Quintessence

Tenth member David Walton has come out with his second novel. His first book, Terminal Mind, won the 2008 Phillip K. Dick award for best paperback science fiction novel published in the U.S. This novel, Quintessence,  is an alternate-history fantasy novel that takes place in the sixteenth century: the time of the Protestant Reformation, the Scientific Revolution, and the Age of Discovery.
In the novel, the Earth is flat, and at the edge, where the sky touches the ocean, is an island where explorers might just find the fountain of youth. It's an adventure book full of alchemy, sea monsters, human dissection, betrayal, mutiny, torture, religious controversy, and magic.

Kirkus Review describes it as "impressive and often brilliant." That is how the sentence ends. It begins with "Flawed, then..." It is the "flaw" that you will most likely appreciate.

Though it is fantasy, I am surprised by the wide change in genre. David's first work was pure science fiction in a future Philadelphia. Now he moves to the 16th century and deals with the philosophical, religious issues of Europe. Well, I've ordered my copy and am interested in seeing how he makes the transition.