The Master of all Desires

One of 3 loosely-linked historical novels (with a soupçon of fantasy) by Judith Merkle Riley, this historical novel deals with the poetess, Sibille Artaud de la Roque.

After her father is arrested for heresy, Sibille shoots an intruder with her father's gun. This turns out to be her betrothed; thinking that she has murdered him, Sibille goes to take a petition to the local bishop to free her father. She meets Nostradamus and acquires a mysterious box en route, and discovers it contains a rather nasty living head, the Master of All Desires - who grants wishes at the expense of one's soul. She and her aunt refuse to give into it's blandishments, and end up travelling to Paris at the behest of Catherine de'Medici, Queen of France who show more desires the use of the Master.

Queen Catherine is trying to break Diane de Poitiers' hold on the King, and wishes this to come about. Unfortunately, Diane de Poitiers also makes the same wish - that Queen Catherine does not gain a hold on the King. The story deals with the consequences of that wish, and along the way, Sibille breaks the Master's power with the help of Nostradamus.

Fun and light-hearted, this historical novel has a smidgen of fantasy - the living head and the angel of history (who passes foreknowledge to Nostradamus).

Recommended. show less

"It is difficult to describe the burdens of a civilized soul born into entirely the wrong family" says our Sibille early in the story. Craving a peaceful life as a poet, our heroine is un-wittingly sucked into quite a situation. After accidentally "murdering" her fiancee Sibille runs to her Aunt Pauline for help, unknowingly aquiring The Master of all Desires en-route. Catherine de Medici and Diane de Poitiers battle with black magic and will stop at nothing to gain possession of The Master. Nostradamus, guided by Anael the disorganized spirit of past and future history, would rather stay home and rest. Wacky Aunt Pauline converses regularly with the ghosts which haunt her house and has quite a history of her own. Add to that Sibille's show more monstrous dog gargantua, a troublesome monkey and a babbling severed head which follows Sibille everywhere. Oh what wacky fun, I devoured the book in two days. show less

Nicely woven story. I am fascinated by the Medici family and Catherine de Medici does not disappoint her ancestors. The author does a very good job of mixing fantasy, common sense, intrigue and history. If you need something good to read and don't like wasting your time with popular books - read this.

Mutassatok nekem még egy ilyen humoros történelmi regényt... úgysem tudtok:P Najó, kivéve amit JMR írt.

Good fun. Quick read.