A Place Called Armageddon: Constantinople 1453

By C. C. Humphreys

Gregoras had vowed never to return to Constantinople, the cursed home that had betrayed and scarred not only his mind, but his face, for all to see. But now with 100,000 Muslim soldiers outside its walls, he can hear its desperate calls for his help, as it can only be held by men and mercenaries as skilled in battle as Gregoras, of which few remain.

His return home, though, will mean not only having to face the constant hum of arrow and cannon, but also Theon, twin brother...and betrayer. And with him his beloved Sofia, lost when Gregoras was cast from his home, now bound to Theon in marriage. But the rewards of victory would not only be the glories of the battle, but the redemption of his name and his soul.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sourcebooks
• Release date: Sep 1, 2012
• ISBN: 9781402272509

C. C. Humphreys

An award-winning novelist, playwright, actor and teacher, Chris Humphreys has written 22 novels including ‘The French Executioner’ - runner up for the Steel Dagger for Thrillers, UK -‘The Jack Absolute Trilogy’, ‘Vlad–The Last Confession’, and ‘A Place Called Armageddon’. Chris adapted his 12th novel, ‘Shakespeare’s Rebel’ for the stage and it received its premiere in 2015 at Bard on the Beach, Vancouver, Canada. His novel ‘Plague’ won Canada’s Arthur Ellis Award for Best Crime Novel in 2015. ‘Chasing the Wind’ follows the daring adventures of 1930s aviatrix, Roxy Loewen. His modern crime novel, ‘One London Day’ was published in 2021. He recently completed his epic fantasy series for Gollancz, ‘Immortals’ Blood’, beginning with 'Smoke on the Glass'. His novels for young adult readers include, ‘The Runestone Saga Trilogy’ published by Knopf, as well as ‘The Tapestry Trilogy’. His latest novel is 'Someday I'll Find You', a WW2 epic romance. It was published by Doubleday Canada on June 6th 2023 and around the world on Spetember 5th 2023. His novels have been translated into thirteen languages. He holds a Masters in Fine Arts (Creative Writing) from the University of British Columbia, has been keynote speaker and Guest of Honour at several conferences - including the HNS North American Conference in Denver 2015. A busy audiobook narrator, as an actor Chris has performed on stages from London’s West End to Hollywood. Visit him at: https://www.authorchrishumphreys.com/

Reviews for A Place Called Armageddon

[jgolomb_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

"For I am the Turk. I come on the bare feet of the farmer, the armored boot of the Anatolian...I clutch scimitar, scythe, and spear, my fingers pull back bowstring and trigger, I have a glowing match to lower into a monster's belly and make it spit out hell. I am the Turk. There are a hundred thousand of me. And I am here to take your city."...And so begins C.C. Humphreys' take on the Turk siege of the (mostly) Greek-held Constantinople in 1453.This is actually a very good book. The attractive, war-oriented cover belies the true nature of author C.C. Humphrey's ability to blend historical fact and exuberantly descriptive narrative, into a well-conceived and terrifically executed piece of historical fiction. There's plenty of action, but the battles are set-pieces built around a foundation of historical world building.It's not perfect. While Humphreys spends a good amount of ink to paint flesh on the bones of his key characters, they never truly come to life. Some elements of the interpersonal conflicts muddy, rather than enhance, the plot. If I had the choice, I'd give this 3.5 stars, but because I've enjoyed the book so much, and feel more enlightened about the famous siege of Constantinople in the mid 15th century, I'll edge up 'A Place Called Armageddon' to 4 stars.In 1453, the Greeks had already found themselves an island surrounded rivals; Constantinople's enormous walls on one side, the waters of the Bosporus protecting the other three. Attacked throughout the years, Constantinople had managed to survive as a Christian outpost at this continental crossroads; this unique location had been the primary reason for their remaining semblance of autonomy and independence. But Sultan Mehmet brought to bear an overwhelming army that forced the leaders of Constantinople to rally christians from across the Mediterranean. Friends and foes alike.Conflicts abound within the walls of Constantinople, as Humphreys exposes the cross-Christian rivals as well as the expected enmity between Christian and Turk. The differences and similarities across the people who come together to fight for and against each other is one of the staple themes threaded throughout the story. Humphreys interweaves this theme within the narrative, but exposes it a little too heavy-handedly at times. I found a similar trend in how he deals with the obligatory 'love-connection' between two long-lost lovers thrust together in this time of world-changing events.In a terrifically written naval battle in the Bosporus under the great walls of Constantinople, Humphreys skillfully shifts between viewpoints to effectively evoke the multiplicity of action, it's impact on civilians, the warriors themselves, as well as the running political ramifications. C.C. Humphreys has created a worthy entry into the world of historical fiction...and he's covered a specific time and place without much competition. I strongly recommend 'A Place Called Armageddon'.

[cbilbo-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Great book, not in my regular genre.

[janerawoof · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Fascinating, well-written novel documenting the Fall of Constantinople to the Ottomans, May 29, 1453, from both the Turkish and Greek sides. Many of the personages actually lived, but the story follows two [fictional] twin brothers: one, Gregoras, wrongly accused of treachery has had his nose cut off--a common punishment among the Byzantines--and exiled. He has come back to the city as one of several mercenaries led by a Genoese. His brother, Theon, is a diplomat; both love the same woman. We see preparations for the seven-week siege by both the Greeks, from emperor to the common people along with their allies from Western Europe, and the Turks from the sultan on down to the humblest peasant. The sultan's plan is to use the latter as cannon fodder, with elite troops fighting later when the Greeks are worn out. We follow the progress of the siege, the author moving from one group to another. Then follows the aftermath where we see what finally is everyone's fate. This novel kept my interest all through, although I knew what the outcome would be. Several times the characters' remarks were clues to some of the later plot twists. The sea battle after Gregoras' rescue and the final onslaught were most gripping. I had most sympathy for Emperor Constantine XI and for the Turkish peasant Achmed. On the whole, characterizations were well drawn. Why did the author neglect as a subplot the fact that Urban, inventor of this large cannon, first approached Constantine XI to buy it? Constantine wasn't able to pay that high a price so he turned down the offer. [But he finally DID pay the price--not in money--but in his whole empire.] Highly recommended.

[sensitivemuse · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book was so historically rich it was like reading a very entertaining text book. It’s nice to read both sides of the battle even though the main character is a Greek man named Gregoras. It switches back and forth between the point of views of various characters from both sides - my personal favorites would be Leilah and Achmed. Although it might seem there’s a lot of characters it does focus on a select few so it’s easily memorable. There’s various story arcs to follow, but what I liked about the book is they all somewhat tie in together and bring the characters together into one seamless plot. It’s almost like an intricately woven fabric that tells a rich detailed story. The historical accuracy is pretty good (from what I know of this particular period) and the end authors note was very interesting and helpful. What I enjoyed was the ending, all the characters stories were all tied together and some of their outcomes were unexpected and a complete surprise to me. My favorite ending was what happened to Achmed. That was completely unexpected but a wonderful ending to his story. Some characters are memorable and you get attached to them, others aren’t very nice and get a well deserved ending. (Take that Theon! yeah!)The battle scenes are well done and can be easily pictured. There are some various terms that I was not familiar with but there is a helpful glossary at the back of the book. They’re well written, and very detailed (so yes, there’s a lot of blood) but not to the point where it’s overly ridiculous. You can certainly ‘feel’ what the Greek side was feeling. They certainly did put up a fight and you felt for them.Definitely recommended for historical fiction lovers (those love reading a good battle, or two. Or three). It’s worth the read, with rich interesting characters, with a fantastic setting.

[brokenteepee · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The battle for Constantinople is one of history's defining moments; the "Rome of the East" falls to "the Turk" and one of the most glorious cathedrals ever built, the Hagia Sophia was looted and turned to a Mosque. So began the reign of the Ottoman Empire over what is now called Istanbul. Mehmet II was a young sultan of 21 when he did what none of his ancestors had been able to do before him - breach the walls of Constantinople and call himself "fatih" or conqueror.This novel, though is a tale of both sides of the conquest; Christian and Muslim and Mr. Humphreys tells both sides well. There is a greater concentration on inside the walls as his hero is Gregoras, a man falsely accused of betrayal. His twin brother Theon, always jealous, always a feeling a bit inadequate next to Gregoras was there to save him from losing more than his nose (yes, you read that correctly) but there is far more to this story of twins and it develops over the course of the book.The book is very well researched and this battle is legendary in history. Mr. Humphreys tries to fit in as many of the unique occurrences as possible and as they say, truth is stranger than fiction. The story moves along at a roaring clip and being one who loves a meaty historical tale I was enthralled from beginning to end. Obviously it being a book of war it is not a pretty book but the gore and violence are kept tamped down compared to other books I have read in the genre.The main characters, both fictional and historical are well drawn and you feel drawn into their world. Even knowing the outcome of the battle I kept feeling as if it might change as I turned the pages. And I was turning them very quickly. Mr. Humphrey had a way of getting inside the heads of his characters so the reader was there too. His descriptions allowed for a true feeling of place which was good - until the battles started and then I was right in the middle of it. I didn't want to be there but I had Gregoras with me and he was a good man to lead the way through a fight.A bit more of sultan Mehmet's story is part of Mr. Humphrey's book Vlad: The Last Confession

[muddyboy · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book is what it is. If you enjoy historically based fiction with a strong military theme this book is for you. There is a Romulus versus Remus rivalry between brother along with a love triangle to balance out the battle scenes. It is well researched and about an interesting period in Christian - Muslim relations. This book will be well liked by the audience for which it was intended. Will come out later this Summer.