Angels in Iron [Paperback]

Nicholas C. Prata (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2004

The year is AD 1523 and the island of Rhodes has just fallen to the Turks. Those sailing away in defeat from this captured bastion are members of an anachronistic crusading order called the Knights of St. John -- otherwise known as the Hospitallers. Among the dejected company is a stalwart young knight named Jean Parisot De La Valette. Were it up to him, the order would have defended the island to the bitter end. Forty-two years later, history has repeated itself. The Hospitallers are again besieged by the teeming armies of the relentless Turk. Their tiny island-fortress of Malta is all that stands between the armies of Suleiman and the very heart of Christendom. But this time the scenario is different -- La Valette wears the Grand Master's cape. Behind him stand the knights of his faithful order: men of incredible valor ready to "strike a blow for Christ" and sacrifice their lives to halt the invading Turks at the gates of Europe. What follows is a desperate struggle between East and West, Cross and Koran, faith and despair. Angels in Iron is based on the actual events surrounding the Siege of Malta in 1565. Nicholas C. Prata relates the tale in riveting and graphic prose which brings the extreme heroism of the knights and the unimaginable horror of combat sharply into focus. Prepare yourself for an epic adventure.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Belongs on the bookshelf of every Catholic man, should be read by every Catholic boy (11 or older). --Latin Mass Magazine

Compellingly written and surprisingly difficult to put down....A fascinating read for adults and teens. --The St. Linus Review

Prata brings this fascinating tale to life by giving the characters real personalities....The book is a real page-turner. --Favorite Resources for Catholic Homeschoolers

About the Author

Nicholas C. Prata resides in Bear, Delaware. His interests include classical history, church history, and politics. His literary interests run the gamut from Shakespeare to modern sci-fi and fantasy. Mr. Prata is also the author of the fantasy epic Dream of Fire (ISBN: 1-889758-28-0) which details the transformation of a blood-thirsty warlord from destroyer to defender.

Product Details

• Paperback: 292 pages
• Publisher: Arx Pub (April 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1889758566
• ISBN-13: 978-1889758565
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 8.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #345,610 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

54 of 60 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unbearable tension, January 18, 2006

By 

otro lector mas (Caimito, Puerto Rico, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Angels in Iron (Paperback)

The funny thing is that I knew what the outcome of the battle was before I read this book as probably did most other readers. Yet I don't think I've read a book so quickly in my life. I couldn't stop turning page after page with my heart in my throat to see if yet another Turkish charge could be repelled by the battered defenders near the end of their rope, or whether the unrelenting Turkish bombardment would stop, or whether the Spanish relief force would arrive. The vivid battle descriptions were beyond gripping. Picture Saruman's attack on Helm's Deep or Sauron's army at Gondor and you may get an idea, only this really did happen between humans, and went on for months on end. I got to really care about the main characters and to wish they all could survive to the end (unfortunately most didn't). I could go on and on. This book is an absolute narrative jewel.

On a sideline, it is regrettable how this glorious clash remains obscure in our American culture since most of us probably would not have been interested in picking up this book without prior knowledge. But unlike the Crusades, there are no PC issues in this struggle: The Christians were unquestionably the "good guys" and the Muslims were unquestionably the "bad guys". The Christians were attacked in their own homeland and they only sought to defend themselves from Muslim expansionism. Having said that, though he clearly is partial to the Chrsitians, the author gives a very evenhanded portrayal of the Turks.

This battle must be the greatest testament to what sheer willpower and determination can accomplish. It is also a great lesson as to how the ultimate result of a battle can completely depend on the very earliest dispositions.

JUST GET THIS BOOK!

29 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read for 16th Enthusiasts, June 16, 2005

By 

Leon J. Radomile "old warrior" (Novato, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Angels in Iron (Paperback)

As the author of a similar genre book, The Spear of Lepanto (2005), I congratulate Nicholas Prata's Angels in Iron. His riveting account of the crucial 1565 Siege of Malta between the Ottoman Turks and the Knights of St. John is a testimony to unyielding faith in the face of staggering odds.

From early childhood, I was always impressed by the courage of King Leonidas of the Spartans. The story of the Battle of Thermopylae (480 BC) has lived in the annals of history as a shining symbol of heroism, bravery and gritty determination.

Just as Leonidas stood in defiance before an overwhelming Persian host with his valiant 300, so did Jean Parisot de la Valette stand some 2,000 years later. As grand master of the legendary Knights of St. John, la Valette, with 592 knights and several thousand Maltese and European volunteers defied for four months the 40,000 plus forces and heavy guns of Suleyman the Magnificent on the tiny island of Malta.

Author Nicholas Prata has given us a new insight and appreciation of this important confrontation that may indeed have saved Christian Europe from the onslaught of Moslem steel. Had it not been for la Valette's stubborn resistance, it is quite apparent that the Italian peninsula would be the next target for Turkish armies from a fortified base at Malta.

Prata gives us chapter after chapter of men refusing surrender in the face of certain death, men who drew strength and a sense of invincibility from their faith. I commend the author for his authentic page turning account of the great siege. Certainly la Valette stands equally with Leonidas when it comes to devotion to duty and dogged determination in the face of incredible odds.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Truly a great read!, November 7, 2001

By 

Michael J. Lyons "Medieval Afficionado" (Central MN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Angels in Iron (Hardcover)

Even if you know the historical facts behind the story, you may be on the edge of your seat. With great detail to the action, Prata brings the Knights of Malta to life once again.
It is perhaps ironic that it does give some insight into the mind of Islam, given current world events. If you, like me, find tales of heroism in the face of unimaginable odds to be irresistable, this book fits the bill.
One thing I would have liked to have seen was more background on the knights and their motivations. (Read it and you will see what I mean!) Very good historical fiction, nonetheless.