⇒ Download Gratis Test Of Faith Aleksandr Voinov Raev Gray 9781445275741 Books

Test Of Faith Aleksandr Voinov Raev Gray 9781445275741 Books

Download As PDF : Test Of Faith Aleksandr Voinov Raev Gray 9781445275741 Books

July, 1187 Saladin has defeated the Crusader army at The Horns of Hattin. Thierry de la Tour Rouge, a Templar Knight, has survived only to be taken prisoner by the Saracens. Stripped and tied like an animal to the pole of a tent, Thierry fears torture in the attempt to break his faith. Abdul Basir is French by birth, a convert to Islam and an advisor to Saladin. Thierry has been bought for him and while Abdul owns him, he cannot guarantee that Saladin will spare Thierry's life. In the spirit of acceptance and forgiveness, Thierry chastely kisses Abdul, hurtling them both into a clash of faiths and a contest of wills. One man motivated by the fulfillment of a long-lurking fantasy and the other by the need to keep his faith intact. They come to show each other mercy, kindness and trust-enough to reveal their desire for one another. As Saladin holds the fate of Thierry's life in his hands, can Abdul keep this honorable crusader safe?

Test Of Faith Aleksandr Voinov Raev Gray 9781445275741 Books

HUGE HUGE SPOILER WARNING FOR THE ENDING

SPOILER

I have no issues with this book, I think it is a beatiful writing and a lovely historical fiction. I was not forced to buy this book I still however feel that I was deceived by somebody and I am not even sure who is this somebody, the publisher? The Amazon? I doubt that writers label their own books, and are those categories the book is popular in are the labels or is it something different?

In any event I definitely accept that it is my own fault if I misunderstood the fact that Amazon makes this book popular in gay romace/erotica category.

But I do NOT want the readers who are looking for romance to be as annoyed as I am after they are done.

If you are looking for happy ending in this book, you will NOT, I repeat you will NOT find anything that resembles such.

If this book was marked as historical fiction only, I would have not been annoyed at all, I have no expectations whatsoever as to how historical fiction should end.

But when I pick up **historical romance**, I am sorry but I go into book with the expectations of the genre and expect that no matter how much the characters suffer along the way, they do get some sort of happy ending and

SPOILER

SPOILER

Death of one of the protagonists is not qualified as anything remotely resembling happy ending in my book.

Product details Paperback 132 pages Publisher lulu.com (April 2, 2011) Language English ISBN-10 1445275740

Tags : Test Of Faith [Aleksandr Voinov, Raev Gray] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. July, 1187: Saladin has defeated the Crusader army at The Horns of Hattin. Thierry de la Tour Rouge, a Templar Knight,Aleksandr Voinov, Raev Gray,Test Of Faith,lulu.com,1445275740,ULUL-bkld2012AUG-100942,Gay studies (Gay men),Popular Culture & Media: General Interest,Social Science Gay Studies
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Test Of Faith Aleksandr Voinov Raev Gray 9781445275741 Books Reviews

eh ..... that was my initial reaction when finishing this book. Just too morbid of a voice for me. Guess I am a girl who needs an HEA.

In it's favor, it was well written and if you are into more of a psychological character study, this was successful. This may sound a bit weird, but since it is a short story I was expecting a quick instant gratification read that had a bit of angst in the "opposites attract / enemies to lovers" theme that Voinov is just so good at spinning. But instead I found I was annoyed, because this made me think - too much. I wanted something to read to escape from the "thinking world" and just enjoy, but this was too philosophical.

If you are a fan of Voinov, I think you will appreciate this as a well written short - just make sure you are in the mood for some food for thought rather than looking for a quick escape in literary land.
"Test of Faith" by Aleksandr Voinov and Raev Gray is an extremely well-written and emotionally charged novella that leaves the reader breathless.

The story is set against the backdrop of one of the most infamous and bloodiest battles of the interval period between the Second and Third Crusades - the Battle of Hattin - which took place near the city of Tiberius on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. During the Battle the army of Saladin decimated some 20,000 Crusading foot soldiers and 1,000 Templar Knights capturing Christian King Guy of Jerusalem and the Holy Cross.

By some miracle, Templar Knight Thierry de la Tour Rouge remains alive but has been captured and taken prisoner by the Saracens. Bone-weary from battle, starving and almost delirious from dehydration Thierry finds himself tied up like an animal in the tent of Abdul Basir, advisor to Saladin. Saladin has bought Thierry for Abdul, but the reason for this is a mystery. Thierry fears torture, enslavement and ultimate death, but he is still alive and this provides a glimmer of hope that he will be ransomed. Thierry's motivation is his faith and his life; to do what he must to stay alive long enough to be freed without having to succumb to tortured conversion. Abdul's motivation for keeping Thierry is vested in fantasy, one that he is almost too proud to admit to, or to fulfil.

A chaste kiss on Thierry's part changes everything and plunges both men into a clash of faiths, cultures and wills. As their polemic unfolds they learn of one another and come to show each other mercy, kindness, respect and trust, eventually revealing their desire for one another. But Thierry's fate is in Saladin's hands and Abdul is not sure that he can secure the safety of this honourable man, nor is he certain that he has the courage and strength to let him go in peace.

This story brims with pathos and the writing deftly captures the emotional intensity of the life and death situation under which these two men enter each others lives, first as enemies who become brothers. And while the eventual moments of kindness and tenderness between the two do provide some respite from this intensity, given their circumstances, there is a tautness that is sustained throughout the story. There is also an inherent sensuality to the prose, both erotic and other, that engages all of the senses.

The overall plot is well established but does not dominate and the authors have paid meticulous attention to ensuring the historical, religious and cultural authenticity of this story. Everything from the historical events to the religious beliefs and customs (both Muslim and Catholic) is effortlessly and imperceptibly woven throughout the story.

The strengths of this story also lie in its characters and in this respect "Test of Faith" is very much character-driven. Written in the third person and alternating perspectives between Thierry and Abdul, the authors have crafted such multi-dimensional and sublime characters it is as if Voinov and Gray have respectively crawled into practically every crevice of Thierry and Abdul's being to write their story.

Thierry and Abdul's narratives are incredibly intimate revealing each character's courage, pride, arrogance, honour, fears, hopes, compassion and desires as they negotiate not only their circumstances but also their fate. This is coupled with compelling and intelligent dialogue that at first is used as an instrument for their sparring, hatred and fear, and later for the tenderness and respect that Thierry and Abdul come to have for one other. The authors not only capture the fundamental essence of who these men are, but also their complexities. What stood out most is that while neither character compromises the core of who he is as a result of their tumultuous encounter, at the same time, both Thierry and Abdul are forever changed by it. In this respect, the title is most befitting the story not only in terms of the testing of Thierry and Abdul's respective religious faith, but also their substance as men. In terms of sub-text, the characters also serve as conduits through which the authors more subtly infuse into the story and explore such timeless political themes as religious, ethnic and cultural chauvinism and hegemony.

"Test of Faith" is the first collaborative work by these authors and yet there is a symbiosis to this writing partnership that one doesn't expect from a first-time collaboration. The writing is seamless and the story reads as if written by one person, so much so that despite my familiarity with Voinov's previous works (this is Gray's first published story) I was not able to pin-point which author wrote the character of Thierry and which the character of Abdul.

I do not consider "Test of Faith" as falling exclusively within the category of historical romance, rather more so within the realm of general historical fiction with strong erotic elements. Nonetheless, some readers may, and those readers that consider themselves romance genre "purists" may not be pleased with the fruition of this tale. However, I believe that the integrity of the writing simply demands that the ending, which I found to be utterly exquisite, is the only one possible for this story. Any other ending would have compromised not only the sense of realism with which this story is written but also the legitimacy and authenticity of the characters and by extension their circumstances.

"Test of Faith" is a powerful and passionate story, and Thierry and Abdul are at once both heroic and tragic characters that remain with the reader long after the story is finished.
I had no idea what I picked up. Honestly.
I just needed something ensuring good.
And I knew that Aleks is my undisputed guarantee for a good book.

TEST OF FAITH.

HOW COULD I NOT NOTICE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS TITLE?!

We're talking about the year 1187. In the book. And yet it feels so UP-TO-DATE, so ACTUAL!

It is so sad and tragic that in the 21th century we still divide our world into two essential parts and that these two parts still have not found the best peaceful way to honour each other, the way to live in mutual contentment side by side.

My heart has been broken more than once watching the news of the last months, days, hours.

And my heart is broken again, after this ending.

But I'm grateful for this ending. I thank Aleks with all my heart for it.
Because it is this ending that made this story such beautiful such overwhelming and such believable and such poignant...and, yes, in spite of it's tragic - such a hopeful one.

I swear, I abstain from all HEA in my books if I can have only one HEA in the world right now.

"We are men, fighting God's war. Do you think it strange?"
From the blurb about this book, I expected it to be a love story, but I also expected it to have SOME bit of historically accurate story as a backdrop. While the SETTING is historical, as are the two main characters, the only "story" is of their lust for each other, and very detailed account of their sex. I feel the blurb is misleading. As porn, it is well written. As a story - it lacks STORY.
HUGE HUGE SPOILER WARNING FOR THE ENDING

SPOILER

I have no issues with this book, I think it is a beatiful writing and a lovely historical fiction. I was not forced to buy this book I still however feel that I was deceived by somebody and I am not even sure who is this somebody, the publisher? The ? I doubt that writers label their own books, and are those categories the book is popular in are the labels or is it something different?

In any event I definitely accept that it is my own fault if I misunderstood the fact that makes this book popular in gay romace/erotica category.

But I do NOT want the readers who are looking for romance to be as annoyed as I am after they are done.

If you are looking for happy ending in this book, you will NOT, I repeat you will NOT find anything that resembles such.

If this book was marked as historical fiction only, I would have not been annoyed at all, I have no expectations whatsoever as to how historical fiction should end.

But when I pick up **historical romance**, I am sorry but I go into book with the expectations of the genre and expect that no matter how much the characters suffer along the way, they do get some sort of happy ending and

SPOILER

SPOILER

Death of one of the protagonists is not qualified as anything remotely resembling happy ending in my book.