Blind Man’s Labyrinth
Published Oct 29, 2021
A Jewish civil war is tearing apart northern Israel. In the south, servants of the goddess Ashtoreth are abducting unwary refugees. Haim, an unwanted boy, escapes into this nightmarish landscape to find his way in a world gone mad.
92 BCE. A widow and an old scribe together raise Haim, a boy whose lineage cursed him from birth. When Haim is eleven years old, he runs away into a world populated by Samaritan bandits, a cultic pagan temple devoted to horror, and the white‑robed priests of Qumran.
Desperate and lonely, Haim searches for community, friendship, and belonging while being plagued by a hunger for meaning that he cannot satisfy.
Blind Man’s Labyrinth is a lyrical historical fiction novel set near the end of the Maccabean period. If you like stories that explore the conflict between survival and morality and ask questions about how outcasts fight against socially systemic cycles of fear and violence in their quest for friendship, kinship, and meaning, then you will love this masterful follow up to Daryl Potter’s deeply moving Keziah’s Song.
What the Critics are Saying
“...an extraordinary piece of work.... It is a completely compelling read and is full of lyrically expressed truths and moments of pure wisdom and philosophy. Heart wrenching and tragic, ‘’Blind Man’s Labyrinth’ is a book to be savoured and treasured. “Blind Man’s Labyrinth” by Daryl Potter receives five stars and the “Highly Recommended” award from The Historical Fiction Company.”
“A blazing story of survival, perseverance, and kinship…There are several menacing moments, with Potters’ clever plotting laying the groundwork for an exhilarating, heart wrenching ending. The novel’s long arc reaches far beyond Haim’s journey to faraway lands to escape the raging war: it also delves into the questions of survival, mortality, family, friendship, identity, meaning, and self-discovery. Haim and Chaya’s journey as social outcasts is heart wrenching, and their story rooted in reality. Vividly evocative and steeped in Israel folkways, the novel will keep the reader thinking long after they turn the last page.”
“Book of the Year Contest Silver Medal winner.”
“This historical tale set in the era of 92 BCE Israel is a page-turner. It is the story of every person and the struggles we endure to live, love (and be loved), survive and ultimately ‘discover’ who we are. It offers that rare mixture of entertainment and enlightenment. A truly pleasurable read.”
“...an epic and engaging coming-of-age story. What may feel foreign, a very specific Jewish Civil War drama from over 2100 years ago, is undeniably human and relatable....worth every penny.”
“Historical fiction readers interested in a vivid story of ancient times set in 92 BCE will find Blind Man’s Labyrinth an inviting, detailed read about a Jewish civil war that tests Haim’s ability to survive into adulthood....
How do individuals rise above their heritage, teachings, and lives to transform in an entirely new way? Haim’s journey is that of “everyman” and will resonate even with readers not normally attracted to historical fiction, or who have little grounding in the era under consideration in Blind Man’s Labyrinth.
Recommended for history, spirituality, and philosophy readers alike, the story is powerful in its juxtaposition of orphans struggling to uncover meaning in a world at war, and brings the times to life in a manner that will appeal to a wide audience.”