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.
The Eye Stone
(Historical Mystery)
“A Novel
of Venice”
By Roberto
Tiranoschi
ISBN
#978-1609452650
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. I’m not sure how accurate the historical Venice is,
but the mystery is certainly good. Highly recommended.
Tom
Johnson
Detective
Mystery Stories
