīlia Rēgis and Via Periculōsa) with Vōx in Tenebrīs, a novella adapted from the story of Thelyphron in Book 3 of Apuleius's Metamorphoses. If it is anything like Olimpi's other work in this vein, readers can expect suspenseful and supernatural happenings! Full review pending. Available from Amazon.
	Sisyphus: Rēx Improbus Peter Sipes (April 3, 2020) Sipes is a newcomer to the Latin novella world, but even from the online preview, I already have a sense that his style will make this adaptation of the story of Sisyphus a welcome addition to the canon. The very first sentence is a fabulous example of a sentence that is long and complex but nevertheless completely comprehensible: "Corinthus erat (et est) oppidum in Graeciā et rēx ibi erat Sisyphus, quī erat improbus sed callidus." Sipes's style makes this sentence easy to read even for novice learners, despite the fact that a 17-word sentence is very, very long for novellas! Find the full LNDb entry here. Available from Amazon.
	Corōnis Ethan Floyd (April 8, 2020) Another adaptation of Ovid's Metamorphoses, and another new author! This one tells the lesser-known story of Apollo and Coronis with short, simple sentences (from the preview, the style seems similar to Miriam Patrick's works, or the simpler selections from Andrew Olimpi). I have always been an advocate for presenting more of the Metamorphoses to a wider audience, so I am eager to read this one! Find the full LNDb entry here. Available from Amazon.
	Dominī Secrētum Rachel Beth Cunning (April 16, 2020) From the author of three mythology-themed novellas comes a foray into historical fiction. Notably, it is from the perspective of an enslaved person—a rarity among the novellas available today. From the title alone, I'm anxious to read it and find out what the dominī secrētum could be! Find the full LNDb entry here. More information found on the author's website. Available from Amazon.
	Incitātus: Fābula Equī Senātōriī Emma Vanderpool (April 20, 2020) From the author of Sacrī Pullī comes another story of animal-themed absurdity in Roman history: the story of Incitatus, the horse named as a senator by Caligula. Vanderpool's other works are in a distinctive style full of complex but comprehensible sentences, and another offering by this author is an exciting development! Full review pending. Available from Amazon.