The Colour Storm

A glorious, exuberant summer read. Dibben’s triumph is the character of Zorzo, a buoyant, loveable guide to the grandeur and the dangers of Renaissance Venice

Ravishing, addictive, knife-sharp, ambitious, and singing with detail. A compelling thriller that takes us to the heart of sixteenth century Venice where the world’s most famous painters compete to win the greatest commission of their lives. There is so much to think about and relish. Not simply the story itself – with all its glorious twists and turns – but the search to express ourselves. A celebration of art and a hymn to colour.

An engaging thriller and a compelling exploration of an artist’s obsession with love and colour

The Colour Storm takes readers on a thrilling, murderous journey through the serpentine waters of High Renaissance Venice as one of art history’s most gifted but often overlooked painters – Giorgione – searches for love, fame, and, most importantly, colour. Written with language as vibrant as a Giorgione masterpiece, The Colour Storm is for lovers of art, Italy, and page-turning plot

A story filled with intrigue and secrets as well as colour, Damian Dibben’s new novel is filled with vivid descriptions . . . very rich in atmosphere and tone that keeps you wanting to read more

A terrific book . . . Absorbing, exciting and, dare I say it, colourful. An original tale told beautifully

Art and ambition, love and obsession all come into play in this compelling and spellbinding tale set in Renaissance Venice

Hugely evocative, it’s a love story, it’s a thriller, it’s a fantastic page turner

A rich and rousing tale of art, love, rivalry and obsession in Renaissance Venice

An intoxicating story about an incredible period in history

The pace of this elegant thriller quickens as truths are bared between controlling Jakob Fugger and abused Sybille with her tortuous past, while lovestruck Zorzo is pulled into a powerful situation that draws richly upon all elements of the 16th century

An intoxicating and illuminating tale, bathed in colour, passion and ambition . . . A must for lovers of Renaissance art and the wonders of sixteenth century Venice

The pace of a thriller and the riches of a Renaissance painting

A vivid imagining of the artistic world of Renaissance Venice. There is an incredible charm in its depiction of the great painters of the period with all their flesh-and-blood idiosyncrasies and flaws. The life of the studio and the supreme importance of colour in all the essentials of its make up is rendered absolutely convincingly. The work has all the more emotional power as it focusses on a lesser known artist as he negotiates the precarious life of his city alongside competitors, those whose names have resounded through history.

A great work of historical fiction, which weaves together conspiracy, art and love in a thriller

Praise for Damian Dibben

Bask in the brilliance

Original, ambitious, moving

What a novel! Ambitious and wonderfully achieved

I was captivated from the beginning. Ornate, vivid, deeply coloured, and so precise I could smell and taste the world

An epic tale of love, of courage, of hope

A stunning and captivating tale

A grand sweep of adventure and travel, war and romance, and a rich exploration of love, life and loyalty

[An] opulent tale, with elements of both love story and thriller, featuring some of Venice’s most admired High Renaissance artists hunting desperately for a dazzling new pigment that will transform their work and fortunes