kblincoln's review against another edition
4.0
Mary Gentle has created an alternate 19th Century Naples afrenzy with the power of Bel Canto opera and the debate between natural philosophy and religion.
We have the King of the Two Sicilies, King Ferdinand facing French and Italian intrigues; the inquisition, Darwin's theories, and of course the magical melodies of Rossini, Donizetti, and Bellini slowly giving way to Wagner and Verdi.
In the midst of this hot mess we meet Conrad Scalese, atheist librettist celebrating his first (he's not popular being an atheist during the inquisition) Operatic success. But then lightning strikes his opera house causing it to burn down, he wakes up with a migraine headache that gives him visions of fiery eruptions, and the inquisition arrives at his rooms to drag him to the dungeon.
He ends up with King Ferdinand, instead, who charges him with a vital project. A conspiracy in Naples is attempting to put on a "black opera", using the power of musicodramma to tap into the galvanic power of human brains/emotions to raise a powerful entity. The King desperately needs to stage another opera as an antidote to this opera and he wants Scalese to write and produce it.
Scalese, along with his trusted servant Tullio, his transvestite sister, a cast of amazingly varied operatic singers with fiery personalities, and the King's soldiers will brave sabotage and murder to see that the antidote opera is sung.
This is an alternate history with fantastic elements. The emphasis here is on HISTORY. Gentle takes us deep into the heart of the creation and staging of a bel canto opera.
For opera fans, or European history/philosophy buffs, this is a terrific book. The extended dialogues about the nature of god, creation, music, and the soul is definitely an intellectual delight.
If you're looking for action/adventure, there's a bit of that, too, but its completely overshadowed by the slow unfolding of the opera amongst political intrigue.
As I'm an opera fan, you can guess how much I enjoyed going along with Scalese for his opera ride. I did have a little problem following the flow of action sometimes as the characters have the habit of starting to think or say something, get cut off, and then say something else. I had to go back and reread bits of dialogue sometimes to follow thoughts, but it didn't hurt my enjoyment that much.
This Book's Snack Rating: Buffalo Blue Cheese Kettle Chips for the heavy, distinctive flavor of bel canto and philosophy on the backs of truly crunchy/delicious characters
We have the King of the Two Sicilies, King Ferdinand facing French and Italian intrigues; the inquisition, Darwin's theories, and of course the magical melodies of Rossini, Donizetti, and Bellini slowly giving way to Wagner and Verdi.
In the midst of this hot mess we meet Conrad Scalese, atheist librettist celebrating his first (he's not popular being an atheist during the inquisition) Operatic success. But then lightning strikes his opera house causing it to burn down, he wakes up with a migraine headache that gives him visions of fiery eruptions, and the inquisition arrives at his rooms to drag him to the dungeon.
He ends up with King Ferdinand, instead, who charges him with a vital project. A conspiracy in Naples is attempting to put on a "black opera", using the power of musicodramma to tap into the galvanic power of human brains/emotions to raise a powerful entity. The King desperately needs to stage another opera as an antidote to this opera and he wants Scalese to write and produce it.
Scalese, along with his trusted servant Tullio, his transvestite sister, a cast of amazingly varied operatic singers with fiery personalities, and the King's soldiers will brave sabotage and murder to see that the antidote opera is sung.
This is an alternate history with fantastic elements. The emphasis here is on HISTORY. Gentle takes us deep into the heart of the creation and staging of a bel canto opera.
For opera fans, or European history/philosophy buffs, this is a terrific book. The extended dialogues about the nature of god, creation, music, and the soul is definitely an intellectual delight.
If you're looking for action/adventure, there's a bit of that, too, but its completely overshadowed by the slow unfolding of the opera amongst political intrigue.
As I'm an opera fan, you can guess how much I enjoyed going along with Scalese for his opera ride. I did have a little problem following the flow of action sometimes as the characters have the habit of starting to think or say something, get cut off, and then say something else. I had to go back and reread bits of dialogue sometimes to follow thoughts, but it didn't hurt my enjoyment that much.
This Book's Snack Rating: Buffalo Blue Cheese Kettle Chips for the heavy, distinctive flavor of bel canto and philosophy on the backs of truly crunchy/delicious characters
tarrant's review against another edition
3.0
Dragged in places and a chunkster but a pretty good read.
siria's review against another edition
2.0
The Black Opera should have been a firecracker of a book. It's got a marvellously inventive premise: an alternate Naples in the early nineteenth century where the Returned Dead walk the streets and secret societies plot the supernatural eruption of Mount Vesuvius, where opera has the power to catalyse magical reactions and where the librettist Conrad is trying to dodge the Inquisition, his father's ghost, and the unwelcome side effects of being trapped in a love triangle.
But Mary Gentle seems to have become entangled in her own premise, and forgot the old adage of always starting as close to the end of the story as possible. I'm sure she was trying to induce the same feeling of disorientation in the reader as is felt by Conrad as various revelations happen, but instead the first half of the book reads like all preamble—"and then and then and then" storytelling, not helped by the fact that some characters and their motivations are frustratingly opaque throughout.
Gentle does have a way of keeping you reading towards the end, but sadly the big reveal of means and motivation, well.... doesn't reveal much. Some things remain frustrating cyphers, and the resolution of the love triangle both frustrating and farcical (Largely because Gentle keeps insisting that Leonora is amazing and that both Roberto and Conrad are rightfully obsessed by her without ever really showing us why. Quite honestly, the Roberto/Conrad relationship was much more appealing to me, and an ending in which they paired off and ditched Leonora would have been far more emotionally convincing). I shouldn't get to the end of a 700-page book and exclaim "Are you kidding me?", only with a rude word inserted between the 'you' and the 'kidding'.
But Mary Gentle seems to have become entangled in her own premise, and forgot the old adage of always starting as close to the end of the story as possible. I'm sure she was trying to induce the same feeling of disorientation in the reader as is felt by Conrad as various revelations happen, but instead the first half of the book reads like all preamble—"and then and then and then" storytelling, not helped by the fact that some characters and their motivations are frustratingly opaque throughout.
Gentle does have a way of keeping you reading towards the end, but sadly the big reveal of means and motivation, well.... doesn't reveal much. Some things remain frustrating cyphers, and the resolution of the love triangle both frustrating and farcical (Largely because Gentle keeps insisting that Leonora is amazing and that both Roberto and Conrad are rightfully obsessed by her without ever really showing us why. Quite honestly, the Roberto/Conrad relationship was much more appealing to me, and an ending in which they paired off and ditched Leonora would have been far more emotionally convincing). I shouldn't get to the end of a 700-page book and exclaim "Are you kidding me?", only with a rude word inserted between the 'you' and the 'kidding'.
rachel_from_cambridge's review against another edition
5.0
Excellent book.
Not as dark as some of her other works, but a fun fast paced read with convinving characters - that actually makes me want to go and see an opera (never been & generally not into classical music. Or Italian).
Not as dark as some of her other works, but a fun fast paced read with convinving characters - that actually makes me want to go and see an opera (never been & generally not into classical music. Or Italian).
janettedv's review against another edition
2.0
I have never any of Mary Gentle's books before although they get good reviews and sound like the sort of book that I should enjoy. This one started well. The idea was interesting and I liked the central character which is always an important element of a book for me. However, I just got bored. As the story got more complicated, I got less interested. In the end I gave up about half way through and skipped to the end to find out how it all ended.
old_tim's review against another edition
3.0
Initially, I was intrigued by the concept. An alternate history with magical operas? Awesome. Unfortunately, some structural problems kept me from enjoying this book as much as I would have liked.
The book opens slowly, with lots of tell don’t show. I did not find the religion vs science debate(s) compelling. And as the book continues, the discussion becomes more polemicized & repetitious. I was reminded of Heinlein, and his characters being obvious mouthpieces for the author, giving long speeches that don’t convert, but rather are more in the vein of “preaching to the choir”.
As the book progressed, there seemed to be a problem with its pacing. The ultimate denouement seems to be artificially delayed again & again. By the time the story ended, I was more than ready for its conclusion.
The book opens slowly, with lots of tell don’t show. I did not find the religion vs science debate(s) compelling. And as the book continues, the discussion becomes more polemicized & repetitious. I was reminded of Heinlein, and his characters being obvious mouthpieces for the author, giving long speeches that don’t convert, but rather are more in the vein of “preaching to the choir”.
As the book progressed, there seemed to be a problem with its pacing. The ultimate denouement seems to be artificially delayed again & again. By the time the story ended, I was more than ready for its conclusion.
annasirius's review against another edition
3.0
This started off very promising: an original premise (music can effect the physical world, and a secret cult uses this to their advantage), decent characters including a crossdressing woman, and well-written, witty dialogue. Then it started being a bit lengthy here and there. The first hundred pages are mostly the same scene, cut into chapters, in which two to three people are talking. And talking.
Half-way through, conversations become repetative, and I can already tell who the villain is. The introduction of the love interest felt clumsy, and the author has not managed to raise my interest since.
Moreover I've been wondering the whole time how the main endeavour of the whole book is supposed to work. An evil opera's effect is supposed to be countered by a second opera staged at the same time. How is this supposed to achieve anything if the people staging the counter performance don't know how these miracles work? Why should one cancel the other? After reading Janice's review, I've decided to abandon the book. Pitty - there're some good ideas in here.
Half-way through, conversations become repetative, and I can already tell who the villain is. The introduction of the love interest felt clumsy, and the author has not managed to raise my interest since.
Moreover I've been wondering the whole time how the main endeavour of the whole book is supposed to work. An evil opera's effect is supposed to be countered by a second opera staged at the same time. How is this supposed to achieve anything if the people staging the counter performance don't know how these miracles work? Why should one cancel the other? After reading Janice's review, I've decided to abandon the book. Pitty - there're some good ideas in here.
drey72's review against another edition
3.0
This review originally posted on my blog, drey's library.
Want a story set in Renaissance Italy featuring Opera, the Catholic Church, and the (potential) Apocalypse? Then The Black Opera is the book for you. Featuring prominently are one librettist hiding from the rioting masses, one secret society bent on bringing about a new world order, and one King who’ll do anything to keep his country safe from harm. Including hiring an atheist to write an opera…
Conrad Scalese finds himself facing the Inquisition, and decides King Ferdinand’s offer is preferable to being tortured for a confession – because as a professed atheist, they’d only be torturing him for fun. So now he’s up against a dangerous secret society, and has to write the best opera he’s ever done. In six weeks. With a composer he’s never met.
Then he finds out said composer is married to his long lost love.
So. Love triangle. Impossible save-the-world task. Dangerous secret-society menace. What else can you ask for? How about sassy dialog? Or fabulous characters? All can be found within the pages of The Black Opera, and all contribute to the story of how the King of Naples used opera to fight the forces of evil. The Black Opera is fun and somewhat silly, but definitely entertaining!
drey’s rating: Pick it up!
Want a story set in Renaissance Italy featuring Opera, the Catholic Church, and the (potential) Apocalypse? Then The Black Opera is the book for you. Featuring prominently are one librettist hiding from the rioting masses, one secret society bent on bringing about a new world order, and one King who’ll do anything to keep his country safe from harm. Including hiring an atheist to write an opera…
Conrad Scalese finds himself facing the Inquisition, and decides King Ferdinand’s offer is preferable to being tortured for a confession – because as a professed atheist, they’d only be torturing him for fun. So now he’s up against a dangerous secret society, and has to write the best opera he’s ever done. In six weeks. With a composer he’s never met.
Then he finds out said composer is married to his long lost love.
So. Love triangle. Impossible save-the-world task. Dangerous secret-society menace. What else can you ask for? How about sassy dialog? Or fabulous characters? All can be found within the pages of The Black Opera, and all contribute to the story of how the King of Naples used opera to fight the forces of evil. The Black Opera is fun and somewhat silly, but definitely entertaining!
drey’s rating: Pick it up!
rixx's review against another edition
I'm going to ignore goodreads reviews in favour [of](https://www.eblong.com/zarf/bookscan/review/gentle_mary_the_black_opera.html)
tregina's review against another edition
4.0
I bought this book a couple of years ago and kept thinking I would make time to read it, but the couple of times I picked it up I ended up getting about a dozen pages in and putting it down again. I don't know what was different this time, but I picked it up and pretty much didn't stop until I was done, foregoing meals and sleep in my quest to know what happens next. I think, in the end, once I settled into the characters and the historical setting, it turned out to be just my kind of thing, combining magic with music and composition and theatre production, and throwing in some flouting of gender norms for good measure.