Brash and brilliant, twenty year old Mathis Zieglar, Professor of Languages, faces an agonizing choice: should he fight the Turks who take his family hostage and move to destroy Vienna? Or should he betray his army to save his kin? Vienna’s Last Jihad is an historical novel set against the 1683 siege of Vienna.
Europe is balanced on a knife’s edge while Mathis, the man who holds its fate in his hands, struggles against powerful enemies: Father Sistini, a Jesuit who brands him a heretic and drags Mathis’ fiancée off to the Inquisition; a xenophobic city mob, who wants him dead for protecting a Hungarian soldier; but most dangerous of all, Captain Tyrek, a Muslim chieftain who will kill Mathis’ family unless he spies against his own army. One by one, Tyrek’s agents murder Mathis’ closest associates in an attempt to isolate him. As 138,000 Turks grind down Vienna’s 15,000 defenders with no relief in sight, Mathis’ only chance to save family and country is to use his ability to speak Tartar and the knack he learned as a child to leap, whirl like an unwinding mainspring, and strike.
The 1683 siege of Vienna was an historic turning point in the struggle between East and West. Had the defenders failed, the invaders would have gutted Central Europe in a rampage of mass slaughter and enslavement. Vienna’s Last Jihad is a novel of 99, 600 words and will appeal to those who enjoy the military action of Bernard Cornwell’s Richard Sharpe series and the mystery suspense of Umberto Eco’s The Name of the Rose.
C. Wayne Dawson writes for The Williamson County Sun and has written for History Magazine, Focus On Georgetown, and SAFVIC Law Enforcement Newsletter. In 2012, he founded Central Texas Authors, a collaborative literary group.
He was an Adjunct Professor of History for ten years at Mt. San Antonio College where he created the Chautauqua program. There, he enlisted scholars, government officials and activists to discuss and debate social policy before the student body and the media.
In 2009, the students of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society honored him with the Glaux Mentor Teacher Award for bringing the Chautauqua program to Mt. SAC.
He currently lives in Georgetown, TX with his wife and two dogs.
Every now and then I come across a piece of fiction that completely blows my mind and I mean that in nicest way possible. Take for example C. Wayne Dawson's Vienna Last Jihad.
Set against 1683 siege of Vienna, the narrative opened my eyes to an entirely new chapter of world history. In point of fact, the time I spent with it sparked a fair degree of curiosity and at the end of the day isn't that a mark of good historic fiction?
Another thing I liked about this piece was Dawson's portrayal of conflict. Fiction requires there be a hero, a good and a bad, but outside of that, I appreciate the author's interest in painting as comprehensive a portrait as possible, affording the reader enough explanation to understand the issues he touched on inside and out.
Ideally, I might have liked to see a tad more emphasis on the emotional themes of the narrative and I will note its tendency to slow in response to the level of detail incorporated within the text, but these are minor criticisms at best.
Violent and at times horrific, Vienna's Last Jihad is not one for the squeamish. It is, however, a worthwhile and unique tale that highlights an event few writers dare to tackle.
When writing a review of this book I keep in mind that this is a first book by an author who obviously spent an enormous amount of time researching the time period and tactics of war that were involved in the Ottoman invasion of Europe in the 17 th century. From that background Mr Dawson weaves a tale about a man, Mathis, who is caught up in the events and has to adjust and become a soldier, spy and ultimately a hero, to save his fiancé, family and ultimately Vienna. I will admit that the plot line is a bit choppy and there were times I could not keep timelines or subplots straight, but I fully admire this author's perseverance and see the potential for better books in his future if he continues in his career as a writer. I especially liked his characters of Tyrek (the antagonist) and Tannenberg (the trusty sidekick) but felt that I could not relate as well to Mathis and Magda. Still. A good first effort and hope to see more from this aspiring author.
Vienna's Last Jihad, by C. Wayne Dawson, is a military action novel that takes on educating readers about the 1683 conflict in Vienna with invading Turks, which many don't know ended up being a large turning point in history. However, it seems that there isn't a wealth of information out there about the topic for the mainstream public and so it was a great choice for Dawson to form a novel around. This novel is not a four star in relation to my choice of book or in comparison to others I've read, but a four star in it meets criteria for its genre of readers and writers.
The foundation of his book delves into how Vienna's 11,000 defenders defeated 138,000 Turks, utilizing a Professor of Languages, named Mathis Zieglar. A scholar, Mathis uses his intellect, his ability to speak Tartar, and his fighting skills, to make decisions to save those he loves as well as his country from the Turkish Empire.
It's evident that Dawson did an enormous amount of research on the subject (and you'll find resources in the back of his book that supports that theory) and he really focuses on the events leading up to the final conflict. It might be somewhat difficult to read through some parts due to your violence meter, but I find that in almost every military historical I read that's written by a man. I'm not being sexist, it's just what I've encountered to date! The male authors I've read in this genre seem to air on the side of historical accuracy and detailed fight scenes, events, weapons, and clothing as opposed to having the novel be a more character driven fantasy. There isn't anything wrong with that, but I do feel as a reviewer I need to point it out because I am helping readers buy books that fit what they want to read. It most certainly will appeal to historians and military enthusiasts, but I believe that it could also be used in universities and colleges in their teaching about the Ottoman Empire and the past conflicts between various religions throughout history.
The excitement in the novel comes from protagonist Mathis moving through one adventure and situation to the next dangerous one. He wants to save his fiance from the Inquisition, his country from the Turks, and his family. He's heroic and loyal and this shines through.
It's not one of those books that moves me to tears or makes me shout from the mountains, but it does feel like a book I might have read for one of my college classes during the pursuit of my bachelor degree in history. It's a historical that has action, adventure, detail, and authenticity. It's an educated read as opposed to a novel you'd pick up on a Friday night when you just need to get lost in a story.
C. Wayne Dawson’s Vienna’s Last Jihad is an absorbing piece of historical fiction that retells one of history’s most important turning points, the 1683 siege of Vienna, in a way never before attempted. Readers will cheer on Professor Mathis Zieglar, the saga’s protagonist, a brash but brilliant academic, as he battles the Inquisition and an invading horde of Muslim Turks, using his wits and martial talents in a struggle to save his family and the city of Vienna from impending doom. Skillfully written and researched by a trained historian, Dawson’s Vienna’s Last Jihad is a compelling saga that will transport the reader to a world seldom portrayed in historical fiction and will plunge him/her into a web of danger, treachery, and white knuckle suspense. Were this reviewer to summarize the novel as briefly as possible, she would say “satisfying and never boring.”
As a resident of Vienna, Austria, and a history nerd, I found Mr. Dawson's account of the siege of Vienna to be both historically accurate and an exciting thriller. The adventures of Prof. Mathis Zieglar, both in opposition to the Muslims threatening his family and city and to the Jesuits who have accused him of heresy kept me entralled to the very end. I heartily recommend Vienna's Last Jihad.
Vienna's Last Jihad tells the story of the Ottoman siege on Vienna in 1683. I must admit that I knew the Ottoman Empire had grand plans to expand throughout Europe but I didn't know of this particular event in its attempt to rule the continent. Mr. Dawson researched his topic well and the details are such that the reader feels the intimacy of the battle in a walled city; the fear of the coming invaders, the panic that can turn neighbor against neighbor and the little bits of normal that can still occur in the midst of total chaos. It was also a time of reason warring with the didactic dogma of the Catholic church in form of the Jesuits.
Mathis Zieglar is the protagonist and he is a young man who has earned the high honor of being a Professor at the Jesuit University but his espousal of reason has the priests throwing him out because he refuses to agree that the Earth is the center of the universe because of a Bible quote. This earns him their enmity which is not good in a time where the church holds much sway over everyday life. After losing his teaching job Mathis joins the army as in interpreter as he is fluent in Turkish and Arabic. Here he finds his calling as his ability to think on his feet is a good one in a time of war.
Mathis also has a love interest and her trials and tribulations form a subplot in the book. She is rather outspoken for the times and has some run ins with those pesky priests as well. The main plots of the novel, though are the battle to save Vienna and Mathis' back and forth with a Muslim chieftain who just wants him dead.
There is a lot going on in a short period of time and Mathis is at the center of it all. He has all of the answers! It was just a little too convenient at times and these facile plot points are what bothered me. That combined with the fact that at times I just could not tell that I was reading a book taking place in the 17th century - it almost seemed current. I don't know if it was the dialog or the lack of descriptions. I really couldn't put my finger on it but I had to keep reminding myself that I was in 1683. It was by no means a bad book - in fact I did enjoy it - it just was disconnected somehow. Perhaps with the focus more on battle than place or time it became universal.
When I was given the opportunity to review Vienna's Last Jihad, I jumped on it because it is the kind of book that I miss reading. You see, I spent many years studying history, focusing on the conflict between Christianity and Islam, so finding a piece of historical fiction along the lines of my studies was very exciting. Since the majority of what I know about the conflicts between Europe and the Middle East comes from the Crusades, so the history surrounding the events of the story was mostly new to me.
Though Vienna's Last Jihad is set in the 1600s, it really reads like a modern book. Mathis Zieglar was like an acrobatic Chuck Norris who could leap, kick, spin, and jump his way out of everything. Okay, that's not completely it because it helped that he was fluent in Tartar. It helped that Mathis Zieglar was not a real person (as far as I could tell) because I'm a stickler for details when it comes to my historical figures. (Unless I'm reading about the Tudors, which this is not.) It's also important for you to note that this book reads more like fiction for historians than historical fiction, if that makes sense. That is not to say that book is bad at all.
If you're a fan of fiction from time periods that don't pop up very often in mainstream novels and/or books about the historical interaction of Christians and Muslims, I recommend Vienna's Last Jihad. Dawson wrote a very interesting novel about a military event that I hope you will enjoy as much as I have.
Copy received from Historical Fictional Virtual Book Tours for an honest review.
There are some books that after reading them I feel smarter and some I feel… not as smart. “Vienna’s Last Jihad” falls into both categories! I loved the wealth of information that Dawson provided in this book. I did feel a little overwhelmed with it because I was not aware of this pivotal moment in history. I thought that using Mathis, a Professor of Languages, to personalize this battle was very clever and made the struggle between the invading Muslim Turks of Vienna more relatable. The writing was engaging and interesting. There is a great balance of history and action. The author was able to make the story informative and at the same time quick pace. I also really liked the character, Matias. He was street and book smart, which seemed a great combination for the struggles and difficult decisions he was faced with. After reading, “Vienna’s Last Jihad” I want to learn more about the Ottoman Empire, which is the mark of a great book. I also loved that the author portrayed a moment in history where religion and political motivation where interwoven… it makes for an interesting discussion on the fusion of the two! I recommend and enjoyed this book.
Again another part of history that I know (knew) nothing about. The author has written a book that was a real eye opener for me as to what happened in Vienna during the 1683 siege. Between the Inquisition, the Muslim's, protecting his family and the love of his life, Mathis was on the go constantly here. There were times that didn't connect like I was hoping to, but was totally able to grasp the motives behind the actions. There was definitely a lot of action in this book and cleanly it was very well researched. Yes there was violence, but then again this book is about a fierce battle, though I am not complaining, but might not appeal to the faint of heart.
I liked the authors writing style, it was easy to get lost in this book. I learned a great deal from this book, which is one of the reasons historical fiction is my favorite genre. This is C. Wayne Dawson's debut and I look forward to what is in store for the future. One of my favorite things to read when I finish HF is the author notes at the end, this book was lacking that and I missed it.
This book will appeal to those that like historical fiction that is off the beaten track (by that I mean away from England, Rome and France).
First of all: we non-Muslims might know the word Jihad solely as a word for holy war. But for a Muslims it also means the struggle within yourself to be a good person and do the right thing. This book is a bit about both.
I did know the Turks were never able to conquer Vienna. The story goes that is how the croissant came to be: mocking the Turkish army they had food enough to ditch over the city wall (but I think that was during the siege by Suleyman one century prior).
But even when you know which side will win the battle the novel is still a thrilling read because there are many subplots. The book is also a historical correct one. The author included a list of literature he used that would have fitted a scientific thesis. One of the historic people mentioned made me look that one up on Wikipedia: a homosexual French nobleman, very ugly and a sprig, who was denied a French commission into the army because his mother was quite the scandal and decided to join the Austrian enemy instead and became one of the most renowned generals in history. The novel is filled with colourful real historic people even when they are mentioned just barely. Take for instance Kara Mustapha, the Turkish Grand Vizier who leads the army.
So what is the story about?
"Brash and brilliant, twenty year old Mathis Zieglar, Professor of Languages, faces an agonizing choice: should he fight the Turks who take his family hostage and move to destroy Vienna? Or should he betray his army to save his kin? Vienna’s Last Jihad is an historical novel set against the 1683 siege of Vienna.
Europe is balanced on a knife’s edge while Mathis, the man who holds its fate in his hands, struggles against powerful enemies: Father Sistini, a Jesuit who brands him a heretic and drags Mathis’ fiancée off to the Inquisition; a xenophobic city mob, who wants him dead for protecting a Hungarian soldier; but most dangerous of all, Captain Tyrek, a Muslim chieftain who will kill Mathis’ family unless he spies against his own army. One by one, Tyrek’s agents murder Mathis’ closest associates in an attempt to isolate him. As 138,000 Turks grind down Vienna’s 11,000 defenders with no relief in sight, Mathis’ only chance to save family and country is to use his ability to speak Tartar and the knack he learned as a child to leap, whirl like an unwinding mainspring, and strike." (AMAZON)
The Tartars who help the Turks and who Mathis encounters are very cruel people. But that was the times The Christian side are no saints either. The Jesuits who are a state within the state, the prosecution of the Hungarian protestants and the mighty people who just do what they want. So I cannot detect any xenophobic motives in the writer and that was what I was first a bit worried about.
The book is REALLY GOOD. It is fast pacing and thrilling but you also pick up a lot of knowledge on history and military stuff while reading. There was one thing I thought highly unlikely until I realised what his nickname was his family called him by. I can really recommend it. I noticed there are two more books in this series and I certainly hope to read them too.