NOVEMBER 2014 - AudioFile
Much as Peter Schoeffer, former scribe turned apprentice to Johann Gutenberg, renders words beautifully on vellum in this historical novel, narrator Robert Petkoff delivers crisp lines, sweeping strokes, light flourishes, or dramatic touches as he narrates. Nothing in author Alix Christie’s text stirs without doing likewise in Petkoff’s delivery, strengthening each scene in the listener’s mind. The effects are neither forced nor overdone. As Petkoff interprets the text, his narration decidedly contributes to the enjoyment of this novel, which tells the story of the invention of printing and the social and political context out of which it arose. K.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine
Publishers Weekly
★ 07/14/2014
This detailed historical novel takes readers into Gutenberg’s 15th-century Mainz workshop to experience the frustration and exhilaration of designing, typesetting, and rolling the first printed Bible off the press. Focusing on contributions made by Gutenberg’s associates, the story follows the apprenticeship of future publishing pioneer Peter Schoeffer from the day Peter’s adopted father, merchant-investor Johann Fust, tells him to give up life as a Parisian scribe in order to learn a new trade using Gutenberg’s secret technology and techniques. For unhappy Peter, printed texts seem less sacred, and certainly less artistic, than hand-copied manuscripts. Demanding and sometimes devious, Gutenberg proves a difficult boss; worst of all, the equipment still has bugs to work out. Only when Peter comes up with his own innovation does he appreciate print’s artistry and power. Despite obstacles posed by the Church, guilds, family, and friends, Fust, Gutenberg, and Schoeffer’s tenuous collaboration culminates in the Gutenberg Bible. Contemporary readers suspicious of digital texts will sympathize with Peter’s mixed feelings towards print. History buffs will savor the moment the inventor, the scribe, and the merchant make a decision that leads them out of the Middle Ages into the Renaissance. Journalist Christie’s fiction debut descriptions of technical processes and medieval society are enthralling; the romance and personal melodrama are less compelling. At her best, she demonstrates a printer’s precision and a dogged researcher’s diligence in her painstakingly meticulous account of quattrocento innovation, technology, politics, art, and commerce. (Sept.)
From the Publisher
In this deeply researched historical novel dramatizing the biggest invention since the wheel Christie...explores the intricacies surrounding the breakthrough of movable type and the first print run of Gutenberg Bibles in medieval Germany...Christie deftly imbues its telling with the drama and intensity it demands.” — San Francisco Chronicle
“This ambitious but beautifully executed historical novel captures the life and times of half a millennium ago, and with the above parallels, draws us closer to today’s publishing revolution.” — New York Journal of Books
“Finely atmospheric…a haunting elegy to the culture of print… One thinks of Donna Tartt’s THE GOLDFINCH or Philip Roth’s AMERICAN PASTORAL. Such novels of craft and specialization take a writerly delight in the most intricate details of a particular trade while spinning rich prose out of its mysterious threads.” — Washington Post
“I loved this novel! Alix Christie’s debut is intensely observed, so much so that I felt myself in the dark rooms of history with the people laboring over the metal and words to bring us print, but also laboring over their own lives and love and survival.” — Susan Straight, author of HIGHWIRE MOON, National Book Award Finalist
“As beautifully written as the printed pages it describes, this is an intelligent, masterful novel that immerses the reader in a fascinating historical time and place.” — Rosamund Lupton, bestelling author of SISTER and AFTERWARDS
“Christie masterfully depicts the time and energy required to print the first Bibles…A bravura debut.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“Enthralling…Christie demonstrates a printer’s precision…in her account of quattrocentro innovation, technology, politics, art and commerce.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“An imaginative recounting of history that, despite a 15th-century setting, reflects many of today’s chief matters of concern...a must-read for anyone interested in the ever-changing art of publishing.” — BookPage
“Christie has created a rich, masterful tale of “the darkest art” and its powerful effect on the written word.” — Katie Noah Gibson, Shelf Awareness
“By juxtaposing the lexicon of traditional printing with references to modern concepts like intellectual property theft, Christie spotlights intriguing parallels between 15th-century Europe and the digital media of the 21st-century world.” — New York Times Book Review
“Rich in historical detail…the story of the birth of the printing press is fascinating. Readers who enjoy historical fiction such as Tracy Chevalier’s REMARKABLE CREATURES will enjoy this.” — Library Journal
“Gorgeously written...dramatizes the creation of the Gutenberg Bible in a story that devotees of book history and authentic historical fiction will relish...An inspiring tale of ambition, camaraderie, betrayal, and cultural transformation based on actual events and people, this wonderful novel fully inhabits its age.” — Booklist (starred review)
“Christie has created a rich, masterful tale of “the darkest art” and its powerful effect on the written word.” — Shelf Awareness
“Enthralling...With the help of contemporary experts on early printing, and 15th century German history, Christie has written a compelling first novel. This is an exceptional work full of trickery, betrayal, and historical significance.” — The Missourian
“Intrigue! Betrayal! Printing Presses!...Who knew a book about the “first Bible” could be so fascinating?” — Quivering Pen
“A remarkable, captivating work of historical fiction, “Gutenberg’s Apprentice” will make anyone who reads it look at books and newer modes of communication in a different light.” — Night Owl Reviews
“Riveting.” — National Examiner
“A gorgeous, tremendously enjoyable historical novel…What’s happening now over a couple of decades took many more years in the 1400s; you’ll live there for a good while, and leave reluctantly.” — Sullivan County Democrat
“A rousing and beautiful novel… It’s surprising that Hollywood is yet to make a movie on Gutenberg and his press, and I hope Alix Christie’s richly imagined, finely researched and intricately plotted novel is the one that gets picked to be that longwishedfor movie.” — The News Today (Bangladesh)
“Alix Christie’s debut novel puts a human face on the invention of the printing press and brings to the fore a little known third actor in the creation of Johannes Gutenberg’s world-changing Bible.” — The Economist
“Every now and then, an aspiring author explodes upon the scene in such a fashion that one is unlikely to forget her. Alix Christie not only tackled Gutenberg’s Apprentice as her debut novel but managed to garner starred reviews.” — HistoryWire.com
“In Christie’s stellar debut, we become observers to the birth of one of the greatest inventions of man - the printing press…masterful…a highly recommended novel.” — Historical Novel Society
“An enthralling literary debut that evokes one of the most momentous events in history, the birth of printing in medieval Germany…Gutenberg’s Apprentice will give you a whole new set of reasons to love that printed book in your hand.” — More Than Just Magic
“Marvelous…The best fiction published in 2014 thus far for me - highly recommended, especially if you enjoy reading about books or fine press books. You’ll enjoy a rollicking good medieval tale along with learning about the process of making books.” — Ephemeral Pursuits
“Ms. Christie’s book immerses the reader in mid-fifteenth-century Mainz, in its tangible details and its political climate; we feel the mood of the times. Her prose is straightforward and clean, bringing technical details to artful life.” — Rosemary and Reading Glasses
Susan Straight
I loved this novel! Alix Christie’s debut is intensely observed, so much so that I felt myself in the dark rooms of history with the people laboring over the metal and words to bring us print, but also laboring over their own lives and love and survival.
Katie Noah Gibson
Christie has created a rich, masterful tale of “the darkest art” and its powerful effect on the written word.
BookPage
An imaginative recounting of history that, despite a 15th-century setting, reflects many of today’s chief matters of concern...a must-read for anyone interested in the ever-changing art of publishing.
Washington Post
Finely atmospheric…a haunting elegy to the culture of print… One thinks of Donna Tartt’s THE GOLDFINCH or Philip Roth’s AMERICAN PASTORAL. Such novels of craft and specialization take a writerly delight in the most intricate details of a particular trade while spinning rich prose out of its mysterious threads.
Rosamund Lupton
As beautifully written as the printed pages it describes, this is an intelligent, masterful novel that immerses the reader in a fascinating historical time and place.
New York Times Book Review
By juxtaposing the lexicon of traditional printing with references to modern concepts like intellectual property theft, Christie spotlights intriguing parallels between 15th-century Europe and the digital media of the 21st-century world.
San Francisco Chronicle
In this deeply researched historical novel dramatizing the biggest invention since the wheel Christie...explores the intricacies surrounding the breakthrough of movable type and the first print run of Gutenberg Bibles in medieval Germany...Christie deftly imbues its telling with the drama and intensity it demands.
New York Journal of Books
This ambitious but beautifully executed historical novel captures the life and times of half a millennium ago, and with the above parallels, draws us closer to today’s publishing revolution.
San Francisco Chronicle
In this deeply researched historical novel dramatizing the biggest invention since the wheel Christie...explores the intricacies surrounding the breakthrough of movable type and the first print run of Gutenberg Bibles in medieval Germany...Christie deftly imbues its telling with the drama and intensity it demands.
Washington Post
Finely atmospheric…a haunting elegy to the culture of print… One thinks of Donna Tartt’s THE GOLDFINCH or Philip Roth’s AMERICAN PASTORAL. Such novels of craft and specialization take a writerly delight in the most intricate details of a particular trade while spinning rich prose out of its mysterious threads.
The Missourian
Enthralling...With the help of contemporary experts on early printing, and 15th century German history, Christie has written a compelling first novel. This is an exceptional work full of trickery, betrayal, and historical significance.
More Than Just Magic
An enthralling literary debut that evokes one of the most momentous events in history, the birth of printing in medieval Germany…Gutenberg’s Apprentice will give you a whole new set of reasons to love that printed book in your hand.
Historical Novel Society
In Christie’s stellar debut, we become observers to the birth of one of the greatest inventions of man - the printing press…masterful…a highly recommended novel.
The News Today (Bangladesh)
A rousing and beautiful novel… It’s surprising that Hollywood is yet to make a movie on Gutenberg and his press, and I hope Alix Christie’s richly imagined, finely researched and intricately plotted novel is the one that gets picked to be that longwishedfor movie.
Rosemary and Reading Glasses
Ms. Christie’s book immerses the reader in mid-fifteenth-century Mainz, in its tangible details and its political climate; we feel the mood of the times. Her prose is straightforward and clean, bringing technical details to artful life.
Quivering Pen
Intrigue! Betrayal! Printing Presses!...Who knew a book about the “first Bible” could be so fascinating?
Sullivan County Democrat
A gorgeous, tremendously enjoyable historical novel…What’s happening now over a couple of decades took many more years in the 1400s; you’ll live there for a good while, and leave reluctantly.
Shelf Awareness
Christie has created a rich, masterful tale of “the darkest art” and its powerful effect on the written word.
National Examiner
Riveting.
Ephemeral Pursuits
Marvelous…The best fiction published in 2014 thus far for me - highly recommended, especially if you enjoy reading about books or fine press books. You’ll enjoy a rollicking good medieval tale along with learning about the process of making books.
Booklist (starred review)
Gorgeously written...dramatizes the creation of the Gutenberg Bible in a story that devotees of book history and authentic historical fiction will relish...An inspiring tale of ambition, camaraderie, betrayal, and cultural transformation based on actual events and people, this wonderful novel fully inhabits its age.
HistoryWire.com
Every now and then, an aspiring author explodes upon the scene in such a fashion that one is unlikely to forget her. Alix Christie not only tackled Gutenberg’s Apprentice as her debut novel but managed to garner starred reviews.
Night Owl Reviews
A remarkable, captivating work of historical fiction, “Gutenberg’s Apprentice” will make anyone who reads it look at books and newer modes of communication in a different light.
The Economist
Alix Christie’s debut novel puts a human face on the invention of the printing press and brings to the fore a little known third actor in the creation of Johannes Gutenberg’s world-changing Bible.
NOVEMBER 2014 - AudioFile
Much as Peter Schoeffer, former scribe turned apprentice to Johann Gutenberg, renders words beautifully on vellum in this historical novel, narrator Robert Petkoff delivers crisp lines, sweeping strokes, light flourishes, or dramatic touches as he narrates. Nothing in author Alix Christie’s text stirs without doing likewise in Petkoff’s delivery, strengthening each scene in the listener’s mind. The effects are neither forced nor overdone. As Petkoff interprets the text, his narration decidedly contributes to the enjoyment of this novel, which tells the story of the invention of printing and the social and political context out of which it arose. K.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
★ 2014-06-16
Christie debuts with a literary exploration of Gutenberg and his printing press, which sparked a technological revolution—as well as the other men involved who were left in history's shadows.Johann Fust, prosperous merchant of Mainz, Germany, gathered guilders and gold for Gutenberg. Peter Schoeffer, Fust’s ward who was training in Paris as a scribe, was called home to become Gutenberg's apprentice—and watch over the mad genius. An orphaned peasant boy, cousin of Fust’s first wife, Schoeffer resented being drawn away from intellectual circles but came to see his chance to “raise again the…lamp of learning.” Schoeffer’s the primary protagonist, his interior journey from frustration to reconciliation to obsession with Gutenberg’s press deftly chronicled against the panorama of the 15th century—the jealous craft guilds, the iron hand and depraved greed of the church hierarchy, the free towns like Mainz controlled by the machinations of oligarchs called Elders. Schoeffer anchors the story, but Gutenberg flashes—megalomaniacal and duplicitous, with hair “wild and bristling to his shoulders…beard cascad[ing]…glinting here and there like twists of wire,” and “glowing, canine eyes.” Christie masterfully depicts the time and energy required to print the first Bibles, a yearslong process of trial and error, tinkering with ink and type, lines and paper, guilder after guilder spent without return, all against a catastrophic backdrop of plague, the fall of Constantinople, the violent superstitions of the peasantry, and a vested intelligentsia fearing the press would generate “crude words crudely wrought...smut and prophecy, the ranting of anarchists and antichrists.” Bibles, 180 in all, are printed in the strictest secrecy lest the press be seized “as a threat to the scriptoria whose proceeds kept the landed cloisters fat.” While rendered chronologically, with a second narrative thread about Schoeffer’s courtship of his first wife, the narrative is given texture through intermittent chapters in which Schoeffer, years later—worried that Gutenberg’s triumph was more corrupt than holy—relates his story to Trithemius, abbot of Sponheim.A bravura debut.
