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The Religion: A Novel
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The Religion: A Novel
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The Religion: A Novel
Audiobook25 hours

The Religion: A Novel

Written by Tim Willocks

Narrated by Simon Vance

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

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Currently unavailable

Currently unavailable

About this audiobook

May 1565. Suleiman the Magnificent, emperor of the Ottomans, has declared a jihad against the Knights of Saint John the Baptist. The largest armada of all time approaches the Knights' Christian stronghold on the island of Malta. The Turks know the Knights as the "The Hounds of Hell." The Knights call themselves "The Religion."

In Messina, Sicily, a French countess, Carla la Penautier, seeks a passage to Malta in a quest to find the son taken from her at his birth twelve years ago. The only man with the expertise and daring to help her is a Rabelaisian soldier of fortune, arms dealer, former janissary, and strapping Saxon adventurer by the name of Mattias Tannhauser. He agrees to accompany the lady to Malta, where, amidst the most spectacular siege in military history, they must try to find the boy— whose name they do not know and whose face they have never seen—and pluck him from the jaws of Holy War.

The Religion is Book One of The Tannhauser Triology, and from the first page of this epic account of the last great medieval conflict between East and West, it is clear we are in the hands of a master. Not since James Clavell has a novelist so powerfully and assuredly plunged readers headlong into another place and time. Anne Rice transformed the vampire novel. Stephen King reinvented horror. Now, in a spectacular tale of heroism, tragedy, and passion, Tim Willocks revivifies historical fiction.

LanguageEnglish
Release dateMay 15, 2007
ISBN9781427201010
Author

Tim Willocks

Tim Willocks is a novelist and filmmaker. He is the author of the novels Bad City Blues, Blood-Stained Kings, and Green River Rising, which has been translated into fifteen languages. Willocks holds a degree in surgery and practiced psychiatry and addiction medicine until 2003. He also spent ten years writing screenplays and producing films in Hollywood. He completed The Religion in a cabin in the backwoods of upstate New York and now lives in County Kerry, Ireland.

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Reviews for The Religion

Rating: 3.8882682625698326 out of 5 stars
4/5

179 ratings14 reviews

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This was a fantastic journey. The experience reminded me so much of the count of Monte Cristo.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This was a very interesting historical novel...maybe not for the faint of heart (or stomach) as many scenes were quite bloody. It's set during the Siege of Malta (1565) -- Turks battling Catholic Knights of St. John the Baptist (Hospitalers). It kept me interested all the way through 21 discs & even piqued my curiosity enough that I felt the need to look up historical facts about Malta & the Siege.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It got a little repetitive for my taste although I'm sure many books with a war base can, but it was never dull. I loved the characters and was particularly upset when a couple of them died, although I won't say who. The epilogue was absolutely perfect though. That was the best way this story could have ended, truth be told.

    To be perfectly honest, I can't imagine this being a trilogy. I like it just the way it is. Anything after this seems extraneous.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    [The Religion], an historical novel by [[Tim Willocks]], is set in Malta during the 1565 Seige of Malta, and follows the exploits of Mattias Tannhauser and his friends as they struggle to outwit Death at the hands of Suleiman Shah and the Ottoman army. Tannhauser, a former soldier in the Ottoman Army, and his friend Bors of Carlisle, undertake a quest to find the missing-since-birth son of a beautiful countess, a quest which takes them into the heart of a war. While the plot is not quite unique, Mr. Willocks does a truly masterful job of creating the characters and telling the story very compellingly.Tannhauser and Bors are your basic good-old-boys, really big good-old-boys - businessmen, soldiers, opportunists, advisors, realists and charmers. They love a good time but also have their own sense of morality. For them, it works well. Mr. Willocks' attention to character details is also demonstrated in most all of the other characters in the book. Villains have soft spots, heroes feel fear.As for the action sequences, they are cohesive without the hint of being too fantastic. After a while, the descriptions of the fighting become repetitive.It is a solidly "excellent" book for the historical-fiction aficionado.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Excellent! The most compelling book I have read thus far. It actually allows the reader to see a vivid and clear picture of the blood, guts, seiges, sex, racisms, hates, loves, and also the drugs! Stones of Immortality..............hmmmmm. I just loved this book, and i recommend it to every avid reader out there. A must.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Love and War are Double-Edged BladesMattias Tannhauser was 12 years old when he saw his home burned, his siblings slaughtered, his mother raped and killed. In a small village deep in the Hungarian mountains, the year is 1540, and is the time when the Turks are on the warpath intending to conquer as much of Europe as possible. Left alone after this massacre, hiding from the lurking Jannissary warriors, Mattias is saved from a similar fate by catching the eye of the Sultan’s number one guardian. He is taken in, renamed Ibrahim, and given a new life to be trained exclusively as one of Suleiman the Magnificent’s acclaimed assassins in the court of Constantinople.Twenty five years later, now grown, he lives in Sicily. He is a free man, devoid of slavery, chooses no religion, and bows to no one. Trying to live a life in peace after two decades of death and destruction as a Jannissary, he wishes no part in the ensuing war that the Turks continue to march on, spilling blood in every direction. While quietly downing his nightly ale at his pub the Oracle, two of Tannhauser’s business partners approach Mattias with a new endeavor to bring the spice trade of pepper to Europe’s finest, a pact that the would ensure them wealth beyond their highest expectations. With hands shaken to seal the deal, they ready themselves to depart on the next ship out, but Mattias is at the last minute approached by an enchanting young fairy-like girl, a mysterious raven haired angel with two mix matched eyes that could enslave any man who dare look into them. She brings an urgent message that he is to accompany her to a nearby villa. Her mistress, a beautiful Sicilian Contessa has need of his expertise and assistance with a secret and dangerous mission. Not one to shun the lure of a lady, Tannhauser decides he has time, and travels to the villa to hear her plea. Carla La Penautier greets Mattias warmly, and for Tannhauser it is love at first sight. Their initial conversation is that similar to a beautiful waltz as they flirt and flatter, an appetizer before sitting down to the final entre, the dance of death discussion that leaves him shocked in disbelief upon hearing what this lovely woman wishes him to do. She reveals her darkest secret, that as a young woman she bed with a monk. A lowly monk now turned powerful as the highest rank of Holy Inquisitor. A man of holy orders that left her pregnant, disgracing her family into shame, and leaving her father no option other than to deliver her to prison doors of the local convent after she bore a baby son. A son who was cruelly taken away from her within an hour after his birth. 12 years hence, she now wishes to find her son and knows he lives on the Island of Malta. A land seething in eminent war, an island ruled by the last branch of the Crusaders called the Hospitallers, the famous Knights of St. John, otherwise known as “The Religion”. Her quest is to save her son, a young man sure to be swept up into the bloody horrors of Turkey’s accursed jihad against the Maltese people.Tannhauser quickly informs Carla that this is a suicide mission, that they would be walking into the very center of a battle foretold to be a bloodbath. The Turks are planning their final assault, the Island of Malta being a territory they have coveted for centuries. But hearing Carla’s story of a lonely 12 year old boy left to fend for himself and survive among beasts called men, he remembers his own story and in reaching into his heart and soul for compassion, agrees to what the Contessa asks. On one condition. If mission is accomplished, he will take her as wife. No bargaining, no questions asked, his only payment for services rendered. This is a story of the last Crusade. This is the story of love and war , friendship and foes, hatred and betrayals. It is gruesome, gory, shocking, and a vivid portrayal of what humans will do to quench their thirst for greed and what they will do for God and love in their hour of death. This novel is graphic in detail of the horrors of war, and descriptive in all that comes with it. It is also a book of tenderness and love as one man struggles to pick one woman when he loves two, and struggles with the heartache of not choosing sides in the battles for both scimitar and sword. Mattias was born a Maltese, but was raised a Turk, he has prayed with Christians, bowed to the Muezzin call of Allah. For both sides he will volley cannonball and carnage, for both sides he will offer kindness and killing. He will be both savior and spy, he will be both merciful and a menace. As Ibrahim he will don a turban, as Tannhauser he will wear the red cross of the crusader. One man, two worlds, united in both heaven and hell as heart and soul are divided between both women and both countries.For the most part I felt this was an extremely well written story and my only concern was that I believe it needed serious editing. At slightly over 600 pages, a good hundred pages or more could have been removed as the author became a little repetitious describing the many similar battle scenes in each location around the Island of Malta. Other than that, this is an exquisite portrayal of one man’s quest to find a lost boy, follow his heart in love, and to teach mankind that whether you pray to Allah, or Christ, we are all the same, we are nothing but mere small men in the infinite universe, and whether we be man or woman, child or elder, dark skinned or light, Muslim or Christian, our hearts beat as one. This is a blood and guts novel, not for the faint of heart, but I truly enjoyed the talented writing style, well developed story and learned a great deal about the history of the famous
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    The Religion is the nickname for The Knights of St. John the Baptist, a religious order too independent and wealthy to suit the Pope and certain factions within the church of Rome. These factions in the Church would be willing to lose Malta to the Turks if it would bring the Knights of St. John the Baptist under their control. The spectacularly outnumbered knights and townspeople of Malta defend their island against the largest armada of all time until the Church is shamed into sending reinforcements months later than they had promised.A romance is woven around this historical event that brings the protaganists into the heart of the siege. The main character, Mattias Tannhauser, goes to Malta with the intention of finding a boy for a noblewoman who has commissioned and accompanies him. Then he intends to get safely back to Sicily within a few days, before the hostilities even begin. Instead, he gets caught up in the siege and makes repeated attempts to secretly get away with the ones he loves and hopes to protect.I found the characters a little too stereotypical: the swashbuckling, invincible hero with a tragic past; the comical best-friend, the beautiful, mysterious heroine with a tragic past who feels an immediate sexual attraction to the hero but must repress it through the rest of the book. If there is a villain, it would be the evil inquisitor but even he has a core of nobility. The repetitive descriptions of battle scenes--exploding heads, erupting bowels, severed limbs, vomit, filth, putrescence, gobs of gore, blood soaked ground, etc.--loses its impact after the first few times. The repetitious descriptions detract more than enhance the horror of the battlefield and with constant repeating become fatuous. Perhaps that was the author's intent. Aside from the brutality and gore-laden horror, the author makes another point about war through his character Tannhauser: "Sultan,Vatican, Religion, Islam or Rome. All these cults sought only power and the submission of peoples...La Vallette, Ludovico, the Pope, Mustafa, Suleiman-what scum they were, one and all. Swathed in pomp and orchestrating carnage to coddle their unreckonable vanity."Because of the repetetive battle descriptions and the equally repetitive, but less likely scenes of lust remeniscent of the cliché soft porn of womens' romance, this is a trying read. For information about the seige of Malta, even Wikipedia is an adequate source.The book's merit lies in its consistent theme that the "good" guys and "bad" guys do not lie on either side of the fighting forces, but within the power structures of both.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This story line unfolds within the setting of the 16th century Turkish seige of Malta. I normally enjoy this type of book but I struggled a bit to get through this one. After 600 pages of continuous battle, the descriptions of horror and gore became tedious to me. Although this author has a beautiful way with words, there are still only so many ways you can describe a soldiers guts being blown from his body. In between the war scenes, there were sex scenes and I began to feel the same way about them as I did about the war scenes.(Not a good sign I think). Aside from the war itself, I thought the story line was a bit slow. In my opinion, this author is a beautiful writer, but perhaps not a great story teller and although I appreciate both talents, I found the exquisite writing did not compensate for the lack of story development in this novel. I certainly don't regret investing my time in this book but I am also quiet happy to move on from it.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Brimming with action, adventure, history and passion “The Religion” by Tim Willocks is an excellent example of a fine story done in by Hollywood scriptwriting. With the kernel of a great adventure about the life of a Saxon boy taken into the Turkish Janissaries now all grown up and having to fight those same Turks during the siege of Malta one would think that Mr. Willocks had struck historical fiction gold. However, the novel is filled with an overabundance of Hollywood histrionics and self-indulgent pathos. Sadly, underneath all this extemporaneous effluence, is an excellent story desperately trying to surface. That the novel lacks a historical notation from the author was also disappointing.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Gah. How can you tell that someone has well cut ankles under a dress? How you can tell that their irises have a slender ring of black around them from several yards? How can you read past experiences and current thoughts from someone's facial expressions having never met them before? Why is this book populated by automatons who only behave as the plot dictates they should? How can anyone enjoy 700 pages of this overwrought prose and cliched nonsense?
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I was reluctant to pick this up from the library because it was so long but now that I'm finished I'm really glad I did. It's turned out to be one of my favorite historical novels. A gritty tale beautifully told. His use of words is amazing. I just kept saying, "YES! That's exactly the word that describes it." His metaphors were serious and relevant rather than confusing, lame or overly decorative. Bernard Cornwell and Stephen Pressfield should be very worried. Willocks combines Cornwell's characterization and drama with Pressfield's gritty, blood and entrails battle scenes. If I had one complaint it would be some of the hero's luck was a bit too heavily daubed upon the scenes. A few too many serendipitous meetings in the middle of giant chaotic battle scenes. While searching for the book to review I saw the word "trilogy" attached to it and I couldn't have been happier.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Take the Iliad, add some upgraded Conan and move the setting to to the 16th century Turkish siege of Malta and you maybe have something of the flavour of this book.Tannhauser is a hero straight out of ancient Greece, combining heroic violence with loyalty, shaky morals, love of money and beautiful women.Like his "Green River Rising" this is another unforgettable book.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    A long novel, more than 600 pages, about the Turkish siege of Malta in 1565. The hero, Mattias Tannhauser, is somewhat improbable; in the prologue he is enlisted as a Janissari after the murder of his family, is somehow discharged early, sets up a trading house with a Jew and an Englishman, and spent time with a Galileo-like wise man in Italy, so is also educated and a philosopher. He is enlisted to find the son of a sexy noblewoman, whose companion is also sexy, and links up with him for some graphic sex scenes. There are, also, multiple battles, richly described, richly described details of the Ottoman army and the siege, and a complex plot, including an evil monk, in love as well with Carla, the noblewoman, and finally a happy ending. I found it a little tedious, but finished it with some enjoyment.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Fantastic! If Willocks's other books are as good as The Religion ...