The Shadow of God: A Novel of War and Faith

by Anthony A. Goodman

Book Overview

A tremendously vivid historical encounter becomes a larger-than-life canvas for this brilliant saga. The year is 1522. Two great leaders, twenty-five-year-old Suleiman the Magnificent, the absolute... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1570719047
• Release Date: January 2002
• Publisher: Sourcebooks Inc
• Length: 444 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 1.0" x 6.3"

Customer Reviews

Moving Tale of Horrific Siege

Anthony Goodman's "The Shadow of God: A Novel of War and Faith," is a "new classic" of historical fiction that alternately charms and shocks the reader. Essentially the tale of the Muslim siege of the Knights of St. John at Rhodes in 1520, the subtitle of the novel could be "A Novel of War, Love, and Faith." It is undeniably a novel about war -- Goodman writes in a straightforward, riveting style that calls to mind the best work of Bernard Cornwell (the Sharpe series, the Grail Quest series, etc.) without going over-the-top. And the siege of Rhodes gave Goodman many opportunities for excess. One of the longest sieges in history, disease, famine, and misery plagued both sides. Further, the Knights' fortress in Rhodes was the best-defended site in the world, and the few hundred knights in the fortress easily had a kill ratio of over twenty to one as the Islamic forces marched endlessly into certain death. Goodman captures the horrors of a war fought with cannon, broadsword, scimitar, musket, crossbow, and even subterranean mining and counter-mining with great effect. Thankfully, Goodman also spends a great deal of time with the players on both sides, and we see the humans on both sides, including the Ottoman Sultan Sulieman, leader of the Islamic forces, and Phillipe, leader of the Knights. Sulieman, a young sultan, is the "Shadow of God," whose words have the power of life and death over his subjects. Sulieman is willing to throw thousands of lives away to rid Rhodes of the Knights, and he is not above executing those he sees fit, but Sulieman always comes across as a vivid character, not a cardboard cutout villain that he could have been in a lesser book. The same applies to Phillipe, who commands the Knights with an apparent fanaticism. But Goodman allows us to see the human side of Phillipe's rigidity -- not only is Phillipe well-acquainted with the treachery of past Sultans and the slaughter of Christian forces following their surrender, Phillipe is also tortured by his oath of obedience. As he agonizes over his decisions, Phillipe also lives with his heart in his throat for the safety of his beloved Helene who has risked everything to journey to France to be with him. This love story elevates the novel, as does the other major love story, between the Knight Jean, the Rhodian beauty Melina, and their twin infant girls. Goodman, who is so well-versed in writing of battles, also knows how to tell a romance. That these romances occur on such a horrific stage, well, only makes them more moving. A well-balanced novel that neither demonizes nor excuses the leaders and creates several characters for the ages, "The Shadow of God" is a highly recommended addition to the library of all fans of historical fiction. And the author implies that he's got a sequel on his mind -- the conflict between East and West on the Island of Malta, where the Knights once again face their Islamic foes. We can only hope that Goodman has another novel in

The Shadow of God

What a great book! Goodman's historical novel deals with the siege of Rhodes in 1520 by the forces of the Ottoman Turks, led by Suleiman the Magnificent, who was known as "The Shadow of God" to his subjects. I've seldom read anything in this line that is so exciting, and at the same time so well balanced - not only between the Turks and the Christians, but between the inner and outer lives of its characters.The book immediately places the reader in the middle of the action, from the deafening roar of exploding cannonballs in a besieged city, to the eerie silence of the Sultan's inner court. At the same time - and this is quite remarkable - the reader gains a genuine insight into what it must have felt like to be there and to do and to suffer such things. This clear-eyed and compassionate book represents, to me, the best in historical fiction, an ideal work of imagination in the service of history. It is so accurate and vivid that it could (and should!) be assigned as supplementary reading in college courses. I've been to Rhodes, walked the battlements, and read the history, but for me it is "The Shadow Of God" that made this magnificent past explode into life. At the end of the book, there is a hint that a sequel might be forthcoming; if so, I will be the first in line to read it!

An Excellent Book.

This book is one of the best I have read in a long time. I have always had trouble finishing books and I can always tell a book is good when I can't put it down. This book achieved just that.

The Shadow of God

I just completed a truly epic book--epic in the broad definition of a novel that typifies grandeur, a fictionalized historical narrative which is especially revelent in today's world. It is brilliantly written, the characters are well developed, and the setting of life in the 16th century under the Ottomans is realistic and spellbinding. It clearly is extremely well researched. Anthony Goodman's writing is concise and articulate, and conveys a feeling to the reader of one being privy to the intimate machinations of each of the numerous historical figures. I look forward to its appearance as a cinematic triumph, because the story lends itself so well to that medium.

Entertaining History, Brilliantly Written

Shadow of God achieves the balance that so many other historical novels fail to comprehend. Good historical fiction is just what the words say, well written plot centered around real history. The story suffers if either side is lacking or is unrealistic. Shadow of God is a fine example of the education and entertainment so many historical stories can offer if written well and faithfully portrayed.The story revolves around the siege of Rhodes in 1522. At the time, the Ottoman Empire was the most powerful in the world, whose provinces spanned three continents. Money and tons of other resources poured into the imperial coffers. The new sultan, Suleiman, was determined to prove himself the equal of his ancestors. To this end, he organized a massive army and armada to deal with the 500 Christian knights that held the fortress of Rhodes. The descriptions of the Ottoman court and the functions of the state are extremely interesting and enlightening. The Janissaries, the Pashas, the Viziers, are all fascinating subjects that are described very well. Garrisoning the small island of Rhodes are the Knights of St. John, an order of Christian warriors. From the island, the multinational group of soldiers leads pirate raids on nearby Ottoman ports and ships. The new grandmaster, Phillipe, comes to the fortress as news of the Sultans arrival begins to leak out of Istanbul. The stage is set for one of the most brutal sieges in human history.The mechanics and tactics of siege warfare are complex but are intriguing when written in a fictitious style. Greek fire, cannons, arquebusiers, muskets, tunnels and underground mines are all detailed and drawn in an entertaining light, never losing their connection to real history. The battle is something to really enjoy. The unbelievable amount of violence and death is written in a horrific narrative. Thousands of Janissaries slipping on their comrades blood is an image that is pressed into your memory throughout the story. The tunnels are the worst part, where thousands of Ottoman slaves are buried alive in an effort to enter the city. The back story is also very interesting and does not compromise the history of the battle.Both sides of the conflict are characterized as what they were. The Ottoman Empire was a very progressive empire intellectually, but it still captured thousands of slaves from Europe and was built for conquest. The Knights of St. John are courageous and honorable, but they were also somewhat motivated by piracy and the accumulation of wealth.A great historical story made accessible to all lovers of fiction and history.