Synopses & Reviews
When
Q was first published in 1999, it was an international sensation; returning to the same world of that extraordinary novel
Altai is a captivating story of betrayal, beliefs and the clash of civilizations.
When a fire breaks out in the Arsenal of Venice in 1569, everyone suspects Joseph Nasi, number-one enemy of the republic. But it is the enigmatic Emmanuele De Zante, spy catcher and agent of the Venetian secret service, who finds himself in jail accused of treason, having been betrayed by his lover.
When De Zante is offered the chance to escape, he embarks on an odyssey that takes him to Salonica, the Jerusalem of the Balkans, and from there, all the way to the Sultan’s palace in Constantinople. Spiraling through a series of deadly political games, De Zante’s voyage will test his loyalty and force him to question even his own identity. Together, De Zante and his companions head toward a conflict that threatens the very nature of civilization.
A historical epic spanning a continent scarred by war, Altai went straight into the bestsellers list when first published in Italy. It is a coruscating portrait of the divided world—east meets west—in the sixteenth century, where the great empires of the Republic of Venice and the Ottomans are on the verge of an epoch-making conflict. In this dramatic landscape, the authors’ collective Wu Ming creates a powerful narrative of danger, identity, and adventure.
Review
"Skillfully written ... it is difficult not to shiver." La Stampa
Review
"If you loved Q – no, if you were swept away by a passion that became an addiction to that monumental novel – take a deep breath and start reading again." La Repubblica
Synopsis
Sweeping historical novel of espionage, betrayal and identity
Synopsis
When
Q was first published in Italy in 1999, it was an instant sensation. Here the protagonist, the mysterious Anabaptist known as El Alamein, returns. With an epic, panoramic sweep that reaches across a Europe scarred by war,
Altai went straight into the bestsellers list when first published in Italy.
When a fire breaks out in the Arsenal of Venice in 1569, everyone suspects Joseph Nasi, number-one enemy of the republic. But it is Emmanuele De Zante, spy catcher and agent, who finds himself in jail accused of treason, having been betrayed by his lover. But who is De Zante?
When Nasi offers De Zante the chance to escape, he is launched on an odyssey that takes him to Thessalonika, the Jerusalem of the Balkans, all the way to the Sultan’s palace in Constantinople.
Thrown into a maelstrom of political games with deadly consequences, De Zante finds betrayal and danger around every corner as the narrative races toward its devastating denouement.
Synopsis
Wu Ming is a collective of four Italian fiction writers based in Bologna, Italy. Wu Ming’s books include the bestselling novel
Q (under the former pseudonym Luther Blissett), which was nominated for the Guardian First Book Award,
54, and
Manituana. Their website is www.wumingfoundation. com.
From the Trade Paperback edition.
Synopsis
1569. When a fire breaks out in the Arsenal of venice, everyone suspects Joseph Nasi, number-one enemy of the republic. But it is Emmanuele De Zante, spy catcher and agent, who finds himself in jail accused of treason, having been betrayed by his lover. But who really is De Zante?
With an epic, panoramic sweep that reaches across a Europe scarred by war, Altai is a thrilling tale and a coruscating portrait of the divided world in the sixteenth century where the great powers of the Republic of venice and the Ottomans threatened a clash of empires. Through this dramatic landscape, Wu Ming create a powerful narrative of danger, identity and adventure.
About the Author
Wu Ming is a collective of four Italian fiction writers based in Bologna, Italy. Wu Ming’s books include the bestselling novel Q, under the previous pseudonym Luther Blissett, nominated for the Guardian First Book Award, and ManituanaShaun Whiteside has translated from German works by Freud, Schnitzler, Musil and Nietzsche, and, most recently, The Weekend by Bernhard Schlink (2011). His translation of Magdalena the Sinner by Lilian Faschinger won the 1996 Schlegel-Tieck Award. He lives in London.