C.J. Sansom - Matthew Shardlake series - Rated 
Have read all four of the Shardlake series, all brilliant. I am now having withdrawal. Sansom has you totally engrossed, you can picture the scene, a detailed version of the violent times of Henry V111. I cannot find a single fault. Will there be anymore, please.
If you like historical whodunnits, these are for you, difficult to put down, extremely well written, who needs television.
Marriage and murder in Tudor England - Rated
First Sentence: The high chandeliers in the Great Hall of Lincoln's Inn were ablaze with candles, for it was late afternoon when the play began.
Henry VIII has asked to marry Catherine Parr and England is in a time of religious turmoil.
The Dissolution of the monasteries is done but now Henry, and the reformists, are moving back toward Catholic ways, under the King rather than the Pope, at the same time as the rise in Protestantism. An English version of the Bible has been published, but only Churches and the upper class are allowed to read it.
One of lawyer Matthew Shardlake's closest friends has been murdered and his body publicly displayed. Brought before Archbishop Cramer, Matthew learns this is not the first such killing. A serial killer is using versus in the Book of Revelations to carry out his killings.
Sansom brings Tutor England to life and makes us see what a difficult time it was in which to live. He doesn't present the romanticized image, but gives us a look at the dangers of the time from social and religious reforms to poverty to mental illness being labeled possession, without ever slowing down the story or being preachy.
The dialogue is, naturally enough, not of the time, but flavored with a sense of the time. I always learn a lot reading Sansom.
Shardlake is a wonderful character who has grown and improved as a character through the series. He is supported by Barak, for whom Matthew tries to do a bit of marriage counseling, and Guy, a Moor, once a monk, now a doctor.
Sansom is an evocative writer and masterful at combining historical detail with a multilayered story, and suspenseful mystery. I am continually impressed by the quality of Sansom's writing.
Excellent Tudor Era Murder Mystery! - Rated
Revelation is set in 1543. A serial killer is on the loose in
London using quotes from the Book of Revelations, as the
inspiration for his murder spree. The books main protagonist,
Matthew Shardlake, and his assistant Jack Barak, are called in
to hunt the killer down, by Archbishop Cranmer, when it becomes
apparent that the murders are religiously motivated.
I found this book a fascinating read, the latest in a very
enjoyable series. At first, I was worried the story could turn
out to be similar to the earlier novel 'Darkfire', as they are
both set mainly in the same area of London, but this story is
quite different.
The interaction between the factual, and fictional characters is
very well done, and the attention to detail is second to none.
You almost feel as if you are a bystander, watching the action
unfold in front of you. An excellent read, and I hope there is
more to come in this series.
The Standard Maintained - Rated
If you are a fan of the Shardlake series and are wondering if C.J Sansom has been able to maintain the standard of the previous volumes, fear not. If anything the plot is even more gripping than some of the earlier ones and after a slow start, a cracking pace is maintained each page full of incident. Rest assured you are in for a treat and a few late nights.
If you are new to this series then do not hesitate to give this book a try. Sansom has no equal in evoking the sights, sounds, and smells of the period. One of the author's greatest strengths is to marry a fictional plot to real historical characters and political issues so that the story seems to follow historical imperatives and the credibility of events is greatly enhanced as a consequence.
On this occasion the story opens in 1543 where Henry VIII's courtship of his sixth wife is played out against a backdrop of religious rivalry between Catholic and Protestant elements. Into this already explosive atmosphere a serial killer begins a killing spree apparently taking The Book of Revelation as his inspiration. To read Sansom is to learn a lot of history in a uniquely entertaining way, but if you enjoy a thrilling story, cunningly plotted full of twists and turns expertly written you will be well satisfied. I know no other modern writer who gives you that delicious sense of anticipation when you return to his books after a spell away.
I'm fairly addicted to Shardlake. CJ Sansom is on a real winner. - Rated
This, the fourth novel concerning Matthew Shardlake, is superb. The characters are more developed (and the longer the series go on, the bigger and more developed the supporting cast becomes). The plot is cleverer and different - here we see Shardlake dealing with a serial killer, and although the politicians are involved this is a different kettle of fish to the rebellions and political plots that our favourite hunch-backed Tudor lawyer has found himself involved in before.
And in my opinion it's for the better - C J Sansom's writing has always been addictive (but not in an obtrusive way) and has always had totally convincing historical contexts (at least to a moderately informed one such as I). But in the past the plots have been slightly predictable - more so the classic whodunit, with a list of suspects and a ticking-clock before some disaster happens or the heroes are knocked off. In a way, that is all still true of this book (in fact, maybe it's impossible to write a whodunit without that!) but its better concealed amidst an excellent premise.
The pages and chapters fly by, and this opens an exciting future for Shardlake. I hope it won't be too long till we hear from him again!
|
