This should be a book that I love. The fall of Constantinople was a pivotal part of history killing off the final vestiges of the Roman Empire This was an epic but essentially mediocre book.

The hero of the story was Greogas who had his nose cut off as punishment for being suspected of betraying the Constantinople before. He could have been a much more interesting character and I grew weary of his adventures. His ex-wife Sofia had the inner fire of a water bubble for most of the story and annoyed me to no end.

I do appreciate the story not painted as a story of good vs bad ... Turk vs Greek. And the author took to great lengths in the descriptions of crossbows and bows. The prologue was epic in a great way.

So it's an OK book about the fall of Constantinople .. but in the end, I much just prefer the They Might be Giants song about Constantinople.
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Fascinating, well-written novel documenting the Fall of Constantinople to the Ottomans, May 29, 1453, from both the Turkish and Greek sides. Many of the personages actually lived, but the story follows two [fictional] twin brothers: one, Gregoras, wrongly accused of treachery has had his nose cut off--a common punishment among the Byzantines--and exiled. He has come back to the city as one of several mercenaries led by a Genoese. His brother, Theon, is a diplomat; both love the same woman. We see preparations for the seven-week siege by both the Greeks, from emperor to the common people along with their allies from Western Europe, and the Turks from the sultan on down to the humblest peasant. The sultan's plan is to use the latter as cannon fodder, with elite troops fighting later when the Greeks are worn out. We follow the progress of the siege, the author moving from one group to another. Then follows the aftermath where we see what finally is everyone's fate.

This novel kept my interest all through, although I knew what the outcome would be. Several times the characters' remarks were clues to some of the later plot twists. The sea battle after Gregoras' rescue and the final onslaught were most gripping. I had most sympathy for Emperor Constantine XI and for the Turkish peasant Achmed. On the whole, characterizations were well drawn. Why did the author neglect as a subplot the fact that Urban, inventor of this large cannon, first approached Constantine XI to buy it? Constantine wasn't able to pay that high a price so he turned down the offer. [But he finally DID pay the price--not in money--but in his whole empire.]

Highly recommended. ( )

Great book, not in my regular genre. ( )

Great book, not in my regular genre. ( )

"For I am the Turk. I come on the bare feet of the farmer, the armored boot of the Anatolian...I clutch scimitar, scythe, and spear, my fingers pull back bowstring and trigger, I have a glowing match to lower into a monster's belly and make it spit out hell. I am the Turk. There are a hundred thousand of me. And I am here to take your city."
...And so begins C.C. Humphreys' take on the Turk siege of the (mostly) Greek-held Constantinople in 1453.

This is actually a very good book. The attractive, war-oriented cover belies the true nature of author C.C. Humphrey's ability to blend historical fact and exuberantly descriptive narrative, into a well-conceived and terrifically executed piece of historical fiction. There's plenty of action, but the battles are set-pieces built around a foundation of historical world building.

It's not perfect. While Humphreys spends a good amount of ink to paint flesh on the bones of his key characters, they never truly come to life. Some elements of the interpersonal conflicts muddy, rather than enhance, the plot. If I had the choice, I'd give this 3.5 stars, but because I've enjoyed the book so much, and feel more enlightened about the famous siege of Constantinople in the mid 15th century, I'll edge up 'A Place Called Armageddon' to 4 stars.

In 1453, the Greeks had already found themselves an island surrounded rivals; Constantinople's enormous walls on one side, the waters of the Bosporus protecting the other three. Attacked throughout the years, Constantinople had managed to survive as a Christian outpost at this continental crossroads; this unique location had been the primary reason for their remaining semblance of autonomy and independence. But Sultan Mehmet brought to bear an overwhelming army that forced the leaders of Constantinople to rally christians from across the Mediterranean. Friends and foes alike.

Conflicts abound within the walls of Constantinople, as Humphreys exposes the cross-Christian rivals as well as the expected enmity between Christian and Turk. The differences and similarities across the people who come together to fight for and against each other is one of the staple themes threaded throughout the story. Humphreys interweaves this theme within the narrative, but exposes it a little too heavy-handedly at times. I found a similar trend in how he deals with the obligatory 'love-connection' between two long-lost lovers thrust together in this time of world-changing events.

In a terrifically written naval battle in the Bosporus under the great walls of Constantinople, Humphreys skillfully shifts between viewpoints to effectively evoke the multiplicity of action, it's impact on civilians, the warriors themselves, as well as the running political ramifications.

C.C. Humphreys has created a worthy entry into the world of historical fiction...and he's covered a specific time and place without much competition. I strongly recommend 'A Place Called Armageddon'. ( )