Poetry of Reading

This is another fascinating tale from Sansom about his “anti-hero”, a lawyer called Matthew Shardlake who has a hunchback and thus is reviled by some of the ignorant and misinformed people of that time (this story is set in 1540). This tale has everything: mystery, intrigue, deception, plot, and counterplot all set in the dangerous political and religious atmosphere of that period. Sansom weaves history and fiction skilfully together to create this fascinating tale.

The search for the secret of Dark Fire, desperately sought by Thomas Cromwell on behalf of Henry VIII, leads lawyer Shardlake through the perils of multiple murders and further intrigue. Anne Boleyn has already been beheaded and Anne of Cleves, the fourth wife of Henry, is about to be dethroned in favor of Catherine Howard. Amidst the turmoil of the king’s wives, Cromwell seeks to protect his position by providing the monarchy with the formula for Dark-Fire. He turns to Shardlake to unravel the mystery and find this weapon for the king.

 It is a very good atmospheric and evocative historical thriller with faultless characterization. The author created an interesting cast of different characters, described London during the Reformation so well that made me feel there and then, I could almost hear the sounds, feel the smells of that long-gone time, go about London streets with Shardlake and Barak. The way Sansom used minor details, even weather, to create the atmosphere in this book, is outstanding. His characters are three-dimensional, have their motivations, passions, and weaknesses.

Although this is the second book in this series, you don’t need to read the first to be able to make sense of everything in Dark Fire. If you enjoy rich, meaty, multi-layered historical mysteries with excellent characterization and plotting, by all means, make the acquaintance of Matthew Shardlake!

The story begins with Uther Pendragon, King of Dumnonia, and the High King of Britain, nearing death. His grandson, Mordred, is his heir; however, Mordred is only a baby. Arthur, a bastard of Uther, takes an oath of loyalty to Mordred and is chosen as Mordred’s guardian. Until Mordred is old enough to rule Dumnonia himself, Arthur is effectively the king.

Arthur dreams to unite the various kingdoms of Britain and push out the invading land-hungry Saxons. This is the story of Arthur. Repeatedly, just when you think that Arthur’s dream is to become a reality, the dream is shattered because of his weaknesses, his sense of justice, the machinations of kings and those closest to him, the conflict between Christians and pagans, or most often his oath of loyalty to Mordred. Certainly, for a moment there is Camelot, but even then dark clouds are on the horizon.

The characterization is so vivid, the landscapes and living conditions described in a way that you felt the cold winds, smelled the offal and saw the end of Roman Britain fall into an unrepairable Dark Age, which is studied comparatively little to the Medieval period, the Renaissance... Cornwell weaves spellbinding storytelling with integral parts of this part of Britain's history.

Great story and well written. Makes the period (500 AD) seem very real, a tough time to be living. Loved the character Derfel. Lots of heroism, love, hate, death, treachery, just like life.

 A fast-paced journey through Ancient Egypt in the time of the great female Pharaoh Hatshepsut. A story was rich with gods, lust, and love... 

Hatshepsut is the second daughter of Thutmose II and not expecting much more from her life other than to do as she pleases but then her sister dies and she suddenly finds herself as a bride to her brother as tradition demands. Her only job now is to produce a son to carry on the bloodline. But she is too intelligent to be caged in the women’s quarters and she finds ways to co-rule with her brother who cares little for Egypt and truly cannot make a good decision. When her brother Thutmose III, dies, Hatshepsut finds herself as regent for her stepson and she comes alive as steers Egypt through a major crisis and brings her into a time of prosperity and peace.

I loved her take on Hatshepsut in this novel and how real she made her. She was not always a self-assured woman; she struggled with her life both publicly and privately and had to deal with more than her fair share of heartache and betrayal. She had many obstacles to overcome, and I felt for her. She could come across as being spoiled sometimes, yet others she was so informal it seems like it was so easy for her to turn off her public face and it was nice to see her age in the novel, and I enjoyed the breaks in the story where it would go forward several years to a different period to her life.

I especially liked this look into ancient Egyptian religion, the role it played in society, and society. The Gods had an almost physical presence in the story with how closely they were incorporated into the narrative, a fact that was very true in ancient Egypt from what I’ve read. The look into the ancient Egyptian royal court and the life of the royal family was also fascinating. I had never heard of certain facts like the Hall of Women and how limited the correct position of women was in this society, at least those in the royal lineage. The author does a fantastic job of incorporating historical and cultural details throughout the story that brings this all to life without detracting from the engrossing story.

This is another enjoyable book by Stephanie Thornton. She is one of those historical writers that makes her readers experience the past through details that appeal to all the senses. She tells a gripping story about a woman who was large in history and whose name still lives today, thousands of years later. Yet, the reader gets to know this woman intimately, feeling her emotions and thinking her thoughts with her.