Customer Reviews

The Hawks of Delamere: Volume VII of the Domesday Books (Domesday Books (St. Martins))

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William the Conqueror sent his Royal Commissioners throughout England to determine who truly owned the lands and how much taxes should be collected on the estates. Ralph Delchard and Gervase Bret visit the King's nephew, the Earl of Chartier, Hugh d'Avranches, who rules his lands with an iron fist. Hugh has subdued the nearby Welsh, but has had problems with a stealth enemy attacking from nowhere.

While the Earl hunts in his personal playground of Delamere Forest, an unknown assailant kills one of his falcons. Hugh retaliates by murdering two Saxon peasants. The next day, Hugh hunts again and another arrow lands near him. In both incidents, a Welsh arrow was used. Hugh believes the Welsh is trying to assassinate him. As the warrior Earl prepares for battle, Ralph and Gervase try to keep the peace.

Edward Marston is an author noted for his ability to entertain while educating his audience. Focusing on the era following Hastings, Mr. Marston provides varying perspective of life from the viewpoints of Saxons, Normans, and Welshmen. The protagonists stay in character as expected from two members of the ruling class, which adds to the eleventh century feel of the novel. As usual from Mr. Marston, the story line is filled with exciting action, but the plot of THE HAWKS OF DELAMERE (and the previous six chronicles) belong to the cast.

Harriet Klausner

This is a great series. The setting and characters combine to yield a wonderful sense of historic place -- 11th Century Britain. This entry is set along the Welsh border, and Hugh,the Earl of Chester, has a Welsh prince in his dungeon to ensure the peace.

The Welsh, however, seem to be on the war path again, as a Welsh arrow kills the Earl's prize hawk, and a second arrow kills his favorite huntsman.

Protagonist Ralph Delchard, a Norman lord assigned to settle land disputes on behalf of the King, arrives to sort out some alleged land-grabbing, and finds himself in the middle of a simmering border war. As usual, the supporting characters -- an assortment of clerics and noblemen -- lend the novel plenty of twists and turns. A fun read.

This is the seventh book in the Domesday Series, and it is just as good as the others. My only regret is that I am coming to the end of this wonderful series. There are only three books left, and I will certainly miss Gervaise Bret and the wonderful Ralph Delchard. In this book the four members of the royal commission are in Cheshire, where border trouble with the Welsh appears to be building up. They are staying the in castle of the infamouse Earl Hugh who has always scandalized the countrside with his behaviour. When one of his huntsmen is shot with an arrow next to Hugh, he gets his castle mobilized for a war with the Welsh, and it looks like our intrepid four are to be caught up in the melee. These eleventh century books are so historically accurate, and so well-written, that it feels like you are actually there with the action as you read.

Edward Marston is the pseudonym of Keith Miles, a fairly prolific and extremely good writer of mainly Elizabethan and medieval mysteries. He has also written mysteries under his own name with both sporting and golf backgrounds. However it is primarily the books that take place earlier in history that I am interested in. He read modern history at Oxford and has had many jobs, including university lecturer, but fortunately for all his readers, he turned to the writing profession.

After reading the first book in the series, I avidly sought out all the other books by Edward Marston and not a single one has ever disappointed me. They are about a period of history that I love. His Elizabethan theatre series of books were wonderful and he has continued them through from 1988 to 2006. The Domesday series is also a great series and this is the second book in the series.

The Domesday series is about a period in England's history shortly after the Norman conquest , during the reign of William the Conqueror. It was King William himself who called for an `inventory' to assess taxes and survey landholdings. This inventory was called the Domesday book and was a tremendous undertaking, but one that brought stability to England. Edward Marston's Domesday novels are based upon actual entries in the Domesday Book.

Ralph Delchard, a Norman soldier and his friend and associate Gervase Bret are on business for King William I, better known as the Conqueror. They have been called to settle a dispute between the Church and the State and are guests of the Earl. Even before they have a chance to look into the dispute strange events begin to happen. Who, for instance killed the Earl's finest hawk? Who is the hooded figure in the forest, who can be seen from the castle, but disappears into thin air when anyone goes out to look for them? Finally, who is the well guarded prisoner in the castle dungeon.