Maltese-Canadian historical fiction author Marthese Fenech has written a trilogy that explores Malta's 16th century history, culminating in the Great Siege of 1565. The books - Eight Pointed Cross, Falcon's Shadow, and Ash Fall - were originally published in 2011, but the series is being re-released internationally.
Fenech grew up hearing stories about the Great Siege as part of her Maltese heritage and identity. A visit to Malta in her early 20s, particularly watching The Malta Experience in Valletta, inspired her to write about the Great Siege. She believes that the Great Siege is one of Malta's defining historical events but remains relatively unknown outside the country, which motivated her to bring the story to a wider audience.
Rather than concentrating solely on famous historical figures, Fenech's work highlights the experiences of everyday Maltese people - farmers, merchants, fishermen, soldiers, and others - who lived through the siege. She sees historical fiction as a way to connect readers with the human side of history by telling stories of those often overlooked in historical records. Thus, a central aim of her trilogy is to give recognition to the ordinary people whose lives were shaped by the Great Siege and who may even have influenced its outcome.
"Historical fiction bridges the gap between the history we study and the history people actually lived," Fenech told The Malta Independent on Sunday.
Fenech explained that living abroad strengthened her connection to Malta, giving her a deeper appreciation of its history, culture, and people. She was raised in a Maltese family in Canada, spoke Maltese before English, and credits her parents with nurturing her interest in Maltese history and identity. Her father, Alfred Fenech, played an active role in preserving Maltese culture in Toronto through the local diaspora community.
Growing up overseas made Fenech realise how little the world knows about Malta, which reinforced her desire to share its history with international readers. Long-standing friendships in Malta enriched her research, giving her access to historic sites and local knowledge that helped her make her novels more authentic. Moreover, her dual Maltese-Canadian perspective allowed her to balance historical authenticity with accessibility for readers unfamiliar with Malta.
"On one hand, I have a responsibility to honour Malta's history and portray it authentically. On the other, I can approach the story much as an international reader would," Fenech said.
For Fenech, researching from Canada required extensive historical investigations, drawing on archives, academic works, letters, military records and contemporary accounts while separating fact from myth. One of the biggest challenges was finding the stories of ordinary people, as historical records mainly focused on rulers, generals and major events. Fortunately, Fenech's Maltese background gave her an advantage through familiarity with the language, customs and culture, which helped her interpret historical context.
Fenech complemented documentary research with extensive travel across the Mediterranean, including Malta, Turkey, Italy, Greece, France and Morocco, to visit historical sites firsthand. She believes experiential research is essential, learning skills such as archery and fencing and exploring traditional crafts to better understand 16th century life. She said that Malta became "a character" in the trilogy, with its landscape, architecture, language and people shaping the story as much as its historical events.
"There is simply no substitute for standing where history happened as it provides sensory details and atmosphere that a textbook cannot," Fenech said.
Fenech described balancing historical accuracy and storytelling as "walking a tightrope". She believes historical fiction has a dual responsibility: to respect the historical record while telling an engaging story. Her priority is to immerse readers in the 16th century world rather than overwhelm them with historical detail. That being said, she avoids anachronisms, cultural stereotypes and distorting history, aiming to remain faithful to the historical truth.
When narrative changes are necessary - such as compressing timelines or dramatising events - Fenech does so carefully and transparently without changing the core historical reality. She said that the Great Siege is dramatic enough on its own, so there is no need to invent additional drama. Her ultimate goal is for readers to become emotionally invested and inspired to learn more about Malta's history.
"The goal was not to showcase research. The goal was to make the reader feel like they're there," Fenech said.
A major discovery for Fenech was the significant role of women in Malta's defence during the Great Siege. Contrary to common historical stereotypes, women were actively involved in combat support roles such as collecting cannonballs and carrying ammunition, repairing fortifications and extinguishing fires, tending the wounded, pitching rocks and, in some cases, taking up arms alongside soldiers and knights. Women also contributed strategically, with some dressing as knights or squires on Mdina's walls to exaggerate the defenders' numbers and intimidate attackers. Fenech highlighted this as a challenge to traditional portrayals of women in historical fiction, showing them as active participants rather than passive figures.
"Often, popular culture set in the past depicts women as in need of rescuing or worse, merely props. But actual history says otherwise," Fenech said.
Another surprising insight for Fenech was the mutual respect between opposing commanders Grand Master Jean de la Valette and Ottoman admiral Dragut. Despite being enemies, historical accounts suggest they admired each other's intelligence, leadership, and military ability. Both are said to have expressed a sentiment along the lines of: "If only he fought for the one true faith".
Fenech has received widespread feedback from the Maltese diaspora across Canada, the UK, Ireland, the US, Australia, New Zealand and other countries. According to Fenech, many readers say the novels have sparked a renewed interest in Malta's history, encouraged them to explore their family heritage and identity, and prompted intergenerational conversations about Maltese roots.
Fenech values all reader engagement, but finds direct messages especially meaningful, as they show personal emotional connection to the work. Specific reader responses included a naval cadet trainee who strongly identified with a determined female character forging her own path, as well as a Maltese political science student who appreciated the inclusion of the often-overlooked Siege of 1551 in Fenech's novel.
Some readers express strong emotional reactions to characters, including frustration when favourite characters are killed off, which she viewed as a positive sign of investment in the story. Fenech also noted that readers are often surprised to learn she bases characters partially on real people, including her husband. Overall, she is deeply gratified that readers feel she has done justice to Malta, its history, and its people.
A television adaptation of the trilogy is currently in development. Fenech wrote the books with a cinematic vision, which inspired her to pursue an adaptation herself. During the pandemic, she completed a course on adapting novels for television and wrote a pilot script titled Empires of Smoke based on the trilogy. The project has since grown, with an Academy Award and BAFTA-winning director attached, an up-and-coming actress and several producers on board, and support from the Malta Film Commission.
While development has been slowed by the pandemic, Hollywood strikes and the Los Angeles wildfires, Fenech says there is "genuine momentum" behind the project. She hopes the series will not only bring Malta's history to a global audience but also create jobs and opportunties in Malta. She wants to see Maltese history and Maltese characters take centre stage, rather than Malta serving only as a filming location for other stories.