What do you think?
Rate this book
Ottoman
In 1448 an English master-gunner, John Hawkwood, arrives in Constantinople. He intends to enter the service of the Byzantine Emperor, whose capital is this astonishing meeting place of East and West - now in dire threat from the Ottoman Turks.
But even gunpowder cannot prevail and, in 1453, Constantinople falls to the foe. By fate the Hawkwoods have already changed allegiance, and now serve the conquerors in their victorious surge across eastern Europe and the Mediterranean shores.
Though showered with wealth and privilege, they need every ounce of political cunning to survive the swirling intrigues and bloody massacres which dominate the Ottoman realm. For four generations the Hawkwood men are military leaders and envoys, while their women are beautiful captives or dutiful concubines trained in the arts of sensual pleasure.
But always the grim spectres of betrayal and sudden death, of ravishment and torture lurk behind the gilded pillars of their palaces and harems.
An historical epic which relates the exploits of the Hawkwood family of master gunners between 1448 and 1572, the date of the battle of Lepanto. The story revolves around Constantinople and recreates the dying years of the Byzantine emperors and the conquest and magnificence of the Ottomans.
But even gunpowder cannot prevail and, in 1453, Constantinople falls to the foe. By fate the Hawkwoods have already changed allegiance, and now serve the conquerors in their victorious surge across eastern Europe and the Mediterranean shores.
Though showered with wealth and privilege, they need every ounce of political cunning to survive the swirling intrigues and bloody massacres which dominate the Ottoman realm. For four generations the Hawkwood men are military leaders and envoys, while their women are beautiful captives or dutiful concubines trained in the arts of sensual pleasure.
But always the grim spectres of betrayal and sudden death, of ravishment and torture lurk behind the gilded pillars of their palaces and harems.
An historical epic which relates the exploits of the Hawkwood family of master gunners between 1448 and 1572, the date of the battle of Lepanto. The story revolves around Constantinople and recreates the dying years of the Byzantine emperors and the conquest and magnificence of the Ottomans.
800 pages, Hardcover
First published August 9, 1990
64 people are currently reading
158 people want to read
About the author
Alan Savage
56 books15 followersChristopher Robin Nicole was born on 7 December 1930 in Georgetown, British Guiana (now Guyana), where he was raised. He is the son of Jean Dorothy (Logan) and Jack Nicole, a police officer, both Scottish. He studied at Queen's College in Guyana and at Harrison College in Barbados. He was a fellow at the Canadian Bankers Association and a clerk for the Royal Bank of Canada in Georgetown and Nassau from 1947 to 1956. In 1957, he moved to Guernsey, Channel Islands, United Kingdom, where he currently lives, but he also has a domicile in Spain.
On 31 March 1951, he married his first wife, Jean Regina Amelia Barnett, with whom he had two sons, Bruce and Jack, and two daughters, Julie and Ursula, they divorced. On 8 May 1982 he married for the second time with fellow writer Diana Bachmann.
As a romantic and passionate of history, Nicole has been published since 1957, when he published a book about West Indian Cricket. He published his first novel in 1959 with his first stories set in his native Caribbean. Later he wrote many historical novels set mostly in tumultuous periods like World War I, World War II and the Cold War, and depict places in Europe, Asia and Africa. He also wrote classic romance novels. He specialized in Series and Sagas, and continues to write into the 21st century with no intention of retiring.
He signs his books as Christopher Nicole and uses several pseudonyms, some of them female. Pseudonyms used include: Peter Grange, Andrew York, Robin Cade, Mark Logan, Christina Nicholson, Alison York, Leslie Arlen, Robin Nicholson, C. R. Nicholson, Daniel Adams, Simon McKay, Caroline Gray and Alan Savage. He wrote disaster thrillers in collaboration with his wife, Diana Bachmann, under the penname Max Marlow. Under his different pseudonyms he has worked with many publishing houses: Jarrolds, Hutchinson, Simon & Schuster, Coward-McCann & Geoghegan, Jove, Michael Joseph, Mills & Boon, and Severn House.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christop... and
http://openlibrary.org/authors/OL1009...
On 31 March 1951, he married his first wife, Jean Regina Amelia Barnett, with whom he had two sons, Bruce and Jack, and two daughters, Julie and Ursula, they divorced. On 8 May 1982 he married for the second time with fellow writer Diana Bachmann.
As a romantic and passionate of history, Nicole has been published since 1957, when he published a book about West Indian Cricket. He published his first novel in 1959 with his first stories set in his native Caribbean. Later he wrote many historical novels set mostly in tumultuous periods like World War I, World War II and the Cold War, and depict places in Europe, Asia and Africa. He also wrote classic romance novels. He specialized in Series and Sagas, and continues to write into the 21st century with no intention of retiring.
He signs his books as Christopher Nicole and uses several pseudonyms, some of them female. Pseudonyms used include: Peter Grange, Andrew York, Robin Cade, Mark Logan, Christina Nicholson, Alison York, Leslie Arlen, Robin Nicholson, C. R. Nicholson, Daniel Adams, Simon McKay, Caroline Gray and Alan Savage. He wrote disaster thrillers in collaboration with his wife, Diana Bachmann, under the penname Max Marlow. Under his different pseudonyms he has worked with many publishing houses: Jarrolds, Hutchinson, Simon & Schuster, Coward-McCann & Geoghegan, Jove, Michael Joseph, Mills & Boon, and Severn House.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christop... and
http://openlibrary.org/authors/OL1009...
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
March 6, 2014
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 29, 2011
Just arrived from Sweden, kindly sent by dear Bettie.
This is the story of three generations of the Hawkwood family, starting with the battle in Constantinople, showing the power of Ottoman Turks and ending with the famous battle of Lepanto. By the end of the book, Miguel of Cervantes appears as a character of this drama.
This is the story of three generations of the Hawkwood family, starting with the battle in Constantinople, showing the power of Ottoman Turks and ending with the famous battle of Lepanto. By the end of the book, Miguel of Cervantes appears as a character of this drama.
Read
July 3, 2017It's better than the average historical-adventure-romance novel with its well-researched subject matter and well-used language (though there are minor issues here and there). Still, it doesn't go beyond the usual Orientalist outlook of the works produced in the genre. It doesn't necessarily have to go beyond what it is anyway, it's fun to read, given that it's a rather long novel for what it is.
November 12, 2017
Good solid historical storytelling.
I feel slightly guilty at only giving this book 4 stars but I can't get away from the fact that whilst I found the book for the most part totally enthralling, at times I was tempted either to skip pages or actually did so.
The portrayal of the Ottoman court and its culture was superb as were the descriptions of the military expeditions, but I found the descriptions of the Hawkwoods domesticity hard work, especially the sex scenes. So much for making love not war!
Having read the author's "Regiment Trilogy", which not only captured the essence of military life, but also described the domestic life of the period so well, I found my lack of empathy with the Hawkwood family life, a little disappointing.
Having said that, please do not be put off reading this impressive story by what is after all, a matter of my personal taste. You would be missing a treat.
I feel slightly guilty at only giving this book 4 stars but I can't get away from the fact that whilst I found the book for the most part totally enthralling, at times I was tempted either to skip pages or actually did so.
The portrayal of the Ottoman court and its culture was superb as were the descriptions of the military expeditions, but I found the descriptions of the Hawkwoods domesticity hard work, especially the sex scenes. So much for making love not war!
Having read the author's "Regiment Trilogy", which not only captured the essence of military life, but also described the domestic life of the period so well, I found my lack of empathy with the Hawkwood family life, a little disappointing.
Having said that, please do not be put off reading this impressive story by what is after all, a matter of my personal taste. You would be missing a treat.
October 16, 2019
Why is this book not more popular??!!! What a great book from start to finish. Great storyline, great characters with lots and lots of action. I have never been a big fan of this period in history but this book has raised my curiosity. I hope the next book I read by Alan Savage is as good as this one. Highly recommend this book to anyone who likes historical, history, books with action and even romance..well some romance..........
February 5, 2021
Extraordinary, historical novel at its best. I enjoyed every page of this pretty thick book. Very seldom you are faced with such a well documented print, Mr. Nicole is able to bring to life his characters and mix them with real people of its time at an astonishing pace. To historical novel lovers this is a book to read.
August 14, 2017
Good historical background but this book can't decide what it wants to be. Adventure story, history lesson, romance. There are jarring shifts between the story and the history lecture. Not bad, but could have been so much better than it is.
October 5, 2018
Not for me
Stopped reading at 4% wanted a book about the ottoman empire not the hawkwoods, really disappointed, the start just didn't let me Get into it.
Stopped reading at 4% wanted a book about the ottoman empire not the hawkwoods, really disappointed, the start just didn't let me Get into it.
September 23, 2021
Historical Fiction
I liked this historical story with its tantalizing love story and edge of you seat action adventure. I loved it!
I liked this historical story with its tantalizing love story and edge of you seat action adventure. I loved it!
July 7, 2016
I would give it a solid 3.5 if I could. I will say this right off the boat, for me this book was really hard to finish, because there is so much information the author is always throwing at your face. But for that reason I also like the book as well, we get a lot of information about everything which gives us a very solid setting, along with well developed characters. I believe that if there was less information cut from certain places it would have not been such a slog to get through the book and still be an effective story.
I received this book from Endeavour Press for a review.
I received this book from Endeavour Press for a review.
July 25, 2016
All about the Hawkwoods!Up the gunners.....Alan Savage is a pseudonym of Christoper Nicole.
Read
July 12, 2017A superb book. A treat for all those who love historical fiction
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews