The new novel by Richard Phelps

What if the Mexica (Aztecs) had defeated Hernán Cortés in 1521 and changed the future of the Americas?

A bold alternate history in which the Mexica and Inca defend their civilizations and forge an entirely different future.

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English version coming soon
Spanish just launched

Cover of Elders’ Gift by Richard Phelps

A bold alternate history

The book

Cover of Elders’ Gift by Richard Phelps
English

Elders’ Gift

What if the Mexica (Aztecs) had defeated Hernán Cortés in 1521 and changed the future of the Americas?

Guided by mysterious visitors from beyond the stars, the Mexica and Inca rise to defend their civilizations, modernize their societies, and forge an entirely different future. Told through the eyes of unforgettable historical figures—both Indigenous and Spanish—Elders’ Gift is an epic of courage, sacrifice, and hope that spans five centuries and reimagines the destiny of the Americas.

As the past reaches into the present, one question emerges that extends far beyond the Conquista:

If humanity someday ventures to the stars, will we go as explorers ~ or as conquerors?

English Version Coming SoonView All Books on Amazon
Richard Phelps outdoors wearing sunglasses
Author
& explorer

Meet the author

Richard Phelps

Richard Phelps is a multilingual American author based in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Fluent in Spanish, German, Portuguese, and Mandarin Chinese, he draws on decades of international experience across Europe, Asia, and Latin America to explore history, language, and culture through his writing.

Before becoming an author, Richard spent more than 20 years in telecommunications leadership and earned an M.B.A. from Thunderbird School of International Management. He is also the founder of Language & Luxury, a private language-immersion travel company featured in Robb Report.

His books include the memoir Train Wreck and the alternate-history novels Elders’ Gift and El regalo de los sabios.

Explore his earlier work ↓

Also by Richard Phelps

Train Wreck

His bestselling memoir of love, deceit, and life among Southern California’s elite.

Cover of Train Wreck, the bestselling memoir by Richard Phelps
Amazon #1 Bestseller
“It’s a reality show of sorts, of which I have become a part.”

Money, power, romance, and collateral damage collide along California’s glittering Southern coast.

Buy Train Wreck

Get in touch

Contact Richard

For reader notes, media inquiries, speaking engagements, and other correspondence, send Richard a message below.

History belongs to those who reimagine it

Discover Elders’ Gift

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