Borromeo and the Vatican: Challenges of the Sword and the Saint

In the year 1560, Pius IV asked his young nephew, Carlo Borromeo, to be the Secretary of State for the Roman Catholic Church. This historical novel enables the reader to see how Carlo countered the dangerous threats of impious clergy and of Christians who saw Rome's Pontiff as the Anti-Christ. Carlo's childhood friend, the skillful swordsman Robert Vecchi, was not as saintly as Carlo, but faithfully engaged the omnipresent enemy including the Ottoman fleet at Lepanto, and Carlo's political foes in Rome and Milan. Careful and factual attention is paid in the novel to the inner workings and intrigues of Church politics and the decisions reached through the Council of Trent as saint and prideful sinner used their unique skills to reach their individual goals.