In his new trilogy, Max Gallo—whose author Bertrand Brasil has already published the Patriots and Victor Hugo series—presents a fascinating historical saga set in the Middle Ages. *The Christians* depicts the emergence of Christian France through three pivotal characters: Martin, the first evangelizer of the Gauls; Clovis, the converted barbarian who unified Gaul and became the first Christian king; and Bernard of Clairvaux, the great founder of the Cistercian order who advocated the Second Crusade. In *The Soldier's Cloak*, the first volume, Gallo presents the debate between Julius Galvinius and his son, Antonius, in defense of two constantly conflicting worlds. Julius seeks to convince his son to return to tradition, while the latter tries to convert his father to the new faith. The center of the discussion ends up being the life of Saint Martin, also torn between two worldviews. Martin, through his prayers and solitude, decided to dedicate himself to God. However, God chose to act differently. Martin was elected bishop of Tours and called to convert the pagans and destroy the ancient cult. His only weapons were prayer and preaching. His discipline and the poverty in which he lived, combined with the miracles he performed, led to the emergence of an ever-growing community around him, which immediately recognized him as the first Christian teacher. Max Gallo's series "The Christians" continues with "The Baptism of the King" and "The Monk's Crusade," presenting the other two pillars of Christian France.
