Holy War: How Vasco da Gama's Epic Voyages Turned the Tide in a Centuries-Old Clash of Civilizations
“Lively and ambitious . . . Cliff has a novelist’s gift for depicting character . . . he brings 16th century Portugal in all its splendor and squalor pungently to life.” (Eric Ormsby, New York Times Book Review)“Epic . . . a compelling adventure tale, told by Cliff with the right mix of sweep and detail.” (BookPage)“Readers who enjoy a yeasty narrative by a skilled storyteller will mark this book as one of their favorites of the year.” (Cleveland Plain Dealer)“Nigel Cliff’sHoly Waris one of the most readable, engaging, and provoking books of the season, hands down . . . Cliff . . . writes with considerable energy, humor and narrative skill.” (Kansas City Star)“A fresh take on the history of the age of discovery . . . Cliff opens new vistas on much-explored territory.” (Publishers Weekly)“A useful addition to a continuing lively discussion of Christianity and Islam, situated both in respect of religions and culture, as well as empires and trade.” (Kirkus)“Cliff tells an often thrilling tale of adventure . . . He effectively restores the luster of da Gama’s achievement and provocatively reassesses the goals and significance of his expedition.” (Booklist)“A story told with great flair and serious scholarship.” (James Eckardt, The Nation)“A stirringly epic book…a thrilling narrative…This is broad-brush history, but it is accurate, and enlivened by splendid spots of color.” (Sunday Times (London))