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A Discovery of Witches - Deborah Harkness
by kellyab181
I've read a fair few books on vampires, witches and like by now. After the Twilight phenomenon it seems every book must squeeze in a supernatural being or two.
I was lend this book by my sister-in-law, because as a history obsessive and general book obsessive, she thought I'd like this book. It's premise sounded interesting; a story ... set around Diana Bishop, a reluctant witch, who becomes involved in a mystery involving a historic manuscript. As a result she becomes involved with the elusive 1500 vampire Matthew Clairmont.
Unfortunately, I didn't find the love story all that compelling. Perhaps that is because I've read far too much about reluctant vampires and women in danger to care much about this couple. I like a love story that makes your heart pound and you just can't wait for the two characters to engage in the story. I didn't feel that. But perhaps that is just me.
Saying that, I did throughly enjoy the historical basis to the book, and the way in which Deborah Harkness describes Oxford and the life there. It made me wish I was clever enough to get into Oxford University. But alas I'm not. This author certainly knows her stuff and the knowledge and historical references in this book are certainly enough to keep you interested if the love story is not.
If your looking for a love story that isn't flat then this is certainly worth a try. However, it did border on samey for me at several points, and sometimes I found it hard to believe parts ( we're all surrounded by witches, vampires and demons but we don't realise? There also seems to be an awful lot in Oxford. But hey, it's fiction right?).
All in all, an enjoyable book, but perhaps not for the reasons she intended. My historical interests were more peaked than my romantic bone.
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Bad Boy - Peter Robinson
by pmcds
People talk about living in others' limelight a lot, and when it comes to British crime thrillers, Peter Robinson has firmly made the move out from there and is a shining light all on his own. the perpetual comparisons with Ian Rankin are justified, as the similarities are all there, but then writing about an Inspector in the British ... Police Force leaves less room for manoeuvre than we might think. Rankin's damaged Scot Rebus had the inclusion of his daughter into his stories quite early on, Robinson's gruff rule bender Banks has had his own teenage daughter quietly sitting in the wings until now. Bad Boy, the 19th Inspector Banks book, makes things personal for him while spreading the onus of the story across a range of characters.
To reflect on his most recently failed relationship, maverick Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks has decided a trip to the States is the best idea. When he and his wife Sandra were still together and their kids Brian and Tracy were still growing up, they lived on the same street as the Doyles. When Juliet Doyle arrives at the police station looking for Alan to help with a sensitive matter involving her daughter Erin, little could anyone know the tragic consequences Banks' absence could have. Internal investigations, a cross country manhunt and involvement with a dangerous pair of torturing criminals all ensue, all from the pen in Robinson's hand.
The book starts off instantly, no messing about, as DI Annie Cabbot meets with Juliet Doyle and starts the ball rolling when it's clear there's a potential firearm at large. I thought this was quite good, as usually there is a clear introduction as the scene is set. You don't really have time to catch your breath either really with this, which was alien to me as I like to settle into a book as it gathers pace. This hit the ground running with page 1, and while this was a refreshing element it did make it harder for it to improve as the book went on.
Robinson switches the focus in the first half of the book quite well. A lot of the burden is placed on Annie to take the main reins, and while we do keep flicking to Banks during his trip abroad, it seems out of place, almost as if Robinson is at a crossroads himself with where to take his main character. I'm not surprised; it must be really hard to maintain the diversity in the books, and when you get to nearly 20 books with the same character then this must pose a bigger dilemma than a lot of authors on their 3rd or 4th book. Interestingly enough, this attempt to take him out of the picture a little bit is then slammed down by Robinson as Banks' daughter Tracy becomes caught up with a gun-wielding cocaine dealer desperate to save his own skin.
Robinson tries to escalate things by flaunting the controversy surrounding gun law, and makes sure to incorporate a number of different police procedures into the story, recalling the snivelling Inspector Chambers from the internal affairs branch of the police. He is well written into the book, making you like him even less than a few books ago when he made Annie's life miserable before she returned to Banks' team. There's also the inclusion of armed firearm officers and the attempt by Robinson to diversify even more with allowing some narrative to the various villains in the book, with three different threads falling into this category.
I think I read this Banks book quicker than any other, and I'm not entirely sure this is a good thing. The books I've liked the most in the series are those with the grittiest plots, and no amount of characterisation has diminished this if I'm honest. Here though, the story doesn't amount to a gruesome murder, but instead there is a manhunt to save Tracy and the question of whether Banks should be involved or not just isn't given enough time in the plot; nor is the mindset of the character who has taken Tracy hostage, Jaff. He is a young drug addled criminal with not a care in the world, happy to use a gun and dangerous, but somehow Robinson doesn't get him developed enough within the pace of the book to make it all seem serious enough.
Perhaps it's the constant flitting from one narrative to another, but perhaps it's the fact that you have to suspend belief throughout the book. the inconsistencies stem from tweaking the rules. Firstly, there are numerous attempts to play by the rules with them being extensively followed, only to be shot down in a moment which is then either not elaborated on or swept under the carpet. This happens a few times and to be honest, the pace was so fast all the way through the book that I didn't have time to think about it. As the book progressed though, things like this became all too noticeable and the emphasis on character didn't quite hold out til the end for me.
I don't for a moment want to suggest it isn't worth reading - to say this is a weaker Banks book is no slight on the book, more a compliment to the series as a whole. If you're new to this series and looking for a place to start, I'd suggest the beginning with Gallows View. To start here at Bad Boy would be an error and probably put you off. The main focus is on characterisation and pace, and it just wouldn't be helpful unless you had background on a lot of these characters. To those seasoned Banks readers, look at this as a development in characters and a way to fill some gaps in before the next book. Slightly different tack to the usual gruesome murder and whodunnit thrills, I just hope Robinson returns to what has worked best for the next book. Not so recommended as usual for Robinson.
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The Heretics: 5 (John Shakespeare 5) - Rory Clements
by SWSt
Despite being a relative newcomer to the scene, Rory Clements' Tudor spy John Shakespeare has quickly established himself as a fan favourite. Unbelievably, The Heretics is his fifth adventure and, although Clements is churning them out quite quickly, there is no evidence that this is affecting their quality.
Once again, ... Shakespeare is at the centre of events as he uncovers evidence of another Catholic plot to depose the Protestant Queen Elizabeth I. Meanwhile, at the dying wish of an executed priest, Shakespeare also investigates the earlier disappearance of a young girl who was subjected to exorcisms years ago at the hands of a particularly devout group of priests.
The first thing to say about The Heretics is that it is an extremely readable book. Given that it is number five in the series, Clements no longer needs to provide much f background information. Most of the major characters are known to his readers and so he can hit the ground running - which is precisely what he does. There are few wasted words in The Heretics: everything that happens is either designed to drive the plot forward or to develop the characters in some important way.
It's true that a couple of plot elements didn't quite ring true. Despite Clements' efforts, there's never a convincing explanation as to why Shakespeare (and his master Robert Cecil) should respect the dying wish of an unrepentant Catholic priest. Some books would fall on this detail, leaving the reader feeling disconnected from subsequent events, but the plot is so interesting that you don't really care.
It's one of those books that once you start reading, you will not want to stop. It's not that it's particularly clever (you will probably work out the overall plot arc long before the finale), but it is highly enjoyable. Clements has a straightforward style that nevertheless creates realistic characters, locations and situations. Whilst the book does not depend on massive amounts of historical information, Clements presents a sufficiently convincing portrayal of Elizabethan England, with its religious divisions, the court factions and constant fears of invasion. Yet when reading The Heretics, it never feels as though you are being given a history lesson.
The Heretics is a little more ambitious than previous titles and it's clear that Clements is growing in confidence as a writer. Rather than concentrating on a single plot device, he branches out with a number of different plots and sub-plots. All of these reinforce the sense of competing interests that put pressure on Shakespeare and force him to make difficult choices. Whilst the plotlines sometimes overlap, they often remain separate and underline the complexities of the environment that Shakespeare operates in.
As in previous books, I do find the central character slightly unlikeable at times. Even if he only rarely carries out his threats, he is a little too ready to threaten people with torture, death or imprisonment if they do not give him the information he needs. Of course, this only seems harsh if you view him with 20th century sensibilities; if you look at him in the context of his times, he is positively enlightened!
An element of the book which has never really worked for me is the idea of the central character being William Shakespeare's brother. Although The Bard occasionally cameos (more so in this book than previous ones), it feels rather forced. There's nothing that couldn't be lost, and you get the impression that the fictional relationship is really only there for the purposes of instant and publicity.
The ending is also something of an anti-climax. After almost 300 pages, Clements drops the ball with an ending that feels rushed and fizzles out. The resolution to a couple of major plot strands is simply dismissed in a sentence or two of dialogue (rather than being witnessed "first hand"), whilst others are left unresolved (although the author may intend to pick these up and develop them in future books).
Despite the odd weakness, The Heretics is a highly enjoyable adventure. It might not quite have the same level of historical detail as C J Sansom's Shardlake series (which remains the benchmark), but it's superior to its other main rival S J Parris' Giordano Bruno. Lovers of Tudor based historical murder mysteries are certainly spoilt for choice at the moment, with three authors writing top quality books!
As a relatively new publication, The Heretics is still fairly expensive -£11.50 for the hardback edition and £10 for Kindle. If you prefer to wait for the paperback, you'll need to be a bit patient - it doesn't come out until the end of January 2014.
Basic Information
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The Heretics
Rory Clements
John Murray, 2013
ISBN: 978-1848544338
© Copyright SWSt 2013
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