The Playmaker [Library Binding]

J. B. Cheaney (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 9, 2009

A thrilling romp through Elizabethan London, peopled with actors, imposters, spies, traitors--and a young apprentice in Shakespeare's theater company.

After the death of his mother, Richard Malory journeys to London--seeking his fortune and perhaps the father who abandoned him as a child. The year is 1597. Elizabeth is queen. Shakespeare and the Lord Chamberlain's men are packing the theater. And the heads of Catholic insurgents are impaled on the Tower gates. One 14-year-old boy, tossed into the teeming crowds, should arouse no one's interest.

But within a week of his arrival, Richard has been robbed, beaten, and threatened at knife-point. Someone wants him to leave London. Determined to figure out what he has stumbled into, Richard finds a place to hide--in plain sight but in disguise as a player on the stage.

J. B. Cheaney spins an intricate, atmospheric tale of a young man, finding his place in the world, surrounded by people who are acting--some for their living, some for their lives. Whom can he trust? Where do his loyalties lie? Must Richard play the part set out for him--or can he become the playmaker of his own life?

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The Playmaker, by first-time novelist J.B. Cheaney, is a lively historical fiction of Shakespearean proportions. The year is 1597. Young Richard Malory has come to the rough streets of London to seek his missing father, who abandoned the family long ago. But after meeting a series of dead ends, he resigns himself to the fact that his lost father may not wish to be found. In his despair, he is persuaded by the pretty maid Starling to audition for Lord Chamberlain's Men, an acting troupe that numbers among its players Will Shakespeare himself. Richard immerses himself in the stage; never noticing that someone is following his every move along London's twisted streets--someone who knows Richard's mysterious father and of his allegiance to a secret society that has sworn to overthrow the Queen. It will take Richard's fumbling detective work and Starling's quick eye to uncover both a traitor to the throne and the identity of Richard's father.

While the conspiracy plotline will undoubtedly keep teens reading to find out who or what is behind the traitorous plan, it is Cheaney's engaging descriptions of the Elizabethan theatre that flesh out the story and (literally) steal scene after scene. Chaotic costume changes, instantaneous line memorization, and the problems young men have playing young women are all skillfully and humorously drawn. History teachers will enjoy assigning this novel (along with Susan Cooper's King of Shadows) as young Richard meets not only Shakespeare but also his rival, Ben Jonson, and even spies the "white-faced figure" of Queen Elizabeth from afar. The Playmaker is a promising first effort. (Ages 12 and older) --Jennifer Hubert --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

A strong foundation in Elizabethan politics and religious conflicts will benefit those wading through the murky waters of this cloak-and-dagger mystery set in London in 1597. Young Richard Malory, who has recently lost his mother, seeks his fortune and hopes to find information about his father's disappearance years ago. After suffering some mishaps on the dangerous city streets, Richard secures a position with an acting troupe and works alongside such notable figures as Richard Burbage, Ben Jonson and William Shakespeare. The protagonist gains a sense of purpose and family as an actor's apprentice, but his contentment is undercut by concerns about his father, who may have been a traitor, and by mysterious strangers, who seem to be watching Richard's every move. Containing as many incidences of mistaken identities, treachery and bloodshed as the plays of the period, this first novel approximates the mood of the Elizabethan era, but its atmosphere feels thin when compared to Susan Cooper's recent King of Shadows, set against a similar backdrop. The convoluted plot and tangled relationships among characters may leave readers more befuddled than intrigued. Ages 10-up. (Sept.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Library Binding
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1442003286
• ISBN-13: 978-1442003286
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,920,163 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not just for kids!, October 11, 2000

By 

Holley Calmes (Duluth, GA. USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Playmaker (Hardcover)

The Playmaker is a work which literally transports the reader to Elizabethan England in a very convincing manner. Cheaney has a beautiful use of language which does not talk "down" to her young readers at all, but instead presents them a fast-paced, exciting story which is as enriching as it is entertaining. I really fell for all the major characters, and I am hoping for a sequel...or several of them! Richard, Starling, and Kit are so well developed they seem like real historical characters rather than fiction. The Playmaker is a great example of how fiction can present a historical period to young readers so that the reader develops a feel for the period-encouraging an interest in history, too. That's a very enriching asset for a novel to have. This book is on my Christmas list for my young friends AND friends my age and older! My 27 year old daughter is going to love it!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bravo! Give us more!, September 27, 2000

By 

"pilgrimlc" (Springfield MO) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Playmaker (Hardcover)

If I had been reading this book for myself it would have been a non-put-downer! However I was reading it to my two sons, ages 13 and 15 so we had to make time between everything else. We experienced a wide expanse of emotions while journeying with young Richard. Great read! And, for those interested, it's a great read-aloud! The characters are fleshed out and the action is limitless! Nothing better than a good believable mystery! Don't let the age recommendations put you off. My teens loved it, as did I. Richard and his friends are people we didn't want to let go of at the end of the book. Hope there is more to come!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book For All Ages!, June 1, 2003

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Playmaker (Paperback)

This book is great for all ages, as the other reviews have said. I, being a 13 year old, loved the mystery plotline, and I enjoy reading books like Shakespeare! I recommend the author's second book, The True Prince, and The Shakespeare Stealer and Shakespeare's Scribe, both by Gary Blackman! All of these books have a young boy who acts in Shakespeare's troupe, so if you enjoy that aspect of The Playmaker, then you'll love the others!!!