Omnibus in foro S.P.D.

I know this is way beyond our timeline of interest, but for anyone also
interested in the Eastern Empire, or the 11th Century in what is now the
Middle East, I this may be of more than passing interest.

Strategos (Unabridged) (Audible.com)
________________________________________

Author: Gordon Doherty
Narrator:
Nigel Carrington

This is a multi-layered novel set in the borderlands of the Byzantine Empire
(a modern appellation, since the Byzantines, although by this time
thoroughly Greek, considered themselves the true Roman Empire .and honored
those ancient Western roots, in nostalgia if not practice. Although I know
far less about this place and time than I do others, the history seems
impeccably accurate, and the depth and specificity of detail lead me to
believe that this book was thoroughly and intelligently researched.

I'll admit to having a bit of a hard time reading it, had to read it in bits
.but not because it was boring or uninteresting, or sloppily written. Just
the opposite is true, actually. It was almost too detailed, too rich .to
absorbing, and I found that I couldn't just read it .I had to stop,
assimilate, consider, and let my mind range through its reactions to each of
the multiple layers.

First, there is the setting. It is so vividly portrayed and placed in its
time, that I responded to it with all senses. I could *feel* the grit and
the heat. I could *hear* the battle horns, the shouts, and the other
terrible noises of war. I could *smell* the warm bread and the less
pleasant scents of any Medieval city ..and the stench of the battlefields.
I could *taste* the drink made from almonds and yogurt and honey, and the
wine, and the honey cakes, and I could *touch* everything. In other words,
this setting is a sensual feast, and a banquet of rich experiences, indeed.

Then there are the characters. Each of them, on both sides of this terrible
centuries long conflict is not just well drawn, but intensely human, even
the villains and the bit players. I found myself identifying with some,
aching for them and caring about them, and absolutely hating others, wanting
to see them be served a very large helping of very hot vengeance. Even the
minor characters, many of who one sees in books about armies, are unique
enough not to be one dimensional stock characters. There is the grouch, who
has served so long he is cynical, impatient with new recruits and churlish
.until is fighting back to back with one of them. There is the drunkard,
whose main source of enjoyment involves strong drink and compliant ladies
.until the enemy stands in his way, for example.

Then, there is something else. This is a brutal tale about a truly brutal
time, and it impacted me on all levels, because the brutality wasn't just
physical, but emotional and spiritual as well. This land .this cradle of
civilization has been a war zone for thousands of years .and the issues
fought over are little different today than they were at the time of Christ,
or even long before. Such constant upheaval, especially where diametrically
opposed peoples, such as Byzantine Christians and passionate Islamic
adherents met, created (and still create) upheavals of every sort, from
clashing armies to devastated families and destroyed psyches and beleaguered
souls. All of that is in this book, too .and I found myself considering how
complex we are, how our beliefs affect us, and how, sometimes, we have to
make choices that wrench us to the very essence of our being. Almost every
major character in this book made such choices, and those choices had severe
repercussions on every character.

No, this isn't an easy book to read. It confronts the brutality of war and
the brutality of man directly, and without flinching ..but it does so so
very skillfully that, like a cobra readying for a strike, the reader is
fascinated, and cannot step away .and in my opinion, should not, because
these things are also a part of what we are.

The narrator was absolutely perfect for this book. He read with expression
an skill, and had absolutely NO problem with the many specialized words and
names to be found here. In addition, he just has the "right" voice for this
book, and helps bring it into even more vibrant life, at least for me.

I'm not fond of rating books, but I will be giving this book and this
narrator 5, and would give more, if I could. Did I "like" it? No .but I
found it one of those book experiences that will stay with me for a *very*
long time, and it has, via its excellence, had a profound effect on me, so I
value it, highly.

.

Salve! 

Salve Iuli,