In the twelfth century AD, Venice is little more than an
agglomeration of small islands snatched from the muddy tides. The magnificent
city-lagoon of Venice, the rich and powerful Serene Republic, is yet to be
born. Here, in this northern backwater, a group of artisans have proven
themselves to be unrivalled in an art form that produces works of such
astounding beauty that many consider it mystical in nature and think its
practitioners possessed of otherworldly gifts: glassmaking. Presciently aware
of the power they wield and the role they will play in the Venice of the
future, the Venetian glassmakers inhabit a world of esoteric practices and
secret knowledge that they protect at all costs.
Into this world steps Edgardo D’Arduino, a cleric and a professional
copyist. Edgardo’s eyesight has begun to waver—a curse for a man who makes his
living copying sacred texts. But he has heard stories, perhaps legends, that in
Venice, city of glassmakers, there exists a stone, the “lapides ad legendum,”
that can restore one’s sight. However, finding men who have knowledge of this
wondrous stone proves almost impossible. After much searching, Edgardo meets a
mysterious man who offers him a deal: he will lead him to the makers of the
lapides ad legendum in exchange for Edgardo’s stealing a secret Arabic
scientific text that is kept in the abbey where Edgardo lodges. When a series
of horrific crimes shakes the cloistered world of the glassmakers, Edgardo
realizes that there is much more at stake that his faltering eyesight.
Venetia (Historical Mystery)
“A Novel of Venice”
By Roberto Tiranoschi
Europa Editions
288 Pages
$17.00
Rating 5-stars
Edgardo, a young cleric, deformed at birth, and now going
blind seeks a miracle. A miracle to restore his eyesight in order to copy great
manuscripts. It’s the early Twelfth Century, and the church refuses to accept
anything new, believing it will not be from God. Yet there is a rumor that
manuscripts exist in the archives of a church library that might hold the key
to the discovery of sight once more. Edgardo travels to Venice where
glassmakers seek great discoveries in their field of art also.
However, Edgardo discovers something else is going on when
he arrives. Red-algae is filling the lagoon, and babies and animals are born
deformed. To add to the mystery, someone is killing glassmaker apprentices,
removing their eyes and replacing the eyes with colored glass marbles. And the
cleric falls in love with a slave, which will lead him away from the church.
Although the story moves slow the reader is pulled into
the deep mystery, and the characters keep you turning the pages. The historical
aspect of early glass making is done in an interesting way, and not at all
distracting from the flow of the story; in fact it is embedded into the mystery
in a way that adds purpose to the over all story telling. This may not be for
readers of fast action, but fans of mystery lovers will find it a good read, as
well as having a strong twist at the end. Highly recommended.
Tom Johnson
Detective Mystery Stories
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