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Product Description
Review
'A cracking plot full of twists right up to the last minute. I look forward to the next' -- Sunday Express 'Beautifully done ... alive and tremendously engrossing' -- Daily Telegraph 'A colourful history lesson ... exciting narrative twists' -- Sunday Telegraph 'Enjoyable, bloody and brutish' -- Guardian 'An engrossing thriller' -- Washington Post 'An excellent debut' -- Publishers Weekly 'This is a historical thriller to send a shiver down your spine...atmospheric- the evocation of the filth and debauchery of London is quite exceptional- it demonstrates the compelling eye for detail and character that Bernard Cornwall so memorably brought to Rifleman Sharpe. I could not tear myself away, it is that good.' -- Daily Mail 'Revenger raises Clements to the top rank of historical thriller writers... an intricate web of plots and subplots vividly evoking the tenor of the times. Shakespeare makes a fascinating lead, perfectly suited to sustain what one hopes will be a long series' -- Publishers' Weekly
Product Description
1592. England and Spain are at war, yet there is peril at home, too. The death of her trusted spymaster Sir Francis Walsingham has left Queen Elizabeth vulnerable. Conspiracies multiply. The quiet life of John Shakespeare is shattered by a summons from Robert Cecil, the cold but deadly young statesman who dominated the last years of the Queen's long reign, insisting Shakespeare re-enter government service. His mission: to find vital papers, now in the possession of the Earl of Essex. Essex is the brightest star in the firmament, a man of ambition. He woos the Queen, thirty-three years his senior, as if she were a girl his age. She is flattered by him - despite her loathing for his mother, the beautiful, dangerous Lettice Knollys who presides over her own glittering court - a dazzling array of the mad, bad, dangerous and disaffected. When John Shakespeare infiltrates this dissolute world he discovers not only that the Queen herself is in danger - but that he and his family is also a target. With only his loyal footsoldier Boltfoot Cooper at his side, Shakespeare must face implacable forces who believe themselves above the law: men and women who kill without compunction. And in a world of shifting allegiances, just how far he can trust Robert Cecil, his devious new master?
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Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Second book in a great series!,
By
This review is from: Revenger: A Novel of Tudor Intrigue (Hardcover)
British writer Rory Clements' new novel, "Revenger", the second in his Elizabethan setting, is even better than is first, "Martyr". Clements' central character - John Shakespeare (older brother to you-know-who) - is an "intelligencer" for Sir Francis Walsingham, principal secretary to Elizabeth I. Meaning he investigates and "looks into" problems at court and in the country as a whole. In the first book, Shakespeare helps foil a plot against Sir Francis Drake and becomes involved in the Protestant/Catholic on-going struggle.In this second in the series, Shakespeare has retired from "intelligencing" after Walsingham's death. He marries a Catholic woman and has a child and begins a school for poor children in London. But in 1595, Shakespeare is "persuaded" to head back into the life of an intelligencer. Put to work by Robert Devereux, the Earl of Essex - young boy-toy of the aging Elizabeth - to find an elusive woman in London, who may - or may not - be Eleanor Dare, a possible survivor of the lost Roanoke Colony. Added into the mix is a plot against the life of Elizabeth - in the waning days of her rule - by the Devereux family, as well as the on-going, simmering dispute between Protestants and Catholics. And those are the major plot points; there are quite a few smaller ones. Somehow, though, Clements never gets the plot lines confused in his writing, so the reader doesn't. Life in Elizabethan England was often, to paraphrase Thomas Hobbs, "short, brutish, and nasty". Plague often swept the cities, and daily life was not easy. Certainly many of the characters in "Revenger" didn't meet particularly happy ends; death by horrific means was depressingly common. Clements doesn't make light of ugly death in his work. It appears as an often justifiable end to many a badly-lived life. Rory Clements has really developed an interesting set of characters in his series. Brother William makes a couple of appearances in the books, but the main character is John Shakespeare. I'm pleased that there is a third book in the series, already published in England and that I ordered from AmazonUK. Clements is a good writer; seemingly getting better with each book.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
4.3 out of 5 stars (6 customer reviews) 4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Second book in a great series!,
By Jill Meyer - Published on Amazon.com
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Revenger: A Novel of Tudor Intrigue (Hardcover)
British writer Rory Clements' new novel, "Revenger", the second in his Elizabethan setting, is even better than is first, "Martyr". Clements' central character - John Shakespeare (older brother to you-know-who) - is an "intelligencer" for Sir Francis Walsingham, principal secretary to Elizabeth I. Meaning he investigates and "looks into" problems at court and in the country as a whole. In the first book, Shakespeare helps foil a plot against Sir Francis Drake and becomes involved in the Protestant/Catholic on-going struggle.In this second in the series, Shakespeare has retired from "intelligencing" after Walsingham's death. He marries a Catholic woman and has a child and begins a school for poor children in London. But in 1595, Shakespeare is "persuaded" to head back into the life of an intelligencer. Put to work by Robert Devereux, the Earl of Essex - young boy-toy of the aging Elizabeth - to find an elusive woman in London, who may - or may not - be Eleanor Dare, a possible survivor of the lost Roanoke Colony. Added into the mix is a plot against the life of Elizabeth - in the waning days of her rule - by the Devereux family, as well as the on-going, simmering dispute between Protestants and Catholics. And those are the major plot points; there are quite a few smaller ones. Somehow, though, Clements never gets the plot lines confused in his writing, so the reader doesn't. Life in Elizabethan England was often, to paraphrase Thomas Hobbes, "short, brutish, and nasty". Plague often swept the cities, and daily life was not easy. Certainly many of the characters in "Revenger" didn't meet particularly happy ends; death by horrific means was depressingly common. Clements doesn't make light of ugly death in his work. It appears as an often justifiable end to many a badly-lived life. Rory Clements has really developed an interesting set of characters in his series. Brother William makes a couple of appearances in the books, but the main character is John Shakespeare. I'm pleased that there is a third book in the series, already published in England and that I ordered from AmazonUK. Clements is a good writer; seemingly getting better with each book. 1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Excitement and conspiracy on almost every page,
By John O. Raab "Editor of Suspense Magazine" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Revenger: A Novel of Tudor Intrigue (Hardcover)
This is a tale of altered history, using John Shakespeare, the brother of William, as the sleuth. William even makes a brief appearance and plays a role. The first in this series was "Martyr" and introduced Shakespeare as an "intelligencer" for Her Majesty, the Queen of England, Elizabeth I.As the second book opens, John has retired from a palace and political intrigue to serve as headmaster of the Margaret Woode School for Poor Boys. His first main problem is an instructor who is too harsh with the students, but whom he is stuck with. The instructor was foisted upon him by the Protestant Bishop as an agent to keep track that no Roman Catholic leanings creep into the curriculum. His second worry is the Roman Catholic faith of his beloved wife, Catherine. She refuses to keep it hidden, a dangerous position in England at this time. John worries for his wife and his young daughter. Queen Elizabeth, to whom John is loyal, has enemies. England has defeated the Spanish Armada, but Spain is regrouping and King Philip remains a threat. There may also be a plot to arrange a marriage between Lady Arabella Stuart, generally acknowledged to be next in line to the English throne, to Robert Devereux, the Earl of Essex. This would be a powerful alliance and could topple the queen. Some rough characters convince John to get back into the intrigue game, some working for Sir Robert Cecil, some for Essex. John isn't quite sure who is on the side of the queen and who is against her. When John's wife quits speaking to him after she narrowly misses a trip to the Tower with the Catholic priest she follows, his troubles are compounded. Somehow, his family is entangled in a plot to overthrow his monarch and he must use his wits to keep this from happening. The book is quite long for a mystery, but there's excitement and conspiracy on almost every page to keep the reader's interest. Reviewed by Kaye George, Author of "Choke", for Suspense Magazine 1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Elizabethan mystery,
By a customer - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Revenger: A Novel of Tudor Intrigue (Hardcover)
I rarely write reviews. However, after finishing Rory Clements' Revenger, I was moved to respond.I am a reader who loves the Elizabethan period. However, recently, I have become turned-off by the surplus of Tudor-era novels that are 1) superficial 2) boring 3) historically inaccurate and/or 4) well-researched but so dense and depressing they are a chore to read. So I picked up Mr. Clements' book with trepidation. I enjoyed the first few pages and read further. To my surprise and delight, I was still reading, into the wee hours. Clements has succeeded in creating a well-researched Elizabethan world, with multidimensional compelling characters, & excellent pacing & plot twists. He also manages to keep close to a dozen balls in the air-plotwise-and stay not only coherent but suspenseful. His conclusion is believable, it is also very moving. That said, there are a few points where I felt his characterizations were a bit over the top. And I found myself confused sometimes regarding John's wife's behavior and reversals. But these are quibbles, forgiven quickly given the overall strength of the writing. I would also like to note my appreciation for the issues the author takes on. In Revenger, he address both the Earl Of Essex and the mysterious Roanoke Colony. In Martyr (which I have just started), he portrays the time of the Armada and the bitter religious conflicts in England at the time. (And, yes, much as we might not like to think about it, Elizabeth of England could be brutal. It wasn't all lace, love, and wit at that court!) So, thank you Mr. Clements, for a great read. I look forward to buying your books in the future. |
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