Review of Beyond the Gates of Ani

[Joyful17]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Beyond the Gates of Ani" by J. G. Knott.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Today, the city of Ani, which was the capital of Armenia lies in ruins. Invasions by enemy nations are a common occurrence in ancient civilizations. This often leads to massive loss of lives and enslavement of those captured. Beyond the Gates of Ani by J. G. Knott tells the harrowing tale of the conquest of Ani and the battles and political maneuvres of the Byzantine Empire. The book is a blend of fiction and non fiction.

Arman's father, Levon, stepped out of his house to find his way to work. He heard strange noises and called to his son, Arman, to locate the source of the sounds. A short while later, enemy troops marched into the street, and an arrow soon lodged in Levon's neck. Thus began the conflict that wiped much of the inhabitants of Ani. However, Arman and his friend, Tovmas, managed to escape and were able to find their way to distant lands. Will Arman and Tovmas' tight bond of friendship survive the hardships of life? Will the two friends find success in the battles they fought? What will happen to the captured inhabitants of Ani? These and other interesting puzzles are resolved as the story progresses.

The layout of the plot and the development of the story made the book quite enjoyable. The historical setting of the story and the descriptions of ancient civilizations also made the story classical. In addition, the portrayal of the warm friendship between Arman and Tovmas is a beautiful part of the story. I enjoyed their playful banter and humorous conversations. It is my favorite part of the book.

The narrative flowed smoothly with good grammar. Also, the romance between Arman and Erica was portrayed flawlessly. It was believable and emotional. Another outstanding feature of the book is the detailed and non-graphic descriptions of the many battles fought in the book. They often appear at strategic locations and made the book action packed. I particularly found the narration of the battle between Emperor Romanus and Sultan Alps Arslan interesting.

However, I observed that Arman, the central character, always managed to scale through whatever difficulties came his way. Several times during the story, I felt his end had finally come, only for him to reappear in the story. While I enjoyed this build-up of suspense, I feel he escapes these problems too easily. This is my only dislike about the book.

I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. It was exceptionally well edited. The author's writing skill was impressive. Readers who love historical stories with battle themes will find this book interesting.

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Beyond the Gates of Ani
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[Waliyat_24]

I like the plot of this story. I hope Armani and his friend finds success in their journey.

[Peace10]

Perseverance is the first key to any journey a person will want to take. It’s good to see Armani overcome many trials in his journey.

[Patty Allread]

I have considered reading this book before, and your review has been very helpful. I like the theme of friendship between Arman and Tovmas.

[Kavita Shah]

It sounds gruesome. Battle aren't easy, and this one pretty much wiped out Ani citizen's. Thanks a lot for your good review!

[Azubike Richard]

You did an amazing job writing this review in simple words. Thank you for putting up this.