Empires of the Sea: The Contest for the Center of the World

This narrative came as a complete surprise; I had no idea the Mediterranean Sea was a major war zone in the 16th century; no idea, either, that citizens of both Europe and the Ottoman Empire were enslaved on such a scale by the "corsairs" of the opposing sides. Crowley tells the story as if it were recent history, extracting a full measure of excitement and suspense out of each incident. Narrated by the irrepressible John Lee. The only problem is that, as with other works on similar topics, the unfamiliar names -- unfamiliar to me, at any rate -- are hard to grasp without a printed text alongside. Wikipedia helps a bit. A map of Malta, especially of the Grand Harbor, is essential.

This was an absolutely wonderful book, exciting, informative, and important. It gives the reader an understanding of the struggle between Islam, under the Ottoman Turks at the height of their power, and the Catholic Christians, led primarily by the Hapsburgs of Spain, the Pope, and the Venetians.

The depictions of the battles are as evocative of the horror of war as any I have ever heard; the incredible tenacity and purpose of the Turks, the astounding resilience of the Christians, both sides calling with equal fervor on the Lord for his favor in battle; suffering, bravery and brutality all around. The book also contains stories of many men whose names I had never before heard, but whose actions had an impact on history that lasts to this day.

Some listeners may feel that, at times, the book goes into too much detail, though I did not. The reader was clear and easy to understand, well matched to the material.

This is an excellent piece of very readable military history covering a period often if not universally overlooked in the education of most people. The narration is also first rate.

The author makes excellent uses of the sources available to him and lets the primary sources speak using their own voice whenever possible. This makes for a very reliable and well constructed piece of historical writing. His style is flowing and interesting and he refrains, mercifully, from dwelling too much on the gruesome details that abound in the historical record of the period.

I can wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone interested in an overview of the battles between Europe and an ascendant Ottoman empire at the hight of its powers in general or interested in a very detailed account of the absolutely fascinating siege of Malta. Its coverage of the battle of Lepanto is less well done but still competent. A great read.

Finally, the narrator is brilliant.

This is a very interesting book about a period of history which I did not know much about. It covers the basic history very well but is particularly good at giving an impression of what it was like to be involved in the horrific battles both on sea and on land. The narrator read with just the right degree of dramatic inflection.

I downloaded the book last month and thoroughly enjoyed the rivetting narrative of the author and gripping reading by the narrator.
I subsequently downloaded the 'Enemy at the Gates' and the content, the narration and the reading are utterly lackluster compared to this book's.
I am eagerly looking forward to the next book from Roger Crowley and I hope John Lee reads it for the audio format!

This book is fascinating at first, especially the detail in the battles at Cyprus and the battle for St. Elmo on Malta. Those are done in such detail that you are almost told what was going on each hour. The info is a little less specific later on, and by the time you get to the Battle of Lepanto, you're left a little disappointed since that battle was started and ended in the same day. Also, it's certainly a one-sided telling of the story, so if you're likely to be rooting for the Turks maybe you would want to listen elsewhere (even though they win a majority of the battles).

But, I would recommend a listen mostly because John Lee is the best narrator that I've heard so far. I try to get all of the books he's read.

Also, be prepared to open an atlas while listening.

Want to know more about conflict between the Christian and Muslim worlds in history? How about this fascinating story of the fight for control of the Mediterranean in the 1500s? The siege of Malta, the strength of the Ottoman Turks' navy, and the interesting characters of those times come alive. Enjoyed the narration too.

Empires of the Sea is a fascinating history of a period of which I knew little. The book itself is very well written. There is a good bit of detail, enough to let the reader visualize, without being overdone. John Lee, as usual, renders a superb narration. Absolutely topnotch!

The book is well written, full of detail, exciting, and beautifully narrated. A definite recommendation for anyone interested in this era of history and the turbulent times of the Middle Sea.

Really enjoyed this book. Learned alot of new history that I had not known before. Author wrote the book in a way that was very easy to follow and really brought out the personalities of the main actors in the events. Strongly recommend.