Shaker of the Speare: The Francis Bacon Story [Hardcover]

The Companion is an unusual but really valuable supplement to Ross Jackson's first novel, Shaker of The Speare. I liked the research notes all packed into an informative separate book, accompanying me on my journey, but ready at my elbow, when I paused for reflection. For someone interested in literature and history like myself, it is absolutely necessary to get the full picture of what went on at the time. The Companion is extremely compact and well-organized, very concise for the amount of research covered, well-argued and very convincing. I was especially attracted by the author's claim that not one historical fact in the novel was without documented research and evidence.

The special attraction of the novel plus Companion structure is, that you can read the novel along like any other exciting book, not interrupting the lively flow of the adventure with constant references and footnotes, which can interfere with your enjoyment of the story line. But if you are curious about a particular point, the Companion is readily at hand with additional information. Observing the two book jackets side by side peaked my curiosity about the idea that the writer William Shakespeare could very well have been a composite of possibly several talented secret authors led by the famous Englishman, Sir Francis Bacon, who contributed so much to developing English written standards, laws to protect the ordinary man, and visionary writings under his own name.

I really like the idea of a separate book, because it can stand alone for interested readers, who wish to find proof for themselves. This can lead one on to further readings of historical fiction of other types, and a closer re-reading of the fascinating book it supports: Shaker of the Speare; The Francis Bacon Story, a dynamic first novel for author Ross Jackson!

Arlene McKibbon

This book is a wonderful blend of true romance, intrigue, suspense and love triangles, political manoeuvrings, all blended together with documented historical facts. Just looking at the clever portraits on the book jacket gets your immediate attention. I couldn't put this book down until I was finished! The royal families and their tensions mixed up with alliances, posturing, high level cheating, and eternal speculations as to who would succeed the infamous Virgin Queen, not to mention how the Shakespeare works emerged as an essential part of Bacon's method of teaching at a time when very few could read. The balancing in this novel is really well done; keeping the reader in continual suspense. And I loved the frequent touches of subtle humour. Will she or won't she? Who will get her in the end? Is she really what she seems? The writer here puts an entirely new light on the amazing story of Francis Bacon and Will Shakespeare. With the Companion book beside me, I would flip back and forth to check up on the historical evidence, and see for myself how it really occurred. It is a truly breathtaking story, and well written. The dialogue is captivating. I would love to see it as a film.

The most interesting critique of this novel is the unique style of writing, which the author employs. Ross Jackson's method seems to be very similar to that of the book's subject, Francis Bacon. Ross Jackson uses this novel in subtle ways, to educate the reader, just as Bacon did in his own times. It is packed with fascinating historical information, all emerging naturally from the story. I enjoyed the background information about the secret societies of those times, ancient myths, legends, as well as the devious ways and nasty means employed by the courtiers close to the royal families, to ensure their own future positions. Overall it is an excellent read, and will leave you wanting to see more from this new author.

Arlene McKibbon

The artist is an expert manipulator of images and visions in order to create a reality not otherwise available to him/her-self and others. Quite often these possibilities open the door to the impossible and new revelations about human nature and natural systems follow. I think that is exactly what Jackson has done with "Shaker of the Speare." He has taken circumstantial evidence from an extensive research process to rewrite a most intriguing piece of history about what took place in Elizabethan times in Europe, but which also affected the New World and the colonization of North America by the English. This is a serious work clad in drama, tragedy and spiritual-romantic ideals worthy of a Shakespearean play. To back up his thesis Jackson has provided us with a companion book, sold separately, that lays out all the evidence in a form of workshop, on its characters and their time. The companion brings home the notion that the story in the novel is not just made up, but rather a very possible interpretation of what the author describes with some poetic license in the text. It also has a few pages of interesting graphics and period symbols that help understand the correlation between fiction and reality.

The novel is striking in its use of credible dialogues and character development. It paints a picture of royal intrigue, secrecy and corruption of public knowledge for the sake of power. But one of Jackson's main intentions is simply to prove how circumstances and faith played a major role in concealing the identity of the world's greatest writer of all time, William Shakespeare. Throughout the novel we find credible scenarios under which many of the Shake-Speare sonnets may have been written. The numerous plot lines are skillfully spun-out with a style that draws the reader into the story without realizing how radical it truly is. The themes of royal lineage, power struggles, spiritual devotion, political betrayal, corruption and incompetence inside the emerging most powerful country in the world are endless and engaging. My first impression was how similar it is today as it was four hundred years ago when England went from the progressive rule of Queen Elizabeth to the corrupt and irresponsible rule of King James. The tactics used then for control of public opinion and to justify unacceptable actions by the rulers of the world are no different from those used today. The only difference perceived on the surface is that the nobility has been replaced by the corporations.

But what lies at the bottom of the novel is the artistic journey and philosophical development of one of the greatest minds to walk the earth. The story is the life of Sir Francis Bacon, who has been misunderstood by history and underestimated by critics in the shaping of the modern English language. He may be responsible for the writing of the King James Bible, and has quite possibly given us the complete works of William Shakespeare while at the same time elevating the Rosicrucian Order of Freemasons and the Knight Templar to a global spiritual movement. He is recognized as one of the greatest legal minds of its times. It is hard to believe that a single individual could do all the things Bacon is credited with, but the novel makes an unquestionable case for it.

"Shaker of the Spear" is in the same vein as "The Davinci Codes" and I hope it has as much success with the general public. But if the story it tells is true, it has a far more revolutionary importance for English history and for understanding the role of artistic expression in our society.

by Giovanni Ciarlo