É un libro moi emocionante e cunha carga histórica apaixonante. Altamente adictivo. ( )

It's a long book,and I sense could have been shorter to its own advantage. I happen to know a little about the radical Reformation players who populate its pages. I can't understand the authors' portrayal of Hans Denck, who based on everything I've read was a gentle soul and perhaps much more of an influence in moving Hans Hut and others like him away from the violence of Thomas Muentzer. I did not understand why the authors mentioned Obbe Philips only briefly and somewhat dismissively, since his (and his brother Dirk's) connection to Menno Simons will be very important to subsequent Anabaptist history. Menno isn't even mentioned. I think the authors had it right in that David Joris for a moment attempts to combine Anabaptist visions and include the remnants of Muenster. As I understand it he has to leave the north fairly quickly to flee to Basle. The authors have him operating openly there under his real name, but this seems very unlikely. As I understand it, he directed the DavidJorist sect from afar, clandestinely under the name of Jan of Bruges, and that even his own family was unaware of his former life and the deception which was discovered after his death. I hope it isn't too much of a spoiler (quit reading immediately if you are very sensitive), to say that

I loved the surprise ending. ( )

This was touted somewhere as a cross between a Le Carré spy novel and The Name of the Rose, I don't think it reaches the heights of either. By the time the central question of the novel heats up, it's practically over, and the main character's travels across the religious wars of Europe just aren't that interesting. ( )

I smile. No plan can take everything into account. Other people will raise their heads, others will desert. Time will go on spreading victory and defeat among those who pursue struggle.


There is a scene in Alan Bennett's History Boys where the instructor tells his students, if you want to know about Stalin you should study Henry VIII. I felt similar illustrations throughout this sprawling epic. Recurring tensions and responses proliferate through history. Well over a month was spent with Q, a month occupied otherwise by the World Cup and numerous intrigues into the depths of Derrida and Foucault. The baggy novel concerns millenarianism but in the befogged era of the religious wars and the Reformation. Street Fighting Men battle princes and papal guards, while revolutions orange and velvet give way to failed Springs and betrayed Thaws. The narrative as such concerns two men, equally unknown with protean noms-de-guerre: they act observe and operate for the opposing forces in this weird rethink of early modernity.

Luther Blissett is the pseudonym for four politically radical Italian novelists who will later in another incarnation be known as Wu Ming. This creative endeavor finds its historical subject in a most messy marriage, one that gleams even as it oozes.

( )

After news articles about people appearing at Trump rallies with T-Shirts for QAnon, I was curious to learn what this "Q" was all about and found a free copy for download on the internet. The book was nothing like I expected.

The main story concerns a German who manages to appear at many of the key bloody events of the Reformation like the Peasants War, Münster, etc. His story interests with that of "Q" who is working for the Inquisition as an agent provocateur stirring up trouble among those in the Reformation. This agent is regularly reporting back to his "master" at the Inquisition with letters signed only "Q". These letters are supposedly what attracted today's right-wing conspiracy theorists to the idea of QAnon although I find their attraction still very puzzling.

The book itself is somewhat difficult to follow and, in order to enjoy it, requires some level of knowledge of the Reformation. It is also difficult to follow the various characters and the storyline. I did not find it particularly well written.

That said, reading a novel about the Reformation brings the time period to life in a way that a normal history book does not. It also leaves you thinking about the events in the book. ( )

il lato avventuroso della Riforma protestante. (Avreste mai detto che ne aveva uno?) ( )

This is a very rich, dense book. I spent so long reading it only because every page, EVERY page, required some looking into Wikipedia for information on a historical even or personage or item. This rather added to my enjoyment instead of detracting. It is a gripping story to follow and I learned much in the process. ( )

A very nicely written novel centered around the religious wars in Europe that began with the spread of Protestantism in 16th century. ( )

Historical religious fiction, reveals the power of religion to corrupt and be subverted by the rich and already powerful. A challenging read, partly because of the format, with one of the 2 narrators, who both remain anonymous for most of the book, writes spy reports back to his boss, a corrupt cardinal who has long term aspirations to become pope himself. Exposes bankers as political opportunists, even back in the 1500s. ( )

Sicuramente una lettura appassionante, alterna alti (Munster) e bassi (Venezia e in generale tutta la parte finale). In certi casi lo stile dei vari autori tende a prevalere sulla storia (mi riferisco ad esempio a tutta la prima parte), ma nonostante le 640 pagine � una lettura che, superate le prime difficolt��, scorre molto velocemente. ( )

http://nwhyte.livejournal.com/1995663.html

This is a novel set between 1518 and 1555, mostly in Germany with excursions to surrounding countries, about a radical Anabaptist and the papal agent who pursues him through the sixteenth century's wars of religion. It has had a lot of attention particularly in Italy ("Luther Blissett" is apparently a pseudonym for four Italian writers) and is seen by some as a metaphor for modern global politics, and/or in the Umberto Eco tradition of The Name of the Rose.

I wasn't completely satisfied with it. I thought that the nameless hero's story of shifting identity and conflict was quite well realised, with lots of grim and effective contemporary detail, even though it wasn't really clear until close to the end that this was going anywhere, but Hilary Mantel pursued a similar idea rather better in Wolf Hall. The Q sub-plot, however, annoyed me; much of it is told in letters ostensibly written by Q to his patron in Rome which totally fail to get the contemporary idiom (and necessarily include much info-dumping); and the final revelation of Q's identity was disappointing. ( )

How can someone make money out of a book like this? It is released under Creative Common license, which means everyone can spread it, also in parts, as long as it is clearly stated who the author is. But there is no clear author. Luther Blisset is not a physical person; it is a collective name behind which several authors are hidden. I have read other things from Luther Blisset, but this is definitively something different, and something better. This is a novel about the dark era of Reformation. It is clear that Luther's ideas worked only because they served the interests of some german princes. Luther trait was clear to everyone from the beginning. He revolted to the pope only to create his own church. Others continued with his ideas, added some better. In the Netherlands communions were formed were goods were shared among everyone, and where unions were not formalized by weddings. Kids would not be baptized, because it does not make any sense to force a faith on them. But all these theological disputes, all the battles in Münster, the Concilio in Trento, were just a big farce. Everything actually revolved around the power battles between Carl V and the Pope, the Sultan Suliman the Greatl behind them the bankers, as always.

At the end of the book, only the consciousness that religion is the food for the stupid, and that history commands our acts much more than we would like to. ( )

This fascinating book tells the story of the middle years of the 16th century in Europe, through the voices of two protagonists. One is a Protestant, who over the course of the book becomes increasingly allied to the Anabaptists, one of the most extreme Protestant sects. The Anabaptists, who practiced re-baptism and preached social and ecclesiastical anarchy, were hated and persecuted by the followers of Luther and Calvin no less than by the servants of the Pope. The other protagonist is a spy in the service of a powerful cardinal who provides a narrative of the events in Germany and Italy and also acts as an agent provocateur. These two mortal enemies share a surprisingly similar world view of a world which is foreign to us in this century, and yet some reviewers have read Luther Blisset's book as a metaphor of Europe in teh 20th century.
The real names of the protagonists are never revealed, and they each go by various aliases throughout the book, which can be a bit confusing at times. The book is translated from the Italian, and contains explicit scatological language which will not come as a surprise to anyone who has studied the writings and sayings of Luther, but which sound strange to modern ears on the lips of Protestant preachers and their congregations.
Q provides an interesting slant on the Protestant reformation for anyone interested in this period. It also provides an interesting perspective on the participation and survival of Sephardic Judaism in Europe.
One really great thing about this book is that it is licensed under Creative Commons. This means that the text can be legally reproduced in electronic form, provided the author and copyright notice are acknowledged. Hopefully this is the way of publishing in the future. ( )

An amazing tale revolving around the violence in Western Europe during the Protestant Reformation. The authors are an interesting group; some of the same people have written books under the pen name of "Wu Ming". ( )

As fascinating as this book was, the author[s] is[are] almost as fascinating. To learn about the author[s] go to www.wumingfoundation.com. I learned all this part way through the book and it gave me another perspective. ( )

I was captivated by this book. I still find it difficult to believe that our religious predecessors stooped this low in their barbaric desecration of the faith of other people who do not share the same beliefs.
However, this attitude is just a comfortable self-satisfaction in my safe little cocoon of North-American life. My Canadian government is in Afghanistan purportedly helping people there, but is that really true? We tacitly support all the rapacious corporations, and the governments who are at their beck and call, as they co-operate in pillaging economic resources all around the world.
When I read a book like this, I fantasize that I am like the hero who fights as best he can against the evil present in the book, but maybe at the end, I am really just like the despotic duke or prince, or whoever he is, who just sends in the army to wipe out all the rebels.

I read an interesting write-up on this book on Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Q_%28novel%29à
Also a very good review by Sarah Dunant at http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2003/may/31/featuresreviews.guardianreview11/pri...

I did not think the book was too self-referential. I did not have any of the doubts about the book that were mentioned in the article.
When I was reading the book, the strongest point for me was the way that all the people of the book, be they of high or of low station, soldiers or peasants, clerics or nobles, all were caught up in the maelstrom of carnage and war that swept through Europe both during and after the career of Martin Luther.
Right now I am reading Reformation Europe's House Divided 1490-1700 by Diarmaid MacCulloch, the section in Chapter 11 about the 30 Years War (1618 to 1648). Just a repetition a century later of the same type of brutality.
Just like every moral disaster that we face, I wonder if there is someone at the top who could decide to pull the plug on all the commands that are necessary in order to roll out the guns and the instruments of torture, or do they feel just as condemned to engage in it as the soldier on the line, or as the priest in the tiny parish church?

Giovanni Pietro Carafa (the master), and Quolet (Q), the bad guys in this book, are the higher-ups who should be able to see the way out of this mess, but maybe they are blinded just as much as everyone else by their situation. Maybe all of history is fore-ordained and there is no escape. But what a dumb attitude; there must be something we can do about it.

I was satisfied with the quality of writing in the book. I read some other reviews online, including the one below from the Washington Post. They have some strong reservations about the four authors of the book. While reading the book, I had no idea of their shortcomings as social individuals, and therefore, I had no prompt to withhold my unhesitating support and approval. I was not warned off in time about their social faux pas. I do not care if they are Marxists, or if they phoned in a prank report to the press. .. Well, I guess I am a little bit concerned. I know not to take anything in the press as gospel truth, but there are many who are not so incredulous as I am and they could be misled. Some naive innocent little kids (in their teens, or maybe even in their 40s) will be led down the garden path that it is ok to send out emergency crews searching for a bicyclist. Does nobody remember The War of The Worlds?

Review by David Liss at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A42446-2004May20.html

I am in awe! An amazing, historical tour de force which brought to life the turmoil of Europe of the Reformation, the incredible incestuous politicking of the factions, the long view the Vatican takes (to this very day) built within a brilliant spy novel at the top of the genre. I'd pay a great deal of money to have lunch with the authors - 'course I'd have to learn Italian or they'd have to speak English. ( )

Refreshing to read a book that doesn't cover one of the usual historical fiction time period in Germany / Italy. I wasn't always sure where the story was going but I never lost interest. ( )

Brilliant read, essential stuff for people interested in the 1500th century and the incredible internal turmoil Europe was in at the time. How technology, trade and religion was turned up side down over a very brief time frame! ( )

Q is a book I truly enjoyed, so much I spread around my friends and relatives, with mixed results.

It is set in the early 16th century and is centred around a theme I was never interested in, Reformation; furthermore is quite a long novel (more than the average) and structured along a non-linear timeline.

Nonetheless it is an interesting read. Not an essay, but its history is well researched, so much that the leading character moves around in the shadows of "History", often in touch with true historical characters. ( )

Un libro fantastico con un retrogusto anarchico insurrezionale. Un capolavoro. ( )

We were diligent sowers of the seed, lighting the spark of war against those who had usurped the Word of God, the tormentors of His people. I saw scythes hammered into swords, hoes becoming lances and simple men leaving the plough to become fearless warriors. I saw a little carpenter carving a great crucifix and guiding Christ's troops like the captain of the most invincible army. I saw all this and I saw those men and women take up their own faith and turn it into a banner of revenge. Love seized our hearts with that one fire that flamed within us all; we were free and equal in the name of God, and we would smash the mountains, stop the world, kill all our tyrants in order to realise His kingdom of peace and brotherhood.

The protagonist starts off as a radical student at Wittenburg University, and becomes a soldier in the cause of religious reform, moving through Northern Europe, travelling under many different names and sometimes having to go into hiding. Despising the Lutherans as having become as much a part of the establishment as the Catholic church, he hooks up with the more extreme Anabaptists, travelling with various preachers and agitators, inciting peasants and townspeople to rebel against the aristocrats and merchants who oppress them. In later years, his methods become more indirect, as he perpetrates a fraud on the bankers who finance the people in power, and becomes involved in publishing and distributing a banned book, "The Benefit of Christ Crucified", in the hope of influencing the opinions of Catholic intellectuals and the more moderate cardinals and ensuring the election of a sympathetic pope, who will curb the powers of the inquisition.

Decades of intrigues and attacks, betrayals and retreats, rashness and remorse, are rushing together all of a sudden. The prophets and the king of a single, tragic day; cardinals and popes, and new popes; bankers, princes, merchants and preachers; men of letters, painters and spies, and counsellors and pimps. Everywhere, involving everyone, the same war.

The story covers nearly forty years of the Reformation, portraying it as social revolution as much as religious reform, if not more so. It skips backwards and forwards in time, but each of the short chapters is dated, so I found it easy to follow. Gert from the Well's story is interspersed with letters from the Catholic spy known as Q or Qoelet, who is working for the Vatican to counter the plots of its foes, whether they be Anabaptists, Lutherans or indeed the Holy Roman Emperor himself.

The name of the footballer Luther Blissett was used as a nom de plume by various artists and radicals around the world during the 1990s, as part of the loosly organised "Luther Blissett Project. "Q" was written by a collective of four Italian anarchists, who have since written another novel under the name Wu Ming.

It is an utterly fascinating story, which leaves the reader with lots to think about - what happened in Munster really reminded me of "Animal Farm". While I was reading the early parts of this book, I was also reminded about the pet hen in "Sredni Vashtar" by Saki. The Houdan hen was never drawn into the cult of Sredni Vashtar. Conradin had long ago settled that she was an Anabaptist. He did not pretend to have the remotest knowledge as to what an Anabaptist was, but he privately hoped that it was dashing and not very respectable. I think Conradin should be very satisfied with his choice. ( )

A very good novel about the time of the Reformation. The title refers to a character who is a spy for the Inquisition, involved in toppling the various protestant sects and ultimately establishing the power of the church. The story is told mainly from the point of view of a German free-lancer and mercenary, who first became involved with a radical peasant revolt, then with Anabaptists, and at the end as a subversive working with the Jewish people in Venice. Very richly detailed, moves at a good pace, has a complex plot and engaging characters. ( )

In 1517 Martin Luther nails his ninety-five theses to the door of Wittenburg Cathedral, and a dance of death begins between a radical Anabaptist with many names and a loyal papal spy, known mysteriously as "Q." In this literary thriller set in the chaos of the Reformation-an age devastated by wars of religion-a young theology student adopts the cause of heretics and the disinherited and finds himself pursued by a relentless papal informer and heretic-hunter. What begins as a personal struggle to reveal each others' identities becomes a mission that can only end in death.

At its best, Q displays an impressive knowledge of the Reformation, its ideas and its principal actors. It is a historical novel of the grand and sweeping sort, one that aims to capture not a life or a moment, but an era of pivotal importance. The author has gone to great lengths to include information about important figures of the Reformation -- Luther, Philipp Melanchthon and John Calvin -- as well as some significant sites of Protestant foment, including the heady events at Munster and the disaster of Thomas Muntzer's revolt at Frankenhausen.

"one of the stupidest episodes is when the hero meets by chance the cardinal that is to become the next pope!"
Ehm... Stupid or not, it really happened. During the 1970's that meeting was one of the subjects of Prof Carlo Ginzburg's historical research.
BTW, some key members of Anabaptism, far from being depicted as "always good", turn into crazy villains in the second part of the novel. ( )