5R
Talk Book Discussion : Long Time Coming by Robert Goddard
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2EadieB
I would like to thank Andrew for introducing me to Goddard and for all the great questions he has produced throughout the group read. A real master of the art of questions! lol
Can't wait for the next group read coming on this Saturday The Charlemagne Pursuit.
It was great to have Joni join us this time too!
Can't wait for the next group read coming on this Saturday The Charlemagne Pursuit.
It was great to have Joni join us this time too!
3Sergeirocks
Just to say, 'Thanks all round, another enjoyable group read/discussion,' :)
4LadyJ71
Thanks so much Andrew for the questions and introducing me to a new author.
And thanks to everyone for the warm welcome. So glad I found you all!! It was loads of fun and can't wait for the next one.
I see The Charlemagne Pursuit is part of a series...is it one that you have to read the earlier books to know what is going on or can you pick it up there? I have the earlier books but no way I would get them all read before you start.
And thanks to everyone for the warm welcome. So glad I found you all!! It was loads of fun and can't wait for the next one.
I see The Charlemagne Pursuit is part of a series...is it one that you have to read the earlier books to know what is going on or can you pick it up there? I have the earlier books but no way I would get them all read before you start.
5EadieB
>4 LadyJ71:
Each book is actually a standalone but the characters of Cotton Malone, an agent with the Magellan Billet. (The Billet is a division inside the Justice Department that concentrates on international investigations) ex-wife Pam and son Gary, Stephanie Nell, Malone’s former supervisor; Henry Thorvalsen, the wealthy Dane supporting Malone; Cassiopeia Vitt, the wealthy mystery woman of Islam.
These characters appear throughout the series or are mentioned.
Where did Cotton Malone originate? He was born in Copenhagen while Steve Berry (author) was sitting at a café in Højbro Plads, a popular Danish square. That’s why Cotton owns a bookshop there. Steve wanted a character with government ties and a background that would make Malone, if threatened, formidable. But he also wanted him to be human, with flaws. Since Steve also loves rare books, it was natural that Cotton would too, so Malone became a Justice Department operative, turned bookseller, who manages, from time to time, to find trouble. Steve also gave him an eidetic memory, since, well, who wouldn’t like one of those? At the same time, Cotton is clearly a man in conflict. His marriage has failed; he maintains a difficult relationship with his teenage son; and he’s lousy with women.
Cotton Malone is former Justice Department operative who can’t seem to stay out of trouble, Cotton Malone has crisscrossed the globe on electrifying quests. With the smart and sexy Cassiopeia Vitt by his side, Malone faces down the world’s deadliest terrorists, assassins, and con men—and unravels some of history’s most legendary and iconic mysteries along the way.
I have listed a synopsis of the first 3 Cotton Malone books which you can refer to. You may want to start reading these when you can because they are very good books and then you will understand any references in future books better.
The Templar Legacy Cotton Malone Series Book 1
Synopsis
The ancient order of the Knights Templar possessed untold wealth and absolute power over kings and popes—until the Inquisition, when they were wiped from the face of the earth, their hidden riches lost. But now two forces vying for the treasure have learned that it is not at all what they thought it was–and its true nature could change the modern world.
Cotton Malone, one-time top operative for the U.S. Justice Department, is enjoying his quiet new life as an antiquarian book dealer in Copenhagen when an unexpected call to action reawakens his hair-trigger instincts–and plunges him back into the cloak-and-dagger world he thought he’d left behind.
It begins with a violent robbery attempt on Cotton’s former supervisor, Stephanie Nelle, who’s far from home on a mission that has nothing to do with national security. Armed with vital clues to a series of centuries-old puzzles scattered across Europe, she means to crack a mystery that has tantalized scholars and fortune-hunters through the ages by finding the legendary cache of wealth and forbidden knowledge thought to have been lost forever when the order of the Knights Templar was exterminated in the fourteenth century. But she’s not alone. Competing for the historic prize–and desperate for the crucial information Stephanie possesses–is Raymond de Roquefort, a shadowy zealot with an army of assassins at his command.
Welcome or not, Cotton seeks to even the odds in the perilous race. But the more he learns about the ancient conspiracy surrounding the Knights Templar, the more he realizes that even more than lives are at stake. At the end of a lethal game of conquest, rife with intrigue, treachery, and craven lust for power, lies a shattering discovery that could rock the civilized world–and, in the wrong hands, bring it to its knees.
The Alexandria Link Cotton Malone Series Book 2
https://www.librarything.com/groups/bookdiscussiontheale
Synopsis
Cotton Malone retired from the high-risk world of elite operatives for the U.S. Justice Department to lead the low-key life of a rare-book dealer. But his quiet existence is shattered when he receives an anonymous e-mail: “You have something I want. You’re the only person on earth who knows where to find it. Go get it. You have 72 hours. If I don’t hear from you, you will be childless.” His horrified ex-wife confirms that the threat is real: Their teenage son has been kidnapped. When Malone’s Copenhagen bookshop is burned to the ground, it becomes brutally clear that those responsible will stop at nothing to get what they want. And what they want is nothing less than the lost Library of Alexandria.
A cradle of ideas–historical, philosophical, literary, scientific, and religious–the Library of Alexandria was unparalleled in the world. But fifteen hundred years ago, it vanished into the mists of myth and legend–its vast bounty of wisdom coveted ever since by scholars, fortune hunters, and those who believe its untold secrets hold the key to ultimate power.
Now a cartel of wealthy international moguls, bent on altering the course of history, is desperate to breach the library’s hallowed halls–and only Malone possesses the information they need to succeed. At stake is an explosive ancient document with the potential not only to change the destiny of the Middle East but to shake the world’s three major religions to their very foundations.
Pursued by a lethal mercenary, Malone crosses the globe in search of answers. His quest will lead him to England and Portugal, even to the highest levels of American government–and the shattering outcome, deep in the Sinai desert, will have worldwide repercussions.
The Venetian Betrayal Cotton Malone Series Book 3
https://www.librarything.com/groups/bookdiscussiontheven
Synopsis
In 323 B.C.E, having conquered Persia, Alexander the Great set his sights on Arabia, then suddenly succumbed to a strange fever. Locating his final resting place-unknown to this day-remains a tantalizing goal for both archaeologists and treasure hunters. Now the quest for this coveted prize is about to heat up. And Cotton Malone-former U.S. Justice Department agent turned rare-book dealer-will be drawn into an intense geopolitical chess game.
After narrowly escaping incineration in a devastating fire that consumes a Danish museum, Cotton learns from his friend, the beguiling adventurer Cassiopeia Vitt, that the blaze was neither an accident nor an isolated incident. As part of campaign of arson intended to mask a far more diabolical design, buildings across Europe are being devoured by infernos of unnatural strength.
And from the ashes of the U.S.S.R., a new nation has arisen: Former Soviet republics have consolidated into the Central Asian Federation. At its helm is Supreme Minister Irina Zovastina, a cunning despot with a talent for politics, a taste for blood sport, and the single-minded desire to surpass Alexander the Great as history’s ultimate conqueror.
Backed by a secret cabal of power-brokers, the Federation has amassed a harrowing arsenal of biological weapons. Equipped with the hellish power to decimate other nations at will, only one thing keeps Zovastina from setting in motion her death march of domination: a miraculous healing serum, kept secret by an ancient puzzle and buried with the mummified remains of Alexander the Great-in a tomb lost to the ages for more than 1,500 years.
Together, Cotton and Cassiopeia must outrun and outthink the forces allied against them. Their perilous quest will take them to the shores of Denmark, deep into the venerated monuments of Venice, and finally high inside the desolate Pamir mountains of Central Asia to unravel a riddle whose solution could destroy or save millions of people-depending on who finds the lost tomb first.
Each book is actually a standalone but the characters of Cotton Malone, an agent with the Magellan Billet. (The Billet is a division inside the Justice Department that concentrates on international investigations) ex-wife Pam and son Gary, Stephanie Nell, Malone’s former supervisor; Henry Thorvalsen, the wealthy Dane supporting Malone; Cassiopeia Vitt, the wealthy mystery woman of Islam.
These characters appear throughout the series or are mentioned.
Where did Cotton Malone originate? He was born in Copenhagen while Steve Berry (author) was sitting at a café in Højbro Plads, a popular Danish square. That’s why Cotton owns a bookshop there. Steve wanted a character with government ties and a background that would make Malone, if threatened, formidable. But he also wanted him to be human, with flaws. Since Steve also loves rare books, it was natural that Cotton would too, so Malone became a Justice Department operative, turned bookseller, who manages, from time to time, to find trouble. Steve also gave him an eidetic memory, since, well, who wouldn’t like one of those? At the same time, Cotton is clearly a man in conflict. His marriage has failed; he maintains a difficult relationship with his teenage son; and he’s lousy with women.
Cotton Malone is former Justice Department operative who can’t seem to stay out of trouble, Cotton Malone has crisscrossed the globe on electrifying quests. With the smart and sexy Cassiopeia Vitt by his side, Malone faces down the world’s deadliest terrorists, assassins, and con men—and unravels some of history’s most legendary and iconic mysteries along the way.
I have listed a synopsis of the first 3 Cotton Malone books which you can refer to. You may want to start reading these when you can because they are very good books and then you will understand any references in future books better.
The Templar Legacy Cotton Malone Series Book 1
Synopsis
The ancient order of the Knights Templar possessed untold wealth and absolute power over kings and popes—until the Inquisition, when they were wiped from the face of the earth, their hidden riches lost. But now two forces vying for the treasure have learned that it is not at all what they thought it was–and its true nature could change the modern world.
Cotton Malone, one-time top operative for the U.S. Justice Department, is enjoying his quiet new life as an antiquarian book dealer in Copenhagen when an unexpected call to action reawakens his hair-trigger instincts–and plunges him back into the cloak-and-dagger world he thought he’d left behind.
It begins with a violent robbery attempt on Cotton’s former supervisor, Stephanie Nelle, who’s far from home on a mission that has nothing to do with national security. Armed with vital clues to a series of centuries-old puzzles scattered across Europe, she means to crack a mystery that has tantalized scholars and fortune-hunters through the ages by finding the legendary cache of wealth and forbidden knowledge thought to have been lost forever when the order of the Knights Templar was exterminated in the fourteenth century. But she’s not alone. Competing for the historic prize–and desperate for the crucial information Stephanie possesses–is Raymond de Roquefort, a shadowy zealot with an army of assassins at his command.
Welcome or not, Cotton seeks to even the odds in the perilous race. But the more he learns about the ancient conspiracy surrounding the Knights Templar, the more he realizes that even more than lives are at stake. At the end of a lethal game of conquest, rife with intrigue, treachery, and craven lust for power, lies a shattering discovery that could rock the civilized world–and, in the wrong hands, bring it to its knees.
The Alexandria Link Cotton Malone Series Book 2
https://www.librarything.com/groups/bookdiscussiontheale
Synopsis
Cotton Malone retired from the high-risk world of elite operatives for the U.S. Justice Department to lead the low-key life of a rare-book dealer. But his quiet existence is shattered when he receives an anonymous e-mail: “You have something I want. You’re the only person on earth who knows where to find it. Go get it. You have 72 hours. If I don’t hear from you, you will be childless.” His horrified ex-wife confirms that the threat is real: Their teenage son has been kidnapped. When Malone’s Copenhagen bookshop is burned to the ground, it becomes brutally clear that those responsible will stop at nothing to get what they want. And what they want is nothing less than the lost Library of Alexandria.
A cradle of ideas–historical, philosophical, literary, scientific, and religious–the Library of Alexandria was unparalleled in the world. But fifteen hundred years ago, it vanished into the mists of myth and legend–its vast bounty of wisdom coveted ever since by scholars, fortune hunters, and those who believe its untold secrets hold the key to ultimate power.
Now a cartel of wealthy international moguls, bent on altering the course of history, is desperate to breach the library’s hallowed halls–and only Malone possesses the information they need to succeed. At stake is an explosive ancient document with the potential not only to change the destiny of the Middle East but to shake the world’s three major religions to their very foundations.
Pursued by a lethal mercenary, Malone crosses the globe in search of answers. His quest will lead him to England and Portugal, even to the highest levels of American government–and the shattering outcome, deep in the Sinai desert, will have worldwide repercussions.
The Venetian Betrayal Cotton Malone Series Book 3
https://www.librarything.com/groups/bookdiscussiontheven
Synopsis
In 323 B.C.E, having conquered Persia, Alexander the Great set his sights on Arabia, then suddenly succumbed to a strange fever. Locating his final resting place-unknown to this day-remains a tantalizing goal for both archaeologists and treasure hunters. Now the quest for this coveted prize is about to heat up. And Cotton Malone-former U.S. Justice Department agent turned rare-book dealer-will be drawn into an intense geopolitical chess game.
After narrowly escaping incineration in a devastating fire that consumes a Danish museum, Cotton learns from his friend, the beguiling adventurer Cassiopeia Vitt, that the blaze was neither an accident nor an isolated incident. As part of campaign of arson intended to mask a far more diabolical design, buildings across Europe are being devoured by infernos of unnatural strength.
And from the ashes of the U.S.S.R., a new nation has arisen: Former Soviet republics have consolidated into the Central Asian Federation. At its helm is Supreme Minister Irina Zovastina, a cunning despot with a talent for politics, a taste for blood sport, and the single-minded desire to surpass Alexander the Great as history’s ultimate conqueror.
Backed by a secret cabal of power-brokers, the Federation has amassed a harrowing arsenal of biological weapons. Equipped with the hellish power to decimate other nations at will, only one thing keeps Zovastina from setting in motion her death march of domination: a miraculous healing serum, kept secret by an ancient puzzle and buried with the mummified remains of Alexander the Great-in a tomb lost to the ages for more than 1,500 years.
Together, Cotton and Cassiopeia must outrun and outthink the forces allied against them. Their perilous quest will take them to the shores of Denmark, deep into the venerated monuments of Venice, and finally high inside the desolate Pamir mountains of Central Asia to unravel a riddle whose solution could destroy or save millions of people-depending on who finds the lost tomb first.
6LadyJ71
>5 EadieB: Thanks so much for the information. It looks like a good series!!
7EadieB
>6 LadyJ71:
Some of the other members may have links to each of the group reads and you can look at our discussions as you read the books.
Some of the other members may have links to each of the group reads and you can look at our discussions as you read the books.
8EadieB
>6 LadyJ71:
Templar Legacy was discussed on another site (Leafmarks) which closed down so I don't think we have a link to that one.
https://www.librarything.com/groups/bookdiscussiontheale - Link to Alexandria Link discussion
https://www.librarything.com/groups/bookdiscussiontheven - Link to Venetian Betrayal discussion
Templar Legacy was discussed on another site (Leafmarks) which closed down so I don't think we have a link to that one.
https://www.librarything.com/groups/bookdiscussiontheale - Link to Alexandria Link discussion
https://www.librarything.com/groups/bookdiscussiontheven - Link to Venetian Betrayal discussion
9Andrew-theQM
>6 LadyJ71: >8 EadieB: A stunning job Eadie and I agree they can easily be read out of order.
Thanks everyone for another great discussion. Think I keep foisting Robert Goddard on everyone. He is a great storyteller but not known widely enough.
Thanks everyone for another great discussion. Think I keep foisting Robert Goddard on everyone. He is a great storyteller but not known widely enough.
10sushicat
As always a big thank you to Andrew for all the great questions to get us started and to you all for your participation.
11Olivermagnus
Thank you Andrew for a great discussion.
>6 LadyJ71: - It was very nice having you join us. Your comments were very on target and added a lot to the discussion. I'm a big believer in RIO (Reading In Order) but I do think the Cotton Malone series can easily be read as a standalone novel.
>6 LadyJ71: - It was very nice having you join us. Your comments were very on target and added a lot to the discussion. I'm a big believer in RIO (Reading In Order) but I do think the Cotton Malone series can easily be read as a standalone novel.
12Carol420
Thank you all for allowing me to lurk in the shadows and eat cheesecake and lasagna on the boat. The questions looked excellent and very thought provoking as usual Andrew. You do such a fabulous job writing them. Thank you also for the use of your credit card....but could you please pay the bill so that we can use it for the next group read? Good that we have found a new friend to join us. Welcome Joni!
>6 LadyJ71: There is a topic on the Mystery & Suspense group called "Book Discussion Stats' that I started keeping it when we all came to LibraryThing. There is a complete list of the books we've discussed at the top. You might go there to check out what we've read and what we've discussed and how we rated them..I just ask that you not post comments on that site.
>6 LadyJ71: There is a topic on the Mystery & Suspense group called "Book Discussion Stats' that I started keeping it when we all came to LibraryThing. There is a complete list of the books we've discussed at the top. You might go there to check out what we've read and what we've discussed and how we rated them..I just ask that you not post comments on that site.
13Andrew-theQM
>12 Carol420: You lurk away Carol, but I may have to send you on a Financial Management Course Carol, have you see the credit card bill! 😕 I think time we baked more rather than buying so many shop bought cakes and biscuits. 😁
The Charlemagne Pursuit is quite a big book! Think we will need to read it over 7 days to allow everyone to keep up.
The Charlemagne Pursuit is quite a big book! Think we will need to read it over 7 days to allow everyone to keep up.
14Andrew-theQM
Schedule for Group Read of The Charlemagne Pursuit, book 4 in the excellent Cotton Malone Series.
A longer read than usual. The first section is the longest section in order to take us to the end of part one.
Saturday 11th February : Prologue and One to Fifteen
Sunday 12th February : Sixteen to Thirty
Monday 13th February : Thirty-One to Forty-Two
Tuesday 14th February : Forty-Three to Fifty-Eight
Wednesday 15th February : Fifty-Nine to Seventy
Thursday 16th February : Seventy-One to Eighty-Two
Friday 17th February : Eighty-Three to Ninety-Four
A longer read than usual. The first section is the longest section in order to take us to the end of part one.
Saturday 11th February : Prologue and One to Fifteen
Sunday 12th February : Sixteen to Thirty
Monday 13th February : Thirty-One to Forty-Two
Tuesday 14th February : Forty-Three to Fifty-Eight
Wednesday 15th February : Fifty-Nine to Seventy
Thursday 16th February : Seventy-One to Eighty-Two
Friday 17th February : Eighty-Three to Ninety-Four
15Carol420
>13 Andrew-theQM: Financial Management?? I thought I managed your finances just fine:) I haven't seen the bill. You know I don't do numbers. I just know that the little machine just kept saying "Reject".
16Andrew-theQM
Yes you managed the finances too well! 😫
17bluebird_
>2 EadieB: OMG!! The next group read is Saturday, as in two days from now? Ack. Off to the overdrive library in the hopes the ebook or audio is available.....
......
......
Phew: got it. feel so much better! : )
>4 LadyJ71: Glad you enjoyed the group read Joni. Lovely to have you join in.
Andrew, thanks again for managing the group read and coming up with all these great questions. You are amazing!
Thanks all for another fun time.
......
......
Phew: got it. feel so much better! : )
>4 LadyJ71: Glad you enjoyed the group read Joni. Lovely to have you join in.
Andrew, thanks again for managing the group read and coming up with all these great questions. You are amazing!
Thanks all for another fun time.
18Andrew-theQM
The first group Read was delayed by me not getting the book and then I knew this was a long one in a short month so has led them being closer together than usual! Glad you could get it. :) I think the sections are shorter than usual but never can tell until you start reading them.
19Andrew-theQM
I was amazed when I checked it how long De Valera was in power.
Taoiseach
1937 - 1948
1951 - 1954
1957 - 1959
President
1959 - 1973
And a number of other leadership roles from 1919 - 1937
Leader of Fianna Fáil : 1926 - 1959 when he became President.
Quite remarkable!!!
I need to find out more about Irish history from the 1916 Easter Rising onwards.
Taoiseach
1937 - 1948
1951 - 1954
1957 - 1959
President
1959 - 1973
And a number of other leadership roles from 1919 - 1937
Leader of Fianna Fáil : 1926 - 1959 when he became President.
Quite remarkable!!!
I need to find out more about Irish history from the 1916 Easter Rising onwards.
20EadieB
>19 Andrew-theQM:
That is amazing! We should read some Irish history books during March.
Here's a good one that I'll be sure to understand:
Irish History for Dummies by Mike Cronin
That is amazing! We should read some Irish history books during March.
Here's a good one that I'll be sure to understand:
Irish History for Dummies by Mike Cronin
21Andrew-theQM
I have placed a hold on Ireland : Awakening by Edward Rutherford (also published as Rebels of Ireland). This is the description from the book:
'The second part of the Irish epic from the bestselling author of Sarum, Russka, London and Dublin.
Following the critically acclaimed success of Dublin, this riveting sequel takes the story of Ireland from the seventeenth century onwards, picking up at the Reformation, and with it, the devastating arrival of Oliver Cromwell. Cromwell heralds the inauguration of two hundred years of Protestant dominance, throughout which many of the Irish people were impoverished and dispossessed. Dublin is made a Protestant capital, and Catholics become an underclass.
Set against the dramatic backdrop of Irish political history, this powerful saga is brought to its conclusion. Journeying through the centuries right the way up to the twentieth century's Easter Rising and Independence, passing through turbulent milestones such as The Year of the French, the Famine and The Home Rule Movement of Parnell along the way'
I read the first book a few years ago that takes you through the history of Dublin from pre-Christian Times to Henry VIII's time. Very enjoyable but quite a big read. Obviously it is historical fiction.
'The second part of the Irish epic from the bestselling author of Sarum, Russka, London and Dublin.
Following the critically acclaimed success of Dublin, this riveting sequel takes the story of Ireland from the seventeenth century onwards, picking up at the Reformation, and with it, the devastating arrival of Oliver Cromwell. Cromwell heralds the inauguration of two hundred years of Protestant dominance, throughout which many of the Irish people were impoverished and dispossessed. Dublin is made a Protestant capital, and Catholics become an underclass.
Set against the dramatic backdrop of Irish political history, this powerful saga is brought to its conclusion. Journeying through the centuries right the way up to the twentieth century's Easter Rising and Independence, passing through turbulent milestones such as The Year of the French, the Famine and The Home Rule Movement of Parnell along the way'
I read the first book a few years ago that takes you through the history of Dublin from pre-Christian Times to Henry VIII's time. Very enjoyable but quite a big read. Obviously it is historical fiction.
22EadieB
I have a book called The Princes of Ireland by Edward Rutherfurd. I think I'll read this one.
The Princes of Ireland (The Dublin Saga #1)
by Edward Rutherfurd (Goodreads Author)
3.85 · Rating Details · 9,658 Ratings · 824 Reviews
"A SWEEPING, CAREFULLY RECONSTRUCTED PORTRAIT OF A NATION... LEAPS THROUGH THE CENTURIES."
–The New York Times
Brilliantly weaving impeccable historical research with stirring storytelling, Edward Rutherfurd explores our shared Celtic roots in a magnificent epic of Ireland spanning eleven centuries. While vividly conveying the passions and struggles that shaped particularly the character of Dublin, Rutherfurd portrays the major events in Irish history: the tribal culture of pagan Ireland; the mission of Saint Patrick; the coming of the Vikings; the making of treasures like the Book of Kells; and the tricks of Henry II, which gave England its first foothold in medieval Ireland. Through the interlocking stories of a memorable cast of characters–druids and chieftains, monks and smugglers, noblewomen and farmwives, laborers and orphans, rebels and cowards–Rutherfurd captures the essence of a place and its people in a thrilling story steeped in the tragedy and glory that are Ireland.
RUTHERFURD IS THE HISTORY TEACHER YOU WISHED YOU HAD IN HIGH SCHOOL.... While high kings, conquerors, and princes are often at center stage of the book, it is the fictional merchants, craftsmen, chieftains, and soldiers affected by their actions that make us care about the history."
–San Antonio Express-News
"SPELLBINDING... A PAGE-TURNING DUBLIN SAGA... Like James Michener and Leon Uris, Rutherfurd does a magnificent job of packaging a crackling good yarn within a digestible overview of complex historical curcumstances and events."
–Booklist (less)
The Princes of Ireland (The Dublin Saga #1)
by Edward Rutherfurd (Goodreads Author)
3.85 · Rating Details · 9,658 Ratings · 824 Reviews
"A SWEEPING, CAREFULLY RECONSTRUCTED PORTRAIT OF A NATION... LEAPS THROUGH THE CENTURIES."
–The New York Times
Brilliantly weaving impeccable historical research with stirring storytelling, Edward Rutherfurd explores our shared Celtic roots in a magnificent epic of Ireland spanning eleven centuries. While vividly conveying the passions and struggles that shaped particularly the character of Dublin, Rutherfurd portrays the major events in Irish history: the tribal culture of pagan Ireland; the mission of Saint Patrick; the coming of the Vikings; the making of treasures like the Book of Kells; and the tricks of Henry II, which gave England its first foothold in medieval Ireland. Through the interlocking stories of a memorable cast of characters–druids and chieftains, monks and smugglers, noblewomen and farmwives, laborers and orphans, rebels and cowards–Rutherfurd captures the essence of a place and its people in a thrilling story steeped in the tragedy and glory that are Ireland.
RUTHERFURD IS THE HISTORY TEACHER YOU WISHED YOU HAD IN HIGH SCHOOL.... While high kings, conquerors, and princes are often at center stage of the book, it is the fictional merchants, craftsmen, chieftains, and soldiers affected by their actions that make us care about the history."
–San Antonio Express-News
"SPELLBINDING... A PAGE-TURNING DUBLIN SAGA... Like James Michener and Leon Uris, Rutherfurd does a magnificent job of packaging a crackling good yarn within a digestible overview of complex historical curcumstances and events."
–Booklist (less)
23Andrew-theQM
>22 EadieB: That's the first one of the two books. I enjoyed that a lot. The first chapter (I think) reminded me of Asian on the stone table.
25Andrew-theQM
My favourite rarely gets a mention, The Magician's Nephew.
26EadieB
>25 Andrew-theQM:
I haven't read that one.
I haven't read that one.
27Andrew-theQM
>26 EadieB: Although written later it is effectively the first in the series and tells how Narnia came into being. Well worth a read.
28bluebird_
I recently started a chronological read of the Chronicles of Narnia. I'd previously only read The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe. I've now read the first 4 books. The Magician's Nephew is by far my favorite! It was a great starting place I just finished Prince Caspian, but don't plan on finishing the rest of the series for a bit. Too many other books are clamoring for my attention at the moment.
Guess I'll have to move The Princes of Ireland up on my TBR pile. I love Rutherford but haven't gotten to that one yet.
Guess I'll have to move The Princes of Ireland up on my TBR pile. I love Rutherford but haven't gotten to that one yet.
29EadieB
>27 Andrew-theQM:
I will have to check out The Magician's Nephew.
>28 bluebird_:
I'm going to read the Rutherford book along with other Irish authors in March.
I will have to check out The Magician's Nephew.
>28 bluebird_:
I'm going to read the Rutherford book along with other Irish authors in March.
30Andrew-theQM
>28 bluebird_: Interesting that is both our favourite! :)
