THE LION HOUSE

Venice, 1522. Intelligence arrives from the east confirming Europes greatest fear: the vastly rich Ottoman Sultan has all he needs to wage total war - and his sights are set on Rome. With Christendom divided, Suleyman the Magnificent has his hand on its throat.From the palaces of Istanbul to the blood-soaked fields of central Europe and the scorched coasts of north Africa, The Lion House tells the true story of two civilisations in an existential duel and the rise of the most feared man of the sixteenth century. It is a tale of the timeless pull of power, dangerous to live with, deadly to live without.This is history, but not as we know it. It is non-fiction posing as a novel, rich in incident and cinematic detail. Its tremendous Justin Marozzi, Sunday TimesAn urgent, immersive, present-tense gallop ... behind the bejewelled descriptive prose a thumping pulse of action tugs us through Financial TimesNarrated with a verve and flair that make the characters burst from the pages. Outstanding Eugene Rogan