The second edition of
A Life on Water is now
Breath of the
Adamastor
The new cover illustration was created by Suzanne Paleczny. The text layout was done by the author using GIMP software.
Set in wartime Portugal—a nation outwardly neutral yet strategically indispensable—Breath of the Adamastor explores the intersecting lives of three characters navigating political pressure, moral ambiguity, and personal transformation. Ardis Lowney, a Canadian marine biologist, arrives under the pretext of turtle research; Carlos, a priest-in-training, receives a mission that tests the boundaries of faith and obedience; and Xisco, a young laborer, becomes entangled in clandestine operations far larger than the mountain village he calls home.
With a blend of suspense, environmental observation, and atmospheric prose, the novel examines how individuals reconcile their ideals with the reality of war. It highlights Portugal’s complex wartime dynamics, including its religious tensions, resource politics, and fragile diplomacy. The Adamastor—mythic guardian of the seas—adds a symbolic dimension that deepens the novel’s exploration of fate, awe, and the forces that shape human lives.
This is a book for readers of literary historical fiction who appreciate layered storytelling, nuanced characters, and richly textured sense of place.
A Life on Water (the first edition) featured this view of Lisbon from the Rio Tejo, illustrated by Helen Doner.
Why retitle the novel for this edition?
The second edition features a new title, book cover, and description. The new title reflects the deeper mythic and environmental layers at the story’s core. Breath of the Adamastor captures both the mood and the thematic focus more accurately, inviting new readers while offering a refined experience for those returning to the story.
This website presents background about my books and the people who helped along the way. I published my first book, The Tale of Indigo, in November 2022. I would describe it as literary poetry. In November, 2024, I released A Bill to Pay, a two-act play. I look forward to hearing your comments so I may learn about you, too. Thank you for joining me!
Timothy Paleczny
Back cover of A Bill to Pay. Image by Patrick Blackler
Switching to the new title in the copy on this website will take some time. Rest assure that the story itself didn’t change much. The first chapter has a new opening and the transitions within chapter one flow more smoothly.
“I’m a sucker for wartime shenanigans and science, so this was great for me, with spying and marine biology against the backdrop of WW2 Portugal, plus walk on parts for Ian Fleming and Kim Philby. The characters all came off the page. Pulling off multiple viewpoints and timelines is tricky but worked. The story weaves together a cast of characters as a nuanced way into the humanity and morality of the hard moral choices forced by wartime, more Graham Greene than James Bond, but more charm and warmth than either of them.”
Matthew Hurst
reviewing A Life on Water
“The characters are strong, the dialogue is well written and the story is excellent. The various storylines are built carefully and each is engaging. You feel that you know the characters. As they start to connect and weave together the overall effect is excellent.”
Mark Skalin
reviewing A Life on Water
A wonderful tale
of historical fiction
Set during the 1930s and 1940s in Portugal, A Life on Water is “full of detail, complex characters, and really interesting factual info concerning the activities of neutral countries during the war, the involvement of the church, etc. that is not well known … [and what] really stands out for me about your writing is how visual it is. You create a strong image of the time and place. I hope you are planning to write it as a screenplay. The imagery is magical, especially of the village and religious events. It would make a fantastic Netflix series.”
Suzanne Paleczny
Whitehorse