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A Place Called Armageddon: Constantinople 1453

by C.C. Humphreys

The new novel from Vancouver writer and actor C.C. Humphreys (who also writes young adult fiction as Chris Humphreys) is not only a panoramic recreation of the fall of Constantinople in 1453, but also a vivid, imaginative exploration of the lives of a group of characters caught up in this turbulent period of history.

On the eve of war, Constantinople is in terminal decline, the last vestige of the once vast Byzantine Empire now impoverished and flailing. Its resources limited, the city must make sacrifices if it is to stand a chance of holding back the Turks. Before any other Christians will lend their support, the citizens must give up their Orthodox faith and unite with the Holy Roman church. Meanwhile, the young Turkish sultan Mahmet sees it as his destiny to capture “the Red Apple” for the glory of Allah.

Humphreys brings both sides to life by focusing on a diverse cast of characters. Gregoras, branded a traitor and exiled, returns reluctantly to defend his former home; Leilah is a Turkish sorceress whose destiny is tied to both the city and Gregoras; John Grant is a Scottish engineer and alchemist. Through these and dozens of other sharply drawn figures, Humphreys provides the reader with insights into the vast tapestry of society at the time.

Drawing on his background in drama, Humphreys realistically depicts the smallest conversations and the most sweeping action sequences: every scene is impeccably staged and rendered. His character development is solid, and the novel’s pacing is perfectly pitched, absorbing without being exhausting, with a healthy sprint to the finish.

Certainly, the novel boasts some over-the-top moments and larger-than-life characters, but the grand canvas and broad portraiture is all part of the entertaining package.

 

Reviewer: Robert J. Wiersema

Publisher: Orion/Hachette

DETAILS

Price: $24.99

Page Count: 352 pp

Format: Paper

ISBN: 978-1-40911-487-1

Released: Aug.

Issue Date: 2011-9

Categories: Children and YA Non-fiction, Fiction: Novels