huge !! Jan. 88

I had not read thrillers Willocks before I tackle the pavement over 800 pages. This title made me feel like a long time, and it has exceeded my wildest expectations.
It's wondrous, epic, grand, bloody, cruel, disgusting, violent, smelly, shimmering, apocalyptic, vehement, disheveled, passionate, fast paced, virile, sensual, sexual, animal, tender, wild, poetic, tumultuous, powerful film , hypnotic, mesmerizing, haunting, moving.
This is huge.
The introduction reveals the past of Mattias Tannhauser, and sets the stage for what will be the rest of the story, horror, death and love.
The author situates his work in 1565 in Malta, about to be attacked by the Ottoman Empire. The Knights of the Order of Malta will face a historic seat. Islam and Christianity are preparing to rip on this small piece of land lost in the Mediterranean, but whose strategic location may cause the loss.
An already heavy context, where religious fanaticism the stars. Mattias Tannhauser, Saxon and Turkish both former janissary current arms dealer and womanizer, has rolled his hump. Became an atheist to have seen too much and done too much in the name of God or Allah, it seems to be a man in demand. His experience of the Ottoman army in fact an ally and advisor of choice for Religion. Sought both to work towards a cause that now seems foreign to him, and a French countess, Tannhauser will see its compromises projects.
Carla Penautier The young widow of Maltese descent, wants to return to Malta in order to regain a son she does not know. Accompanied by Amparo, a bit strange young Spanish soothsayer it has taken under his wing, Carla has no trouble convincing Tannhauser to escort them to Malta and to override the austerity evacuations.
Tannhauser and his friend Bors of Carlisle, loyal and bellicose English giant, therefore undertake to Carla and her protégée mysterious and sensual. The journey begins, new characters just as endearing or repulsive will make their entrance. The plot is tied subtly, events rush, the reader is overwhelmed and bewitched.
The Ottoman armies landed in Malta, violence, death, hell arrives with them.
The descriptions are strikingly realistic. That slice, it beheads, it rips, it vomits and it shits on, before rot and feed the worms. At Willocks war looks like a war in all its most despicable and barbaric, it spares us nothing. Religion takes full pear, indoctrination, bigotry, stupid belief, everything is there, but the author has enough delicacy and intelligence for not taking sides, just like Tannhauser, which n 'is only one purpose, but never one attributed to him. His view of events is that of a wise man, a disillusioned philosopher who has a mission to accomplish. But the philosopher is also a man, and the charm of its two protected will have an effect on him of the unexpected, in an environment worthy of the worst hell.
The author takes us from barbaric and bloody scenes and moments of pure poetry and tenderness, while developing his characters with finesse and depth, with a perfect control of the action, intrigue and twists. The great historical novel, very large characters, and wonderful history.
Religion is the first volume of a trilogy, but can stand on its own, unless falling under the spell of writing Willocks as I was.