Synopses & Reviews
From the acclaimed author of
Empires of Sand comes a mesmerizing new adventure that Jean Auel cites as "crowded with events that both forecast and mirror the conflicts of today." Sweeping from the drawing rooms of Paris to the palace of Suleiman the Magnificent to the dark hold of a slave ship racing across the sea, here is a dazzling story of love and valor, innocence and identity, an epic novel of the clash of civilizations on a barren island where the future was forged.
The Mediterranean, the sixteenth century: Lying squarely in the midst of the vital sea lanes between the Christian West and the Ottoman Empire in the East, and ruled by the ancient Order of the Knights of St. John, Malta will become the stage upon which the fate of the world turns. For one of its sons, the hand of violence strikes swiftly, when young Nicolo Borg is seized by Barbary slavers and launched on a remarkable journey to the court of the supreme ruler of the Muslim world. Renamed Asha, plotting his escape even as he swears allegiance to the god of his masters and is schooled in the arts of culture and war, the innocent boy will be transformed into one of the Sultan's deadliest commanders.
For Nico's beloved sister, Maria, his loss fires her hatred for the knights who did nothing to save him and her dreams of escape from her stifling home. As the headstrong girl grows into a fierce beauty, she will capture the attention of one man in particular, Christien de Vries, a surgeon-knight torn between duty and desire, caught up in Malta's frantic preparations against the coming Ottoman storm. Around Nico and Maria are men and women who will share their destinies: Dragut Raïs, a brilliant corsair, arch-rival of the knights...Giulio Salvago, a priest in full flight from his carnal nature...Alisa, a young beauty hidden away in a harem...Jean de La Valette, the master knight who is Malta's only hope for survival.
As the mighty Ottoman fleet bears down on the tiny island, as Nico Borg makes his way back to his homeland at the helm of a warship, Ironfire moves inexorably to a shattering climax where all will face ultimate justice in the murderous cauldron of siege warfare. Brilliantly capturing the crosscurrents of a storied age, Ironfire is historical fiction in the grand tradition, a stirring realization of a pivotal moment in time that irrevocably shaped the world we inhabit today.
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"Sweeping historical adventure....Though copious with historical information surprisingly relevant in light of current history Ball anchors it all in character. A winning combination." Kirkus Reviews
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"Ball's bold, gruesome descriptions convincingly evoke the savagery of this 16th-century religious war and the treachery and zealotry of Muslim and Christian authorities alike." Publishers Weekly
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"Ball brings the tail end of the Crusades to life in a substantial piece of historical fiction that sizzles with action, romance, and drama." Margaret Flanagan, Booklist
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"Ball has built an action-packed, often erotic and always sensual epic-adventure around a handful of well-developed characters swept up in the maelstrom of 16-century holy wars." Chicago Sun-Times
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"Just when the blockbuster historical novel seemed an endangered species, Ironfire weighs in....In the best traditions of the genre, Ball shows us history from multiple and opposing points of view." The Seattle Times
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"Those who love to immerse themselves in older worlds, and who lament how soon shorter novels seem to end, will find themselves thrilling at the satisfying impact of Ironfire....[It] has all the ingredients of a juicy adventure." Rocky Mountain News
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"Ball proves himself a master storyteller, his richly detailed literary canvas bringing to life an age of religious fanaticism and conflict....[A]n intimate tangle of cruelty, love and revenge." Cleveland Plain Dealer
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"[R]esonates with masterful and real details exceeding imagination. And infusing every action is the pungency of smoldering religious fires....In that combustible mix of passions alone, Ball captures the essence of a modern catastrophe." Denver Post
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"A vast, entertaining historical saga...swashbuckling, at times sexy, packed with raw emotion, and just plain fun....Ball keeps you frantically flipping pages toward [the] climax." Boulder Daily Camera
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"Once again, historical novelist Ball has written a richly imagined, brilliantly plotted saga....Highly recommended." Library Journal (Starred Review)
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"Crowded with events that both forecast and mirror the conflicts of today...Ball's wealth of realistic detail and depth of characterization bring to vivid life this exciting 16th-century historical adventure. I couldn't put it down, and thought about it for days." Jean M. Auel, author of the Earth's Children series
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"An epic adventure with action, suspense, and romance. David Ball brings alive sultan's palaces, the world of corsairs and knights and the realities of 16th-century medicine and combat." Phillip M. Margolin, author of Wild Justice
Synopsis
In the Mediterranean, 16th-century, a mighty struggle looms between the Christian kingdoms, roiled by religious strife and political intrigue, and the surging Ottoman Empire. All that stands in the sultan's way is a tiny island and its small band of defenders the Knights of Malta.
Synopsis
From the cruelty of the slave markets of Algiers to the majesty of Topkapi, the sultan's seraglio in Constantinople, to the convent of the noble Knights of St. John in Malta,
Ironfire is a novel of the timeless struggle between the religions and cultures of East and West.
The Mediterranean, the 16th century. On the tiny island of Malta, in the midst of the vital sea lanes between the Christian kingdoms of the West and the surging Ottoman empire of Suleiman the Magnificent, the Knights of the ancient Order of St. John prepare to make their stand against forty thousand of the sultan's fiercest warriors. Amid treachery and terror, a story of innocence, identity, and valor will unfold. A brother and sister torn apart as children will face each other across the gulf of opposing cultures. A young surgeon-knight will twist between his vows and a forbidden love. Ancient enemies will become allies. And all will face ultimate justice in the murderous cauldron of siege warfare.
About the Author
David Ball is the author of the celebrated historical novel Empires of Sand and the contemporary thriller China Run. He lives in the Rockies with his wife, Melinda, and their children, Ben and Li.