Q [Paperback]

Given the subject matter and nationality of the authors, it is almost impossible not to compare ‘Q’ with the work of one of my favourite authors, Umberto Eco. Reading Eco has given me a taste for historical fiction whilst seemingly rendering almost everything else in the genre trivial. At last, in ‘Q’ I have read something to rival Eco in historical detail and (almost) richness of ideas. ‘Q’ is historical fiction at its very best, and a thoroughly enjoyable read.
‘Q’ is set against the backdrop of the religious upheavals taking place in central Europe during the sixteenth century. Martin Luther has denounced the Catholic church, and a multitude of preachers and prophets have arisen, each spreading the message about his own version of the new religion. The main character, Lot (actually just one of many names he has in the book), is infused with the fervour of the times, and joins several of these groups (Thomas Muntzer in Frankenhausen, Jan Matthys in Munster, anabaptists in Holland, smugglers of heretical religious books in Venice), witnessing at first hand their bloody struggles and violent suppression by the combined forces of Catholicism and the new orthodoxy of Lutheranism. Lot’s hope for a world in which religion is delivered to the people is repeatedly dashed by its manipulation as a tool of power by the rulers in Rome and Germany. Lot eventually begins to see a shadowy hand behind his repeated defeats, a spy disseminating false information within the groups and reporting their activity to others outside them. Wherever Lot goes in Europe, he finds his actions hampered by this mysterious man, known to him only as Qoelet, or Q. By the end of the book, Lot’s work has less to do with the spreading of radical religion, than with the search to unmask Q.
The historical detail in ‘Q’ is astonishing, with almost all the characters being factual, and the political intrigues surrounding the reformation are brilliantly re-created. Unlike some reviewers, I didn’t find the story difficult to follow, despite the complexities of politics and religion that form the essential backdrop to the story. Other reviewers complained that the story never got going. This is true to a point and, by analogy to Eco’s books, ‘Q’ is much more ‘Baudolino’ than ‘The Name of the Rose’, with Lot’s wanderings basically providing an excuse to examine the upheavals of sixteenth century Europe. Qoelet remains very much in the background, and only towards the end does he play a more direct role in Lot’s life, which was, to me, the only part of the book that was badly done. So, despite the blurb, ‘Q’ is not really a thriller about the unmasking of a spy, but rather an examination of Reformation politics and a commentary on the use of religion and power, but told through the eyes a man fighting on the losing side. If you think that sounds boring, then I guess you will find ‘Q’ boring. Also if blood, sex and swearing aren’t your cup of tea, steer clear. For me, ‘Q’ is exemplary historical fiction, perhaps a little less clever than Eco and a little less complicated in terms of ideas, but an excellent book nonetheless.

I admit Q does present a bit of challenge at first, especially if (like me) you have limited knowledge of the history of Renaissance Europe. But for the reader with an open mind and who's willing to learn, this novel is an embarrassment of riches with cracking prose a fast pace and (believe it or not Olly) a great plot. It took a while for me to get my head round the story but come on - it's more Umberto Eco than James Joyce! The only reason it was confusing is because of my lack of basic historical knowledge, but the picture is fairly clear after the first 100 pages or so.

Perhaps part of the problem is that in Britain our only knowledge of Renaissance history is Henry VIII and Elizabeth I. Little are we told (either in school or in the history prgrammes that now swamp the TV schedules) that, prior to Napoleon, British history is if anything a sideshow to the main event in Europe and often not even that.

This is a huge, sweeping epic of a novel that explores, among other things, the religious fervour which swept the continent in the decades after Luther's Protest, the brutality of the Inquisition, the in-fighting that gave rise to a separate Protestant church, the nature of class struggle and revolution, the rise of mercantilism and the manner in which politics was practised in a pre-democratic era. All this and more is weaved into the fabric of a gripping plotline and is told in a narrative style that brings alive the sights, sounds and smells of a continent dragging itself out of the Middle Ages.

Read on Olly, you've missed one of this year's best publications!

This book is nothing short of amazing. If you ever read Umberto Eco, and this is probably closest to the Island of the Day Before (in setting) and In the Name of the Rose (in sheer depth of philisophical debate). The amount of information you get hit with about the early years of the reformation and the foundation of the protestant faith is astounding. Those of a delicate nature may find this hard going, but I found it captivating. The style is unique, and at first is hard to get to grips with, but once you get beyond the visual style and are engulfed by the complex world you can't stop.
Whereas Eco plays with the subtlety of language and the absurdities of belief and desire, Q is obsessed with the machinations of power and the drive for absolute control. This books excites you.
Perhaps the most captivating aspect is the fact that this book is based in fact, not just the panorama that this theatre plays against, but the characters who support the leads throughout are real people who fell victim to tyranny. A must for any one who has a fleeting interest in history, or anything!