Customer Reviews

The Center Ring: Spangle #2

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I was delighted to find that 'Spangle' has been serialized and published in paperback. I read the entire, hardbound book several months ago, being an ardent Gary Jennings fan, and enjoyed every page. "Center Ring" takes the reader from Italy to Russia, with stops in Austria, Germany and Hungary, providing never-before revealed vignettes of late 19th century circus life. It's written in Jenning's usual tongue-in-cheek, intellectually earthy style, with carefully researched cameo appearances of Europes "crowned heads" of the period. Even the language translations were authenic- being of mixed Hungarian and Italian extraction, it was an ethnic joy for me! "Roadshow" and "Center Ring" have brought Jennings back into availability for the reader looking for that unique, entertaining and riveting diversion. Characterizations are finely drawn and compelling; I found myself feeling like I knew Florian consummate showman and owner of the Flourishing Florilegium, slimy Sir John Fitzfarris, dipsomaniac Abner Mullenax, boyishly appealing yet brawny Obie Yount, striving Sunday Simms and her over-sexed sister Monday, hard-working and loyal Magpie Maggie Hag, and the love-lorn Zachary Edge, not to mention all the carefully drawn others. THANK YOU GARY!

If you're looking for plot lines, Gary Jennings is not the author for you. However, if you like historical novels Jennings can't be beat. His well researched novels are the easiest way to learn world history. They are so detailed that after reading one of his books you feel as if you actually lived through those experiences and times. The Spangle series will educate you in what life was really like in not only the U.S. but most of Europe in the mid to late 19th century and you'll learn an awful lot about the inner life of the circus world. If you like Mary Renault or Wilbur Smith, you'll love Gary Jennings.

If you're looking for plot lines, Gary Jennings is not the author for you. However, if you like historical novels Jennings can't be beat. His well researched novels are the easiest way to learn world history. They are so detailed that after reading one of his books you feel as if you lived those experiences and times. If you like Mary Renault or Wilbur Smith, you'll love Gary Jennings.

I've just finished the second of this series and I'm probably going to skip #3 even though I've already got it. There is no plot to these books, just an endless series of events. The characters are introduced at a mind numbing pace and seem to be brough in only to maintain the supply of corpses. Each death is more bizzare and pointless than the last. Sexual encounters are equally random and pointless. One character loses the love of his life and manages to overcome his grief only through a sadomastochistic threeway with an Empress and her lackey. The only reason I gave this book two stars instead of one is the detailed descriptions of circus life in the 19th century. A non-fiction book would have made better use of Jenning's legendary research. In fact, you could go through this with a pair of scissors and cut out the "story" and probably end up with a reasonable facimile of the author's notebook.

The book was not especially clean and had more wear than I would have expected from other Amazon.com experiences I've had.