Ironfire

A Novel of the Knights of Malta and the Last Battle of the Crusades

By: David Ball

Narrated by: George Guidall

Length: 31 hrs and 8 mins

Publisher's summary

Best-selling author David Ball has won widespread critical and popular acclaim for his sweeping novels, including Empires of Sand. With Ironfire Ball delivers a stirring historical epic of the Crusades. In the 16th century, only the Knights of Malta stand against the Ottoman Empire of Suleiman the Magnificent and his 40,000 brutal warriors.

©2004 David Ball (P)2004 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

“Ball brings the tail end of the Crusades to life in a substantial piece of historical fiction that sizzles with action, romance, and drama.” ( Booklist

History come alive

If you could sum up Ironfire in three words, what would they be?

Great story and narration. Ok, that is four words, but sums up the book

What other book might you compare Ironfire to and why?

Empires of Sand. Also a great book by this dynamic duo! Similar reasons for greatness history made real.

What about George Guidall’s performance did you like?

His outstanding range , character differentiation, and his ability to enunciate in any language and make it believable he is a great talent

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Both, there was humor and heart wrenching sadness, and awful brutality all in proper proportion

Any additional comments?

Well worth the time and credit

Interesting story, Great Performance.

Interesting story although the author does kind of go on and on in the battle scenes.

George Guidall could narrate a phone book and make it interesting. Great job on the performance.

And at 31 hours for 1 credit you definitely get your money's worth.

A must read for historical fiction fans!

The best book I've ever read. If there were six stars I would give it 7
This book has inspired my next trip to be in Malta

Exceptional Read

One of the best books written, IMO. Well researched, excellent woven story lines with suspense, frustration, triumphs and failures. The author understands hunan nature and is able to bring that to life.

Phenomenal

The story is excellent. There are several characters that are well developed and transitions from one subplot to another is extremely clear. The story is told from the point of view of several people and each tale is extremely captivating. David Ball is an excellent writer and George Guidall...... well, you can't go wrong listening to ANYTHING that he reads.

Historical fiction based on fact... Excellent

This was one of the best books I have listened to in a long time. I write very few reviews but had to for this. It is an epic story in a little known part of history. Some have complained about the pedophilia and the homosexuality in the book. In that time it was super common and is only a very small part of the book. This book was good the way a good Terry Brooks book is and epic like Ben Hur was. If you are at all interested in history this is a great book. It was a very rough time in history and the Battle for Malta was especially brutal. The many perspectives given in the book are fantastic. I cannot recommend the book enough. George Guidall is fantastic as usual. A great epic story.

I love this so much I’ve read twice

If anyone is interested in history. Read this book. If the events/characters are based on real events, the lives they lived are truly inspiring. I will be recommending this book to everyone I know!

Other side of the world

To hear and understand the happenings of history so far from my own is astonishing and educational. Yo better understand the total history of this now small world we reside is priceless.

This is the 15th Century UGLY

War is truly ugly in the 21st century, it was even more terrible in the 15th. This David Ball did his research, This was a bloody brutal siege There were the families living on Malta that were crippled and destroyed. People were chattel for the "Church" whether it was the Christians or the Muslims. Fundamentalist fanatics only encourage bloodshed. Anyone who wishes to read another great Historical Novel about Malta at this time read "The Religion". Both this and "The Religion" made me realize how much the human race is dependent on "Religion" to function. Almost every war, through the ages was fraught for a secular cause. This was one of the most horrific battles of "The Crusades" at one point they used human heads for cannon balls. If you have a strong stomach, and want to understand the inhumanity, of war, read these books. Let's not forget the 20 century's Holocaust, and Joe Stalin who killed over 20 million of his own people. "The evil that men do.........." Knowledge will keep us from letting these things happen again. . .

Mostly a soap opera

There wasn't a whole lot of Knights of Malta in this story supposedly about them. The author seemed more concerned with soap operaish side stories. Save your money.