The Master of all Desires [Hardcover]

Judith Merkle Riley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 1999

From the novelist with Antonia Fraser's authenticity and Anne Rice's allure comes another "highly enjoyable romp" (Newsday), with a millennial twist

In The Oracle Glass and The Serpent Garden, Judith Merkle Riley enchanted readers with rich, page-turning re-creations of eras past, wicked thumbnail sketches of power players, riotous action, delicious mystery and romance, luminous prose, and feisty heroines with a feminist sensibility. The Master of All Desires has it all, with an extra helping of the occult, clad in Riley's hallmark style and wit.

It is 1556 and the queen's astrologer, the prophet Nostradamus has uncovered a secret that could destroy the kingdom of France. The queen, Catherine de Medicis, a dabbler in black magic, has decided to get rid of the king's mistress by seeking out the legendary Undying Head of Menander the Magus, known as the Master of All Desires. But she does not know that evil befalls all those who wish upon this accursed object. And the head, in its coffer, has fallen into the possession of a charming, wryly perceptive but stubborn young woman: Sybille Artaud de la Roche, a bluestocking poet who needs it to obtain all her desires...beauty, genius, and a dashing, intelligent cavalier. The three-way battle that ensues--a prophet who scorns poetry, a woman in love, and a sly and ruthless queen--is set against the rich, detailed tapestry of a nation on the verge of civil war and a lively constellation of famous figures clustered around Nostradamus, seer of the millennium.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Again mixing history and fantasy with ?lan, the author of The Oracle Glass and The Serpent Garden offers a tightly woven, suspenseful and fiendishly funny novel. In 1556 France, Queen Catherine de Medici spies on her husband, King Henri II, and his lover, Diane de Poitiers, in a vain attempt to learn how Poitiers has ensnared her husband's heart. Driven nearly mad by jealousy, the queen, who is "very fond of do-it-yourself magic," is frustrated with her sycophantic, possibly duplicitous court astrologer's ineffective powers, until he reveals his knowledge of the magical object called the Master of All Desires. This is a centuries-old box that contains the living head of Menander the UndyingAa magus who sold his soul to the devil in exchange for eternal life. Anyone in possession of the sharp-tongued, mean-spirited and unpleasant head may have their wishes granted, selling their own soul in the process. Through a series of clever plot twists, Menander winds up in the hands of Sibille Artaud de La Roque, a gritty girl from the provinces, who refuses to make a wish, thereby halting Menander's destructive path. Sibille and her aunt, the remarkable, independently wealthy Pauline Tournet, endeavor to rid themselves of Menander, with assistance from Nostradamus. With the queen in pursuit of Menander, and Nostradamus aiming to destroy it, the terrible head still manages to prevent Sibille from marrying her love, Nicolas. Although every character is appealing (the rotten ones serve up deliciously clever dialogue), the most sympathetic, surprisingly, is the "serpent-queen," as Nostradamus dubs her. Catherine is vulnerable and desperate; for want of love, she risks all, and gains nothing. Lush period detail and sprightly dialogue laced with humor and courtly pomp anchor Riley's romantic adventure with stylized whimsy and historical plausibility. Agent, Jean Naggar. Regional author tour; rights sold to Germany and Denmark. (Nov.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

While Catherine de Medici, Queen of France, uses her sorcerous talents to oust royal mistress Diane de Poitiers from her favored position in the French court, the true future of France rests in the hands of a young poetess who possesses a powerful and dangerous magical relic. Riley laces her portrayal of 16th-century France with liberal doses of magic (including the enchanted head of a dead wizard), politics, poison, and prophecy. The author of The Serpent Garden once again approaches historical fantasy with her characteristic flair for intrigue, humor, and the unpredictable workings of the human heart. Highly recommended.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 480 pages
• Publisher: Viking Adult; 1St Edition edition (November 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0670884502
• ISBN-13: 978-0670884506
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.1 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,108,940 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Smart, funny, irresistible, November 27, 1999

By 

Candace "thepageturner" (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Master of all Desires (Hardcover)

If you have not read anything by Judith Merkle Riley, you are in for a treat. Riley, a political science professor at the prestigious Claremont Colleges in California, must be one heck of a lecturer because her books fly through history, weaving strands of politics, culture, humor and magic together into an irresistible tapestry. "The Master of All Desires" is Menander the Undying, purveyor of anyone's deepest wishes (at a small price of your soul, of course) who now takes the form of a grisly mummified head in a box. No one understands him and he is cranky all the time, especially now that he has fallen into the hands of someone who absolutely refuses to wish for anything. Sibille is new to Paris, has very big feet and an overblown sense of her own refinement but she is no fool and knows what the cost of any poorly worded wish will be. No so scrupulous are those around her, including the Queen of France and the King's mistress Diane de Portiers. They'll happily take Menander off Sibille's hands . . .except they can't. Will she ever be able to unload this awful box that materializes wherever she goes and nags her all night long? Can Nostradamus help-and would he if he could? Intelligent, funny, surprising, and full of action,"The Master of All Desires" is historical fiction at its best.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonder blend of fact and fantasy, June 9, 2003

By 

Jackie M. Bachenberg "theoriginaljfmmb" (Canton, GA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Master of all Desires (Paperback)

What a delightful blending of historical fact to fictional fancy. The story follows a well know historical triangle between Queen Catherine de Medici , her husband, King Henri II, and his lover, Diane de Poitiers. Then through in an elderly and cranky Nostradamus and you've got a funny and entertaining novel.

It would appear that both Queen Catherine and Diane de Poitiers want to get their hands on The Master of All Desires, aka Menander the Undying. Menander is a disembodied head that can grant any wish. The problem is he has a nasty habit of granting your wish, but always with the classic saying "Be careful what you wish for." Meanander is in the hands of a young Sibille Artaud de La Roque who refuses to make a wish and is trying to free herself of Menander so that she can marry her love Nicolas and have a normal life.

The result is a true delight that feels like a modern day Shakespeare comedy. I can't wait to read more of Ms. Riley's work.

My star ratings:

One star - couldn't finish the book
Two stars - read the book, but did a lot of skipping or scanning. Wouldn't add the book to my permanent collection or search out other books by the author
Three stars - enjoyable read. Wouldn't add the book to my permanent collection. Would judge other books by the author individually.
Four stars - Liked the book. Would keep the book or would look for others by the same author.
Five start - One of my all time favorites. Will get a copy in hardback to keep and will actively search out others by the same author.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Quircky entertainment - fun read, August 9, 2002

By 

Kristen "historical fiction junkie" (Central Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Master of all Desires (Paperback)

I enjoy all of JMR's novels of this genre (Oracle Glass & Serpent Garden) - I love the strong willed "underdog" female lead characters, their feminist attitudes in a society that treats them as property, and the sarcastic humor of their other-world friends. I laughed out loud at "the master of all desires" throughout this book. An enjoyable read, lots of fun, set among rich detail.