Rating: 
Summary: Two, Two, Two Bios in One
Review: Fortune Is A River: Leonardo da Vinci and Niccolo Machiavelli's Magnificent Dream to Change the Course of Florentine History by Roger D Masters, is an excellent non-fiction book.Before I read this I'd had no idea they even knew each other. This is really two biographies in one volume, although it seemed to give more emphasis to Machiavelli, and deals for the most part with a small part of their lives. The controversial part of this is the dispassionate approach taken to these characters, and showing them in a new light which may conflict with the usual tired old ways. Yes, da Vinci was ahead of his time, yes, he was a master of many arts and sciences, but he was also a failure at almost everything he ever did. Yes, Machiavelli was the quintessential politician, yes, he may have been an atheist for all practical purposes, but he acted in accordance with a system of political ethics (jumbo shrimp?) and tried to do his best for his city whether it was his beloved republic or some sort of aristocratic or oligarchic state. Masters writes well about several difficult subjects in this one volume. I was very impressed with all of it.
Rating:
Summary: A fascinating collaboration
Review: I have for some time been interested in the relationships between Leonardo Da Vinci, Machiavelli and Ceasare Borgia, and this work brings those characters to life in an enlightening and interesting interpretation of an historical event that resulted in a monumental failure. It illustrates the human side to genius and is a fascinating look at the politics of Florence and surrounding environs during the early 16th century. It is considerably more fun to read than most history books I have encountered. Thank you Dr. Masters.
Rating: 
Summary: A Shallow Examination of a Fascinating Plan
Review: Masters attempts to prove that Machiavelli and Da Vinci worked together on trying to divert the Arno. Unfortunately, the lack of primary material directly confirming the relationship undermines the credibility of the book. Ultimately, the reader is left with following Masters' speculations about the relationship. While plausible, these speculations were never developed to the point that I felt they were conclusively answered. The whole book felt like a long term paper to me. The over 60 pages of endnotes and sources at the end reinforced the feeling. And, just like a term paper that is trying to reach a certain page count, the book has a lot of filler at the end trying to explain the impact of the failed project on the lives of the two architects. Again, while the speculations are intriguing, there is not enough documentary support to prove them. I have to give Masters credit for writing an accessible book on a fascinating subject. In fact, I'd probably recommend this book as a great introduction to the lives of Machiavelli and Da Vinci. But, as a definitive statement on the connection between these two giants of the Renaissance, the book falls short.
Rating: 
Summary: Over-rated
Review: No historical scholar would mistake Masters's book for serious academic research. His thesis, while engaging, is never supported except by the most circumstantial of evidence. He failed to convince me the two men had even heard of each other, let alone concoct such a fantastic plot together. Nonetheless, the book is a good overview of the politics of the Italian Renaissance for the layperson. You're introduced to the movers and shakers of the age and told what they did in a very accesible, narrative style. The premise of Machiavelli and Da Vinci's collaboration, while likely fictional, does make for interesting reading. This book is great inspiration for a novel of alternative history, but look harder if you want the actual history.
Rating:
Summary: Over-rated
Review: The premise of the book is quite interesting...a synergistic interaction between Machiavelli and DaVinci. Put simply, the book falls flat. The first half of the book develops the reader's interest by providing details about the war and the 2 principles. One awaits the promised intercourse, only to find that the potentially exciting 'magnificent dream' was a weakly presented proposal and that DaVinci and Machiavelli never had a meaningful interaction. Overrated, period.
Rating:
Summary: What could have been if the Arno river was tamed!
Review: This book has an interesting theme and is an original subject. I am notat all sure what Masters writes is true, since this history is very long ago, and the sources are not there. It seems probable that Machiavelli met and knew DaVinci. It seems clear that DaVinci tried to use the Arno initially to cut off the water for Pisa, and later to improve the commercial position of Florence and the city's boss Borgia. The book does show how DaVinci was ahead of his time in trying to damm and control a river.
This book drags at time and has lots of related material thrown in. I did learn a little more about the characters of Borgia, DaVinci, and Machiavelli. An alright read.
Rating: 
Summary: very interesting read
Review: this book has been sitting on my shelf for months until I finally picked it up and started reading. I finished the book rather quickly as the content is very interesting. I found the chapters on Leonardo especially well written. Three quarters of the way through, though, I realized that I had finished the book and the remaining pages were actually notes and credits. It's a good read from start to finish and a good high level view of the topic for anyone interested in this period of Italian history. The notes are lengthy and would lead the reader into further depth if so desired. I found the book to be almost like a fiction in it's presentation and that kept my interest as history books in general do not.
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating study of little known details
Review: This book is a fascinating study of some little known historical events. Even to those who have taken a keen interest in the life of Leonardo and/or Macchiavelli, there is plenty of obscure information to add to your body of knowledge. That is the main attraction of the book (apart from recounting its main event, the planned canal, of course), that it lingers over facts that other biographies largely ignore.
The anecdotes, trivial though some may think them, were a big bonus in my view - source material that is otherwise very hard to come by.
As icing to the cake, it is nicely written thus making it a pleasant read - a real page turner actually!
Rating:
Summary: Different View
Review: This book offers a totally different historical view of Machiavelli and Da Vinci. During the reading of this, they became very real, very human, to me. Masters writes rather well, though he can't seem to make up his mind if he wants to call them by their surnames or their first names. The switching back and forth becomes distracting at times. It was fascinating to read about two such powerful, influential figures working on such a doomed project. I recommend this book to anyone interested in Da Vinci or Machiavelli, or in the history of Florence.
Rating:
Summary: Different View
Review: This book offers a totally different historical view of Machiavelli and Da Vinci. During the reading of this, they became very real, very human, to me. Masters writes rather well, though he can't seem to make up his mind if he wants to call them by their surnames or their first names. The switching back and forth becomes distracting at times. It was fascinating to read about two such powerful, influential figures working on such a doomed project. I recommend this book to anyone interested in Da Vinci or Machiavelli, or in the history of Florence.
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