The Slave Sculptor

Catalog Note: Beadle's Dime Novels No. 112 This issue contains two serials set during the Aztec empire. "The Slave Sculptor; or, The Prophetess of the Secret Chambers" by Wm. Jared Hall follows Maxtla Ytzcoalt, a formerly enslaved sculptor of the Aztec capital, and Mazina, a former slave adopted into nobleman Lord Ahuitzol's household. A mysterious masked priest warns Maxtla that Mazina faces danger. When Ahuitzol's son Toluca attempts to enter an arbor where Maxtla and Mazina meet, violence erupts; assassins attack but a white-haired stranger intervenes mysteriously. The narrative depicts Aztec palaces, religious sacrifice rituals, and courtly intrigue during Montezuma's reign and Cortez's invasion period. The story emphasizes contrasts between Aztec civilization's artistic and architectural grandeur against its "cruel barbarism" in religious practices. Also advertised is "The Falcon Rover" by James Hungerford, described as a sea tale featuring mystery and romance.