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The Astronomer
Paris, 1534.
A student at the Catholic College de Montaigu, serving as a courier for the Inquisition, is murdered by members of an extreme Lutheran sect for the packet of letters he is carrying. His friend and fellow classmate Amaury de Faverges—the illegitimate son of the Duke of Savoy and an expert in astronomy and natural science—is recruited as his replacement and promised a decree of legitimacy if he can uncover the secret that threatens to overturn Catholicism and the reign of François I.
Working undercover, Amaury journeys south to the liberal court of the king's sister, Marguerite of Navarre, the alleged heart of the conspiracy. The deeper he probes, the more Amaury is forced to confront his own religious doubts; and when he discovers a copy of Copernicus's shocking manuscript showing the sun at the center of the universe, he knows the path he must follow.
Replete with characters and events from history—from the iconoclastic Rabelais to the burning of heretics in Paris to preacher John Calvin and Copernicus himself—The Astronomer is a powerful novel of love and betrayal, and a thrilling portrait of what might well have happened at a hinge point in history when science and ancient religious belief collided.
A student at the Catholic College de Montaigu, serving as a courier for the Inquisition, is murdered by members of an extreme Lutheran sect for the packet of letters he is carrying. His friend and fellow classmate Amaury de Faverges—the illegitimate son of the Duke of Savoy and an expert in astronomy and natural science—is recruited as his replacement and promised a decree of legitimacy if he can uncover the secret that threatens to overturn Catholicism and the reign of François I.
Working undercover, Amaury journeys south to the liberal court of the king's sister, Marguerite of Navarre, the alleged heart of the conspiracy. The deeper he probes, the more Amaury is forced to confront his own religious doubts; and when he discovers a copy of Copernicus's shocking manuscript showing the sun at the center of the universe, he knows the path he must follow.
Replete with characters and events from history—from the iconoclastic Rabelais to the burning of heretics in Paris to preacher John Calvin and Copernicus himself—The Astronomer is a powerful novel of love and betrayal, and a thrilling portrait of what might well have happened at a hinge point in history when science and ancient religious belief collided.
293 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 2010
12 people are currently reading
1346 people want to read
About the author
Lawrence Goldstone
45 books199 followersLawrence Goldstone is the author of fourteen books of both fiction and non-fiction. Six of those books were co-authored with his wife, Nancy, but they now write separately to save what is left of their dishes.
Goldstone's articles, reviews, and opinion pieces have appeared in, among other publications, the Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Miami Herald, Hartford Courant, and Berkshire Eagle. He has also written for a number of magazines that have gone bust, although he denies any cause and effect.
His first novel, Rights, won a New American Writing Award but he now cringes at its awkward prose. (Anatomy of Deception and The Astronomer are much better.)
Despite a seemingly incurable tendency to say what's on his mind (thus mortifying Nancy), Goldstone has been widely interviewed on both radio and television, with appearances on, among others, "Fresh Air" (NPR), "To the Best of Our Knowledge" (NPR), "The Faith Middleton Show" (NPR), "Tavis Smiley" (PBS), and Leonard Lopate (WNYC). His work has also been profiled in The New York Times, The Toronto Star, numerous regional newspapers, Salon, and Slate.
Goldstone holds a PhD in American Constitutional Studies from the New School. His friends thus call him DrG, although he can barely touch the rim. (Sigh. Can't make a layup anymore either.) He and his beloved bride founded and ran an innovative series of parent-child book groups, which they documented in Deconstructing Penguins. He has also been a teacher, lecturer, senior member of a Wall Street trading firm, taxi driver, actor, quiz show contestant, and policy analyst at the Hudson Institute.
He is a unerring stock picker. Everything he buys instantly goes down.
Goldstone's articles, reviews, and opinion pieces have appeared in, among other publications, the Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Miami Herald, Hartford Courant, and Berkshire Eagle. He has also written for a number of magazines that have gone bust, although he denies any cause and effect.
His first novel, Rights, won a New American Writing Award but he now cringes at its awkward prose. (Anatomy of Deception and The Astronomer are much better.)
Despite a seemingly incurable tendency to say what's on his mind (thus mortifying Nancy), Goldstone has been widely interviewed on both radio and television, with appearances on, among others, "Fresh Air" (NPR), "To the Best of Our Knowledge" (NPR), "The Faith Middleton Show" (NPR), "Tavis Smiley" (PBS), and Leonard Lopate (WNYC). His work has also been profiled in The New York Times, The Toronto Star, numerous regional newspapers, Salon, and Slate.
Goldstone holds a PhD in American Constitutional Studies from the New School. His friends thus call him DrG, although he can barely touch the rim. (Sigh. Can't make a layup anymore either.) He and his beloved bride founded and ran an innovative series of parent-child book groups, which they documented in Deconstructing Penguins. He has also been a teacher, lecturer, senior member of a Wall Street trading firm, taxi driver, actor, quiz show contestant, and policy analyst at the Hudson Institute.
He is a unerring stock picker. Everything he buys instantly goes down.
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November 28, 2018
The story is set in 1534 during the reign of a flamboyant King Francis I, during French Inquisition against Protestants, and during a time when it is believed that the Earth with its mankind is the center of the universe and the exploration of the subject is forbidden by the Church.
Amaury de Faverges, the illegitimate son of the Duke of Savoy, becomes the doctor of theology at the Catholic College de Montaigu, under harsh conditions enduring “beatings, feculence, lice, depravation of sleep, terrible food and trivial disputations. (…) To wipe away the stain of his birth.” His love for the forbidden science takes him on a journey that shapes his decisions. He is put in a difficult situation and agrees to spy for the Inquisition. His undercover work takes him to the court of the King’s sister Marquerite of Navarre, where he uncovers documents written by a man named Nicolas Copernicus from Poland. Documents which claim that the Earth is not the center of the universe. It is the Sun. This only confirms what Amaury was already suspecting. The Inquisition takes another turn and he is being sent to Poland.
The main character of Amaury de Faverges is fictional, but the representation of College de Montaigu is true and the fact of illegitimate sons of high-born fathers often directed into the Church to receive a decree of legitimacy from the pope is true. Most of the characters are historical. It is a very interesting read and well-written.
@FB: Best Historical Fiction
Amaury de Faverges, the illegitimate son of the Duke of Savoy, becomes the doctor of theology at the Catholic College de Montaigu, under harsh conditions enduring “beatings, feculence, lice, depravation of sleep, terrible food and trivial disputations. (…) To wipe away the stain of his birth.” His love for the forbidden science takes him on a journey that shapes his decisions. He is put in a difficult situation and agrees to spy for the Inquisition. His undercover work takes him to the court of the King’s sister Marquerite of Navarre, where he uncovers documents written by a man named Nicolas Copernicus from Poland. Documents which claim that the Earth is not the center of the universe. It is the Sun. This only confirms what Amaury was already suspecting. The Inquisition takes another turn and he is being sent to Poland.
The main character of Amaury de Faverges is fictional, but the representation of College de Montaigu is true and the fact of illegitimate sons of high-born fathers often directed into the Church to receive a decree of legitimacy from the pope is true. Most of the characters are historical. It is a very interesting read and well-written.
@FB: Best Historical Fiction
October 15, 2010
Lawrence Goldstone's The Astronomer is a rare offering - a cerebral thriller / adventure story that plunges the reader into the treacherous world of religious strife in France on the eve of the brutal Wars of Religion between Protestants and Catholics. Amaury de Faverges, illegitimate son of the duke of Savoy, secretly yearns to learn more about scientific theories forbidden by the Church; when a beloved classmate of his in the austere academy where he studies is murdered in a Parisian alley, Amaury is drafted to take the dead boy's place and foil a heretical plot that could challenge the very foundations of the Church.
While all of this may sound a little familiar, Mr Goldstone has managed to steer clear of the expected cliches and craft instead a taut, suspenseful and erudite look at the 16th century's struggle to reconcile science with faith, and the vast fear that prevaded the Church as men sought explanations in the natural world, rather than relying on accepted dogma. Goldstone peppers his fast-moving tale with a host of interesting characters, including a young prostitute seeking redemption, a deformed monk intent on vengeance, and a stodgy but brilliant Copernicus in the last years of his life. In a time of novels that seem to focus primarily on the lascivious sex lives of royals, The Astronomer is a refreshing departure into the grit, turmoil and savagery of an era at odds with itself.
While all of this may sound a little familiar, Mr Goldstone has managed to steer clear of the expected cliches and craft instead a taut, suspenseful and erudite look at the 16th century's struggle to reconcile science with faith, and the vast fear that prevaded the Church as men sought explanations in the natural world, rather than relying on accepted dogma. Goldstone peppers his fast-moving tale with a host of interesting characters, including a young prostitute seeking redemption, a deformed monk intent on vengeance, and a stodgy but brilliant Copernicus in the last years of his life. In a time of novels that seem to focus primarily on the lascivious sex lives of royals, The Astronomer is a refreshing departure into the grit, turmoil and savagery of an era at odds with itself.
July 8, 2010
The Astronomer takes place in France during the 16th century, at the pinnacle of science colliding with religion. Amidst some of the harshest, most unforgiving religious times ever seen, Nicolaus Copernicus makes a discovery that will change the way everyone views the world. Change of any kind did not usually bode well for the Catholic Church, which viewed science as the devil's work and thought it blasphemous for individuals to attempt to solve the mysteries behind God's many wonders. One of my favorite quotations from the book challenges this ideal, "[He:] reveled in the glory of God's creation, of finding that the full cup of knowledge had not been given to Man at once, but had been left for Man to discover for himself over time (pg 178)."
The fear by many at the time that the publication of Copernicus's discoveries would counteract Church doctrine is, looking back now after having read the book, completely ridiculous and unfounded. The notion of heliocentric orbit (the idea that the Earth orbits the sun, and not visa versa) was not, in all actuality, even a Catholic vs. Lutheran issue. Geocentric theory (the idea that the Earth was the center of the universe) originated with Aristotle, who was by no means a Christian. He and his fellow Greek philosophers were pagans well before Christianity even existed. And nowhere in the Bible does it say that the Earth is the center of the universe. Yet many leaders in the Church felt that if this new scientific data proving heliocentric orbit was shared with the public, it would discredit Church dogma. The geocentric model was a view that had been upheld from the 3rd century up until the time in which this novel takes place, and it was a "fact" that had been supported by the Church throughout all those years. So in order to save face, the Church did everything in its power to try to prevent Copernicus's ideas from being published, regardless of their scientific legitimacy.
To put everything into historical perspective, people at the time were even forbidden from reading or translating the Bible into their native languages (everything was in Latin), out of fear that if the masses were able to read the Bible and truly understand every word that was written, they would challenge its teachings. Part of Martin Luther's arguments for Church reform were hinged on the idea that religion should be a shared experience amongst brethren who actually understood what they were believing in, a right that should not be exclusive to educated members of the upper classes (who could read and write in Latin). Agents of the Inquisition were downright paranoid that anything that breached the mantra of "stay the course" would be the undoing of everything they believed in. Ironically, the fate of France's future theological structure rested on the whims of a so-called "Catholic" king who cared more for pleasure than for piety. King François's licentious behavior in the book juxtaposed by the direness of the situation outside of François's boudoir illustrated the arbitrary nature by which imperative decisions regarding religious tolerance were determined at the time.
Through a suspenseful story of the beginnings of modern science, The Astronomer explores the complex theological differences amongst the various sects of Christianity, at the time when those subdivisions of faith were first initiated. The lines were very much blurred in terms of what, exactly, constituted as heretical. To read fictionally-interpreted opinions on this matter from such legendary greats as Erasmus, Calvin, and Rabelais was quite a treat. What thoughts, actions, or principles were indicative of heresy? This book has taught me that the answer to that question depended greatly upon whom was answering it.
The fear by many at the time that the publication of Copernicus's discoveries would counteract Church doctrine is, looking back now after having read the book, completely ridiculous and unfounded. The notion of heliocentric orbit (the idea that the Earth orbits the sun, and not visa versa) was not, in all actuality, even a Catholic vs. Lutheran issue. Geocentric theory (the idea that the Earth was the center of the universe) originated with Aristotle, who was by no means a Christian. He and his fellow Greek philosophers were pagans well before Christianity even existed. And nowhere in the Bible does it say that the Earth is the center of the universe. Yet many leaders in the Church felt that if this new scientific data proving heliocentric orbit was shared with the public, it would discredit Church dogma. The geocentric model was a view that had been upheld from the 3rd century up until the time in which this novel takes place, and it was a "fact" that had been supported by the Church throughout all those years. So in order to save face, the Church did everything in its power to try to prevent Copernicus's ideas from being published, regardless of their scientific legitimacy.
To put everything into historical perspective, people at the time were even forbidden from reading or translating the Bible into their native languages (everything was in Latin), out of fear that if the masses were able to read the Bible and truly understand every word that was written, they would challenge its teachings. Part of Martin Luther's arguments for Church reform were hinged on the idea that religion should be a shared experience amongst brethren who actually understood what they were believing in, a right that should not be exclusive to educated members of the upper classes (who could read and write in Latin). Agents of the Inquisition were downright paranoid that anything that breached the mantra of "stay the course" would be the undoing of everything they believed in. Ironically, the fate of France's future theological structure rested on the whims of a so-called "Catholic" king who cared more for pleasure than for piety. King François's licentious behavior in the book juxtaposed by the direness of the situation outside of François's boudoir illustrated the arbitrary nature by which imperative decisions regarding religious tolerance were determined at the time.
Through a suspenseful story of the beginnings of modern science, The Astronomer explores the complex theological differences amongst the various sects of Christianity, at the time when those subdivisions of faith were first initiated. The lines were very much blurred in terms of what, exactly, constituted as heretical. To read fictionally-interpreted opinions on this matter from such legendary greats as Erasmus, Calvin, and Rabelais was quite a treat. What thoughts, actions, or principles were indicative of heresy? This book has taught me that the answer to that question depended greatly upon whom was answering it.
January 31, 2016
The Astronomer by Lawrence Goldstone is a darn good historical suspense novel. The story, set in 16th century France, involves Amaury de Faverges, the illegitimate son of the Duke of Savoy and a university student who would like nothing more than to be acknowledged by his father. He is attending the Collège de Montaigu where he isn't the best of students, with his inquisitive mind and tendency to question Church dogma.
After witnessing the murder of a friend, Amaury is recruited by Magister Ory, the face of the French Inquisition, who promises to see that Amaury gets the official acknowledgement he desires if he works with the Catholic Church to help root out a suspected plot by a group of fanatical Lutherans who are said to want to discredit Genesis 1:1.
Amaury agrees (does he really have much of a choice?)and heads to the court of Queen Marguerite of Navarre, the king's sister. There he is reunited with Helene, the one woman he has always loved but who he could never marry because of his bastard status. His investigations lead him to a copy of Copernicus's manuscript De revolutionibus orbium coelestium with its revolutionary idea that the earth is NOT the center of the universe, and comes to know the path he must follow. The final part of the book involves an attempt by the Inquisition to assassinate Copernicus, with Amaury and Helene making their way to Frauenburg to warn Copernicus.
The book is filled with historical persons such as Rabelais, John Calvin, Noel Beda, Matthieu Ory, with the conflict between Catholics and Protestants an external representation of the internal conflict Amaury goes through, and his coming to despise the fanaticism he sees on both sides.
After witnessing the murder of a friend, Amaury is recruited by Magister Ory, the face of the French Inquisition, who promises to see that Amaury gets the official acknowledgement he desires if he works with the Catholic Church to help root out a suspected plot by a group of fanatical Lutherans who are said to want to discredit Genesis 1:1.
Amaury agrees (does he really have much of a choice?)and heads to the court of Queen Marguerite of Navarre, the king's sister. There he is reunited with Helene, the one woman he has always loved but who he could never marry because of his bastard status. His investigations lead him to a copy of Copernicus's manuscript De revolutionibus orbium coelestium with its revolutionary idea that the earth is NOT the center of the universe, and comes to know the path he must follow. The final part of the book involves an attempt by the Inquisition to assassinate Copernicus, with Amaury and Helene making their way to Frauenburg to warn Copernicus.
The book is filled with historical persons such as Rabelais, John Calvin, Noel Beda, Matthieu Ory, with the conflict between Catholics and Protestants an external representation of the internal conflict Amaury goes through, and his coming to despise the fanaticism he sees on both sides.
July 29, 2013
I had mixed feelings about this book. I liked the subject - a suspense novel set in the 16th century in France during the time of the Reformation. Does the sun revolve around the earth or does the earth revolve around the sun? The answer is very politically charged in this book. People are dying for the truth (literally). However, the dialog seems a bit stilted and the writing isn't the best. I was left unsatisfied in some areas. Not all the characters are developed enough. I enjoyed the book enough to keep reading - there are some interesting happenings going on - but I was a bit disappointed in that it didn't seem to become as much of an engaging page turner as I was hoping.
January 3, 2019
I date my personal fascination for the history of science to my encounter, during my early twenties, with Arthur Koestler's monumental
The Sleepwalkers
(1959). In that book Koestler examined the emergence of Western science from the shadows of the Church-dominated centuries, focusing on Copernicus, Kepler and Newton as the primary agents of change. I still thrill to the mere mention of the names of these three.
So a novel set in 1534 France, on the eve of the Copernican revolution and less than twenty years after the Lutheran one, as the Roman Catholic Church thrashes around with some prelates fanatically determined to extirpate the new and others more timidly eager to embrace it, is an easy sell to me, you bet.
Goldstone -- whose first science-historical mystery/thriller, The Anatomy of Deception , I read last year -- more or less met my expectations with this later thriller. I did have the feeling that, had I been less interested in the history-of-science and the roiling stew of reactions to it from the Church -- as personified in Goldstone's protagonist, Amaury de Faverges, illegitimate son of the Duke of Savoy -- I might have been a bit more critical of the telling, but that takes nothing away from how much I personally enjoyed this book.
The plot's a sort of adventure thriller. Amaury receives (and loathes) a theological training at Montaigu, the strict seminary in Paris where students were sent for education and got a flogging-enforced theological brainwashing instead. His real interest is in science, especially astronomy, which he assumes to be the study of the universe portrayed by the geocentric cosmology of Claudius Ptolemy, as adopted into the Church centuries earlier.
Circumstances change Amaury's mind and his allegiances. Sent as a tool of the Inquisition to spy on the Lutherans and their "attempt to destroy Genesis," he reads a copy of Copernicus's initial letter outlining his heliocentrism (it was a sort of rough draft of De Revolutionibus that the Polish canon nervously and confidentially sent out to a few like minds) and immediately recognizes the truth of it. His mission becomes one of saving the life of Copernicus from the assassins the Inquisition sends to eliminate this perceived threat.
Along the way, Amaury reunites with his childhood sweetheart, the high-born Hélène, now conveniently widowed from an unsuccessful arranged marriage, so there's love interest, too. In fact, Hélène is one of two strong-willed, intelligent women who play an important role in the proceedings; it was good to see them there, and I enjoyed their company even as I was slightly skeptical that their independence of spirit would have been permitted to survive long in that repressive society.
Goldstone provides an interesting afterword in which he explains which elements of his tale are historical and which invented out of whole cloth.
All in all, an excellent thriller if you're into the history of science and ideas.
So a novel set in 1534 France, on the eve of the Copernican revolution and less than twenty years after the Lutheran one, as the Roman Catholic Church thrashes around with some prelates fanatically determined to extirpate the new and others more timidly eager to embrace it, is an easy sell to me, you bet.
Goldstone -- whose first science-historical mystery/thriller, The Anatomy of Deception , I read last year -- more or less met my expectations with this later thriller. I did have the feeling that, had I been less interested in the history-of-science and the roiling stew of reactions to it from the Church -- as personified in Goldstone's protagonist, Amaury de Faverges, illegitimate son of the Duke of Savoy -- I might have been a bit more critical of the telling, but that takes nothing away from how much I personally enjoyed this book.
The plot's a sort of adventure thriller. Amaury receives (and loathes) a theological training at Montaigu, the strict seminary in Paris where students were sent for education and got a flogging-enforced theological brainwashing instead. His real interest is in science, especially astronomy, which he assumes to be the study of the universe portrayed by the geocentric cosmology of Claudius Ptolemy, as adopted into the Church centuries earlier.
Circumstances change Amaury's mind and his allegiances. Sent as a tool of the Inquisition to spy on the Lutherans and their "attempt to destroy Genesis," he reads a copy of Copernicus's initial letter outlining his heliocentrism (it was a sort of rough draft of De Revolutionibus that the Polish canon nervously and confidentially sent out to a few like minds) and immediately recognizes the truth of it. His mission becomes one of saving the life of Copernicus from the assassins the Inquisition sends to eliminate this perceived threat.
Along the way, Amaury reunites with his childhood sweetheart, the high-born Hélène, now conveniently widowed from an unsuccessful arranged marriage, so there's love interest, too. In fact, Hélène is one of two strong-willed, intelligent women who play an important role in the proceedings; it was good to see them there, and I enjoyed their company even as I was slightly skeptical that their independence of spirit would have been permitted to survive long in that repressive society.
Goldstone provides an interesting afterword in which he explains which elements of his tale are historical and which invented out of whole cloth.
All in all, an excellent thriller if you're into the history of science and ideas.
February 20, 2019
The Astronomer is a riveting historical fiction story, a combination detective/suspense novel set in 16th century Paris and environs. The story centers, not on the Astronomer, in this case one Nicholas Copernicus, father of the sun centered theory of the solar system, but rather on a student of theology & science nearing the completion of his 15 years of study, who is recruited to replace a murdered courier, who was also his best friend, and at the same time become a spy for the Inquisition.
This was a difficult time to be in France. In this time period the reformation is roiling the powerful as well as the masses. There are the Lutherans versus the Catholic Church, an egotistical, politically motivated King, the French Inquisition and its conniving Grand Inquisitor and several other historical figures to deal with, all throwing their influence around trying to maintain their positions of power. Now add a draft of Copernicus' theory which had been circulating in the church into the mix, where one utterance about it to the wrong person at the wrong time would get you burned at the stake. All these elements taken together mean there is extreme danger all around. It is against this backdrop that our main protagonist needs to unravel the murder and try to figure out who are the good guys and who are the bad and whether it is better, although not necessarily safer, to be steeped in religious dogma or in science.
The author does a wonderful job taking us back into this time and place. His descriptions of the life and times of ordinary Parisians as well as those of the upper crust of society are detailed and obviously thoroughly researched. Many of the key characters are real historical figures, Bishop Ory (the Grand Inquisitor), Rabelais, John Calvin and of course, Copernicus himself are all featured in the story. All of them are brought to life and become an important part of the narrative.
The suspense is taught and exciting and most importantly, the story itself is totally believable. It can easily be imagined that something similar to this might have actually happened in real life nearly 500 years ago. In fact, it probably did.
This was a difficult time to be in France. In this time period the reformation is roiling the powerful as well as the masses. There are the Lutherans versus the Catholic Church, an egotistical, politically motivated King, the French Inquisition and its conniving Grand Inquisitor and several other historical figures to deal with, all throwing their influence around trying to maintain their positions of power. Now add a draft of Copernicus' theory which had been circulating in the church into the mix, where one utterance about it to the wrong person at the wrong time would get you burned at the stake. All these elements taken together mean there is extreme danger all around. It is against this backdrop that our main protagonist needs to unravel the murder and try to figure out who are the good guys and who are the bad and whether it is better, although not necessarily safer, to be steeped in religious dogma or in science.
The author does a wonderful job taking us back into this time and place. His descriptions of the life and times of ordinary Parisians as well as those of the upper crust of society are detailed and obviously thoroughly researched. Many of the key characters are real historical figures, Bishop Ory (the Grand Inquisitor), Rabelais, John Calvin and of course, Copernicus himself are all featured in the story. All of them are brought to life and become an important part of the narrative.
The suspense is taught and exciting and most importantly, the story itself is totally believable. It can easily be imagined that something similar to this might have actually happened in real life nearly 500 years ago. In fact, it probably did.
August 12, 2010
Wonderful historic suspense fiction!
Many live for their religious beliefs. How many of us are willing to die for them? Would we ever kill for them?
Beautifully written, this story takes us to the Middle Ages of our times, when daily life in Europe often demanded the answers to those very questions.
A Polish astronomer has postulated a heresy that shakes up not only the scientific theories of the day, but a popular interpretation of the very Bible itself! And this, at a time when the Church is on the verge of schism - due to the rising Lutheran movement...
Aubry Savoy, a former theological student, has found himself drawn up into intrigue and danger - as he tries to keep a step ahead of those who want the heliocentric vision of our solar system, our universe, buried. Along with Copernicus and any who dare support his theory.
I don't usually go in for historical fiction, but this read kept my attention - as well as made me glad to be living in more enlightened times!
Many live for their religious beliefs. How many of us are willing to die for them? Would we ever kill for them?
Beautifully written, this story takes us to the Middle Ages of our times, when daily life in Europe often demanded the answers to those very questions.
A Polish astronomer has postulated a heresy that shakes up not only the scientific theories of the day, but a popular interpretation of the very Bible itself! And this, at a time when the Church is on the verge of schism - due to the rising Lutheran movement...
Aubry Savoy, a former theological student, has found himself drawn up into intrigue and danger - as he tries to keep a step ahead of those who want the heliocentric vision of our solar system, our universe, buried. Along with Copernicus and any who dare support his theory.
I don't usually go in for historical fiction, but this read kept my attention - as well as made me glad to be living in more enlightened times!
January 23, 2016
Historical fiction centered around conspiracy plots, the inquisition, cloak-and-dagger hijinks, religion vs. science: what could be better, right? But somehow this novel fell flat with me. I couldn't care about the characters or what happened to them, probably because the reader just doesn't learn enough about their inner lives or loyalties. The dialogue is stilted. Despite having all of the ingredients of a winner, this was one I'd rather have skipped, or perhaps read about in non-fiction format.
July 27, 2010
I love historical suspense - and this was that! I had no idea about the French Inquisition, what France was doing during the reign of Henry VIII, or about Copernicus and his view of Heliocentric thought (well, I knew this about him, I just didn't have a word for it). Fun! A novel based on fact and fiddled with for fun.
March 30, 2012
Set during the Inquisition this is a fascinating thriller about the journey of Amaury who has been recruited by the Inquisition to deliver some letters. As a historian comfortable with history from Medieval to American, Goldstone weaves a believable and interesting tale that kept my attention from the introduction to the conclusion. Goldstone never disappoints and this book is no exception.
August 5, 2016
Amaury de Faverge's thirst for knowledge and love for science is so captivating that I could hardly put the book down for more than a minute. Filled with factual accounts of historical figures and an eye opening revelation that I had never given much thought. An Astronomical find that could disprove Christianity has Believers in Science and Religion at each others throats!
February 24, 2015
Non è solo un romanzo sugli intrighi religiosi di Cattolici e Luterani, è un libro che ti fa pensare ai pericoli dei fondamentalismi religiosi indipendentemente da dove arrivino. Da leggere.
January 27, 2019
Thoroughly enjoyable historical fiction suspence! Goldstone certainly knows how to pack a story full of historical detail and still make it irrelevant and never boring. Every word is worth reading.
October 14, 2019
3.5* I liked the sense of time and place, but had a little trouble keeping track of all the factions and who supported whom. This kind of "quest" book can feel a little artificial too.
May 15, 2024
I picked this book up from the library on a whim, and I thought it was...okay.
I should probably blame the editor for putting "a novel of suspense" on the cover; I wouldn't call any scene more than very mildly suspenseful. The chapters are very short, the prose is simple, and the plot moves pretty quickly, so I suppose it could be called a page-turner. The protagonist gets into a couple of dangerous situations, but I was never remotely concerned that anything seriously bad would happen to him. I would have liked more tension. I think this could have been accomplished by more judicious use of the multiple POVs; while the bulk of the book is from Amaury's POV, there are occasional chapters that jump to other characters. These could have been leveraged better to build suspense.
I didn't find any of the main characters interesting or compelling, but the side-characters and villains were colorful and fun. The dialogue isn't great. Amaury, the protagonist, is a complete idiot. Maybe it's because of his cloistered life, but good god was it painful to have to sit around for hundreds of pages waiting for him to finally figure out that one character or another was not what they appeared to be (trying to phrase this vaguely to avoid spoilers).
Despite my criticisms, there's still plenty to enjoy. Goldstone does a good job on conveying the setting, describing how the characters dress and how they go about their daily lives, such as bathing and eating. The religious conflict is portrayed with nuance.
While most books I've read lately could have been edited down a bit, I actually think this one could have benefited from another 50-100 pages to develop Amaury more and to flesh out the plot.
I should probably blame the editor for putting "a novel of suspense" on the cover; I wouldn't call any scene more than very mildly suspenseful. The chapters are very short, the prose is simple, and the plot moves pretty quickly, so I suppose it could be called a page-turner. The protagonist gets into a couple of dangerous situations, but I was never remotely concerned that anything seriously bad would happen to him. I would have liked more tension. I think this could have been accomplished by more judicious use of the multiple POVs; while the bulk of the book is from Amaury's POV, there are occasional chapters that jump to other characters. These could have been leveraged better to build suspense.
I didn't find any of the main characters interesting or compelling, but the side-characters and villains were colorful and fun. The dialogue isn't great. Amaury, the protagonist, is a complete idiot. Maybe it's because of his cloistered life, but good god was it painful to have to sit around for hundreds of pages waiting for him to finally figure out that one character or another was not what they appeared to be (trying to phrase this vaguely to avoid spoilers).
Despite my criticisms, there's still plenty to enjoy. Goldstone does a good job on conveying the setting, describing how the characters dress and how they go about their daily lives, such as bathing and eating. The religious conflict is portrayed with nuance.
While most books I've read lately could have been edited down a bit, I actually think this one could have benefited from another 50-100 pages to develop Amaury more and to flesh out the plot.
September 1, 2021
An historical novel, of sorts, that pits the Counter-Reformation Church against the Lutherans, largely in France. Copernicus lies dying after having finished, but not yet published, his study of heliocentrism--but news has leaked out to all the agnostic astronomers who have been trying in vain to reconcile Ptolemy's geocentrism with actual observations. There is a lot of skullduggery as the main character travels here and there, a supposed Catholic spy trying to figure out what the Lutherans think about the new astronomy, and how that insight about the physical world might challenge religious concepts. John Calvin makes an appearance, as does Copernicus on his deathbed.
Stylistically, rather a pedestrian novel, its plot rather convoluted, suggesting that at the time there were elements in the Church who welcomed Copernican insights, but so did the Lutherans. Or there were blocs in both see ts that wanted astronomical insight to cease, for it would dethrone humanity from its central position in the universe. It was hard to tell.
And hard to remember. An effort to bring personal drama to major historical and scientific change is commendable, but the result is rather dull.
Stylistically, rather a pedestrian novel, its plot rather convoluted, suggesting that at the time there were elements in the Church who welcomed Copernican insights, but so did the Lutherans. Or there were blocs in both see ts that wanted astronomical insight to cease, for it would dethrone humanity from its central position in the universe. It was hard to tell.
And hard to remember. An effort to bring personal drama to major historical and scientific change is commendable, but the result is rather dull.
June 25, 2018
Lawrence Goldstone writes a novel that compels the reader to 1534 Paris. It was the time when horrors were perpetuated, when dogma, science and religion collide to crash and burn. Using historical facts of King Francois I, his sister, Marguerite of Navarre, the catholic inquisition, Luther and Calvin, the writer Rabelais, and add to this melee the science of Copernicus the result is explosive. Using these historical facts to build upon, this novel weaves through a time perilous for those who embrace change and those that are driven to keep things the same and those got in the webs woven by both. You can hear the screams of terror and agony, smell the smoke and feel the fear that man perpetuated on man...
March 15, 2022
I’ve had this book for years. Tried to pick it up 4-5 different times and couldn’t get past page 10. I finally told myself I had to read it this year but I would balance it with a few other books so I wouldn’t give up completely, knowing I could take a break and read something else. I ended up reading 10 other books while trying to push my way through this one.
It’s just ok. I found the main character to be the personification of white sliced bread. And he was a completely pointless character: the series of events would have happened without him (including the ending and subsequent twist). And the prose was long and laborious. The prose was just kinda boring.
There were some parts I enjoyed, but I did debate giving this 1 star… I just don’t think any of it was interesting.
It’s just ok. I found the main character to be the personification of white sliced bread. And he was a completely pointless character: the series of events would have happened without him (including the ending and subsequent twist). And the prose was long and laborious. The prose was just kinda boring.
There were some parts I enjoyed, but I did debate giving this 1 star… I just don’t think any of it was interesting.
December 3, 2017
In the 1500's religious persecution was in vogue in Europe. Henry VIII, Martin Luther and John Calvin. attacked the Catholic churches excesses. There was little acceptance of other religious views. The Inquisition had spies. The Lutherans had spies. Calvinists had spies. Anglicans had spies. Spies pretended to believe as another religion taught and tried to report names of members for retribution. Amaury de Faverges is sent out by the Parisian Inquisitor to infiltrate the Lutherans. His love of science comes into play with the geocentric vs heliocentric debate.
July 8, 2018
I loved this book, but felt that it ended almost abruptly. Having read a few books on Henry VIII, and the religious upheaval experienced in England, it was very interesting to see the effects of the Protestant movement elsewhere in Europe. I also would like to see more adventures and intrigues involving Helene and Amaury!
November 15, 2022
Imagine the axis defined by Da Vinci Code and Name of the Rose: The Astronomer lies near the center point of that segment, maybe slightly closer to Eco. An interesting historical setting, and a better reading experience than A World Lit Only by Fire.
January 3, 2023
An historical novel set in the squalor of sixteenth-century Paris amid the horrors of the Inquisition. The author deftly combines history of Astronomy (heliocentrisim overtaking geocentrism) with the politics of the catholic church.
January 10, 2025
For a historical thriller, I can understand the appeal of this book. However, for me this was just too confusing. Lots of parts felt very rushed and the characters seemed pretty underdeveloped. Wish I was able to get more invested in the plot.
May 26, 2017
Fast paced, historical detail and interesting themes - fabulous!
September 1, 2017
This was fine. I think i would have enjoyed this more had i read it in physical copy. The audiobook narrator was hard to understand
July 31, 2021
A thriller set in the religious world.
December 25, 2021
Loved it!
September 9, 2023
This book rocked my world. Woah. Such a compelling and exciting narrative.
October 15, 2025
historic, interesting
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