Death and the Devil: A Novel
3.5/5
()
Currently unavailable
Currently unavailable
About this ebook
In the year 1260, a great cathedral, the most ambitious ecclesiastical building in all of Christendom, is rising high above the bustling city of Cologne under the supervision of the architect Gerhard Morart. Far below the soaring spires and flying buttresses, a bitter war rages between the archbishop and the city's ruling merchant families—a deadly conflict that claims Morart as the first of its many victims. But there is a witness to the murder of the unfortunate architect, pushed to his death from the cathedral's scaffolding. A cunning, street-smart, politically naive petty thief called "Jacob the Fox" has seen it all—and seeing has made him the target of a relentless and ruthlessly efficient assassin who's been stripped of his humanity by dark, hidden secrets. Ensnared in the strangling vines of a terrifying conspiracy, the Fox must now run for his life. But who—and what—is he running from?
Frank Schatzing
Frank Schatzing is the author of the international bestseller The Swarm. A winner of the Köln Literatur Prize, the Corine Award, and the German Science Fiction Award, Schatzing lives and works in Cologne, Germany.
Related to Death and the Devil
Related ebooks
The Secret Supper: A Novel Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Last Templar Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Book of Judas: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The School of Night: A Novel Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Revenger: A John Shakespeare Mystery Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Montezuma's Daughter Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Samurai's Daughter: A Novel Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Shadow of the Corps Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Book of Odes: The Shih-Ching Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Moses Expedition: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Hawk of Egypt Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDracula's Guest Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Shroud Key: A Chase Baker Thriller Series No. 1, #1 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPoisoned Sky Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSong of the Damned Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Death Wears a Red Hat: The Father Koesler Mysteries: Book 2 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Magic Circle Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Island of Doctor Moreau Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Jerusalem Diamond Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Doctor Mosquito: A Novel Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Watcher by the Threshold Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5City of Vengeance: From the Winner of The Crime Writers' Association Historical Dagger Award Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Breath of God: A Novel of Suspense Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Rhythm of the August Rain: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Roots of Betrayal Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Historical Fiction For You
The House of Eve Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5East of Eden Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek: A Novel Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Cloud Cuckoo Land: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Demon Copperhead: A Pulitzer Prize Winner Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Poisonwood Bible: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The House Is on Fire Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This Tender Land: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Lady Tan's Circle of Women: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Hallowe'en Party: Inspiration for the 20th Century Studios Major Motion Picture A Haunting in Venice Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Lost Journals of Sacajewea: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Canterbury Tales Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Yellow Wife: A Novel Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Invisible Hour: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Sold on a Monday: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Rules of Magic: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Euphoria Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I, Claudius Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Pale Blue Eye: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Girls in the Stilt House: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Carnegie's Maid: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Book Woman's Daughter: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Second Life of Mirielle West: A Haunting Historical Novel Perfect for Book Clubs Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Red Tent - 20th Anniversary Edition: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Magic Lessons: The Prequel to Practical Magic Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Tinkers: 10th Anniversary Edition Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5That Bonesetter Woman: the new feelgood novel from the author of The Smallest Man Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Island of Sea Women: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Quiet American Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for Death and the Devil
182 ratings5 reviews
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Long winded. Lots of repetitions and artificial suspense
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I read this book about 10 years ago in German, and was fascinated by it; the first historical thriller set in Cologne that I read, I loved its closeness and exploration of Cologne's and its cathedral's history.
Now, I still love the story, but was a little disappointed by the English translation, the sublime humor didn't come across. - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5It is 1260 and the new cathedral of Cologne is beginning to dominate the skyline of the city. Jacob the Fox, a petty thief, is the only witness to the murder of the cathedral's architect and has to run for his life. Finding shelter and support with Richmodis von Weiden, her dyer father and her uncle Jaspar, the dean of St Mary Magdalene's and a physician, they uncover a conspiracy involving one of the city's wealthiest and most respected families.This was an unexpected find in a bookshop while on holiday last year, and as I was born near Cologne and spent my formative years there, I just had to get it. I wasn't familiar with the author's name before and, dare I say it, I would wager that this is his first foray into the historical murder mystery genre. As such, it doesn't work terribly well, as the identity of the assassin and the conspirators is known from the start, and even though the intended second assassination target isn't revealed until the last 100 pages, I had guessed it well before that. The interest for the reader lies in the well constructed and researched atmosphere of medieval Cologne, which also covers recent history including the Seventh Crusade, the then current political scene and the philosophical and religious schools of thought prevalent at that time. With Jacob on the run from the assassin, the characters still have time for lengthy philosophical discussions and history lessons, something that felt a bit incongruous to me but which I enjoyed nevertheless. The characters are for the most part well drawn, even though I could have done without the love story angle.If you like intelligent historical murder mysteries with the emphasis on the history and not the mystery, then I suggest you give this one a go.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Beautifully researched and presented in such a way as to keep me reading straight through until finished!Like Ken Follet's "The Pillars of the Earth", one of the main characters of "Death and the Devil" is a cathedral. Unlike Follet's book, we are not taken through different generations to a conclusion but we are rather taken for an exciting ride of only a few days. The characters are almost caricatures at the start. But Jasper driven by insatiable curiosity, and Jacob driven to undo what he perceives as an unforgivable sin both become heroes. It's quite an exciting trip that the reader is taken on as these two men come to grips with "Death and the Devil".
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A fascinating thriller set in Cologne of 1260, which works fantastically as a dramatized audio book.