A Dance With Dragons on Kindle

I am taking the plunge and reading a novel on a Kindle. 

When I finish, I'll post a comment comparing the Kindle experience with books.

Sovereign by C. J. Sansom

Genre: Historical Mystery

Setting: England, 1541 -  during the reign of King Henry VIII

This novel is the third installment in Sansom's Matthew Shardlake mystery series.  The main character is a London lawyer who unwillingly becomes entangled in the intrigues of those close to the king. 

King Henry's reformation of the church is not popular in the north of England.  Recently, there has been a rebellion centered around the city of York.  The king has undertaken a grand progress from London to York to solidify his hold on the north.

Shardlake has been asked to go to York to help with legal proceedings when the King visits.  He has also been given the task to monitor the health of a traitorous prisoner.  Matthew needs to make sure the prisoner doesn't die before he gets to London to be tortured.  This additional chore forces Shardlake to become involved with royal politics and noble sycophants.

While he is in York, Shardlake stumbles upon papers which seem to show that Henry is not the true King of England.  There are conspirators who want to overthrow the king, and who know Shardlake has seen these papers.  Unfortunately, there are those close to the King who know that Shardlake may have learned the truth of King Henry's family tree.  Soon there are several attempts on Shardlake's life.  Can Matthew stay alive long enough to discover  who is trying to kill him, and why?

Shardlake is not a shrewd sleuth.  Instead he is a lawyer with a lawyer's ear for truth,  memory for facts, and desire for justice.  In this novel Shardlake discovers clues by investigating, asking questions, and just being nosy.  Sometimes, he is in the wrong place at the wrong time.  And sometimes he makes obvious mistakes.  In my opinion,  he is a likable realistic character.

Sovereign

The Triumph of Caesar by Steven Saylor

Genre: Historical Mystery

Setting: Rome in 46B.C.

This novel is the eighth in Saylor's Roma Sub Rosa series.  His main character is Gordianus the Finder.  Gordianus is ancient Rome's version of a private investigator.  In his search for truth, Gordianus encounters many of Rome's great historical  figures.  Along they way we learn about Gordianus's complicated family which includes: Bethesda- his wife and former slave, his daughter - Diana, her husband and children, and three adopted sons.

Julius Caesar has returned to Rome after years of war.  He plans to mount four great triumphal celebrations to commemorate his military victories in Gaul, Egypt, Asia and Africa.  Gordianus's friend, Hieronymus, has been found murdered near Caesar's wife's home.  He had been investigating a conspiracy against Caesar's life.

Gordianus is asked to find out who killed Hieronymus, and who is planning to kill Caesar.  The list of people he interviews reads like a who's who of Roman history.  Among them are Cicero, Marc Antony, Cleopatra, Brutus, and Julius Caesar himself.

Will Gordianus make sense of the clues he uncovers, or will Caesar die in the final act?

I enjoy Saylor's writing style.  His novels are fun page turners which make ancient Rome come to life.

The Triumph of Caesar

The Bishop Must Die by Michael Jecks

Genre: Historical Mystery

Setting: England, 1326

This novel is the 29th book in Jecks' Knights Templar mystery series.

England is in turmoil.  The people are tired of the excesses of the King and his special friend Sir Hugh Despenser.  For years they and their supporters have stolen wealth and land unlawfully.  Even the Queen has had her lands and children taken from her.

Now, the Queen is in France organizing an invasion of England.  The King and Despenser are trying to build a defense to repel the invasion. They are finding it difficult to build an army when so many people hate them.

Bishop Walter Stapledon of Exeter has been a supporter of the King and Despenser.  He has made many enemies.  Even the Queen has expressed her hatred of him.  Now the Bishop is receiving death threats.  He as found slips of parchment warning of his impending doom in his private offices. 

Sir Baldwin de Furnshill and his friend Simon Puttock are torn between their oaths of fealty to the King and their dislike of his friend Despenser.  They must obey the wishes of the King to build the defense of England.  And they also need to protect the Bishop from those who desire his death.

Can they protect the bishop and retain their honor in a lawless country on the verge of war?

This installment of the series was an interesting read.  It was a little difficult to keep track of all the different characters.  Jecks does a great job of weaving his characters through the actual events of history.  And he resolves a few plot elements which have continued through several books.  If your are interested in this series I suggest starting with one of the earlier novels in the series.  When you get to this one, be prepared for a great read.

The Bishop Must Die




The Templar's Penance - another great read in this series.

No Law in the Land by Michael Jecks

Genre: Historical Mystery

Setting: England, 1325

This novel is the twenty-seventh novel in Jeck's Knights Templar series.  This series follows the exploits of Sir Baldwin de Furnshill and his companion bailiff Simon Puttock.

England is in turmoil.  Sir Hugh le Dispenser, the King's special friend, has been gaining power and wealth by exploiting his position with the King.  Sir Hugh and his supporters have run roughshod over the law as they take whatever they desire. The people of England tire of their lawlessness.

In this installment of the series, Sir Baldwin and Simon have returned from France.  They risk the anger of the king by informing him that his wife, Isabella, has defied him by remaining in France with their son.  Sir Hugh wishes to force Simon to do his bidding by having his daughter kidnapped and her husband arrested for treason.

When Baldwin and Simon return home, they become involved in the investigation of a mass murder.  A large party of travelers has been slaughtered, and the silver they were escorting has been stolen.  It soon becomes apparent that Dispenser's supporters are involved with this murder, and several more.  And that they are also involved with Simon's daughter's kidnapping.

Can Sir Baldwin and Simon solve the mystery, and bring the guilty to justice?  Can they rescue Simon's daughter? And can they avoid raising the ire of Sir Hugh le Dispenser?

I really enjoy Jeck's novels.  Each one is a complete story. And there are plot elements which continue through several novels.  The novels proceed in chronological order.  This novel takes place in October and November of 1325. (spoiler alert: The evil Sir Hugh has only a year to live.)

No Law in the Land

The High King of Montival by S. M. Stirling

Genre: Fantasy, Alternate History

Setting: A post apocalyptic North America, 25 years after the "Change"

This novel is the tenth in Stirling's Change series.

In Stirling's alternate universe, March 17, 1998 is the day the world changed.  A mysterious event centered around Nantucket Island transported the island into the past.  The story of how the Nantucket survivors adapted form the first three novels of the Change series.

With the next three novels in the series, Stirling tells the tale of present day Earth after the event.  There has been a fundamental change in the laws of the universe. Electricity, gasoline engines, steam engines and gunpowder no longer work.  Earth has returned to a pre-Industrial Revolution state.  These three novels are mostly centered around Portland, Oregon.  They describe how the people survive and reorganize themselves in this post apocalyptic world.

In the next four novels, the world has been invaded by a force of evil.  The terrible Prophet, and his evil minions, the Cutters, are planning to take over the world.  Rudi Mackenzie has been visited by spiritual Lady.  She has given him the task to travel to Nantucket and retrieve a magic sword.  Rudi then must use The Sword of the Lady to defeat the Prophet and his followers.

This novel picks up the action after Rudi has received the sword.  He must return to Oregon with the sword.  Along the way Rudi must organize his followers and assemble an army to defeat the Cutters.  Rudi must also learn to control the magic of the sword so that he can rid the world of this evil threat.  The plot follows Rudi and his followers.  There are descriptions of destroyed cities and wild uncivilized people.   There are desperate battles using swords, spears and shields.  Along the way back to Oregon, Rudi becomes Artos, the High King of Montival. 

The warriors that Rudi collects are an eclectic group of knights, cowboys, Vikings, Islamic pirates and Celtic archers.  The religious beliefs of the people play an important part in the plot of the story.  There are Christians, both  Catholics and Protestants.  There are believers in the old Norse religion of Odin and Thor.  And there are those who practice the Wiccan beliefs.

An interesting part of the plot is that some of the characters have modeled thamselves after the Rangers in
J. R. R. Tolkein's Lord of the Rings trilogy.  In fact they refer to Tolkein's writings as the "Histories".  These are mostly characters who were born just before, or after, the Change.


I enjoyed reading this book.  By itself, the book is fair.  However, the main point of the book is to set up the plot for the final decisive battle of good versus evil.

Normally, I am not a fan of fantasy stories that have too much magic in them.  In this book, the bad guy has a magical power, and the good guy has a magical power.  The rest of the characters and plot are pretty realistic with people, animals, and objects acting realistically.

If you are interested in reading this series, I would suggest that you begin with Dies the Fire which is the first book in the series.

The High King of Montival



Dies the Fire



Island in the Sea of Time - The first Change series novel.

Destroyermen: Rising Tides

Genre: Alternate History

Setting: On a parallel version of Earth during the WWII era.

At the beginning of WWII in the southwestern Pacific ocean. The destroyer USS Walker is locked in battle with the Japanese battle ship Amagi. The captain of the Walker, Lieutenant Commander Matthew Reddy, in a desperate move to save his ship and crew from destruction steers toward a fierce rain storm.

The squall is no ordinary meteorological event. It is a portal to a parallel Earth. The sailors aboard the Walker discover an Earth very different than the one they left. There they encounter new forms of animal and plant life, some very dangerous to the crew and the ship. The destroyermen also meet two sentient species: the peaceable, lemur-like Lemurians and the carnivorous, lizard-like Grik.

How the sailors from the Walker explore this alternate Earth, and join forces with the Lemurians, is the basis of the first installment of the Destroyermen series.

In the next four novels, the destroyermen aid the Lemurians in their fight against the Grik. They also discover that they are not the only humans in this version of Earth. A group of English ships entered in the 1800's. Another group of Spanish ships entered in the 1500's. And possibly some primitive peoples before that.

In this installment of the series, Lt. Commander Reddy and the USS Walker are headed east to New Britain, the islands inhabited by the descendants of the British explorers. Reddy's love, Nurse Tucker, with the Princess of New Britain and some others have been kidnapped. Reddy means to find them.

Unfortunately, Nurse Tucker and the princess, and their group have escaped and found refuge on a desolate, dangerous atoll. The Lumurian alliance with the humans continues to build its forces and train for the next big battle. The Grik are using lessons they have learned in past fights to improve their own forces. And to complicate matters, a volcano is threatening to "go Krakatoa" and disrupt everyone's plans.

Will Lt. Commander Reddy and the Walker find Nurse Tucker and the Princess? Or will the Alliance be plunged into another war? And will the pause in the battle with the Grik benefit the Alliance or the Grik?

I am really enjoying the Destroyermen series. Taylor Anderson has created an exciting parallel Earth. He has created fantastic, imaginative creatures to populate his Earth. Anderson's descriptions of the battles are enthralling. The books are real page turners. My only complaint is that they end too soon.  I can't wait to read the next Destroyermen novel.



Into the Storm, Destroyermen Book 1

A Murder on the Appian Way by Steven Saylor

Genre: Historical Mystery

Setting: Rome, 52 BC

Steven Saylor is the author of the Roma Sub Rosa mystery series.  His main character is Gordianus the Finder.  Gordianus is ancient Rome's answer to the private detective.  In his investigations he meets some of Rome's most powerful citizens.  Saylor's plots have Gordianus rubbing elbows such well known historical figures as Caesar, Pompey,  Marc Antony, and Cicero.

In this novel, two of  Rome's most powerful men Publius Claudius and Titus Annius Milo are vying for political control of Rome.  When Claudius is found dead on the Appian way Milo is accused of his murder.  Gordianus is asked by several powerful people to investigate.

Rome is in an uproar with riots between opposing political forces.  Gordianus and his family are in danger from the rioting mobs.  His house is ransacked, and his faithful slave Belbo is killed. 

In order to quell the lawlessness of the mob, Pompey,  a Roman general,  takes command of the city.  Milo must be put on trial for the murder.  Will Gordianus untangle the mystery, find the truth, and save Rome from itself?

I enjoy Saylor's novels.  Gordianus is a great character.  While he is rubbing elbows with Rome's elite, he must also solve domestic family problems with his wife, daughter, adopted sons, and slaves.  These details make Gordianus and believable and likable character.  Like many other mystery novel main characters, he must choose between truth and justice to find a solution he can live with.

Stonehenge by Bernard Cornwell

Genre: Historical Fiction

Setting: England, 2000 B.C.

Bernard Cornwell is a prolific author of historical fiction.  He has written over fifty novels.

In this novel, Cornwell tells a fictional account of the building of Stonehenge.  While this work is completely fiction, Cornwell does a great job of weaving into his tale the few archeological facts we do know about Stonehenge.

Nobody really knows why Stonehenge was built.  It may have been for religious purposes, but we have no direct information of this.  We do know that Stonehenge was built, and rebuilt, several times. Many stones were brought from hundreds of miles away, then discarded.  The large stones that finally comprised Stonehenge weigh as much as forty tons.  They were dragged over twenty miles to create the monument we know today.


Cornwell's story tells the fate of three brothers.  It is a tale of brotherly rivalry, madness, and the will of the gods. 

The oldest brother a warrior filled with lust, hatred and revenge.  He murders his father and betrays his youngest brother. And slaughters at will.

The middle son suffers from physical deformities which drive him into madness.  He becomes a priest in service to fierce god Slaol.  It is his madness which drives the building of great temples, and eventually the building of Stonehenge.

The youngest son, Saban (the main character) is betrayed by his older brothers, sold into slavery, and driven far from home.  Along the way the women he loves (two wives and a daughter) are taken from him by his brothers, and the gods.  In the end he is driven to build the incredible monument that is Stonehenge. 

I enjoyed this novel.  It is a nice easy read.  The plot moves along and keeps you reading.

The Haunted Monastery and The Chinese Maze Murders by Robert Van Gulik

Genre: Historical Mystery

Setting: China in the seventh century

Robert Van Gulik was a diplomat and orientalist.  While serving in China, he discovered the traditional Chinese detective story. In the these stories, the main character is a magistrate.  In each story the magistrate investigates and solves three different crimes.  In many of these stories the main character is Judge Dee.  Judge Dee was a historical figure who was revered for solving mysteries.

Van Gulik modeled his stories on the the Chinese detective story.  He uses Judge Dee as his main character.  Dee, with his trusty lieutenants, investigate crimes and dispense justice in ancient China.  While Van Gulik's stories are works of fiction, he used Chinese sources to suggest mysteries for Dee to solve.

This volume contains two separate Judge Dee novels:

The Haunted Monastery
While returning to his home after a trip to the capital, Judge Dee's carriage breaks an axle during a severe storm.  Fortunately, there is a monastery nearby where he and his family can take refuge.  While at the monastery, Dee begins to notice some strange happenings.  He is already aware of three untimely deaths which have occurred at the monastery in the past year.  The monastery and the storm outside create a mysterious setting as Dee questions his suspects and solves three interwoven crimes. 


The Chinese Maze Murders
Judge Dee has been assigned to a town on the frontier.  When he arrives he finds that the previous magistrate has left, and the town in in the control of a local strongman.  Immediately, he has to take control of the town using guile rather than the force of arms.  In the next few days he solves a sealed-room murder, unravels a contested will, locates a missing girl, discovers the murderer of a previous magistrate, and defuses an imminent attack by the local barbarian tribesmen.  All in a week's work for the intrepid Judge Dee.

Pirate Latitudes by Michael Crichton

Genre: Historical Fiction, Pirate Fiction

Setting: 1665, the Caribbean Sea

The British colony of Port Royal in Jamaica in the 1665 was a nest of knaves and cutthroats.  Captain Charles Hunter makes Port Royal his home port.   Now, the difference between being a privateer or a pirate depends on what side you are on.  Piracy is illegal.  Privateering is approved by the government. Hunter is a privateer.

Hunter is a well liked captain.  His crew mates trust his fairness and  unique planning skills.  The ladies of Port Royal admire his dashing good looks.  And his successful ventures make lots of people rich, including his crew,  many of the towns businessmen, and local British government officials.

When he gets wind of a Spanish galleon laden with gold and ripe for the picking, Hunter is ready to go. His voyage across the the Caribbean reads like the plot of a blockbuster pirate movie.  He is captured by an evil Spanish captain.  He and his crew make several dramatic escapes.  There are desperate sea going battles.  Hunter and his crew face cannibals, a hurricane, and the dreaded kraken sea monster.  When they return to port, they face piracy charges and are condemned to death.  How Hunter survives each challenge makes this book hard to put down.

After his death in 2008, this novel was discovered as a complete manuscript in his files.  It was a nice read.  There was lots of great action without too much unneeded description.  I enjoyed the book.  Many of Crichton's novels have been made into movies.  This novel would make a great film.

Pirate Latitudes

The Falling Machine by Andrew P. Mayer

Genre: Steampunk, Fantasy Fiction

Setting: New York in the 1880s.

In this steampunk novel, the City of New York has been protected for years by a group of superheroes called the Paragons. The Paragons use the power of mechanics and steam to enhance their physical abilities.  Professor Dennis Darby is the genius behind their incredible steam powered machines.  The members of the Paragons  include the Industrialist, the Sleuth, the Iron Clad, the Submersible, and the Turbine.  Working with the Paragons is Professor Darby's most incredible invention: the mechanical man called the Automaton.  The Paragons have two major problems: they are getting on in age and at least two of them are traitors.

While inspecting the the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge, Professor Darby is assassinated.  With him is Sarah Stanton, the daughter of the leader of the Paragons, and the Automaton.  Sarah soon discovers that Professor Darby has been killed by members of an evil group called the Children of Eschaton.  Members of this group include Bomb Lance, Rapid Fire, Doc Dynamite, and the enigmatic Lord Eschaton.


Sara wants to take an active role in investigating the crimes of the Children of Eschaton.  However she is hindered by the common beliefs about how women are supposed to behave in the 1880s.  Sara befriends the Automaton and together they begin to uncover the mystery of Lord Eschaton.

This is the first novel of a planned series of novels.  The author introduces us to the characters and the setting.  The plot lines are begun, but there are no resolutions. If this novel were a movie, it would end with "To Be Continued."

I enjoyed this book.  I might even look for the second installment of the series to see what happens next.  If you are into steampunk, this American version of the genre might be of interest.


The Society of Steam, Book One
The Falling Machine




The Society of  Steam, Book Two
Hearts of Smoke and Steam

The Wildcats of Exeter by Edward Marston

Genre: Historical Mystery

Setting: Eleventh century England

The king's commissioners, Ralph Delchard and Gervase Bret,  have been sent to Exeter to settle some land disputes.  Just before their arrival, the owner of several disputed properties, Nickolas Picard,  is savagely murdered.  Now there are five different claimants to Picard's property: his wife, his mistress, an elderly Saxon, a lady of the town, and the abbot of Tavistock.

It soon becomes apparent to Delchard and Bret that the murder is somehow connected to their investigations.  As they gather evidence, one of the king's commissioners is murdered in a similar manner to the first murder.  Delchard and Brent will not stop until the identity of the the killer is discovered.  They believe that if they find the murderer they will also find the true owner of the disputed lands.

Added to the importance of solving the murder is another pressing issue.  Gervase is due to be married at Winchester soon.  Will they solve the mystery and get Gervase to the church on time?

This novel is the eighth volume of Marston's Domesday Book series.  As usual, he has written a pleasant mystery with a great plot.  And, of course, some of the best dialog I have ever read!

The Wildcats of Exeter

Sleep of Death by Philip Gooden

Genre: Historical Mystery

In this novel we have a play within a play within a mystery within a novel.

The play is Hamlet by William Shakespeare.  In this play Hamlet returns home to find that his father is dead and his uncle has married his mother.  Hamlet soon discovers that his father has been murdered.  To uncover the murderer, he stages a play which reenacts the murder.  He finds that his uncle has killed his father.

In this novel, the main character, Nick Revill,  is an actor with the Chamberlain's Men.  This is the group for which Shakespeare writes plays.  They have staged Hamlet several times.  Revill meets William Eliot.  Eliot has an interesting story.  It seems that his father has died in circumstances similar to Hamlet's father.  And Eliot's uncle has married his mother.  Struck by the similarities between the play and his real life, Eliot asks Revill to help him investigate his father's death.  As Revill investigates, the clues seem to point to Shakespeare as the possible murderer. 

The author has organized the novel into a play-like structure.  Like Shakespeare's plays there is a prologue, five acts, and an epilogue.  The story itself is a pleasant read through Elizabethan London, the theater, the pubs, and the houses of ill repute.  The author moves the story along and provides the clues needed to solve the mystery before the final act.  Like Hamlet, a play is used to reveal the villain.  Unlike Hamlet, everybody doesn't die in the final scene.

I enjoyed this novel.  It was a nice read.  And I always feel victorious when I solve the mystery before the author reveals the solution.

Sleep of Death

Dead Iron by Devon Monk

Genre: Steampunk, Fantasy

Setting: Oregon Territory in the age of steam.

Steampunk is one of the most exciting sub genres of fantasy fiction.  Generally, these novels are set in Victorian England in the late 1800's.  Steampunk novels envision a time when when steam engines powered by burning wood and coal are the dominant energy source.  In these novels there are steam powered trains, airships, mechanical computers, and automatons.  Often there are elements of the occult, alchemy, dark magic, and supernatural powers and beings.

Monk transports the steampunk genre into the American West.  In her novel she combines the elements of steampunk and the Western.  In the main character Cedar Hunt, we have the outsider with a tortured past.  He has been burdened by an awful curse.  And he is a hired gun.  He is looked down upon by the people of the town.  Yet they go to him when they need someone or something to die.  His innate sense of honor forces him to undertake a dangerous mission that probably will cost him his life, without pay.

The railroad is soon to arrive in town.  It comes with strange machines, strange goings on, and strange beings.  The rail tycoon, Shard Lafel, has his own curse to deal with.  Within days he must orchestrate the deaths of a witch, a wolf, and a child.  If he is successful, he will control incredible evil power. 

In the town there are other outcasts:  the odd orphan girl who can hear nature and devise machines, the three brothers who work in a mine and suddenly appear at the most opportune times, the witch who vowed her soul to the town's only a black worker, and her husband who was killed three times yet wouldn't stay dead.  Can all these outcasts with different powers find a way to defeat the evil that has invaded the town?

I really enjoyed this book.  It is the first in a series of novels which will explore the Old West through a steampunk lens.  I liked Monk's writing style.  She skips back and forth between her characters and moves the plot forward.  The novel was a real page turner and I finished it too fast.  I am going to watch for the next books in the series.

Dead Iron

See Delphi and Die by Lindsey Davis

Genre: Historical Mystery

 Setting: Ancient Rome, 76AD


This novel is one of Davis's Marcus Didius Falco Mystery series.  The main character is Falco.  He is an informer.  He gets paid to find information, and sometimes solve murder mysteries.  He usually works for clients, but occasionally he does jobs for the Emperor.  He has worked his way up from the mean streets.  In this novel, he has attained equestrian rank, and has married his long time girl friend, Helena Justina,  who is the daughter of a Senator.

Falco has a very interesting family life.  Between his wife, daughters, mother, sisters, Pa, and in-laws, Falco has plenty to deal with.  Often they somehow become involved in his investigations.  This novel is an example.

Falco's wife is not a typical Roman woman.  She is educated and independent.  And she has been a part of his investigations for several years.  As a favor to her, Falco has let her brothers help him with his investigations.  Now one of her brothers has gone off to Greece to get an education.  While there, he has become involved in a murder mystery involving a second rate travel company.

Falco and Helena, and a group of family members, go off to Greece to find the wayward brother, and to solve the mystery.  The plot then takes us on a grand tour of ancient Greek tourist stops: Olympia, Delphi, and Athens.

I always enjoy the Falco novels.  Falco doesn't sound like your Shakespearean Roman, but like someone who has paid his dues.  This novel is no exception.  It is a fantastic read.  And the real kicker is that it has one of the best endings that I've  ever read!

See Delhi and Die

The Ravens of Blackwater by Edward Marston

Genre: Historical Mystery
Setting: England, 1086AD, twenty years after the Norman conquest of England.

Edward Marston is one of my favorite authors.  He writes in a wonderfully readable style.  His characters have wit, and intelligence.  His plots are tangled yet believable.  But what I most enjoy is his dialog.  Marston's characters banter in a witty and fun style that makes you laugh to yourself and read on.  The dialog alone makes his novels worth reading.

Marston is the author of four different mystery series.  His Elizabethan mysteries are centered around a troupe of actors in Elizabethan England.  They feature Nicholas Bracewell who is the stage manager for the troupe.  The Christopher Redmayne series take place in London after the great fire of 1666.  The Inspector Colbeck novels follow the adventures of Colbeck as he investigates crimes committed on Victorian railways.

The Ravens of Blackwater is the second in Marston's Domesday mystery series.  After the Norman conquest of England, William the Conqueror sent out investigators to assess the ownership of all the lands of England.  This information was compiled in the Domesday book so that taxes could be properly assessed.  His main characters, Ralph Delchard and Gervase Bret, are commissioners who are appointed to look into the serious irregularities that come to light during the compilation of the Domesday Book.

In this novel, Delchard and Bret are sent to Essex to investigate the land holdings of a local Norman bully.  Hamo FitzCorbucion steals from his neighbors, and tortures his slaves.  He uses force to take what he wants.  When Delchard and Bret arrive they find that Hano' heir has been murdered.  The local nuns are harboring a secret.  And the local crazy man may hold the solution to the murder in his muddled brain. In order to complete their Domesday investigations, they must find the solution to the murder mystery.

I found this novel to be a real page turner.  Marston forwards the plot with an easy to read style.  And, I am always looking forward to some of that fantastic dialog.

The Ravens of Blackwater



The first novel of the series, The Wolves of Savernake

Death of a Squire by Maureen Ash

Genre: Historical Mystery
Setting: England, 1200AD.


Since the DaVinci code came on the scene, the Knights Templar have been the subject of many historical novels.  Many of these novels focus on the destruction of the Knights Templar by the King of  France and the search for the Holy Grail.

Maureen Ash's novel is the second in her Templar Knight Mystery series.  Her novels are set in the early 1200s, about  100 years before the fall of the Templars.  Her main character, Bascot de Marins is a Templar Knight.  He is newly returned form the crusades.  Upon his return he discovered that his entire family has died, leaving him alone.   During the battles of the crusades, de Marins had been captured by the enemy.  He had suffered torture and had lost one of his eyes.  While returning to England, de Marins had acquired a servant, Gianni, who is a mute.  Bascot's order has sent him to Lincoln to rest and recover his physical and mental health.

While at Lincoln, de Marins has proved himself helpful as an investigator of untimely deaths.  In this novel, the castle of Lincoln is expecting a visit from King John in a matter of days.  A squire is found hanged in the nearby forest.  As de Marins investigates, he discovers that the squire is disliked by his fellow squires, and by many of the local lasses.  A rumor surfaces that the dead squire may be linked to a possible revolt against the king.  De Marins needs to solve the mystery and refute the rumor before the king arrives.

During the investigation, Gianni is kidnaped by local outlaws.  This leads Bascot de Marins to question his vows as a Templar Knight, and explore his paternal feelings toward his young servant. 

I enjoyed this book.  Ash's writing style moves the plot along and provides just the right amount of description.  She tangles the plot in a way that keeps you guessing until the end of the story.  I am planning on reading more books from this series.

Death of a Squire


The first book in the series, The Alehouse Murders

Sharpe's Triumph by Bernard Cornwell

Genre: Historical Fiction, Military Fiction
Setting: India, 1803

Bernard Cornwell is the author of the Sharpe novel series. These novels follow the career of Sergeant Richard Sharpe in the British army. Sharpe's Triumph is the second novel of the series.

In this novel Sharpe is the only survivor of a massacre. The attack is lead by the ruthless Major Dodd. Dodd is a traitorous British officer who has sold his services to a local Indian prince.

Sharpe teams with Colonel McCandless to pursue Dodd. In the pursuit of Dodd, Sharpe and McCandless join the army of Sir Arthur Wellesley, the future Duke of Wellington. (Wellington will be the victorious general at the Battle of Waterloo.)

Sharpe himself is pursued by the evil Sergeant Obadiah Hakeswill. Hakeswill hates Sharpe because of the events in the first novel. Hakeswill has falsely obtained a warrant for the arrest of Sharpe. His plan is to arrest Sharpe and then kill him.

Sharpe is not a perfect hero. He can be gallant and heroic. But he can also be ruthless and cruel. Although he is only a sergeant, Sharpe dreams of returning to England as an officer - an impossible dream in British army of the early 1800s.

The British army in the early nineteenth century was a hard, cruel, deadly experience. Cornwell's novel gives us a glimpse into the gritty reality of that era.

Sharpe's Triumph



The first book of the series, Sharpe's Tiger

Red Inferno: 1945 by Robert Conrad

Genre: Alternate History

Alternate History is one of my favorite genres of literature.  In this genre, the author picks a critical moment in time to change.  And then describes how history would have been different. 

In Red Inferno, the critical moment is near the end of World War II.  The Allied and the Russian Armies are approaching Berlin.  Stalin wants to limit Allied influence in Europe.  He has received covert intelligence about the atomic bomb in development in America.  Stalin sees that he has a window.  If he attacks immediately, and swiftly, he might conquer all of Europe before the atomic bomb is operational.  Thus, his army attacks the American army outside of Berlin.

Conroy weaves a story using multiple characters.  Some are real figures of history, some are fictional.  The novel is a nice easy read.  Each page furthers the plot.  His descriptions of the horror of war are realistic without being overly graphic.  While there are scenes of sex and rape, Conroy has avoided being overly graphic here as well.  In the end, it all hinges on if, when, and where the atomic bomb is used.
 
This is Conroy's fifth Alternate History novel.   Every one has been an enjoyable read. 

Red Inferno: 1945


Conroy's First novel: 1901

The Dove of Death by Peter Tremayne

Genre: Historical Mystery

The Dove of Death is the 18th novel in Peter Tremeyne's Mysteries of Ancient Ireland series.  This story takes place in the year 670AD.

The main character is Sister Fidelma.  She has a very complex life.  She is a trained advocate of the law.  She is a nun.  She is the sister of King of Ireland.  She is married to a monk: Brother Eadulf.  (The rules about celibacy were different 1300 years ago!)  And she is mother to their child Alchu.

Ancient Ireland had a well defined set of rules, laws and courts.  Fidelma is trained to the second highest level of lawyer, just below judges.  This means she is often called upon to solve mysteries, especially those surrounding untimely deaths.  Often, her husband and partner work together to unravel mysteries.  But make no mistake, Fidelma is in charge.  Eadulf is is Watson to Fidema's Sherlock.

In the Dove of Death, Fidelma and Eadulf are returning to Ireland by sea.  Their ship is attacked by pirates commanded by a masked villain dressed in white. During the attack, Fidema's cousin is killed.  Fidelma and Eadulf wind up on shore with no immediate way home.  They must discover the identity of the leader of the pirates.  As they investigate, several more murders occur.  How many  will die before Fidelma solves the mystery and finds justice for her slain cousin?

The Dove of Death



The first book in the series: Absolution by Murder

A Play of Piety by Margaret Frazer

Genre: Historical Mystery

Margaret Frazer is one of my favorite authors.  She is currently writing two historical mystery series. Each of her mystery series take place in rural England in the middle of the fifteenth century.  The settings for the novels are far away from the squalor of the cities.  In Frazer's England, life is well ordered.  Her characters range from servants to lords and ladies.  Frazer's writings style is easy to read.  I find that I fly through the pages and get to the end too soon.  Fraser's novels read as great historical fiction.  Often the untimely death occurs in the last half of the book.  This give us a chance to learn about the character and their lives.

Frazer's original series is the Dame Frevisse Medieval Mysteries.  The main character is a nun at a small convent in rural England.  Dame Frevisse is a distant relative of Geoffry Chaucer.  She is inquisitive has a knack at unraveling untimely deaths.

Her second series is Joliffe the Player Mysteries.  These stories take place in the same time period as the Dame Frevisse stories.  Joliffe originally appeared as a character in one of the Dame Frevisse novels.  In these stories , Joliffe is a player in a traveling troupe of actors.  The troupe has recently become Lord Lovell's players.  This gives the troupe more social status, but means that they must obey their lord's wishes.

In A Play of Piety, Joliffe has returned to England from France.  He has been performing a secret service for Lord Lovell and the Bishop.  Upon his return, he finds the troupe spending the harvest time in a small village.  The leader of the troupe in in a hospital recovering from a severe case of arthritis.  Joliffe is employed as a servant and helper in the hospital.  The hospital has the misfortune of having an overbearing and demanding guest. When several people appear to have been poisoned, Joliffe begins to question who is trying to kill who, and why.

I can think of no better way to spend a quiet hour, than reading about Margaret Frazer's medieval England, Joliffe, and Dame Frevisse.



The first book of the Dame Frevisse Series is The Novice's Tale:



The first book of the Joliffe the Player Series is A Play for Isaac:

Dark Fire by C.J. Sansom

Genre: Historical Mystery

The setting is London in the summer of 1540.  King Henry VIII is on the throne. He is displeased with his current wife, Anne of Cleves.  And he is displeased with with his adviser, Thomas Cromwell, who had encouraged the marriage.

Cromwell has learned that the secret for the ancient weapon, Greek fire, has been rediscovered.  To curry favor with the king, he has arranged a demonstration of the weapon's fearsome power.  Then, when the formula goes missing, Cromwell presses Matthew Shardlake into service.

Shardlake is a self described jobbing lawyer.  He and Cromwell have had dealings in the past.  To force Shardlake into helping him, Cromwell uses his political influence to aid Matthew with another case.

In that case, a young girl is accused of murdering her cousin.  She refuses to enter a plea.  The rule of law at the time demands that those who do not enter a plea must be pressed by heavy weights until they make a plea, or die.  The girl is determined to die rather than plead.  Cromwell's influence postpones the judgement of the court and forces Shardlake to investigate the mystery of the missing formula. 

Shardlake is also saddled with a young man in Cromwell's service, Jack Barak.

As Shardlake and Barak investigate, we get a picture of London in 1540: crowded, stinking, politically corrupt, and dangerous.  It is the time of the religious reformation.  Professing the wrong political beliefs or religious beliefs could cost a person his head.  The same is true of supporting the wrong adviser to the king.

I enjoyed this novel.  Matthew Shardlake is a likeable character.   He and Jack make an interesting investigative team.  I like novels like this that paint an accurate picture of what live was like in the past.

Dark Fire is the second novel in Sansom's Shardlake series.



The first novel of the series is Dissolution.

The First Heroes edited by Harry Turtledove and Noreen Doyle

Genre: Historical Fantasy Fiction, Alternate History

This book is an anthology of original short stories set in the Bronze Age. The Bronze Age is an important era in human development.  It signals an important advance in technology.  Also, since bronze was an expensive metal to create and use, it had a significant effect in the cultures of ancient peoples.

Turtledove and Doyle have assembled an interesting group of fantasy stories. There are tales of the Bronze Age set in Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, China, England, Central Europe and South America.  Each tale relates a unique perspective of the life and times of characters in the Bronze age.  The elements of fantasy vary widely from story to story.

Harry Turtledove is a master of alternate history novels.  He contributes a story of a world in which mythical creatures co-exist with humans.  S. M. Stirling is another master of the genre.  He adds a story set in his Nantucket universe.

The book was dedicated to Poul Anderson, who died in 2001.  He is the author of the final tale of the book.  His story comes at the end of the Bronze age when warriors fought against iron wielding foes.

When I am looking for something new to read, I find that anthologies are an excellent means to explore new authors.  This anthology would help the reader explore some of the authors in the Fantasy and Alternate History genres.

Ode to a Banker by Lindsey Davis

Genre: Historical Mystery

Take Sam Spade and drop him into ancient Rome.  Add the seamy underbelly of Rome in the first century.  Then give him a messy family life. And you have Lindsey Davis's main character Marcus Didius Falco.

Falco is a paid informant, the first century equivalent of a gumshoe.  He gets paid (occasionally) to ask questions and investigate.  Sometimes he works for private citizens, sometimes he works for the Watch and occasionally he works for the Emperor himself.

Falco has a great, big, noisy family.  His parents have been divorced for years.  They refuse to communicate with each other. His two sisters and mother are in everyone's business.  His wife, Helena,  is the daughter of a senator.  Falco and his wife have a daughter, and another child on the way.  They live in a tenement, but are trying to get their "money pit" house finished.

Falco sometimes dabbles in writing poetry.  When he is asked to do a public reading, he gets noticed by a publisher.  Unfortunately, the publisher is murdered right after meeting with Falco.  Falco's best friend happens to be a leader of the Watch.  He ropes Falco into investigating the murder.

Meanwhile, back at home, the Emperor's chief spy may be sweet on Falco's Ma, or his sister, or perhaps both.  His Pa is devastated by the death of his long-time female companion/business partner.  Pa needs help keeping his books and running his business.  Of course, it's up to Falco to attempt to solve this family dilemma.

Falco questions possible suspects, untangles family squabbles and tries not to get himself killed.  In the end, the mystery gets solved and the family issues are smoothed over (for now). As Helena says at the end of the novel, tomorrow is another day!

I always enjoy reading a Falco novel.  Many authors of historical fiction portray the past in an idealistic light.  Davis portrays a realistic ancient Rome: temples, brothels,  mansions and slums.  Davis's characters are realistic as well.  Falco has to manage his professional affairs and his family responsibilities simultaneously.  Just like real life.

If you enjoy a well plotted mystery novel with fully developed characters, then give Falco and his family a read.



The first book of the Falco series, The Silver Pigs, is also a great read.

The Winds of Dune by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson

Genre: Science Fiction

The Winds of Dune is the sixteenth novel of the Dune universe. The original novel of the series was written by Frank Herbert, Brian Herbert's father.  It is a widely held opinion that Dune is one of the greatest science fiction novels of all time.

Like other great novelists, Frank Herbert created such well developed settings, and characters due to the large amount of back writing he did to envision them.  Frank Herbert wrote six Dune novels before his death.  Afterwards, Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson used this wealth of information to write ten novels of the Dune universe.

This novel takes place after the second Dune novel, Dune Messiah.  Paul Muad'dib, the main character of Dune, has wandered off into the sands of the desert planet and is presumed dead.  His wife, Chani, has died giving birth to his twin children.  His sister, Alia has taken ruthless control of the empire.  Religious fanatics have committed untold pain and suffering throughout the empire in Paul's name.  Paul's mother, Jessica, struggles to honor Paul's true humanity when so many have turned him into a god.

I enjoyed this novel.  It furthers the Dune story by filling in a gap of the narrative between the second and third books.  Herbert and Anderson have done a great job of continuing the legacy of Frank Herbert and forwarding the story of Dune.

The Winds of Dune



Dune, the original novel

Liberating Atlantis by Harry Turtledove

Genre: Alternate History

Liberating Atlantis is the third novel in Turtledove's three novel alternate history Atlantis series.  In this series, Atlantis is a continent that is discovered by English explorers in the late 15th century.  Atlantis is populated with native peoples, and incredible exotic plants and animals.  The history of Atlantis parallels the history of the United States in our timeline.

Liberating Atlantis covers the civil war period of history.  In Atlantis, the southern states have plantations and slaves, the northern states do not have slavery.  In this retelling of history, the slaves rise up against their masters, and the government sends the army to quell the rebellion.



Opening Atlantis, the first book in the series, covers the initial period of discovery and exploration.  Early explorers of Atlantis must learn about this strange land and its incredible and dangerous creatures.



The United States of Atlantis, the second book in the series, covers the revolutionary period.  Colonists must battle the British to find freedom and liberty, and create a new government.

Historical Mysteries set in Ancient Egypt

If you are a fan of historical mysteries, but are growing tired of knights, castles and sword fights, you might try reading these novels set in ancient Egypt. Sand, temples and tombs litter the landscape. But evil is evil. And murder is murder. In each novel, our intrepid investigator must follow the clues, and decipher the crime.


Lauren Haney

In Haney's novels, our investigator is Lieutenant Bak. Bak is the commander of the Medjay police in the city of Buhen in 1464 BC. Buhen is near the southern border of the Egyptian empire. It is the during the reign of the female Egyptian pharaoh Hatshepsut. Bak must solve crimes, and stay in the pharaoh's good graces.



Lynda Robinson

Robinson's investigator is Lord Meren. Meren serves as chief investigator for the boy king Tutankhamen. Meren, as member of the palace court, must navigate the intrigues of the pharaoh's court while seeking to solve crimes that have reached the royal ears. All this, while protecting the young king from danger.



Paul Doherty

Doherty's investigator is the chief judge of the temple of Ma'at in Thebes, Amerotke. Amerotke must investigate crimes while uncovering conspiracies against the reign of Queen Hatusu. Doherty brings Egypt to life with his descriptions those ancient times.

The Prophecy of Death by Michael Jecks

Genre: Historical Mystery

In this installment of the Knights Templar Mystery series Sir Baldwin de Furnshill and his friend Bailiff Simon Puttock find themselves entangled in the intrigues of the royal court.
They have just returned to England from France with urgent messages for the king.  Unfortunately, they have raised the ire of the king's especial friend, Sir Hugh Despenser.  Despenser sends his henchmen to attack Simon and upset Sir Baldwin.
To thicken the plot, Baldwin and Simon must find out who has stolen the Oil of St. Thomas.  This holy relic is believed to have special significance for the king of England.  The king is frantic to have his oil returned.  Despenser wants Baldwin and Simon to discover its whereabouts.  And, Baldwin and Simon must solve the mystery in order to keep Despenser from further harassing them.

I enjoyed this novel.  The plot is thickly woven with subplots, red herrings and dead ends.  It is a solid chapter in a series which extends to over thirty novels.

Nautical Fiction

The Napolianic wars between England and France at the end of the eighteenth century form the backdrop of one of my favorite genres of fiction.

These novels portray life aboard sailing ships of the British Navy during these dangerous times.  The authors describe the hardships that sailors endured aboard these ships: cruel captains, poor rations, terrible storms, and raging gun battles.

Of course, the heroes of these tales are the intrepid captains.  They are brave in the face of danger and are masters of sea battle strategy.  They are fair and humane leaders of their crews, yet are often unlucky in love.

While there are many authors of nautical fiction, I have four favorite authors.  Each author has written a series that follows their main character through their career from midshipman to captain.

C.S. Forester
Captain Horatio Hornblower
Hornblower is the classic original, against which all other captains are compared.  He is a complex character who is plagued by self doubt, yet is admired by his fellow seamen.




Alexander Kent
Captain Richard Bolitho
Bolitho is tactically brilliant and is able to achieve victory in the face of impossible odds.



Dudley Pope
Captain Lord Nicholas Ramage
The son of an Earl, Ramage's career is tarnished by his father's court marshal.  Yet he  rises through the ranks due to his naval successes.



Richard Woodman
Captain Nathanial Drinkwater
Drinkwater is described as the most real of the fictional captains.  He has courage and intelligence, but sometimes handles situations badly.

The King of Thieves by Michael Jecks

Genre: Historical Mystery

The year is 1325.  King Edward rules England with his "special friend": the avaricious Hugh Despenser.  His wife, Queen Isabella,  is in Paris on a diplomatic mission.  She refuses to return to England until the King rids himself of Despenser.  The King sends his son, Prince Edward, to complete the mission and eventually return the Queen to England.

Our main character, Sir Baldwin de Furnshill, and his companion, Simon Puttock, are to accompany and protect the Prince.  As the story evolves, there is political intrigue and treason. We learn about the seamy underside of Paris.  And of course there are murders.

Sir Baldwin has a secret in his past.  He was once a member of the Knights Templar.  Only by sheer luck did he avoid arrest and torture.  On that fateful day whey the King of France accused the Knights of heresy, Baldwin was away from the Temple.  When he finally made his way back to his home in England, Baldwin became a Keeper of the King's Peace.  In his position, he investigates unusual deaths, and seeks justice for those who deserve it.

This novel is the 26th of Jeck's Knights Templar mystery series.  The books procede in chronological order.  They are consistant with the actual history of England in the 14th century.  Jeck's books are terrific historical fiction novels.  The plots are tangled and deceptive.  The reader must wait until the final chapter to find out "who dun it".

If you are interested in English history, or just enjoy a well told murder mystery, you'll enjoy The King of Thieves.

The King of Thieves




The first book in the series: The Last Templar

The Osiris Ritual by George Mann

Genre: Steam Punk, Science Fiction

It is early in the twentieth century.  London is a city of clockwork automatons, steam powered vehicles, airships, and strange human-machine hybrids.  Not to mention revenents infected with an exotic disease.
Queen Victoria is being kept alive by a mixture of science, chemicals and machines.  Sir Maurice Newbury serves the Queen as a secret investigative agent.  Newbury has some personal issues.  Amongst these is an addiction to opiates.  He is given the assignment of bringing in a rogue agent who died five years ago, but is still somehow alive.  The clues he follows include an Egyptian mummy, missing women, the occult, and a mad scientist.
Newbury works with his trusted assistant, Veronica Hobbs.  She too has secrets.  Unknown to Newbury, she is also an agent of the Queen.  And her sickly sister has visions of the future.
This book is the second of the Newbury and Hobbs Investigations series by George Mann.  Mann moves the plot forward with plenty of action.  He creates a London that is dismal with fog and coal smoke.  Steam powered trains serve as urban rail. Mann's steam punk London is a mixture of advanced steam powered technology and horse powered Hansom cabs.  The story, and the setting, make for a great read.



The first book in the series is The Affinity Bridge, also a great read.

The Years of Rice and Salt by Kim Stanley Robinson

Genre: Alternate History

The departure point for this alternate history novel is the black plague of the dark ages.  Robinson imagines a history in which all the inhabitants of Europe perish in the plague.  His alternate history describes how humanity and civilization advance guided by the influence of the three major Eastern philosophies: Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism.

Robinson uses a unique device to allow us to follow the evolution of humanity over time.  We follow a group of souls who live in different historical eras.  After they die, they meet in the bardo, or afterlife.  They discuss their progress as souls, and then are reincarnated.  In each subsequent time era, each soul's struggles allows the reader to experience how history might have been different without the influence of European civilization.


Robinson's novel is short on plot, and long on discussions of philosophy, politics, morality and mythology.  There are long descriptions and comparisons of each of the three Asian religions.

I must confess, this novel was a struggle for me.  However, if you have an interest in Eastern philosophy and religion, you might enjoy this novel.

John Scalzi

Genre: Science Fiction

John Scalzi is a great writer.  I have enjoyed reading every book of his.  He has a nice easy to read style that makes you want to keep reading.

My introduction to Scalzi was Old Man's War.  In this story, elderly people are recruited for service in the space brigades.  Once in space, their consciousness is transferred to a new, high tech, state of the art body.  The service gets experienced personnel, the old people get their youth back.  A great read told in a readable first person style.



Scalzi's second book in the Old Man's War series is The Ghost Brigades.  These units consist of clones constructed of human dna.  Our hero discovers a clone built from his dead wife's dna.  He has feelings for her, she doesn't know him.  It's complicated.  Once again, a satisfying read.



The third book in the series is Zoe's Tale.  This story is told from the point of view of a young girl with an interesting past.  Her father was the mad scientist who became a traitor to humanity and authored the deaths of millions, alien and human.  A species of alien life now follow and protect her as their most holy religious personage.  As you can see, Zoe's life is a little different than that of a normal human girl.




The final book in this series is The Last Colony.  In this book, the hero of Old Man's War,  the clone made from his wife's dna, and Zoe along with her alien body guards form a functional family and prevent the destruction of their colony planet. 



Another great book by John Scalzi is Agent to the Stars.  What would happen if aliens used a Hollywood agent to orchestrate the first contact between humans and aliens?


So if you are looking for a fun read by an inventive author, give John Scalzi a try!

A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin

Genre: Fantasy

I am very excited that soon HBO will begin showing the miniseries  Game of Thrones based on the fantasy series A song of Fire and Ice by George R. R. Martin.  The series currently comprises of four novels: A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, and A Feast for Crows.

I have read all four books in the series and I really have enjoyed them.  HBO has produced several teasers and they seem to be faithful to the novels.

The story takes place in a fantasy world which is very similar to our world.  The biggest difference is that the seasons of summer and winter are unpredictable.  That is no one can predict how long the seasons will be or when they will begin and end.  At the beginning of the story, summer has lasted a long time.  Many of the younger characters have never experienced winter.

There are two other fantasy elements.  First, this world has dragons.  Although, at the start of the story, they are creatures of the distant past.  Second, there are dangerous creatures that live in the far north where it is always winter. To protect Westeros from these creatures there is an immense wall manned by warriors.  However, since winter is but a distant memory, the quality of these warriors is rather poor.

Most of the action takes place in a kingdom named Westeros.  Westeros is comprised of seven smaller kingdoms united under a single king.  Recently, there has been a violent change of rulers.  The current king is a great general, but a poor king.

There is no one main character but a cast of many characters.  Each chapter concentrates on one character in a third person limited point of view.  The characters are members of different families.  Each family has aspirations for gaining the kingship for a member of their family.  The major characters are grouped into three main families:  The Starks (the good guys, generally), The Lannisters (the bad guys, usually) and The Targaryens ( the wild cards who control the dragons when they exist).  Martin advances the action by following the different characters at different times.  Thus, we get differing points of view of the action.

The novels read pretty much like a historical knights and castles type story.  By placing the novels in a fantasy realm, Martin avoids any anachronisms which might detract from a historical fiction novel.

Upon reading the first novel it apparent that Martin has set himself a daunting task.  A Song of Fire and Ice will be an epic story, if he ever finishes it.  After four novels there is very little plot resolution.  The fourth novel,  A Feast for Crows was published in 2005.  The next novel, A Dance With Dragons, may be published in the summer of 2011.  There are two more novels planned for a total of seven.

So, check out the miniseries, if you can.  Then read the novels.  They are great!

Link to the HBO miniseries : http://www.hbo.com/game-of-thrones/index.html

The Jester by James Patterson & Andrew Gross

Genre: Historical Fiction

Hugh de Luc was raised by a traveling band of entertainers called goliards.  In one village he meets the love of his life.  He marries and settles down with Sophie.  Then one day an army of crusaders passes through the town.  The leader promises freedom for all those who join his crusade.

To win freedom for himself and Sophie, Hugh joins the crusaders.  Two years later, he becomes disillusioned with the violence and misery of the crusades.  Hugh returns home with a few meager possessions to find that his home has been destroyed, Sophie has been taken, and the son he didn't know he had has been murdered by  knights of the local lord.

Hugh vows to find Sophie and avenge his son.

In the process he becomes a court jester.  He also learns that he supposedly possesses a valuable relic.  (Not the Holy Grail - whew!) But he does not know what it could be.

As the tale unfolds the authors portray interesting characters: commoners, knights and nobles.  Hugh undergoes incredible sorrow and fantastic joy.  And the reader experiences a nice entertaining story.

This book was a nice easy read.  The authors' style was to use numerous short chapters.  Most chapters were only three or four pages long.  For me, it made the book easy to read because I like to finish chapters when I put my books down.

Dragon's Lair by Sharon Kay Penman

Genre: Historical Mystery

The year is 1193.  King Richard the Lionheart has been captured while returning from the crusades by the Emperor of Germany.  His Mother, Eleanor of Aquitaine, struggles to amass Richard's ransom.  In Wales, a large ransom payment disappears.  Eleanor dispatches her man, Justin de Quincy to investigate.

In Wales, Justin becomes immersed in the political intrigues of the Welsh court.  As he slowly uncovers the clues to solve the mystery, he also discovers treachery that even includes Richard's deceitful brother, Prince John.

The author, Sharon Kay Penman, is a prolific author of historical novels of England and Wales.  This novel is the third in her "Queen's Man Mysteries" series.  I enjoyed her writing style which made this novel a nice easy read.

The Nomad of Time by Michael Moorcock

Genre: Science Fiction, Time Travel, Alternate History

This book contains three short novels about the main character Oswald Bastable.  Bastable is a soldier in the British army serving in India in 1903.  He mysteriously gets  transported into the future: the year 1973.  But his 1973 is not our 1973.  There are steam powered cars, and gigantic airships.

Bastable survives his first time traveling experience, and travels to two other twentieth century "futures".  In each, he finds many differences, but he finds some similarities.  The world seems to always be at war, although the countries and reasons are varied.  In each future time, someone invents nuclear weapons.

I enjoy science fiction.  I find the sub-genre of alternate history very enjoyable.  In these novels, the author presents a "what-if?" version of the past.  Moorcock's vision of Bastable's future makes for an enjoyable, yet somewhat pessimistic view of the future and human nature.

Gallows Thief by Bernard Cornwell

Genre: Historical Fiction
Setting: London, 1817

The main character, Rider Sandman, has just returned to England after the defeat of Napoleon.  His family is in disgrace due to his father's suicide.  His family's finances in ruins, Rider has sold his commission to raise money to support his mother and sister.  Additionally, Rider's engagement to the daughter of a wealthy London banker has been ended due to Rider's poor financial prospects.

Rider is summoned to the office of the Home Secretary.  It seems that the Queen has taken an interest in the case of a young artist who is condemned to the gallows for murder.  Rider is given temporary employment investigating the crime to determine if there is proof that the artist should not be hanged.

What follows is a page turning story in which the author describes London in 1817 as Rider investigates the crime:  the injustice of the gallows, the snobbery of the upper classes, and the plight of the common people.

Bernard Cornwell is one of my favorite authors.  He has authored several historical fiction series.  What I like about Cornwell's writing style is that he moves the plot forward with each page and chapter.  He includes enough description so that the reader understands the action and setting without attempting to impress the reader with the depth of his research.



He is perhaps best known for his Sharpe novels, which follow a soldier during the Napoleonic Wars.




Cornwell's other series are:
The Nathanial Starbuck Chronicles set during the Civil War.



The Grail Quest series in which the main character searches for the Holy Grail.



The Saxon Tales set during the time of King Alfred - the king who united the country of England.

Historical Mysteries

One of my favorite genres of fiction is historical mysteries.  These novels have becomes quite popular in the last few years.  The best examples of this genre are well written historical novels which happen to contain a mystery.  I really enjoy reading these novels because of their historical settings.  I have read historical mysteries set  in ancient Egypt and Rome, seventh century Ireland, medieval England and France, and China.

Some of my favorite historical sleuths are:

Brother Cadfael - a monk in medieval England, by Ellis Peters


Sister Frevisse - a nun in medieval England, by Margaret Frazer


Sister Fidelma - a religieuse in seventh century Ireland, by Peter Tremayne


Marcus Didius Falco - a Roman detective, by Lindsey Davis

The Shanghai Tunnel by Sharan Newman

Genre: Historical Mystery
Setting:  Portland, Oregon in the 1860's

      The title of this book refers to the tunnel system found under the city of Portland, Oregon.  Portland is the setting for this novel.
     The main character, Emily Stratton, and her son arrive in Portland after the death of her husband. The daughter of Chinese missionaries, Emily is a stranger in Portland.  As she becomes acquainted with Portland society, and her husband's business dealings, she learns the truth about the source of her husband's wealth.
     Several untimely deaths force Emily to investigate Portland, and her husband's nefarious business dealings.



     Sharan Newman is one of my favorite authors.  She is also the author of the Catherine LeVendeur Mystery series.  This series is set in Medieval France.  Catherine's family is complicated.  Several of her family members are Jewish.  Her own father struggles with his Jewish heritage.  Death Comes as Epiphany is the first book in this 10 novel series.