In the Shadow of the Sword

The Birth of Islam and the Rise of the Global Arab Empire

By: Tom Holland

Narrated by: Steven Crossley

The evolution of the Arab empire is one of the supreme narratives of ancient history, a story dazzlingly rich in drama, character, and achievement. In this exciting and sweeping history - the third in his trilogy of books on the ancient world - Tom Holland describes how the Arabs emerged to carve out a stupefyingly vast dominion in a matter of decades, overcoming seemingly insuperable odds to create an imperial civilization.

With profound bearing on the most consequential events of our time, Holland ties the exciting story of Islam's ascent to the crises and controversies of the present.

©2012 Tom Holland (P)2015 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Elegantly written.... A veritable tour de force. ( The Wall Street Journal)

not what I expected

I was expecting a historical review and not a religious one that was disappointing to me

Fascinating

A intriguing tour through late antiquity, ending in the rush that was the Muslim and Arab conquest of the world. Through two weakening empires.

Very engaging

Despite the subject matter, this is told more like a story than a collection of facts. keeps you engaged with the evolving story throughout.

Engrossing narrative, well told with a disconnected ending

The first third of this narrative is exactly what you should expect from Tom Holland and the 'Fire' if the name is well explored, but the middle third veers curiously into Constantinople for a ponderous amount of time. The last third, while geography related to the first, seems to be of a whole other project. Virtually unrelated, it is a narrative worth reading, albeit a strange direction that really does not seem connected ti the rest. Still Tom Holland narrative style makes for an engaging read.

Tackles A Difficult Subject Masterfully

The rise of Islam is often only told in the context of a religious revolution that is somehow unrealated to the political realities of the era. This book does include this aspect of the story, but also goes to great lengths to show the context that allowed a small people group to take over much of the ancient world.