Sign up
Search
Advanced search settings

Search only in certain items:

Search results
All (2512)
Content
People
Apps
Books
Orbs
Movies
Music
Podcasts
Shows
Tabletop Games
Tech
TV
Video Games
YouTube Channels
Videos
40x40

David McK (3372 KP) rated Blood's Game in Books

Jan 30, 2019  
BG
Blood's Game
Angus Donald | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Like, I'm sure, many others, my first exposure to the writings of [a:Angus Donald|584064|Angus Donald|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/m_50x66-82093808bca726cb3249a493fbd3bd0f.png] was when I picked up [b:Outlaw|6624899|Outlaw (The Outlaw Chronicles, #1)|Angus Donald|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1347668868s/6624899.jpg|6819139] on sale: a novel which reimagined the familiar character of Robin Hood, and which I thoroughly enjoyed: so much so that I made it a point to pick up all the novels in that series ([b:Outlaw|6624899|Outlaw (The Outlaw Chronicles, #1)|Angus Donald|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1347668868s/6624899.jpg|6819139], [b:Holy Warrior|7710240|Holy Warrior (The Outlaw Chronicles, #2)|Angus Donald|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1327539941s/7710240.jpg|10428506], [b:King's Man|11351795|King's Man (The Outlaw Chronicles, #3)|Angus Donald|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1328436464s/11351795.jpg|16281574], [b:Warlord|13077584|Warlord (The Outlaw Chronicles, #4)|Angus Donald|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1342984405s/13077584.jpg|18244685], [b:Grail Knight|20613734|Grail Knight (The Outlaw Chronicles #5)|Angus Donald|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1410172817s/20613734.jpg|21976159], [b:The Iron Castle|19857964|The Iron Castle (Outlaw Chronicles, #6)|Angus Donald|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1402550564s/19857964.jpg|27860558] and (finally) [b:The Death of Robin Hood|29348050|The Death of Robin Hood (The Outlaw Chronicles, #8)|Angus Donald|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1467543641s/29348050.jpg|49585935]).

This, however, would be the first time I had read one of Donald's novels that concerned a different central character, and that had a different setting: would it, I wondered, be more of the same, or would it have it's own 'feel'?

The answer, I can now say, is the latter.

Replacing Alan-a-Dale with Holcroft Blood, and told in the more traditional her-and-know third-person narrative (instead of the conceit of an elderly Alan recalling his youthful adventures with Robin Hood), this particular novel deals with the (attempted) theft of the Crown Jewels from the Tower of England during the reign of King Charles II, not long after the restoration.

While that (attempted) theft is carried out by Thomas Blood - who was caught red-handed but later, incredibly, was granted a pardon by Charles II - this novel does not have Thomas as the central character: rather, instead, we follow the fortunes of his youngest son Holcroft: a son who, throughout the course of this novel, becomes friends with Sir John Churchill, the future Duke of Marlborough (and Winston Churchill's direct descendant).

Whether true or not, young Holcroft is portrayed in this as suffering from a mild form of Asperger's Syndrome, able to easily code and decode correspondence sent to his master The Duke of Buckingham from his various spies and informants: a skill that comes in handy in this tale! I have to say, too, that the court of King Charles II comes across as incredibly decadent, full of scheming and back-stabbing rivals out wholly for themselves ...

I'd be interested in seeing where this series goes, especially as the next entry ([b:Blood's Revolution|36146468|Blood's Revolution|Angus Donald|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1504033386s/36146468.jpg|57749834]) concerns itself - at least, according to the blurb at the back of this - with what is (in this country - Northern Ireland - at least) a very divisive and pivotal moment in English history.
  
    Low Carb Diet Recipes

    Low Carb Diet Recipes

    Food & Drink and Health & Fitness

    (0 Ratings) Rate It

    App

    Discover many Low Carb Diet recipes with this collection of 166 tuitional video lessons. Videos...

40x40

Molly J (Cover To Cover Cafe) (106 KP) rated Revolution in Books

Feb 27, 2019  
Revolution
Revolution
Jennifer Donnelly | 2010 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
As someone who has dealt with multiple tragic losses, depression and anxiety all at the same time, this book really hit me with the emotions. I was feeling them all with this amazingly written novel from a truly talented author. From the start, Ms. Donnelly had me hooked. I picked this book up at the local used bookstore just to have something to read, not knowing the emotional connections I would have with all the characters. 

Andi and Alexandrine are beautifully chiseled with their flaws and their pain and sadness. Both characters, while one in the present and one in the past, really tore at my heart. Alexandrine's character wrote in her journal, but the tragic loss she endured, the heartache she was dealt became mine. Andi's teenage mind, her rebelliousness, was so much like my own and the way she dealt with her pain, her loss, was so familiar to me. 

That takes an incredible author to get me to connect so fully with their characters. This story of an epic revolution of mind, soul, and events, will really cocoon the reader. I stayed up long into the night, turning page after page, reveling in one world and then the next in an instant. These characters, this story line, this author deserve 4 stars and high recommendations from me, so that is what they are getting. I absolutely can not wait until I get my hands on another amazing story from this very talented author. 

*I Purchased a copy of this book for my collection and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*