We are talking about Eternal War- The Armies of Saints, the fantasy novel by Livio Gambarini and published by Acheron Book in 2016 and which, in these days of Lucca Comics and Games, sees the release of its latest chapter.
Why do we want to talk about this book three years later? In the last period in our country, and beyond, we have seen new prints, or reissues if you like, of several books released many years ago, both fantasy and not really of this genre.
In addition to a rebirth, fantasy has also tried to use our roots, so praised by a certain political part, to build a genre closer to ours.
In particular, a publishing house came to our aid, Acheron Books. This reality has decided to publish works attributable to the fantasy field, but of Italian origin, and an article would not be enough to list all the titles released to date.
But we are here to talk about Eternal War - The Armies of Saints.
Eternal War - The Armies of Saints. An analysis.
Attentive Florentine, Montaperti will have a little brother.
Written on the highway exit sign for Siena, Tuscany
It seemed only right to begin in this way. From Toscano and Fiorentino I often find myself crushed by regional “hatreds”. I am not going to list them all, but know that there are many!
Why do we hate and mock each other still? More than anything else I think it is for jokes and to "romp".
Ma Livio Gambarini it has perfectly framed us. His first book throws us straight into action, in the midst of the battle of Montaperti, during the clashes between Guelphs and Ghibellines, in which the Florentine forces got worse and were defeated.
In the book the battle is well described, but from another point of view: the point of view of one of the two main characters. I don't know if after many years the spoiler still applies, given how little is read in Italy, so I will avoid giving you too much information.
The author constructs two parallel worlds that intersect and modify each other, a world of men and a world of "saints" who, through the acts of their proteges, seek to increase their political and "social role. ”And to climb the hierarchies and ranks of this world.
The story of the characters and their companions is very pleasant and leaves the reader glued to the pages and, even if he does not immediately explain everything there is to know, as the narration unfolds, the reader is able to perceive more and more the two worlds and how they are closely linked.
An epic narrative, which presents us with characters, which we already know historically, but which, thanks to their patrons, seem even more to those mythical figures that time has carved in our historical-cultural roots.
Conclusions
"Eternal War - The Armies of Saints”Is a very special book, both for its construction and for its realization.
Hardly a reader, not accustomed to Italian fantasy, will be able to forget this book, because thanks to his ideas, very similar to those of classic fantasy, we may seem to have been catapulted into an alternative universe where we Italians are able to write a fantasy modern and interesting.
We want to remind you that this book is part of a trilogy that found its completion only this year, in Lucca, with the publication of the last act of this very story "italian epic". You can find the following book in both digital and papery to these addresses.
We will be happy to know what you think, both of the work of Livio Gambarini, and of what Acheron Books is doing for us young readers, always so eager for new works, even closer to us.
