The Religion (Tannhauser, #1) in Around the World in 80 Books

Sep 26, 2015 Nikki rated it it was ok

As I had written in my review of David Ball's "Ironfire" I had been looking for historical novels to read on my recent trip to Malta, choosing these two. I consider myself lucky that I read "Ironfire" myself, devouring it over two days on the beach at Sliema before changing pace to something light-hearted as a palate-cleanser. Thus I only started on "The Religion" on the way home and I'm really glad I chose this second only, so I'm ready to abandon it half-way.

Mind you, this is my opinion as a As I had written in my review of David Ball's "Ironfire" I had been looking for historical novels to read on my recent trip to Malta, choosing these two. I consider myself lucky that I read "Ironfire" myself, devouring it over two days on the beach at Sliema before changing pace to something light-hearted as a palate-cleanser. Thus I only started on "The Religion" on the way home and I'm really glad I chose this second only, so I'm ready to abandon it half-way.

Mind you, this is my opinion as a female reader. As a male reader, especially the average middle-aged male tourist on Malta, you would probably enjoy this very much as it's a typical "man book" - which I unfortunately cannot stand.

The "hero" here is a German-born man with the unlikely name of Mattias Tannhauser, who was abducted into the Sultan's janissaries as a boy, but unlike Ball's hero Nico, whom we see developing in Constantinople over the years, Mattias is next seen as a tough-ass pub owner/merchant/mercenary in Sicily in his late 30's. It starts to grate quickly just how tough and cool and capable the Great Mattias is to a point where I can't stand him and want to see him blown up by the next-best Turkish grenade. Naturally, the first time he meets the two female lead characters, he can only think of them in terms of cleavage and beddability. Yuck.

I shan't call these two dames heroines, because from what I can see so far, Lady Clara is the archetypical damsel in distress who only waits for Mattias' strong arms to rescue her. Her slightly crazy sidekick Amparo is somewhat more interesting and so far the only one who still makes me continue reading this.

The baddie is a typical caricature baddie, the supremely evil Ludovoco Ludovici of the Spanish Inquistion, who, we find out soon enough, was an early amour fou of Lady Clara that produced male offspring, subsequently abandoned in Malta. The mission for the Great Mattias? To take Clara to Malta (while the siege is brewing) to find the boy.

No tension either, because we next meet 12 year old street urchin Orlandu on Malta, who's happily killing dogs (not because he is a psychopath but because Grand Master Jean de la Vallette apparently ordered all dogs killed, though Orlandu is a bit too eager for my liking).

Until everyone comes together on Malta for the siege, I've already had to read one of the most ludicrously over-the-top violent fights I've ever clapped eyes on. Whoever next complains about GRRM/HBO being too violent on Game of Thrones should be locked into a room for a week with only Mr Willocks' books for company. I skimmed most of it, not because I cannot stand to read violence - it does often make sense in terms of the plot or to show a character's experiences that will define him in future - but simply because it felt silly and gratuitious and just another chance to ram home how tough the Great Mattias is.

Seeing the rating here, I guess some/many people actually enjoyed this book. So I think I'll persevere a while longer, but I'm not expecting to suddenly like Mattias or Clara, nor that the extremely violent descriptions will be toned down just as the siege gets going. But in my opinion this book can't hold a candle to "Ironfire" and its much better crafted and better rounded characters. ...more

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