Customer Reviews

Rora

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is a work of such stunning brilliance that it has sent me out to look for the rest of Huggins' writing. He takes the few known facts about the battle between the Waldenses' and the Inquisition's determination to exterminate them and turns those facts into a novel of remarkable wisdom and insight. The Waldenses were Protestants marked for extermination by the Inquisition in 1655. Those Waldenses, unlucky enough to be living in relatively accessible country were massacred (about 6,000). The last refuge was a mountain valley of enormous difficulty to attack with only three easily defended points of access. About 150 men fought off 26,000 for weeks and cost the Piedmont Army about 12,000 casualties before being overrun. Even when their valley was overrun the remaining men hid in the caves of the mountains and continued the war.

The extraordinary military leader of this campaign was a mountain man named Joshua Gianavel. His wife and three daughters were burned at the stake when he refused to surrender (he and they would have been killed anyway if he had surrendered) and when he crossed the Alps to take his young son (the only surviving member of his family) to Geneva for safekeeping another 300 men volunteered to fight at his side. Ultimately they defeated the Piedmont Army in a campaign of extraordinary brilliance.

Huggins captures the essence of leadership. One follower observes: "In such a situation a man makes a decision by what he has brought to the battle, by what he decided within himself long before the first blow was thrown. Men do not become heroes in a war; they are heroes before a war. War is only the place where their heroism is easily seen." If you would care to understand how history can be made by stubborn idealism reinforced by courage and applied intelligence this is a book you must read.

This was my first book by James Huggins (I bought it after reading Newt Gingrich's review) and I was not disappointed. I have studied church history in the past and am familiar with the Waldensians, whose story this is based on, but had never heard of Rora, or the hero, Joshua Gianavel.

One reviewer said that the characters are unbelievable, and I can see how someone would say this. So, I looked around for more on Joshua Gianavel and found accounts of his life and the story of Rora in Foxe's Book of Martyrs and Wylie's History of Protestantism. Suffice it to say, the true Gianavel was quite a guy.

This story is inspirational on several levels. It shows what one person can do against seemingly insurmountable odds and it gives a good demonstration of someone with the courage of their convictions.

I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for a good story, as I had a very hard time putting it down. It will also give some insight into the Waldensian movement and the Inquisition. But I believe it especially needs to be read by those in leadership, as Gianavel is one who truly was a great leader.

Think "Braveheart" and "The Patriot" with a better story than either and you will catch a glimpse of how profound this book is. Character development was as thorough as in any book I have read. The story is one of an undying faith that would not be quenched by any evil thrown against it. I walk away from this book examining my own faith and how I would respond to what the people of Rora faced. Joshua Gianavel is a historical figure that must be recognized and lauded as one of the truly great men of history. My fear is that the lack of political-correctness of this book (the war between Catholics and Protestants) will keep it from becoming a major motion picture, even though the story screams for that. I'll be thinking about this book for some time!

Truly Huggins' best book. He vividly captures history and also shows us a true hero of the faith. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys intrigue, history and faith-based fiction.

Mr. Huggins entre into historical fiction is a great read. Set in the 17th century, this tale of the Waldenses struggle for survival provides a great story line with plenty of mystery and intrigue. As I reader I couldn't help but be challenged to consider my commitment to my own beliefs. Thanks Mr. Huggins!

I have never been that great a history fan, but I am a fan of Mr Huggins. So, I took a chance...and glad I did. I am always seeking something new in my reading choices, and this meet all my requirements. Factual, strong characters on both sides, and my favorite, the "David & Goliath" conflict in which the "David" is never susposed to gain victory. Will Joshua find victory...and at what cost? Read this well researched and written book and find out!!

Rora is a wonderful novel full of descriptive and intriguing writing. This novel is wonderful for the history enthusiest. You can't miss this book. The book is very beautiful and also makes a nice decoration piece. James Byron Huggins, you did a wonderful job.

Inquisitors, John Milton, Incomel, Sir Oliver Cromwell, and the long-rumored Assassini...This book is a collage of historical pivot points that remains, nevertheless, true to the heart of its story.

"Rora" follows Joshua Gianavel, leader of the Waldenses, as he bands his people to fight the horrors of the Inquisition. In the fortress-like heights of Rora, the Waldenses manage to stage miraculous victories over the far superior numbers of Marquis Pianessa's armies. Over and over, Gianavel holds off the marauders with strategic wisdom, heroic feats, and--never to be forgotten--Godly faith. In the light of the religion's gross errors, Gianavel's faith alone provides hope in the midst of brutal battle scenes and violent depictions. This book is not for the queasy. This is history brought to horrible and astonishing life. This is hate and bigotry displayed in all its ugliness. This is Godly light seen as a flared match in the darkness of the blackest times.

I've read most of James Byron Huggins other works and found them thrilling but often overwrought with pretensions of grandeur. Here, Huggins matches all that he's ever strived for. This style of historical fiction finds Huggins at the top of his abilities. "Rora" not only brings to life the actual characters that were given animal form in his earlier book "A Wolf's Story," it also shows the gamut of human emotions in the midst of a siege...honor, betrayal, love, hate, and genuine faith in God. I was moved by the human face of heroism and brutality. I was challenged by the steadfastness of a man who stood at his moment in time and refused to back down against overwhelming odds. "Rora" is a book to cherish--for its historical veracity and for its spiritual truths.

"Rora" is based on the true story of the Waldenses, a tenacious clan who live on the border between Italy and France. It is a well-researched story, as with all of the works of Huggins. Yet this book stands far above all his other novels in terms of quality of writing and lack of excess narrative. The majority of the story is told through the eyes of six characters, each with a distinct voice and motivation. Huggins manages to depict the reality of war without dwelling overmuch on the carnage. The scope of the book reaches from the European political arena to philosophical questions on the nature of war and justice. Though the last few chapters seem a little rushed, they were no less satisfying than the more character-driven story that makes up the bulk of "Rora." By far the best-written of all Huggin's novels, this story will not disappoint.

I've got to admit that this is my favorite book of Huggins' to date. I wasn't sure anything would beat out my feelings of Wolf Story, but this one does.

Huggins has an amazing knack for bringing you right into the story when you read his work and with the events of September 11 fresh in our minds, this is a book I would recommend for everyone. It informs us that we aren't the first people who have had to take a stand for our beliefs and our rights against those who would persecute us. It also gives us deep insights into dealing with these types of fanatics.

I also detect a bit of the author in at least one of the characters which is a treat. I always find it interesting delving into the lives of those who are so talented in their art.

I hope everyone will take the opportunity to read and appreciate this book. Mr. Huggins has outdone himself in this one, creating characters that are believably real.