Winter in Madrid by CJ Sansom
I have just finished reading this book which has taken me a little while. I read it because I enjoyed CJ Sansom's Tudor England (Shardlake) series so much. The author has meticulously researched the history of the Spanish Civil War and its effects on the various classes of people in Spain, and the situation in Europe at the time, with the risk of Spain allying with the Germans against Britain. It shows the great divisions in Spain following the war, and the bitter wounds caused to family and social relationships by dividing the nation (similar to Yugoslavia I imagine). Anyway, basically this is a love/spy story set during this period.
However, I found I had to push myself to read it until the last third of the book when they started to plot the prisoners escape. I had to keep reminding myself who the different factions were (Falangists/Republicans etc) and maybe it wasn’t intended as an exciting, gripping read but I kept waiting for something to happen but it didn’t until the end. For me it was slow; interesting and informative of that era, but slow and the characters flat.
It says on the front cover ‘if you like Sebastian Faulks & Carlos Ruiz Zafon, you’ll love this’……..in that case I won’t bother reading those two………!
review by showhost
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query CJ Sansom. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query CJ Sansom. Sort by date Show all posts
Monday, 27 December 2010
Thursday, 2 October 2008
CJ Sansom - Dark Fire (reviewed on 2nd October)
The English Reformation was the series of events in 16th century England by which the Church of England broke away from the authority of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church. The English Reformation began as another chapter in the long running dispute with the Catholic Church over the latter's claimed jurisdiction over the English people, though ostensibly based on Henry VIII's desire for an annulment. The split from Rome made the English monarch head of the English church by "Royal Supremacy", thereby making the Church of England the established church of the nation. The structure and theology of the church was a matter of fierce dispute for generations. It led eventually to civil war, the Dissolution of the Monasteries was begun in 1536, the revenue was used by Henry to help build coastal defences against expected invasion, and all their land was given to the Crown or sold to the aristocracy.
King Henry wants to divorce his 4th wife Ann of Cleves to Mary Catherine Howard. Henry felt he had been duped by Cromwell into marrying her. Cromwell did not want the divorce to happen as he felt marrying Howard would push England back to the papist as she was related to the Duke of Norfolk who was a supporter of the papists. Cromwell needs to get back into Henrys favour. It is with this background in the sweltering summer of 1540 that we meet the main character of the story ‘Shardlake’ a hunchback lawyer. He has been avoiding politics and has been building up his small legal practice .
Shardlake is approached to take on a murder case by Joseph, a man who’s neice has been found guilty of a murder he is sure she did not commit,.. that of his brothers son. She has days left before she will be put to death or brutally tortured.
However, Cromwell needs Shardlake to look for the secret of the Dark or Greek Fire’ which burns on water & can engulf a whole building in minutes. It was first used by the Byzantines to destroy the Arab navies. If the formulae for this can be found it would make a wonderful weapon of mass destruction and get Cromwell back in King Henrys good favour. Cromwell has only 12 days before he is to appear before the King and demonstrate this Greek Fire. Cromwell holds Shardlake in high esteem so sends his servant John Barak to summon him. Shardlake does not have an option, he has to take the case and the permanent assistance of Barak.
Shardlake finds himself the victim of several murder attempts and discovers those with the knowledge of the Greek Fire brutally murdered before he gets to them.
Shardlake is juggling his time looking for Cromwells formulae and representing the girl imprisoned for murder as Shardlake, too, believes she is innocent. Time is running out fast as we travel through Tudor London on the hottest summer in a century.
This is the first CJ Sansom book I have read and it won’t be the last. Each time I started to read it I felt as though I was living in Tudor England, I could smell the hot putrid air, I could see the streets. I found the whole backdrop so interesting, the political/religious turmoil. The women blackening their teeth to give the impression they had the wealth to buy sugar or using belladonna eye drops to enlarge their pupils to make them look more attractive to potential suitors.
The main characters Shardlake and Barak were so different yet so likeable. Shardlake is a great fiction character.
If you have even just a passing interest in historical fiction, particularly Tudor London, and you enjoy a gripping mystery with twists, turns and and mixes of real names in history such as Richard Rich, Thomas Cromwell and the Duke of Norfolk, an overview of Henry VIII and his wives plus fictional colourful characters you will love this book.
King Henry wants to divorce his 4th wife Ann of Cleves to Mary Catherine Howard. Henry felt he had been duped by Cromwell into marrying her. Cromwell did not want the divorce to happen as he felt marrying Howard would push England back to the papist as she was related to the Duke of Norfolk who was a supporter of the papists. Cromwell needs to get back into Henrys favour. It is with this background in the sweltering summer of 1540 that we meet the main character of the story ‘Shardlake’ a hunchback lawyer. He has been avoiding politics and has been building up his small legal practice .
Shardlake is approached to take on a murder case by Joseph, a man who’s neice has been found guilty of a murder he is sure she did not commit,.. that of his brothers son. She has days left before she will be put to death or brutally tortured.
However, Cromwell needs Shardlake to look for the secret of the Dark or Greek Fire’ which burns on water & can engulf a whole building in minutes. It was first used by the Byzantines to destroy the Arab navies. If the formulae for this can be found it would make a wonderful weapon of mass destruction and get Cromwell back in King Henrys good favour. Cromwell has only 12 days before he is to appear before the King and demonstrate this Greek Fire. Cromwell holds Shardlake in high esteem so sends his servant John Barak to summon him. Shardlake does not have an option, he has to take the case and the permanent assistance of Barak.
Shardlake finds himself the victim of several murder attempts and discovers those with the knowledge of the Greek Fire brutally murdered before he gets to them.
Shardlake is juggling his time looking for Cromwells formulae and representing the girl imprisoned for murder as Shardlake, too, believes she is innocent. Time is running out fast as we travel through Tudor London on the hottest summer in a century.
This is the first CJ Sansom book I have read and it won’t be the last. Each time I started to read it I felt as though I was living in Tudor England, I could smell the hot putrid air, I could see the streets. I found the whole backdrop so interesting, the political/religious turmoil. The women blackening their teeth to give the impression they had the wealth to buy sugar or using belladonna eye drops to enlarge their pupils to make them look more attractive to potential suitors.
The main characters Shardlake and Barak were so different yet so likeable. Shardlake is a great fiction character.
If you have even just a passing interest in historical fiction, particularly Tudor London, and you enjoy a gripping mystery with twists, turns and and mixes of real names in history such as Richard Rich, Thomas Cromwell and the Duke of Norfolk, an overview of Henry VIII and his wives plus fictional colourful characters you will love this book.
Tuesday, 24 August 2010
CJ Sansom - Revelation
Review by showhost
Another excellent novel by this author. If you like Tudor England & who dunnit’s then you will like this book. It has a great lead character, the hunchback lawyer – Matthew Shardlake.
Revelation gathers momentum in the harsh times of Tudor England, the dissolution of monastries, poverty, religious battles, incarceration of London butchers caught selling meat during Lent, reformist clergy dominating the lives of their parishioners and Henry 8th looking to marry Catherine Parr his 6th wife.
Shardlake when we join him has been asked to help a young lad who has become a religious manic and could be burned as a heretic and so has been put in Bedlam.
A serial killer is mutilating his victims and Shardlake becomes involved (along with his assistant Barak and ex-monk Guy) when one of the victims is his good friend, Roger, another lawyer at Lincolns Inn Fields. He is found in a fountain opposite his home, the waters running red.
Shardlake realizes that the murders are following the misreading of the Book of Revelation. There are 7 vials, and will be 7 murders. They believe the killer is possessed by the devil and that if news gets out about these murders it will reflect on the King. But, having promised Rogers wife he will find the killer, he is drawn once again into the politics of the court of Henry 8th.
The investigation has to be carried out in secret and he has to report to Archbishop Cranmer, who is watching the wooing of Catherine Parr keenly as she is known to have reformist sympathies which would suit his Protestant faction at court.
As Colin Dexter said in his review of the earlier books, Sansom makes the past feel like the present.
As I said in the beginning it builds momentum. I found some of the names confusing as some were very similar and I had to keep looking back to see who it was. Plus it mentions a lot of the different religious sects and I couldn't quite keep up with who was fighting for what (I imagine that is very reflective of the time......!) but it didn't detract from my enjoyment of this book
Another excellent novel by this author. If you like Tudor England & who dunnit’s then you will like this book. It has a great lead character, the hunchback lawyer – Matthew Shardlake.
Revelation gathers momentum in the harsh times of Tudor England, the dissolution of monastries, poverty, religious battles, incarceration of London butchers caught selling meat during Lent, reformist clergy dominating the lives of their parishioners and Henry 8th looking to marry Catherine Parr his 6th wife.
Shardlake when we join him has been asked to help a young lad who has become a religious manic and could be burned as a heretic and so has been put in Bedlam.
A serial killer is mutilating his victims and Shardlake becomes involved (along with his assistant Barak and ex-monk Guy) when one of the victims is his good friend, Roger, another lawyer at Lincolns Inn Fields. He is found in a fountain opposite his home, the waters running red.
Shardlake realizes that the murders are following the misreading of the Book of Revelation. There are 7 vials, and will be 7 murders. They believe the killer is possessed by the devil and that if news gets out about these murders it will reflect on the King. But, having promised Rogers wife he will find the killer, he is drawn once again into the politics of the court of Henry 8th.
The investigation has to be carried out in secret and he has to report to Archbishop Cranmer, who is watching the wooing of Catherine Parr keenly as she is known to have reformist sympathies which would suit his Protestant faction at court.
As Colin Dexter said in his review of the earlier books, Sansom makes the past feel like the present.
As I said in the beginning it builds momentum. I found some of the names confusing as some were very similar and I had to keep looking back to see who it was. Plus it mentions a lot of the different religious sects and I couldn't quite keep up with who was fighting for what (I imagine that is very reflective of the time......!) but it didn't detract from my enjoyment of this book
Thursday, 5 February 2015
C J Sansom - Lamentation
This review was written by and read live live on the bookshow by Brian Lowen on 5th Feb 2015
I have read one of
this author’s previous books, also set in the Tudor period.
This was called
Sovereign and it concerned Henry VIII’s Progress (as it was called) up to the
city of York to quell the ill feeling amongst his northern subjects. It was
amazing the organisation needed to get the whole court plus soldiers up to York
before the days of high speed transport.
The hero of this
story is also Matthew Shardlake, a sergeant lawyer working in his own chambers
in Lincolns’ Inn in London in the mid fifteen hundreds. He is a semi invalid
with a bent back which does cause him pain if he has to stand for too long.
This story is set
at the end of Henry’s reign when he is a poor old thing, grossly fat with legs
full of blisters and hardly able to walk. Not at all like the Henry we see in
Wolf Hall on the TV which of course is set much earlier in his reign. By the
time of this story Thomas Cromwell has been beheaded.
the city, when if
convicted, they were burnt at the stake. The book which is still in manuscript
form was called Lamentations of a Sinner.
She has not told
Henry that this book has gone missing, fearing he would fly into a temper, so
asks Shardlake to carry out secret investigations to try and find it for her.
They concoct a story that a valuable jewel has been stolen to hide the real
reason for the search.
And so the whole
story is involved with the search for the book and the
many scrapes that Shardlake and his assistants get into while searching for it.
We learn a lot
about what it was like to live in that period in London and the devious way
politics worked in the Royal Court, which is all very interesting and good maps
are provided inside the covers of the book, which is over 600 pages long.
I enjoyed the
book, although I felt it could have been a bit shorter as some of the
investigations tend to be a bit wearisome.
Friday, 22 April 2011
C J Sansom - Sovereign
review by Brian Lowen on show 21st April
An historical novel, set in the time of the Tudors. It probably helps if you enjoy history to fully appreciate this book as it goes into detail concern the succession to the throne from King Edward IV up to King Henry VIII and the story is whether or not Henry VIII was in fact legally entitled to the throne.
It is autumn,1541 and King Henry VIII has set out on a spectacular Progress to the North with all his court and followers together with his soldiers to attend an extravagant submission by his rebellious subjects in York, who have recently been put down following an uprising against the King who they believe should not be their monarch.
Already in the city are lawyer Matthew Shardlake and his assistant Jack Barak. As well as legal work processing legal petitions to the King, Shardlake has reluctantly undertaken a special mission for Archbishop Cranmer – to ensure the welfare of an important but dangerous conspirator who is to be returned to London for interrogation in the Tower.
But the murder of a York glazier involves Shardlake in deeper mysteries, connected not only to the prisoner in York castle but to the royal family itself. And when Shardlake and Barak stumble upon a cache of secret documents which could threaten the Tudor throne, a chain of events unfolds that will lead to Shardlake facing the most terrifying event of the age.
Whilst the story is fiction it is based on the facts of what did happen during this Progress to the North by the King. It deals in great detail with what it must have been like to go on this journey which took several weeks over very poor roads with a vast encampment having to be set up each night when it stopped, with several thousand people needing feeding. It was a great feat of organisation.
Lawyer Shardlake is an improbable hero with whom we can sympathise. Being a hunchback he suffers all kinds of humiliation, even from the King, but he is a man of high principles and this sees him through in the end. The book is over 600 pages long but it keeps you enthralled all the time as we learn what it was like living in those times.
reviw by Brian
An historical novel, set in the time of the Tudors. It probably helps if you enjoy history to fully appreciate this book as it goes into detail concern the succession to the throne from King Edward IV up to King Henry VIII and the story is whether or not Henry VIII was in fact legally entitled to the throne.
It is autumn,1541 and King Henry VIII has set out on a spectacular Progress to the North with all his court and followers together with his soldiers to attend an extravagant submission by his rebellious subjects in York, who have recently been put down following an uprising against the King who they believe should not be their monarch.
Already in the city are lawyer Matthew Shardlake and his assistant Jack Barak. As well as legal work processing legal petitions to the King, Shardlake has reluctantly undertaken a special mission for Archbishop Cranmer – to ensure the welfare of an important but dangerous conspirator who is to be returned to London for interrogation in the Tower.
But the murder of a York glazier involves Shardlake in deeper mysteries, connected not only to the prisoner in York castle but to the royal family itself. And when Shardlake and Barak stumble upon a cache of secret documents which could threaten the Tudor throne, a chain of events unfolds that will lead to Shardlake facing the most terrifying event of the age.
Whilst the story is fiction it is based on the facts of what did happen during this Progress to the North by the King. It deals in great detail with what it must have been like to go on this journey which took several weeks over very poor roads with a vast encampment having to be set up each night when it stopped, with several thousand people needing feeding. It was a great feat of organisation.
Lawyer Shardlake is an improbable hero with whom we can sympathise. Being a hunchback he suffers all kinds of humiliation, even from the King, but he is a man of high principles and this sees him through in the end. The book is over 600 pages long but it keeps you enthralled all the time as we learn what it was like living in those times.
reviw by Brian
Sunday, 25 January 2015
CJ Sansom - Lamentation
review by showhost Jan 2015
It has been a while since I read one of his books and I had forgotten how much I enjoy them.
This is another of his Shardlake series, set in Tudor England. Mathew Shardlake is a hatchback barrister/lawyer. In past books he has taken on work for the Royal household. But it's 1546 king Henry 8th is not well and getting nearer death. His successor is the very young 8yr old Prince Edward (to be 6th). The political struggle is raging between the Catholic & protestant councillors, for the control of government once Henry is dead.
Heretics are still being hunted across London and the story opens with a radical protestant Anne Askew being burnt at the stake after being tortured in the tower.
The Catholic party want to get rid of Catherine Parr (6th) wife and when they learn she has written a book, a confessional book - lamentations of a sinner - they steal it in the hope they can use it against her and turn Henry against her and accuse her of heresy. They also hope to turn Henry back to the Pope. Catherine sends for Shardlake in the hope he can trace the document. One torn piece of the manuscript is found in the house of a murdered printer. An as remakes investigations lead him and his trusted employer and friends Barak & Nicholas into a web of political intrigue and danger, a place where Shardlake said he would never venture again.
It is a very unsafe time with politics and religious views changing with the wind and never uttered.
I just love these books - they transport you to Tudor England - not a nice place to be - sights and smells and intrigue. Shardlake is such a wonderful character. If you like historical mysteries you'll love it or any of his previous books
It has been a while since I read one of his books and I had forgotten how much I enjoy them.
This is another of his Shardlake series, set in Tudor England. Mathew Shardlake is a hatchback barrister/lawyer. In past books he has taken on work for the Royal household. But it's 1546 king Henry 8th is not well and getting nearer death. His successor is the very young 8yr old Prince Edward (to be 6th). The political struggle is raging between the Catholic & protestant councillors, for the control of government once Henry is dead.
Heretics are still being hunted across London and the story opens with a radical protestant Anne Askew being burnt at the stake after being tortured in the tower.
The Catholic party want to get rid of Catherine Parr (6th) wife and when they learn she has written a book, a confessional book - lamentations of a sinner - they steal it in the hope they can use it against her and turn Henry against her and accuse her of heresy. They also hope to turn Henry back to the Pope. Catherine sends for Shardlake in the hope he can trace the document. One torn piece of the manuscript is found in the house of a murdered printer. An as remakes investigations lead him and his trusted employer and friends Barak & Nicholas into a web of political intrigue and danger, a place where Shardlake said he would never venture again.
It is a very unsafe time with politics and religious views changing with the wind and never uttered.
I just love these books - they transport you to Tudor England - not a nice place to be - sights and smells and intrigue. Shardlake is such a wonderful character. If you like historical mysteries you'll love it or any of his previous books
Saturday, 2 April 2011
CJ Sansom - Sovereign
review by showhost
Another engrossing book from an acclaimed Historical Mystery Thriller Fiction writer. I have read a few of his Shardlake series now, which are all set around Tudor England and have enjoyed them all. This author brings London to life. Shardlake, the main character, is a hunchback lawyer working out of Lincolns Inn in London and at one point worked for Cromwell.
There is unrest at York, as elsewhere in the North. Monastries have been pulled down, and land has been seized by Southern merchants. The 'War of the Roses' is over as is the 'Pilgrimage of Grace' uprising but the hatred of the King and his religious reforms still harbour rebellious factions. Its 1541, the King (Henry 8th) has come to York with his present wife Catherine Howard, to meet with the King of Scotland, to find some common ground, an alliance.
Shardlake and his assistant Barak, have been asked by Archbishop Cranmer to go to York ahead of the Royal Progression. Shardlake is assured his job will simply be to help a fellow lawyer with the pleas before the King. But then he is given another task - to look after the welfare of a prisoner being held there. They want the prisoner brought back to the Tower to be tortured. The prisoner was part of the rebellion to dethrone the King.. Nobody is to question the prisoner as he has knowledge which could prove the King not to be the true successor to the throne..
During his duties Shardlake encounters the Glazier, who’s job it is to remove all the stained glass from the windows of the churches & monastries. Shardlakes problems start when the Glazier is pushed from his ladder, his last words in Shardlakes ear are about a family called Blaybourne and secret papers proving Henry (Mouldwarp) not the rightful King. Shardlake finds the box of missing papers but is knocked out & the papers stolen.
There are several attempts on Shardlakes life and once he and the Progression return to London he finds himself accused of being a ‘party’ to the knowledge of The Queens dalliance with a member of Royal court. He is put in the Tower for torture. The rack, teeth pulling with pliers & finger nails burnt off, are all in store for him.
There was just a 'tad' too much unnecessary info at times (could have been 100 pages less and still a very good read)but a great read for anyone interested in Tudor history combined with a good fictional thriller.
Another engrossing book from an acclaimed Historical Mystery Thriller Fiction writer. I have read a few of his Shardlake series now, which are all set around Tudor England and have enjoyed them all. This author brings London to life. Shardlake, the main character, is a hunchback lawyer working out of Lincolns Inn in London and at one point worked for Cromwell.
There is unrest at York, as elsewhere in the North. Monastries have been pulled down, and land has been seized by Southern merchants. The 'War of the Roses' is over as is the 'Pilgrimage of Grace' uprising but the hatred of the King and his religious reforms still harbour rebellious factions. Its 1541, the King (Henry 8th) has come to York with his present wife Catherine Howard, to meet with the King of Scotland, to find some common ground, an alliance.
Shardlake and his assistant Barak, have been asked by Archbishop Cranmer to go to York ahead of the Royal Progression. Shardlake is assured his job will simply be to help a fellow lawyer with the pleas before the King. But then he is given another task - to look after the welfare of a prisoner being held there. They want the prisoner brought back to the Tower to be tortured. The prisoner was part of the rebellion to dethrone the King.. Nobody is to question the prisoner as he has knowledge which could prove the King not to be the true successor to the throne..
During his duties Shardlake encounters the Glazier, who’s job it is to remove all the stained glass from the windows of the churches & monastries. Shardlakes problems start when the Glazier is pushed from his ladder, his last words in Shardlakes ear are about a family called Blaybourne and secret papers proving Henry (Mouldwarp) not the rightful King. Shardlake finds the box of missing papers but is knocked out & the papers stolen.
There are several attempts on Shardlakes life and once he and the Progression return to London he finds himself accused of being a ‘party’ to the knowledge of The Queens dalliance with a member of Royal court. He is put in the Tower for torture. The rack, teeth pulling with pliers & finger nails burnt off, are all in store for him.
There was just a 'tad' too much unnecessary info at times (could have been 100 pages less and still a very good read)but a great read for anyone interested in Tudor history combined with a good fictional thriller.
Tuesday, 27 March 2012
C.J. Sansom - Dark Fire
review by Maggie Perkovic on show 22nd march
This novel which is set in 1540 features Matthew Shardlake a lawyer who is defending a young girl accused of murdering her cousin by pushing him down a well. at the same time Matthew must keep faith with thomas Cromwell who is searching for the legendary Greek fire which purports to burst into flames and would be a valuable asset in the defence of the realm and at the same time impress Henry V111 who is furious with Cromwell over his choice of a bride for the King, the rather plain Anne of Cleves, gaining knowledge of this fire would certainly put Cromwell back in the King's favour.Shardlake has to follow the trail of this elusive substance across the country while trying to prove his client's innocence, there are grisly murders, horrifying discoveries, narrow escapes from death, as Matthew and his assistant Barak are attacked by unknown assailants leading to a terrifying climax. The description of Tudor London is very good, you feel you are in the hot smelly capital where thunderstorms are due together with haunting characters!!
Well recommended!!!!
This novel which is set in 1540 features Matthew Shardlake a lawyer who is defending a young girl accused of murdering her cousin by pushing him down a well. at the same time Matthew must keep faith with thomas Cromwell who is searching for the legendary Greek fire which purports to burst into flames and would be a valuable asset in the defence of the realm and at the same time impress Henry V111 who is furious with Cromwell over his choice of a bride for the King, the rather plain Anne of Cleves, gaining knowledge of this fire would certainly put Cromwell back in the King's favour.Shardlake has to follow the trail of this elusive substance across the country while trying to prove his client's innocence, there are grisly murders, horrifying discoveries, narrow escapes from death, as Matthew and his assistant Barak are attacked by unknown assailants leading to a terrifying climax. The description of Tudor London is very good, you feel you are in the hot smelly capital where thunderstorms are due together with haunting characters!!
Well recommended!!!!
Tuesday, 23 September 2008
Tuesday, 12 May 2015
C J Sansom – Heartstone
review by showhost May 2015
Another brilliant book by this author and again another book
set in Tudor England with that wonderful character, Shardlake, the crookback
lawyer and his assistant Jack Barak and Guy.
We are still in the reign of Henry 8th and he is
now married to his last wife Catherine Parr. Henry and England are once more at
war with France, the English Fleet are gathering in Portsmouth. . The country
is being hit by high taxes to pay for the Kings army & navy. Foreigners are
eyed with suspicion as potential French spies, and the court of Henry
8th is as dangerous a place as ever.
Matthew Shardlake is once again asked to help the Queen or
rather an old servant of the queen.
The wrong doing was with the Kings Court of Wards. This was a
scheme set up by King Henry to extract money by preying on children who had
become parentless but inherited land and/or money. Wards were supposed to
protect the inheritance until the children were old enough to take it on. The
case took him to Portsmouth close to the imminently invading French fleet. The
case involved the family of sir Nicholas Hobbey, a wealthy landowner, and
unravelled many mysteries murder and wrongdoings.
As often with Shardlake, there was another case to solve,
that of a woman who had been falsely imprisoned in Bedlam for 19 years. Her
family had originated from near the Hobbey family and the events that destroyed
her family link to an old enemy in the court of Henry 8th. Jack
Barak, Shardlakes assistant, travels to Portsmouth with him, much against his
wishes as he would like to be at home in London with his preganant wife but an
altercation with a recruiting sergeant for Henrys army means that if he doesn’t
go he will be recruited.
Stonking good medieval murder mystery.
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