Sword of Islam [Hardcover]

Rafael Sabatini (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1976

European waters are rife with mighty naval battles - not least the renowned Battle of Amalfi of 1527. Yet for Andrea Doria, the Admiral of the King of France, he soon learns that the battles he confronts are not confined to sea alone. The House of Dorian is plagued with conflict, both within and without, and Andrea finds that he has very real enemies in his midst.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Rafael Sabatini was born to an English mother and Italian father, both well-known opera singers. At seventeen Sabatini moved to England, where, after a brief stint in the business world, he started to write. His major breakthrough came with Scaramouche, which became an international bestseller and was followed by the equally successful Captain Blood. All his earlier books were then rushed into reprint. Many of his novels were subsequently adapted into classic films which appealed to both a male and female market with their drama, romance and action, set against a variety of historical settings. 'One wonders if there is another storyteller so adroit at filling his pages with intrigue and counter-intrigue, with danger threaded with romance, with a background of lavish colour, of silks and velvets, of swords and jewels' - Daily Telegraph --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover
• Publisher: Amereon Ltd (June 1976)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0891907459
• ISBN-13: 978-0891907459
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.8 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,963,769 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Adventure, Suspense, Romance, History - An awesome blend!, January 6, 2001

By 

"fourstringmagic" (New Jersey) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sword of Islam (Hardcover)

An awesome book by a great author. It amazes me that this incredible story is out of print! It is one of the few books that shows Christians and Muslims on the same level, without playing the Arabs down. This historically correct story tells a tale of a Genuese captain in a fight against the Arab pirates of the mediterranean. He is torn between the loyaltyto his family, to his land, and to an oath to avenge his father death, inflicted on him by a fellow genuese, the best admiral of his time. The story is breathtaking and impossible to put down. It is highly recommended to anyone interested in history, in adventure and just in a good read.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you like Sabatini, you shouldn't miss this one, March 20, 2005

By 

Hardy (Munich, Germany) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Sword of Islam (Paperback)

The title of this book is somewhat misleading. The scenery is not the Empire of the Caliphs, but Genoa at the times of Andrea Doria and the Emperor Charles V.

The story is a bit more romantic and it's pace a tick slower than an 'average Sabatini', still I think it is one of his best books.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not his best, but still among the better novels of a master of the genre., January 20, 2008

By 

volodyovsky "volodyovsky" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Sword Of Islam (Paperback)

This is not one of Sabatini's better known novels nor is it quite as excellent as Captain Blood, Scaramouche, or Master at Arms. But if, like me, you love Sabatini, or if you are simply a fan of the historical swashbuckler, you will enjoy The Sword of Islam (1939). It has the same careful attention to historical detail, sparkling dialogue, humor, action, and surprising plot twists that once made the author a household name. The protagonist Prospero Adorno, a 16th-century Genovese naval condottiere serving under the great Admiral Andrea Doria, is not the typical cardboard hero rescuing a maiden in distress. In facing complex ethical crises that cause his name to be vilified and almost ruin his career, he grows morally and spiritually as a human being. Like Bellarion, another of Sabatini's heroes, Prospero wins by stratagem, rather than sheer guts and brawn alone. Even the villains are portrayed almost sympathetically as real human beings with real motivations. Throughout the novel Sabatini demonstrates his thorough mastery of the genre as well as his expert knowledge of Italian history. And leave it to an Italian to write so well in English! Sabatini had his potboilers, but this is not one of them. While not his best, it is still among his better novels.