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David McK (3562 KP) rated The Serpent Sword in Books
Jul 7, 2019
The first entry in Matthew Harffy's Bernicia Chronicles series, which - I have to say - shares more than a few similarities to Bernard Cornwell's 'Last Kingdom' series in that it is set during Dark Ages Britain, with large parts in and around the fortress of Bebbanburg. Sound at all familiar?
When reading this, I had no idea which came first: this, or Cornwell's The Last Kingdom.
Thta's not to set that this novel isn't enjoyable, and that we can't have more than one story set in and about the same time period (indeed, if anything, this is set even earlier than Cornwell's novels, i.e. before the time of Alftred the Great): I did, in fact, quite enjoy this.
Throughout the course of this novel, we follow the exploits and the coming of age of Harffy's main protaganist, Beobrand of Bernicia, from his arrival at the court of King Edwin through his first taste of a battle in a shieldwall, to his time at a Christian Monastery and travels throughout a lawless land before finally settling down (at least, until the next novel!)
When reading this, I had no idea which came first: this, or Cornwell's The Last Kingdom.
Thta's not to set that this novel isn't enjoyable, and that we can't have more than one story set in and about the same time period (indeed, if anything, this is set even earlier than Cornwell's novels, i.e. before the time of Alftred the Great): I did, in fact, quite enjoy this.
Throughout the course of this novel, we follow the exploits and the coming of age of Harffy's main protaganist, Beobrand of Bernicia, from his arrival at the court of King Edwin through his first taste of a battle in a shieldwall, to his time at a Christian Monastery and travels throughout a lawless land before finally settling down (at least, until the next novel!)
David McK (3562 KP) rated Traitors or Rome (Eagle #18) in Books
Mar 29, 2020
Book number 18 in Simon Scarrow's long-running Macro and Cato series, which means he's catching up on Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe for sheer proliferation of books with the same central character(s) (and that's a good thing).
Following on from the previous novel ("The Blood of Rome"), Macro and Cato are still in charge of the Praetorians, and still on the eastern fringes of the Roman Empire (Syria), with Cato then tasked with making a dangerous journey into Parthia to deliver Rome's demands to the ruler of that nation while the recently-married (at the start of the novel) Macro, under General Corbulo, lays siege to the small kingdom of Thapsis in the mountains which has risen in revolt against Rome.
I have to say, with a title like 'Traitors of Rome' and with the extremely mercenary (historical) nature of the Praetorian Guard, I first thought - when I saw the title - that the Traitors of Rome would themselves prove to be the Praetorians themselves!
That's not the case, however, read the novel to finds out what is ...
Following on from the previous novel ("The Blood of Rome"), Macro and Cato are still in charge of the Praetorians, and still on the eastern fringes of the Roman Empire (Syria), with Cato then tasked with making a dangerous journey into Parthia to deliver Rome's demands to the ruler of that nation while the recently-married (at the start of the novel) Macro, under General Corbulo, lays siege to the small kingdom of Thapsis in the mountains which has risen in revolt against Rome.
I have to say, with a title like 'Traitors of Rome' and with the extremely mercenary (historical) nature of the Praetorian Guard, I first thought - when I saw the title - that the Traitors of Rome would themselves prove to be the Praetorians themselves!
That's not the case, however, read the novel to finds out what is ...
Jacob's Room
Virginia Woolf and Suzanne Raitt
Book
A generous "Contexts" section provides extracts from Woolf's diaries and letters as well as comments...
Sister Carrie
Theodore Dreiser and Donald Pizer
Book
The novel is followed by "A Note on the Text," which discusses the relationship between this...
The Adventure of the Busts of Eva Peron
Carlos Gamerro and Ian Barnett
Book
1975. The cusp of Argentina's Dirty War. The magnate, Fausto Tamerlan, has been kidnapped by...
Los Alamos
Book
'Brilliantly captures the burgeoning Cold War paranoia' Observer Elegantly written and deftly...
Pen 33
Anders Roslund, Borge Hellstrom and Elizabeth Clark Wessel
Book
THE FIRST IN THE MILLION-SELLING DCI EWERT GRENS SERIES, WINNER OF THE GLASS KEY 2005 FOR BEST...
David McK (3562 KP) rated Lord Hornblower (Hornblower #10) in Books
Feb 21, 2021
Chronologically the 10th Hornblower novel but the 5th published, this one has a definite air of finality about it, with Hornblower pulled off the invalid list to deal with a mutiny on board another British ship in the Bay of Seine in the year 1814.
Yes, just one year before the end of the Napoleonic Wars and Napoleons final defeat at Waterloo in 1815.
This novel also takes place over that year, from his (successful) completion of that mission, to a landing in the port of Le Havre, to the conference of Vienna where the victors carve up Napoleon's empire, to Napoleon's return and to his final defeat - admittedly, the decidedly not perfect Hornblower may not be personally involved in all those latter events, but they do impact upon him as he is away visiting old friends (from a few novels back) in France when Napoleon returns.
And, I have to say, he has a very lucky escape indeed!
Only 1 more novel to go now to complete the set ...
Yes, just one year before the end of the Napoleonic Wars and Napoleons final defeat at Waterloo in 1815.
This novel also takes place over that year, from his (successful) completion of that mission, to a landing in the port of Le Havre, to the conference of Vienna where the victors carve up Napoleon's empire, to Napoleon's return and to his final defeat - admittedly, the decidedly not perfect Hornblower may not be personally involved in all those latter events, but they do impact upon him as he is away visiting old friends (from a few novels back) in France when Napoleon returns.
And, I have to say, he has a very lucky escape indeed!
Only 1 more novel to go now to complete the set ...
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) created a post
Jul 31, 2021
AJaneClark (3975 KP) rated Where the Crawdads Sing in Books
May 30, 2020
Delia Owens delivers us the story of Kya the "Marsh Girl" abandoned by her family in Barkley Cove, North Carolina.
The novel switches between times, something I always struggle a little with when reading a novel of this type. Following Kya growing up, being left in the marshes, finding and losing love and learning important life lessons along the way.
It then switches to the discovery and investigation of Barkley Cove's celebrity and much loved football player Chase Andrews. The locals decided that Kya is most likely to be the murder suspect.
Whilst beautifully written, and weaving joy and sadness through what is a very descriptive novel, I did struggle to read through this story, putting it down more times than continuing to read, and at one stage almost considered not finishing the story. I feel that perhaps the ratings and attention this book has had are perhaps over rated. Its a nice story, a little too wordy in places, but worth a read, but do not expect it to live up to the hype.
The novel switches between times, something I always struggle a little with when reading a novel of this type. Following Kya growing up, being left in the marshes, finding and losing love and learning important life lessons along the way.
It then switches to the discovery and investigation of Barkley Cove's celebrity and much loved football player Chase Andrews. The locals decided that Kya is most likely to be the murder suspect.
Whilst beautifully written, and weaving joy and sadness through what is a very descriptive novel, I did struggle to read through this story, putting it down more times than continuing to read, and at one stage almost considered not finishing the story. I feel that perhaps the ratings and attention this book has had are perhaps over rated. Its a nice story, a little too wordy in places, but worth a read, but do not expect it to live up to the hype.
