An old manuscript with great powers, ancient Rome in the background
The journalist Gianluca Brigatti appears on the editorial scene with The Lucerne of Caritha, debut book published with NeP editions and presented at the 2024 Turin Book Fair.
His pages are the fruit of the passion he has for history – the world in which the story is set is freely inspired by Ancient Rome – and his desire to investigate reality through a novel which, despite the fantasy context, stimulates reflections on human dynamics and the world in which we live.
Unio’s quiet life is shocked by the discovery of a manuscript linked to the story of the Lucerne of Caritha, a mystical object with great powers and symbol of the alliance between God and men: long since disappeared, it could be a beacon for humanity. But, in the wrong hands, it could plunge the entire world into darkness. Against all odds, a group of friends and fighters gather around Unio: in addition to the master Tamandir, the loyal Ruel, the tenacious Eliandis, the skeptical Quintus, the fearless Alcide, the affable Caius, the exile Durio, the melancholic Itil, the grumpy Neredim and the noble Borgos. The mission of the group, renamed the Cohort, is therefore to recover – before it is too late – the Lucerne, undertaking an adventurous journey through remote places, mysteries, prophecies and unexpected encounters with frightening creatures or bizarre characters.
Against the backdrop of a story full of twists and turns and a world that recalls the lights and shadows of Ancient Rome and its republican period, a precise eschatological vision of the world stands out.
“It was 1977 when Rolling Stones published a historic interview with George Lucas, in which the creator of Star Wars said that, after the atomic bomb, everyone started writing about mutants and science. And as valid as scientific novels may be, he added that, in his opinion, they forget fairy tales, dragons, Tolkien and all true heroes – declared the author. Because of this we always need epic fantasy and I think we need it in today’s world more than ever. With ‘La Lucerna di Caritha’ I wanted to share this vision with readers by telling stories human heroes, imperfect and with their fragilities, but willing to fight to the end for what they believe in, for a more just world”.
“For us at NeP editions, choosing to publish a book means believing in the history and strength of its words, believing in the author’s pen and what he has to tell the reader. Publishing ‘La Lucerna di Caritha’ represented all of this: an act of trust towards the Author and the story and a gift towards the reader! We are convinced that page after page the journey that has intrigued and involved our editorial team will also capture the reader, making swing your mind in dark and light streets” – explained the publisher Milena Palumbo.
As, moreover, the writer Luca Azzolini wrote in the introduction, “Building worlds is no small feat: it is a gesture that requires a profound ability to immerse, not only in writing, but in the genius loci of a world; in that spirit that must speak to the reader, take him by the hand and lead him to a unique place, with its rules, its stories, its times…
With his book, Gianluca Brigatti succeeded in the most difficult undertaking of all: that of portraying a credible, lively and authentic world in the eyes of those who traveled in his company. This is certainly a precious and profound read, worthy of becoming part of the great narratives of Italian fantasy.
“If a world lives, then yes that story remains.”
Gianluca Brigatti
Gianluca Brigatti (Vimercate, 1989) after graduating in Historical Sciences and a two-year master’s degree in Journalism and Multimedia, he works as a journalist. Among his experiences, we highlight those at La Repubblica and Websim. Today he works in corporate communication, at the fintech group CrowdFundMe, as Communication and Content Manager.
The Lucerne of Caritha represents his literary debut.
