Tagged: niccolo machiavelli
Discussion: Your Favourite Historical Figure(s)
This is a topic that comes up frequently amongst historical fiction lovers, but as a lover of historical fiction as well as an extremely amateur historian, I just can’t get enough of it. My question for this week is: Who is/are your favourite historical figure(s)? Why?
Here are some of my favourite historical figures:
- Julius Caesar. His mixture of cunning on the battlefield combined with his impressive political savvy make me really appreciate him as both a man and the legend that he became. When you read about it, his life essentially reads like an epic movie and it’s just plain awesome (aside from the whole violent death part). Having the guts to order around the pirates holding you captive and seemingly always fighting with the smaller force and winning is pretty impressive.
- Hatshepsut. I’ve always had a soft spot for strong female leaders throughout history, and the Iron Lady of Egypt is one of my absolute favourites. She presided over a golden age with minimal military activity and a new resurgence in trade from her Punt expedition. And she did all this in an extremely sexist society where she was never, ever meant to take the throne. The more I read about her, the more I love her.
- Niccolo Machiavelli. This is probably not the most popular choice, but having read The Prince I can’t help but admire his cunning. His political theories ring true throughout history; having a background in Roman history certainly didn’t hurt his credibility. And he presents them in a very concise way without adding in too much fluff like many of his contemporaries.
I could go on and on, but that wouldn’t be fair. Now it’s your turn to answer the question: who is/are your favourite historical figure(s)? Why? How did they come to be your favourite(s)?
The Warlock by Michael Scott
(Cover picture courtesy of Michael Scott’s website.)
The twins of prophecy have been divided—the end has begun.
Alcatraz:
Although their ally Dr. John Dee has been declared utlaga, Machiavelli and Billy the Kid will follow the plans the Elders have laid before them: they will loose the monsters of Alcatraz on the city of San Fransisco, thereby triggering the end of the humani race.
Danu Talis:
The Shadowrealm that Scatty and Joan of Arc have entered is far more dangerous than they could have ever imagined. And they haven’t landed here by chance—the warriors were called for a reason. So were Saint-Germain, Palamedes, and Shakespeare. The group was summoned because they must travel back in time to Danu Talis and destroy it. For the island of Danu Talis, known in humani myth as the lost city of Atlantis, must fall if the modern world is to exist.
San Fransisco:
The end is finally near. Josh Newman has chosen a side, and he will not stand with his sister, Sophie, or with the Alchemyst, Nicholas Flamel. He will fight alongside Dee and the mysterious Virginia Dare.
Unless Sophie can find her twin before the battle begins, all is lost—forever.
Unlike a lot of people who have read The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series, I like how Josh’s character has developed Although Dee and his kind would like to see the Elders return to the world, which would be bad, the true motives of Nicholas Flamel are shrouded in mystery. In the first few books of the series, there was a clear line between good and evil, but now everything is in shades of grey. And since Sophie and Josh are reunited at the end of The Warlock, it will be interesting to see what side they take, especially when we find out who Dee’s mysterious Elders are.
As usual, the plot zips by at an incredibly fast pace as Litha approaches. Old enemies become allies and old alliances have changed as the battle for humanity’s future draws ever closer. I think you’ll be just as surprised as I was at the interesting turn my favourite villain, Machiavelli, takes in this book. It was very unexpected when it happened, but in hindsight Michael Scott had been dropping hints about the change throughout the series. If you’ve read all the way up to The Necromancer, The Warlock is a must-read that you will thoroughly enjoy.
I give this book 4.5/5 stars.
The Sorceress by Michael Scott
(Cover picture courtesy of Michael Scott’s website.)
Paris:
Dr. John Dee has torn the city apart in every attempt to intercept the immortal Nicholas Flamel and Sophie and Josh Newman. Paris’s streets are in ruins, Notre Dame destroyed, the Comte de Saint-Germain’s home leveled. Dee has the book of Abraham the Mage, but he’s still missing the two pages the Dark Elders need for the Final Summoning. Without them the spell cannot be cast, and Dee is well aware that the Dark Elders will not rest until they are in power and the human race is destroyed—or he is.
London:
Nicholas Flamel’s heart almost broke as he watched his beloved Paris crumble before him. The city was demolished by Dee and Machiavelli, but Flamel played his own role in the destruction. Sophie and Josh Newman show every sign of being the twins of legend, and Flamel had to protect them and the pages from the Dark Elders.
But Nicholas grows weaker with each passing day. Perenelle is still trapped on Alcatraz, and now that Scatty has gone missing, the group is without protection. Except for Clarent—the twin sword to Excalibur. But Clarent’s power is unthinkable, its evil making it nearly impossible to use without its darkness seeping into the soul of whoever wields it.
If he hopes to defeat Dee, Nicholas must find someone who can teach Josh and Sophie the third elemental magic—Water Magic. The problem? The only being who can do that is Gilgamesh, and he is quite, quite insane.
I’m a sucker for tragic characters, I must admit. Lancelot, Hamnet and now Gilgamesh, the oldest immortal human. He has lived so long that his mind is fractured, but because he was made immortal by his friend Abraham the Mage instead of an Elder, he cannot die. The saddest thing of all is that he writes things down to remember in his periods of lucidity because he knows his mind is going. After living for so long, all he wants to die is finally die, which is why he makes the twins promise to bring him the book when they obtain it. And who can blame him?
Michael Scott not only has a gift for creating memorable heroes, he creates memorable villains as well. What makes The Sorceress so much more enjoyable for me is the fact that Niccolò Machiavelli plays a much more important role. I love my villains and Machiavelli is one of my favourites, so you could fairly accuse me of being biased. Nevertheless, Michael Scott’s characterization is excellent and it is part of what keeps readers coming back for more.
Michael Scott superbly weaves mythology and history into his fast-paced narrative, which is why his series is so popular. He combines better known Greek mythology and famous historical figures like William Shakespeare with Celtic mythology and more obscure figures like the legendary Palamedes. Of course, the fact that his plot is very fast-paced helps quite a bit.
I give this book 5/5 stars.
The Magician by Michael Scott
(Cover picture courtesy of Michael Scott’s website.)
California:
In the hands of Dr. John Dee and the Dark Elders, the book of Abraham the Mage could mean the destruction of the world as we know it. The most powerful book of all time, it holds the secret of eternal life—a secret more dangerous than any one man should ever possess. And Dee is two pages away from the knowledge that would bring the Dark Elders into ultimate power.
His only obstacle? Josh and Sophie Newman—who are eight thousand miles away.
Paris:
After fleeing Ojai, Nicholas, Sophie, Josh, and Scatty emerge in Paris. The City of Light. Home to Nicholas Flamel. Only, this homecoming is anything but sweet.
Niccoló Machiavelli, immortal author and celebrated art collector, lives in Paris and is working for Dee. He’s in hot pursuit, and time is running out for Nicholas and Perenelle. Every day they spend without the book, they age one year: their magic becomes weaker and their bodies more frail. For Flamel, the Prophecy is clearer and clearer. It’s time for Sophie to learn the second elemental magic.
Fire magic.
And there’s only one man who can teach it to her: Flamel’s old student the Comte de Saint-Germain—alchemist, magician, and rock star.
Josh and Sophie Newman are the world’s only hope. If they don’t turn on each other first.
The Magician is a great second book in The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series, with its fast-paced plot, new and more terrifying creatures and amazing characterization. It’s actually one of the rare second books that I like better than the first book.
Michael Scott continues his amazing characterization by introducing new and far more interesting characters like the Comte de Saint-Germain, Joan of Arc and the infamous Niccoló Machiavelli. Sophie and Josh are given much more depth as Sophie learns new magic and as Josh grows more jealous of his Awakened twin. We also learn more about Nicholas Flamel, Scatty and Dr. John Dee, who is one of my favourite characters, aside from Machiavelli.
What I love most about The Magician is that Michael Scott does not neglect his villains. Dee and Machiavelli are very interesting and are given realistic motivations for following the Dark Elders. They also think they are doing the right thing, which is better than your typical YA villain that thinks they truly are a villain.
By far the best thing about Michael Scott’s writing is that he blends mythology and legends from many cultures together. We meet Mars from Roman mythology, Nidhgg and the Valkyries from Norse Mythology and even Dagon from John Milton’s Paradise Lost. I love mythology, but even people with no prior interest in it will love The Magician.
I give this book 4/5 stars.
My Favourite Villains
This is the first article in a weekly series. Today I will be covering my favourite type of character: villains. Villains are the spice in novels and well-developed villains turn good novels into great novels. Here I will list my top 5 favourite villains in descending order. Warning: this may contain spoilers.
1. Niccoló Machiavelli from The Magician by Michael Scott.
If Michael Scott is good at one thing, it’s creating complex characters. Machiavelli may be a villain, but he certainly has flashes of good and his backstory is quite sad. He seems to reluctantly work for Dee and the Dark Elders, but he is also very pragmatic about it. Throughout the series I have been unable to truly figure him out, although his character does take an interesting turn in the penultimate book, The Warlock. I really hope to see more of him in The Enchantress because he’s a truly fascinating character. I guarantee you, he is one of the best villains you will ever see in YA fiction (and regular fiction, for that matter).
2. Satan from Paradise Lost by John Milton.
Yes, this is probably a pretty controversial choice, but as a character, John Milton’s Satan is a wonderful villain. Charismatic, powerful and completely evil, he is the epitome of a villain. He believes what he is doing is right and will do anything to achieve his goal. After being thrown out of Heaven, Satan goes to Earth and convinces Eve to eat from the Tree of Knowledge in order to corrupt mankind and spite God. The only reason John Milton’s Satan is not my favourite villain is because he’s portrayed as pure evil, rather than having any real redeeming qualities. Continue reading