/MORSON Oxford University, in 1624, the savage murder of a young girl kindles a frenzy of suspicion between privileged students and impoverished townspeople. And when one of Falconer's students who may have witnessed the crime narrowly escapes being beaten to death by a lynch mob, the Regent Master rushes to his defense. Martin's Press.
Falconer's Crusade
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle. Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Book Description
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
This sparkling medieval mystery debut introduces an appealing sleuth, Regent Master William Falconer of Aristotle College, Oxford University, who calls himself a "deductionist." When not tutoring young clods, Falconer, who keeps a live owl in his rooms, experiments wth flying devices. The year is 1264, but Falconer, a disciple of Friar Bacon, is ahead of his time, notably with his heretical belief, drawn from his observations, that the earth's surface must be curved. The stabbing murder of Margaret Gebetz, Master John Fyssh's French servant girl, is followed by the murders of three students. What connection, if any, do the slayings have to the visit to Oxford of Prince Edward, weak King Henry III's son, who is being wooed by rebellious barons? What is the nature of the small book that illiterate Margaret possessed and which she believed would protect her? Thirteenth-century Oxford, with its political entanglements, its town vs. gown clashes and suspicion of Jews, comes vividly to life in Englishman Morson's tight, absorbing tale, first in a projected series.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Library Journal
Morson joins the ranks of fictional historians with this first novel set in 1264 Oxford, where townspeople and students coexist uneasily. New student Thomas Symon stumbles over the fresh corpse of a beautiful girl and narrowly escapes a lynch mob by hiding in the Jewish ghetto. His instructor, Master William Falconer, begins a dangerous investigation that reveals superstition, chicanery, and deception. Falconer, who keeps a pet owl, also lives up to his name by experimenting with bird skeletons. This work showcases a knowledgeable sense of place, sturdy prose, and a critical grasp of character.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
By lucas cragg
Format:Paperback
Morson works a fast-paced tale of murder in medieval Oxford by zipping between several different persceptives. He appears to have a very firm grasp of the setting his mysteries occupy and many of the historical details that make reading this sort of mystery enjoyable. I especially appreciated the subplot involving the Jewish quarter of Oxford and issues related to the prejudices of the times. I found the plot to be compelling and I happened to enjoy the quick pace. However, the use of shifting perspectives every few paragraphs was frequently disorienting and some of the characters could use a bit of fleshing out. All in all, a very nice leisure read.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
2.8 out of 5 stars
6 reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
A good, fast - paced medieval whodunnit
April 28 2000
By lucas cragg
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
Morson works a fast-paced tale of murder in medieval Oxford by zipping between several different persceptives. He appears to have a very firm grasp of the setting his mysteries occupy and many of the historical details that make reading this sort of mystery enjoyable. I especially appreciated the subplot involving the Jewish quarter of Oxford and issues related to the prejudices of the times. I found the plot to be compelling and I happened to enjoy the quick pace. However, the use of shifting perspectives every few paragraphs was frequently disorienting and some of the characters could use a bit of fleshing out. All in all, a very nice leisure read.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars
Morson's muddy medieval murder mystery
Feb 11 2006
By Peter Reeve
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Falconer's Crusade is a muddy, bloody stroll through medieval Oxford. It is the first in a series that improved as it went along. This introductory adventure has serious plot flaws.
One problem is that the suspects are not internal to the plot, by which I mean, we as readers know that they are the suspects, and that one of them is the murderer, because they are the characters we are told about. There is no reason for Falconer to consider them suspects. He puzzles over which one of them is guilty, but there is no reason why any of them should be, or any reason why anyone else shouldn't be. The guilty party is easy to spot in the end, and if you haven't got it by the end of chapter 13, review what you've read up to then and you shouldn't have much difficulty. The clues are obvious.
Another problem is the coincidental beginning, the main characters happening to be in the same place at the same time. Readers of mysteries don't seem to mind this, of course. If Miss Marple's quiet village or Poirot's vacations become a bloodbath so that they have a good supply of mysteries to solve, we take it in our stride. So perhaps we should not be surprised that Falconer and Thomas are just where they should be, when they should be.
Morson mixes in plenty of historic authenticity, which readers of the medieval mystery genre insist upon. I am not convinced he always gets it right. For example, the nef (elaborate condiment holder) laid before Prince Edward belongs to a later period, I thought. Also, would a Jewish girl of the period really have 'an ivory skin'?
Morson writes well, with an occasional artistic flourish. He is fond of describing 'dust motes dancing in the sunbeams', for example. So the book is a pleasure to read. It just doesn't pass muster as a mystery.
One problem is that the suspects are not internal to the plot, by which I mean, we as readers know that they are the suspects, and that one of them is the murderer, because they are the characters we are told about. There is no reason for Falconer to consider them suspects. He puzzles over which one of them is guilty, but there is no reason why any of them should be, or any reason why anyone else shouldn't be. The guilty party is easy to spot in the end, and if you haven't got it by the end of chapter 13, review what you've read up to then and you shouldn't have much difficulty. The clues are obvious.
Another problem is the coincidental beginning, the main characters happening to be in the same place at the same time. Readers of mysteries don't seem to mind this, of course. If Miss Marple's quiet village or Poirot's vacations become a bloodbath so that they have a good supply of mysteries to solve, we take it in our stride. So perhaps we should not be surprised that Falconer and Thomas are just where they should be, when they should be.
Morson mixes in plenty of historic authenticity, which readers of the medieval mystery genre insist upon. I am not convinced he always gets it right. For example, the nef (elaborate condiment holder) laid before Prince Edward belongs to a later period, I thought. Also, would a Jewish girl of the period really have 'an ivory skin'?
Morson writes well, with an occasional artistic flourish. He is fond of describing 'dust motes dancing in the sunbeams', for example. So the book is a pleasure to read. It just doesn't pass muster as a mystery.
4.0 out of 5 stars
History/Mystery
April 4 2013
By Don Magness
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
Being a fan of historical novels I thought this was an entertaining story.
I read it on my kindle and thought it was a bit short, but neatly tied up.
Oftentimes in mysteries you can kind of predict the way the plot might go,
but Morson puts some nice twists into the plot which made it challenging
and fun to try to figure out who the culprit is. Characters were well-
developed as well. I'm looking forward to reading more of the series.
I read it on my kindle and thought it was a bit short, but neatly tied up.
Oftentimes in mysteries you can kind of predict the way the plot might go,
but Morson puts some nice twists into the plot which made it challenging
and fun to try to figure out who the culprit is. Characters were well-
developed as well. I'm looking forward to reading more of the series.
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 6 reviews
2.8 out of 5 stars
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Feedback
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
