Samuel Black's "The Ground is Burning" is based in Renaissance Italy where a "Godfather"-like Don leads his own army, and where two of the greatest thinkers of 16th century Europe become close friends.

This terrific concept bears fruit in a novel that builds upon the intersection of three key figures of the Renaissance: Niccolo Machiavelli, Leondardo Da Vinci, and Cesare Borgia.

Though several themes run through Black's strong debut novel, the core motif orbits around death and permanence. Instead of word-smithing my own description, I'll let Black ponder this theme through the mouths of two of his primary characters.

Cesare considers a future where "...I must...make myself immortal. I must reach the mountain peak - before death reaches me."

Leonardo, who must've been a fun character to develop and write, thinks "I love to create illusions, but what if they are, as they pretend to be, life in microcosm - a glorious flaring, followed only by darkness, leaving not a trace of itself behind...I wish to carve my name in marble but...have I merely sketched a signature in dust?"

Author Black has believably filled in the gaps where history provides only clues. In fact, Machiavelli, Borgia and Da Vinci did orbit each other quite closely during the late 1400s and early 1500s. While there are documented interactions between Machiavelli and Borgia, it's unclear the extent to which these three members of the Renaissance glitterati connected.

Borgia's rather extreme views on leadership, and the use of his military might, was a model for Machiavelli's "The Prince".

Black sticks closely to the historical record where it existed, creates plausible motives and scenarios with well-rounded characters that have emotional depth. It flows smoothly, is well written, and builds realistic characters and circumstances that make historical fiction so much fun.
His ability to create flowing fiction while keeping close adherence to real history is what makes this book work.

Sticking with his primary theme, I'll leave you with a quote from Black's Da Vinci, who borrows from Dante: "lying on a featherbed...or under quilt, fame will not come, without which, your life consumed, you'll leave no more vestige of yourself on earth than smoke in air, or in the water spume". ( )

Samuel Black takes us on a delightful and utterly enthralling journey into the realms of ‘what if?’ – but this is no far-fetched What if Dracula and Wolf man combined forces to Conquer the World kind of What If. No, it is an entirely plausible account of a fictional relationship between Machiavelli, Da Vinci and Cesare Borgia.

Borgia was an amoral homicidal maniac, Machiavelli intelligent but insecure, and da Vinci a gentle vegetarian genius. All had a burning desire to achieve immortality but the only one who had confidence in achieving it was Cesare, which he did in the cruelest way possible, manipulating and betraying all who crossed his path. Highly recommended. ( )

Seduction. Betrayal. Murder. This is what we are offered on the cover of this book and it certainly delivers within the covers. Bringing together three charismatic men of the time surrounded by the warfare, politics and luxury lifestyles this story envelopes us from the very start in their world.

During the writing life is likened to a real life chess game and certainly the pawns of this tale are used with little regard for their lives and rights. There is considerable gore and detail of torture and killing so this is not a book for the sensitive - on the other hand if the brutal history of European politics fascinates you then this is a must read. There are strong elements of fact to underpin the fiction and the power of the Medieval Roman Catholic church is very clearly shown ... Popes with young whores on their knees? Popes plotting to kill and control their adversaries; and all paid for by anyone elses' golden ducats!

For me however the highlight of the story is a small passage on page 106 which describes Leonardo da Vinci taking a lunch break during his work surveying fortifications ... "... so I go to the market and buy bread and goat's cheese, an apple and some wine. I walk to the clifftop and eat my picnic sat on a boulder in the cold dazzle, seagulls cawing above, gusts of wind making the waves below rear up and crash down with an explosive weight, turning the water to spume ..." ... arguably one of the greatest minds in history takes seaside picnic and we get to share it with him ... just joyful. ( )