Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #51578 in Books
• Published on: 2007-03-12
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 368 pages

Synopsis
Presents the story of The Byerley Turk, one of the original thoroughbred horses from which racing stock descend. This book describes the story of the horse and his owner, Captain Byerley.

Customer Reviews

A magical story of one of the founding fathers of the thoroughbred racehorse
The origins of the Byerly Turk have remained shrouded in mystery - until now. This story needed to be told by someone very special, who would understand the bond between man and horse, and this author is that person. I believe that it was his destiny to tell this tale.

The author has done extensive research and lovingly constructed the story of the Byerly Turk and his people. Despite the many years since he lived his presence leaps off the pages and we feel honoured to have witnessed the life and times of one of the founder fathers of the thoroughbred racehorse.

This is a fantastic story, rich with historic detail. It is highly recommended for everyone who enjoys reading about horses in general, and throughbreds in particular.

I could not put the book down and was sad when it was finished. It would make a great movie.

The Byerly Turk: A Brilliant Read for All
This book is a wonderful read which sweeps the reader along from exotic Ottoman Turkey through the plains and princes of continental Europe to the colour and chaos of seventeenth century London, the beauty of the unsullied English countryside and the wilds of Ireland.

It presents the history of the period as history should always be first presented, vibrant and full of the practicalities of everyday existence that really bring it alive. This is particularly true in the depictions of war which illustrate and carry the reader along through the exhilaration and the horror of battle, with brilliant descriptions of combat its aftermath and the preparations for it that are worlds away from a dry recitation of dates, battle fields and the peace treaties that follow.

The characters in this book are wonderful. The horse and his groom are unique and easily carry the weight of the story, Byerly too on his entrance is a figure to follow and admire. The horse though is the unashamedly the hero and the beauty and power of the story is arrived at from the fact that the horses full unbridled nature can only be realized through the symbiosis with his two true human friends, the groom and then Byerly who most of the world initially perceive to be the horses master but who come to realize that the power of the relationship is based on understanding, one in which the humans are accepted only as an equals and a friends.

The story then, is a history of a horse, a chronicle of a time from east to west, a brilliant exposition of war and most of all a wonderful and moving story based on characters who hold principles that have made the best stories great since story telling began.

Echoes of Destiny
This is a fabulous read. The texture is rich and multi-layered and is a clever way of telling history. The basic story of this extraordinary horse, the Byerley Turk, is true, but the author has conjured a vivid account of the journey it made from the stables of a Balkan farm, through the opulence of the Ottoman Empire, then through all the Irish wars, to become the very first thoroughbred horse, by telling the story from the point of view of the horse's Turkish groom, who appears in the few oil paintings there are of this once famous horse. He creates a moving account of the bond between a poor victim of circumstance and his powerful horse as they miraculously survive every battle they are forced to ride through from the Balkans to the Boyne. And what a journey! They witnessed the fracturing of Europe, as Islam clashed with Christendom, and then as Catholic clashed with Protestant; conflicts that have haunted Europe for the last three hundred years and threaten to engulf much more of the world today.

It is a vivid portrait of a brutal age. It reeks of the road, of the camp and the battlefield, but it sparkles too with the beauty of the landscapes they travel through and the splendour of a sophisticated yet sadly forgotten culture.

The novel is clearly born of thorough historical research but what makes this such a compelling read is the writing. Jeremy James possesses a stunning eloquence. He is capable of generating tremendous suspense. Sometimes in a single sentence he can push emotions from one extreme to the other. He never lets the pace slacken as it flashes through scenes that are breathtaking and cinematic yet nor does he glorify the horrors he describes, be it the pillaging of nomadic villages by the Mongol hordes or the monumental battles of Buda and the Boyne. And throughout it spins the thread of this horse's captivating sense of destiny woven with the quiet perception of his remarkable groom.

Read this book and gain from the author's deep understanding of the relationship between an intelligent horse and a sensitive man. Read this book and hear the true whisper of the horse. And attend it closely. It is conveyed subtly by the Ghazi groom whose insight and thoughts shimmer with the philosophy of the Sufi. And because of that, this book contains great wisdom. Allah Kerim indeed!