Customer Reviews

Master of the Moor

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Ruth Rendell's career in literature has been so longed that it's spanned two generations, and she herself has gone thorugh roughly about three stages, as most people agree. The first stage, from "From Doon With Death" up until "The Speaker of Mandarin". Then from "The Killing Doll" until "Going Wrong". And now she is in her third, which commenced with "Kissing the Gunner's Daughter".

Master of the Moor comes from her first, and thus far longest, period. During that time she produces some stupendous novels, (and is continuing to do so) and this is one of the best.

She really nails the psychology, and has a cast of great, somewhat depressing characters. She shows well the aspects of hope and ability to escape from the tragedies which frequently occur in her books by having Lyn acts as she does. This demonstrated that not all things are written ins tone...and that fate can be escaped. It's not all doom and gloom.

Sometimes Rendell's books can be hard to read. I for one find it uncomfortable to think how finely our lives are balanced between normality and utter catastrophe. The way she uses concepts of "what if" and how she demonstrated that the tiniest of actions can have massive and far-reaching and tragic repurcussions on our lives is chilling, but very well done.

With this book she creates a great plot, with two really stunning twists built in. The darkness and bleakness of the moor is evoked very well, and adds a brooding and forlorn tone to the story.

A class read. Rendell remains the best writer we in the UK have ever produced.

I never thought the words "excruciatingly boring" could be applied to any novel by this great author but, sadly, I can find no other way to describe MASTER OF THE MOOR. Unless you are really interested in nature and don't mind reading page after page of descriptions of every kind of vegetation that can be found on the moors, and when these plants bloom, and why, and for how long, you will find it hard to enjoy this novel. It seemed like Rendell set herself a dubious goal of describing every single inch of the moors and proceeded to do so with a mind-numbing perseverance.

Usually, Rendell is amazing at creating quirky, unusual characters and offering her readers incomparably profound insights into their personalities. For some reason, she fails to do that in this novel. Characters in MASTER OF THE MOOR are schematic and as boring as everything else in the book. There is a host of secondary characters who are so indistinguishable from one another that it's next to impossible to keep track of them.

This isn't a long novel but it drags out so slowly and so little ever happens in it that it feels like it's hundreds and hundreds of boring pages long. All of the author's attempts to create a surprising twist are extremely transparent and one can see what's happening long before these so-called mysteries are revealed. The only good thing about this book is that it is so obviously the worst Rendell has ever written than any other novel by her will absolutely shine in comparison.

As you step into Rendells dark, rainy world you are introduced to a handful of characters. As with every Rendell/ Vine novel you know one of them will kill or be killed. She lives up to her reputation in this dark novel.

Stephen, the nature lover stumbles across a little more than he bargained for on his daily walk across the moor. This story spirals from this point out, keeping the reader turning pages as quickly as they can.

She introduces a Red Herring into the plot line, that is designed to completely throw you off. I highly recommend this novel.

A satisfying novel of psychological suspense, MASTER OF THE MOOR tells the story of Stephen Whalby, a man whose obsession with the nearby moor leads him to the brink of madness after a series of random stranglings in the area. As usual, Rendell's characterizations and keen insights into a criminal's mind are convincing. A few of the plot twists are slightly predictable, but the suspense level is high and the very last page packs an impressive wallop. Not her best, but even the worst of Rendell is usually better than the best of others.

I read this in 1988; my first Rendell book and my favorite. In the years since I've read all of the rest of her books -- at least I think I have -- although she's written so many that a few may have slipped by me.

Rendell's genius is that she takes you to the heart of her characters and their lives. I've never been on a moor and I have very little first-hand knowledge of life in an English village, yet this book made me feel as if I knew Stephen and his young, yearning wife, Lynn, intimately. I felt the claustrophobia that comes with living out your life in a confined space, always under the scrutiny of your family and surrounding townsfolk. The characters escape in their own ways; Lynn to the arms of another man and Stephen out to his beloved moor.

In addition, this book has a hair-raising final chapter, as any mystery should.

I've read many of her books. I found this one fascinating with a protagonist who is gradually revealed to be deeply disturbed, yet much of the book is told from his (unreliable pov). I could not disagree more with the reviewer who found it boring with too much nature. If enclosed spaces and being trapped with no escape while water rises around you freak you out avoid this book. A excellent read full of twists and psychologically damaged characters.

The more I read the more I got engrossed. After a slow start this booked picked up with many twists and turns.

Another good read from Ruth Rendell. I find her books to be absorbing and a nice change of pace.

The book Master of the Moor by Ruth Rendell is a very suspenseful book. It will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout the entire novel. You will continue to wonder what is going to happen next. The book goes a little slow at times, but it is a mystery that will keep you guessing. This book was very well written and was easy to follow.

This novel is about a young man, Stephen Whalby, who loves taking walks through the vangmoore. The vangmoore is an abandoned lead mine that is considered eerie and not many people go there. Whalby was taking a walk, through the moor one day, when he found the body of a strangled girl whose hair was basically shaved off. When he reported the body to the police, they were suspicious that Whalby had murdered the girl himself. Then there was a second woman that was found in the moor that had been murdered also. People became scared because they lived near the moor and they felt that they could be next.

Whalby's odd marriage starts to fall apart. His family begins to think that he is the person who murdered the two young girls. His life begins to take crazy turns. What happens next? Read the book to find out. I would suggest reading this book if you enjoy mysteries and suspense books.

If you were to check out my reading journal you'd see an AWFUL lot of Ruth Rendell in it, as she's one of the most consistently wonderful writers I've ever encountered. Then again, if you're checking out my reading journal I'd need to have a strong word with you, as I'm not quite sure I've given you permission.

_Master of the Moor_ is absolutely fan-tabulously well-written, and what's best about it is the denouement is revealed very, very slowly. There's no sudden "Whoops! Surprise, it's a psychopath!" here. It's one long, slow build up to a conclusion you hopefully won't have anticipated, though after you close the book you may find yourself feeling rather silly you missed the clues. But don't feel too silly, as I missed them, too.

Wonderful stuff!