Book One
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Book Two
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Includes Book One + Two
Book One
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Book Two
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“The Fifth Historical Monument of Contemporary Italian Literature”
Jean-Noel Schifano
The great Sicilian historical novel about the secret sect of the Beati Paoli translated into English for the first time.
Praise for
Sicilian Avengers
“The brilliant Stephen Riggio has translated The Beati Paoli, the sprawling, lush history of an 18th century Sicilian royal family at a crossroads. The story of evil Don Raimondo and the secret society formed to bring him to justice is a page turner. Sicilian blood ties, vendettas, romance and pageantry unspool against a backdrop of the people's fight for honor and freedom. Riggio captures the complexities of life on Italy's treasured island and the human suffering that carved a path for change in Sicily. Bravo!"
- Adriana Trigiani, best-selling author of The Good Left Undone
“The brilliant Stephen Riggio”
“The superb translation of Luigi Natoli's I Beati Paoli is a monumental achievement of a long-neglected work. Stephen Riggio has done a masterful job, bringing to life this epic tale. It is truly a labor of love and his passion for the project is visible on nearly every page. And a brilliant afterword by Umberto Eco adds to the pleasure of reading this gripping story. Discover this rich and powerful saga--you will be more than happy you did.”
-Lorenzo Carcaterra, author of Sleepers and the Nonna Maria mystery series
“The superb translation”
“Sicilian Avengers is an astonishing work of historical fiction”
“Sicilian Avengers is an astonishing work of historical fiction. Early eighteenth-century Sicily is vividly rendered in this page-turning, edge of your seat tale of the secret sect of The Beati Paoli. It’s a riveting story full of adventure and romance, intrigue and treachery. Think Dumas’s Count of Monte Cristo meets Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall. The characters are unforgettable, as are the meticulous descriptions of life in the ancient capital of Palermo. I know Sicily and can assure you that reading Sicilian Avengers will make you want to run there. It has been a joy to discover Stephen Riggio’s translation of Luigi Natoli’s monumental novel.”
-Jo Piazza, best-selling author of The Sicilian Inheritance
“Stephen Riggio's translation of Sicilian Avengers, a novel by Luigi Natoli that has not appeared in English until now, is a monumental addition to the canon of world classic literature. Riggio expertly brings to life the epic story of the Beati Paoli, who fought for justice in Sicily, and SICILIAN AVENGERS is a swashbuckling adventure story, a heart-pounding romance, and a riveting historical thriller. I rooted for its hero and other unforgettable characters on every page, and I couldn't put it down. SICILIAN AVENGERS is a compulsively readable story, relatable at an intimate and profoundly human level, and even has the majestic sweep of Dumas and Cervantes. Bravissimo, Stephen!”
-Lisa Scottoline, best-selling author of The Truth About the Devlins
“A monumental addition”
“Thrilling historical masterpiece is brilliantly done”
“Stephen Riggio's translation of Luigi Natoli's thrilling historical masterpiece is brilliantly done. This action-packed story, filled with secrets, betrayals, murder, retribution and the shadowy Beati Paoli reads like the Sicilian cousin of The Three Musketeers--it's exciting, accessible, and perfect for fans of Mario Puzo, John Dickie, and Peter Robb.”
-Jill Santopolo, best-selling author of Stars in an Italian Sky
I Beat Paoli, the Original Italian Novel
Praise for
“Full of unforgettable characters, the celebrated serialized novel about the secret sect in which many sense the origins of the Mafia is built on a modern fictional framework. A read that will never disappoint.”
-Giuseppe Tornatore, Academy Award winning director of Cinema Paradiso
“Compelling, mysterious, spectacular”
Source: Cover of the Sellerio edition
“If classics are such because with each rereading they tell us something new and allow us to be moved again and again, then I Beati Paoli is undoubtedly a classic. I still remember the sense of emptiness at the end of that first reading. I knew it might be impossible to find a novel as engaging. So, over the years, I have often returned to I Beati Paoli, enjoying it and becoming even more passionate than that first time....”
-Stefania Auci, author of the international bestseller The Lions of Sicily
“I Beat Paoli is undoubtedly a classic”
Source: ilLibraio
Editorial Reviews
“Riggio’s translation maintains the richness of the earlier era, evoking the romances of Walter Scott and Alexander Dumas… Lovers of a certain vintage of adventure will be grateful for this newly translated classic. A sweeping, swashbuckling epic set in the Kingdom of Sicily.”
-Kirkus Reviews: Book One
“Grateful for this newly translated classic”
“Author Luigi Natoli and translator Stephen Riggio have crafted an exhilarating read that utilizes authentic Italian culture and detailed historical research to offer us a thrilling Sicilian saga about the legendary Beati Paoli, the supposed forerunners of the Mafia…. The translation by Stephen Riggio certainly preserves the story's vibrant atmosphere and historical accuracy. Overall, Sicilian Avengers is a compelling read that beautifully captures the essence of a bygone era in Sicily, and I would certainly recommend it to historical fiction fans everywhere.”
-K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite