Test of Faith by Aleksandr Voinov & Raev Gray

[reviews_and_ramblings]

Test of Faith is only a short story but it’s clear that behind there is a lot of research work done; a work that the reader itself can redo thanks to the appendixes, a useful walkthrough among the early Middle Age custom and religious beliefs, both from the Christian than Muslim point of view. And here is the strength of this story, that the truth doesn’t lie in one or the other side, both of them have reason and ideals.

Thierry is a Templar warrior and monk, who is chosen, after the defeat, as “toy” for Abdul, a Frenchman converted to the Muslim faith and now advisor to Saladin. It’s not a gift of life, Thierry will be executed with his brothers when they will reach Damascus, but meanwhile Abdul has someone with whom he can enjoy the forbidden pleasures of man to man sex. But Thierry is different from the others who preceded him, and Abdul starts to question his actions; not his beliefs, it’s clear that there are deep rooted reasons for Abdul to have converted to the Muslim religion, something linked to a refusal, maybe of his preferences for men (he admits he has never been with a woman). What Abdul questions is that, maybe, there are brothers also among the Christians, and that kill them like meat to the market will not give them the chance to understand their reasons.

But also Thierry learns a lesson, that is how great is his same courage, the strength of his faith that nothing has to do with his chastity, or the sin of sodomy; Thierry will find a “brother” in Abdul, same as he has found among the other Templers, only that the bond with Abdul will be also physical. Same as Abdul, Thierry will not question his faith and neither his mission; strange as it’s, probably Thierry is the one who will end stronger from this experience.

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