Demetrios Askiates Book #1)
by Christian Cameron
GENRE : #Historical-action-mystery #Swashbuckling #RapierandDagger
My rating: ★★★★★
😃Wow, what a fantastic read from beginning to end!
Can’t wait to dive into book two!
This novel is a thrilling ride full of action, mystery, intrigue, and just the right touch of romance.
The main character is smart and relatable, surrounded by a clever and likable crew of friends. It’s a brilliant debut that promises a series packed with excitement and curiosity.
Christian Cameron, who was new to me until now, paints a Venice that goes way beyond the usual gondolas, canals, masquerades, and grand palaces.
Instead, it’s a tangled web of spies and secrets where actors, opera singers, nuns and monks, swordsmen and dance instructors, noble politicians, underworld thugs (the “Bravi”), and foreign Venetians all play their part in a dangerous, never-ending game.
______ THE PLOT IN A NUTSHELL: Venice, 1651.
Richard Hughes, an Englishman once a soldier for King Charles and later enslaved as a rower on Spanish galleys, is now a free man thanks to a Venetian general who saved him.
In Venice, he works as a fencing master, living a modest but peaceful life, at least until a woman pulls him into a dangerous investigation.
The Red Mask is targeting the city’s Libertines, and Richard, along with a mix of old and new allies, must unravel a conspiracy stretching all the way to the Vatican and beyond...
1_ First off, the MAIN CHARACTER’s charm, wit, and self-deprecating humor. ---> RICHARD HUGHES, or “Riccardo Huze” to Venetians, also known as “The Blade,” is an unforgettable hero.
He’s a former soldier of King Charles during the English Civil War, who survived brutal slavery as a galley rower and now earns his keep as a master swordsman.
He’s smart, seasoned by war and life, but never arrogant and always joking at his own expense and deeply human. He’s not your typical flawless detective; instead, he’s persistent, learns from mistakes, and approaches the shadowy world of secrets with the honesty of someone who’s seen the worst.
---> Told in first person, the story really let me connect with Richard’s feelings, struggles, dreams, and triumphs.
2_ The BREAKNECK PACE and vivid descriptions of 17th-century sword and dagger combat.
---> HISTORY and THRILLS
The story moves fast:
What starts as a simple kidnapping of an innkeeper named Maria quickly spirals into a vast conspiracy involving the highest powers in Venice and the church.
The ties between the “Libertines,” Jesuits, and the Venetian Inquisition create a complex and gripping plot.
---> Venice in 1651 isn’t painted with the usual grand images of architecture, foggy canals, or mysterious masks. Instead, we see secret meetings, banned books, harsh crackdowns, and a constant fear of being discovered.
---> Even though the mystery itself wasn’t the author’s strongest point, the tense atmosphere, the chase for the truth that always feels just out of reach, and the nonstop action kept me hooked until the last page.
3_ The sense of BOND and TEAM SPIRIT that grows between Richard and his friends and new acquaintances, forming an awesome group ready to catch the villain.
--> I’ve always loved stories about friendship, trust, and teamwork whether in movies, shows, or books and this one has it in spades.
I’m really hoping to see all these characters again in the next book as part of the “Huze team” !!
--> At first, the huge cast of characters was a bit overwhelming: so many names, some fictional, others real historical figures, had me confused at times.
Luckily, the author included a handy character list at the start, which helped me keep track. After about a fifth of the book, I didn’t need it anymore.
The SIDE CHARACTERS fall into 3 groups:
- Richard’s close friends
- Powerful figures pulling strings in Venice
- The villains
Despite the large number of characters, the author gave each one enough depth for me to feel connected. Not only descriptions of their looks, but sharpe description of mannerisms and dialogue brought them to life.
Some HISTORICAL FIGURES I especially enjoyed researching further:
_ Bondì di Mazo, a Jewish fencing master, fascinated me the most.
Deeply rooted in Venetian fencing history, he published a famous 1696 treatise, "The Master Sword," detailing the art of sword (and dagger) fighting—the foundation of modern sport fencing. The story doesn’t mention this treatise but instead focuses on a book by Maestro Cavalli (who also really existed). Richard learns a new defensive and offensive move from this book, which he then demonstrates in a duel and my excitement was off the charts!!!
Cameron opened a door to a world I hadn’t explored before, even as a great fan of The Musketeers ( by Alexandre Dumas ).
_ Francesco Morosini, Richard’s protector and a real Venetian general who later became Doge, is another fascinating figure.
Fun fact: I found out he hated women but adored his cat so much he took her to battle and had her stuffed after she died to keep her close.
_ Among the Libertines (free thinkers opposing dogmatic religion and supporting natural morality), we meet Francesco Loredan and the cloistered nun Arcangela (Elena Tarabotti), a writer defending women’s rights and librettist of an opera satirizing male abuses.
-----> The historical details are never dull. Christian Cameron could easily be a top-notch adventure TV writer. That’s my taste, but every reader has their own, so judge for yourself if this novel’s for you.
😒 My only slight disappointment was the main villain, who felt underdeveloped. The author hints at his past, but I couldn’t tell if his actions stemmed from revenge or madness.
His downfall happened too quickly compared to the chaos he caused. Still, this story gripped me so much I’d recommend it a thousand times over.
IN SHORT:
WHY PICK IT UP? Cameron blends real historical figures like Francesco Morosini and Bondì di Mazo with fictional characters so seamlessly that 17th-century Venice truly comes alive.
---> The tone is light and humorous, perfect for anyone wanting a thrilling mystery without too much gore, but packed with action and a hint of romance.
It’s the FIRST book in a series but you can easily read it as a STANDALONE, in fact it stands well on its own, giving a satisfying ending for the characters and plot.
Cameron teases Richard Hughes’s next adventure and a new character debut, and I’m already eager to see what’s next!
Thanks for reading my thoughts! I could go on and on, but I’ll stop here before this gets too long. 😊!
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