The Lion of St. Mark (The Venetians, Book 1)

By Thomas Quinn

Book Overview

The first book in an adventurous trilogy "The House of Ziani and the House of Soranzo had been enemies ever since their grandfathers' joint business venture had collapsed more than forty years before. Then, they had chosen not to resolve their differences in the courts. Instead, they each sought to prevail in their rivalry by investing, trading, and manipulating as each battled to dominate and ultimately ruin the other. The fathers passed this legacy on to their sons...."" "A sleek Venetian fleet plows through stormy November seas, bearing reinforcements to help defend the fabled city of Constantinople against an impending siege by Ottoman Turks. Rescue plans are jeopardized, however, when an age-old bitter conflict flares between two Venetian nobles onboard: The brave naval Captain Giovanni Soranzo thirsts for revenge against the proud marine officer, Antonio Ziani. These two men will survive the sacking of Constantinople and will find their lives bound together in a heroic struggle to save their beloved city.The year is 1452, and while Italy glories in the Renaissance, Venice is on the verge of an epic war of survival against the powerful Turks, who are intent on conquering Venetian lands, possessing her riches, and utterly destroying the city forever. Now these two patricians, both patriots, must temper their hostility toward each other with loyalty to their beloved republic. Fighting each other when they can, fighting together when they must, Ziani and Soranzo risk their lives to defend Venice---and their honor.Much more than a war story, this is a tale of Venice, when she was the greatest city on earth and the world's only republic. It is a tale, too, of her people, whose fortunes and very lives were dependent on her success. Admired, envied, hated, and feared, but with her vast wealth and vaunted navy, always respected, she is "La Serenissima"---the Serene Republic of Venice---and this is her story.Thomas Quinn combines his expertise on Venice with explosive, page-turning action to give readers an epic novel of struggle and survival.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312319088
• ISBN13: 9780312319083
• Release Date: July 2005
• Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 1.46 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.5" x 1.1" x 6.4"

Customer Reviews

Captivating and Believable

This is a great book! The author should be proud. The plot is captivating, the characters are believable and the style worked on me very well. I felt like I was learning about an era in world history that has relevance today, but in an enjoyable manner. The Lion of St. Mark is comparable to Michener's historic novels about the Chesapeake, the Caribbean, etc. I am thirsty for more. When is #2 of the sequel coming out?

Gripping and yet informative

This book was recommended to me by a friend who also happens to be a history buff, I on the other hand am not. I must tell you that I did not believe that this book would capture my interest but by around page 40 I was totally hooked! I became emotionally attached to the leed characters. Because of the vivid descriptions, I could picture their faces, their homes, their ships and even the prison cells. My only dissappointment came when I reached the end of the book knowing I will have to wait a while for Book Two. I totally enjoyed this wonderful book.

Surprising

I was initially worried that I wouldn't like this one as it looked very... maritime and martial. Much as I love Venice I'm not much into sea stories or war stories. But I needn't have worried. This story of the Siege of Constantinople and its aftermath for a pair of patrician families in conflict has all the narrative drive of an adventure story, with characters you'll care about, and description and detail to conjure up the places and the era with an efficiency bordering on the sensual. It's a cliché to say it's like being there, but here it's true, even when it's places you'd rather not be, like dank and rancid cells and the thick of battle. The comparisons with more recent conflicts involving a western power and Islamic states can be made, but should not be laboured, and they're not in the book itself. This is a painless and pleasurable way of familiarising yourself with some grim and important episodes in Venice's history whilst immersing yourself in some fine prose and a ripping yarn. I can't wait for the next one of the trilogy.

Fun and Thought Provoking Summer Read

Quinn obviously enjoys his subject because the book moves quickly, it's packed with knowledge and a great summer read. We passed this among family members of all ages during a week at the beach and everyone came away loving the book - everyone for different reasons. The story is exciting and fun, the history is interesting, and the discussion after reading inevitably turns to what we could all learn from this history in managing terrorism and threats facing society today. A versatile, interesting and great read.

interesting look at a fifteenth century culture clash

In the fifteenth century, marine commander Antonio Ziani and Giovanni Soranzo are rival Venetians who hate one another. Giovanni believes that Antonio's careless regard for safety by attacking impenetrable Ottoman positions cost the life of his brother. He plans vengeance, but first they must fight off the Ottomans who threaten Venetian business life on the high seas and ultimately Venice itself. While both continue the war against the nasty invaders, they also work business deals whenever a respite occurs. It is during these lulls that the two enemies pick up their adversarial relationship by trying to destroy the other when Antonio is not a prisoner of war. When the Ottomans return, they and other Venetians put aside their avarice business interests to unite in a war that seems to have no final solution except perhaps the trashing of Venice if those who already have conquered Byzantium have their way. Though interesting especially the powerful use of real events and persona and well written, the Ottomans are depicted as totally evil while the Venetians may worship business as their "God" are ethical (no oxymoron jokes about ethical business men - my brother-in-law is one). The story line grips the audience as the Venetians battle against overwhelming odds to save their lifestyle and city even putting aside feuds like those in Romeo and Juliet. Keeping in mind the obvious bent of the story line that to the victors go the historical fiction, THE LION OF ST. MARK provides readers with an interesting look at a fifteenth century culture clash. Harriet Klausner