The Catholic Book Club discussion

4. The Quiet Light: A Novel About Thomas Aquinas is a biographical novel about Thomas Aquinas, but arguably Thomas is not the main character in the book. Why do you think de Wohl wrote the book focusing on an English knight and his love for Thomas' sister?

I like Rude much more than Roger from Vandria in "The Joyful Beggar: A Novel of St. Francis of Assisi" does not have the existential charge of Ulrich von Fleurer from "The Golden Thread: A Novel about St. Ignatius Loyola". In this novel we see the saint from the point of view of a third person, in this case Piers Rude.

Fonch wrote: "I like Rude much more than Roger from Vandria in "The Joyful Beggar: A Novel of St. Francis of Assisi" does not have the existential charge of Ulrich von Fleurer from "[book:The Golde..."

He replied to my previous comment, but I really like the development and how Rudde progresses in this novel. Perhaps he is one of the best and most beloved fictional characters created by Louis de Wohl.

I suppose the reader needs to understand the times in which Thomas lived, but I found all the battle scenes tiresome and somewhat confusing, especially the way the book starts out.

Piers' devotion is touching, but I'm kinda partial to Robin!

Jill wrote: "I suppose the reader needs to understand the times in which Thomas lived, but I found all the battle scenes tiresome and somewhat confusing, especially the way the book starts out.

Piers' devotion..."

I, on the other hand, love them. My testosterone was asking me for action, and battles. I really enjoyed the fight between Piers Rudde and Branstein and, I like the final redemption of Saint Severin which I will not talk about since it seems that the readers have not yet arrived. I really like that the figure of Saint Thomas is contrasted with that of Frederick II. The fact that Louis de Wohl can attract a group of readers far from the Church and who seek to delve into the fascinating thirteenth century. One of the chapters that I enjoyed the most was the one that Rudde shows to King Edward the University and to the different Professors Alexander Halles, St. Bonaventure, Roger Bacon, St. Albert the Great and St. Thomas Aquinas. I was pleasantly surprised that Maimonides was used to re-Christianize the figure of Aristotle from the Arabic influence of Averroes.

By the way, both Averroes and Avicenna were considered heterodox writers for Islam. In fact, the Abbasid caliphate is on the altars, but in Avicenna's time only Baghdad was left and power was exercised by the Turkish mercenaries Ghaznavies Avicenne ou la Route d'Ispahan. These are the consequences of the civil wars of Islam that led to the disintegration of the Abbassi dynasty that will materialize with the conquest of Baghdad by the Mongols in the thirteenth century. I think it was with Hulagu, but I'm not too sure, they also ended up with the Old Man of the Mountain who inspired the repulsive Assassin's Creed video game saga.

Jill wrote: "I suppose the reader needs to understand the times in which Thomas lived, but I found all the battle scenes tiresome and somewhat confusing, especially the way the book starts out.

Piers' devotion..."

Robin the squire is very nice. The relationship between Piers and Robin reminds me of the one in the film between the character of Crisagon de la Cruz played by Charlton Heston and that of Bors by Boone in Lord of War. I think it's inspired by a book/play called "The lovers".

That's a good question, John.

I've read some amazing saints' biographies, so I wouldn't say that the story of the life of a saint is necessarily less exciting than that of a brave knight, but Piers is a more interesting and compelling character than St. Thomas in this book. Unlike some saints, Thomas almost exclusively prayed, thought, and wrote -- the dramatic tension pretty much ends when he becomes a Dominican.

Hello Kristi. Thanks for participating. I have read a lot to Louis de Wohl for me Piers Rude is one of his Best fictional characters overall for his duel with Bradstein and his captivity in Tunisia.

It struck me, that in seeing St. Thomas as the Quiet Light, de Wahl chose to describe not the light, but the illumination that light shed on those around him.

This is something positive. I think that it was Chesterton if you know how is somebody you must look the persons around him. This thing is a praise in favor of Louis de Wohl and his novel.