The Master of Verona [Hardcover]

David Blixt (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 24, 2007

In 1314, seventeen year old Pietro Alighieri  travels to Verona with his father, the infamous poet Dante, at the invitation of its leader, the legendary Francesco “Cangrande” della Scala.  A sneak attack from Padua leads Pietro into his first battle, fighting alongside the charismatic Cangrande, and into a tight friendship with Mariotto Montecchio and Antonio Capulletto.  Behind the scenes, repeated attempts are made against the life of a child believed to be Cangrande’s illegitimate son and possible heir.

      Pietro is drawn into the web of intrigue around the child and the tension building between Mariotto and Antonio over a woman betrothed to one and in love with the other – a situation that will sever a friendship, divide a city, and ultimately lead to the events of the best known tragic romance in the world.

     Inspired by the plays of Shakespeare, the poetry of Dante, and the events of history, The Master of Verona is a compelling novel of politics, loyalty, conspiracy and star-crossed romance.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Upon the death of his elder brother in 1314, Pietro Alaghieri, 17, is thrust headlong into the post of scion to his father, the famous poet Dante, in this rollicking historical debut from Shakespearean actor Blixt. In trying to keep up with his razor-sharp father and their new patron, the scintillating and brilliant Francesco della Scalla (known as "Cangrande"), Pietro finds qualities in himself that surprise him. Cangrande may or may not be the prophesied "Greyhound" who is to cast out evil and usher in a new world under God—many seek the role. Meanwhile, Pietro's two best friends, Mariotto and Antonio, are pushed to the edge of rekindling an ancient blood feud by their joint love of a woman, which stretches Pietro's loyalties to their limits. The precipitous ending, marked with dizzying revelations by the protagonists, do nothing to mar a novel of intricate plot, taut narrative, sharp period detail and beautifully realized characters. (July)
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Review

"A novel of intricate plot, taut narrative, sharp period detail, and beautifully realized characters." --Publishers Weekly on The Master of Verona

 

"A debut historical novel people by Dante and other Italian Renaissance figures, along with reimagined Montagues and Capulets...intricate plotting, well-staged scenes, and colorful descriptions...lively entertainment!" --Kirkus Reviews on Master of Verona

 

 

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 570 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press; First Edition edition (July 24, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312361440
• ISBN-13: 978-0312361440
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.2 x 2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (44 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,243,873 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Actor, author, father, husband. In reverse order.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Favorite Beach Book of Summer 2007, September 5, 2007

By 

Scott Kennedy "Reading Addict" (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Master of Verona (Hardcover)

When I started The Master of Verona, I had no intention of reading a 560 page book in three days. I had other things to do.

I read the book instead.

The book's scope of topics is as broad and intricate as a medieval tapestry; just when you think you've seen it all, Blixt draws your eye to a new detail as compelling as the last. There's Pietro, son of Dante, learning to become a knight under the shadow of his famous father. There's medieval Italian politics as vicious as anything you see on The Sopranos. There's great female characters like Antonia Alighieri and Katerina Della Scala using words as devastatingly as the men use swords. There's the historical figure of Cangrande attacking a neighboring city in a battle sequence as vivid as those you find in Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe books. There's a horse race that makes a NASCAR crash look tepid and a duel that only a writer who's also a fight choreographer and swordsman himself could write. Blixt also throws in a mysterious child, assassination attempts, oracular prophecies, and a villain as curiously loathsome as one from Dickens or Dumas. All of this should collapse into an unreadable mess, but Blixt's well-honed prose, characters, and narrative line turned it instead into my favorite beach book of summer 2007. Oh, and if that weren't good enough, throughout the book, you come to empathize with the fathers of both Romeo and Juliet and watch as their friendship turns to hate. I can't wait for his next book.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant mix of history and Shakespeare, August 10, 2007

By 

Christopher M. Walsh (Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Master of Verona (Hardcover)

This book has it all: adventure, intrigue, drama, duels, battles, and a little sex thrown in for good measure. And the characterizations are extraordinary. If Mr. Blixt had not done such an amazing job building such complete, three-dimensional characters, it would be hard to believe that such intriguing figures as Cangrande, his sister Katerina or the fascinating Antonia Alaghieri actually existed. As a bonus, the narrative is liberally peppered with appearances by some of William Shakespeare's most famous Italian characters, and we see how the turmoil of northern Italy at the beginning of the Renaissance led to the famous feud at the heart of "Romeo and Juliet."

One aspect that I particularly enjoyed was the characters' various dispositions on astrology, which plays a central role in the novel. Given the time period, it is fascinating to watch as a culture begins to shrug off the mysticism of its past.

It is a wonder that more books don't employ the setting and characters of David Blixt's debut novel. Between the people and locales which inspired the works of William Shakespeare and the historical personages of Dante and Cangrande della Scala, I am amazed that more writers have not mined this period more thoroughly. That said, I wonder if there are very many who could do it better than "Master of Verona."

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent!!!, July 27, 2007

By 

Benjamin Montague (London, England) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Master of Verona (Hardcover)

David Blixt's first novel, Master of Verona, keeps you rivetted with amazing action sequences, intricately crafted characters, and wonderfully refined details into a world I'd never known. And to top it off he combines the story of the Greyhound (who I never knew was such a fascinating character of history till this book) and Dante's son, all the while interweaving Shakespearean story lines that make you smile every time you see one. It's such a great read for anyone into history, Shakespeare, or just wanting to read a fantastic story. Can't wait till the next one!!!