In Pursuit of the Green Lion [Abridged] [Audio Cassette]

Judith Merkle Riley (Author), Juliet Mills (Narrator)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Picking up threads from her first novel, A Vision of Light , Riley deftly crafts another historical romp, following Margaret of Ashbury through a tumultuous remarriage and a hazardous quest across 14th-century Europe. Considered past her prime at 23, Margaret has been forced to wed the scholarly, noble Gregory de Vilers. Although repelled by his odious father, Sir Hubert, and loathsome brother, Sir Hugo, Margaret nonetheless grows to love her new husband. When he is captured in France and held for ransom, she quickly leaves her unscrupulous relatives to negotiate Gregory's release. Margaret, who has uncanny healing abilities and can commune with spirits, travels with amulets, ghosts and a devious alchemist, whose quest for the secret of changing base metals into gold will plunge the pair into precarious situations. In this nonstop picaresque adventure quips fly as thickly as a barrage of arrows; a steady stream of drunken noblemen, corrupt priests, scheming ladies and truculent ghosts keep the action white-hot. BOMC and QPB featured alternates.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

YA-- Margaret, the recently kidnapped bride of Gregory, a chronicler who accompanies his lord to record events of the Hundred Years War, becomes a chronicler herself, narrating the story of the growing love between the two. This novel is also an adventure story; she and her friends (assisted by two ghosts) must rescue Gregory from a dungeon. The title relates to the code the alchemists use in their quest to change metal to gold. Their trickery aides Margaret and provides an added dimension to the detailed picture of the Middle Ages. Elements of comedy are included as her in-laws try to achieve social status through wealth. Vivid character traits--evil, crude, shrewd, funny, caring--bring history to life in this entertaining tale.
- Claudia Moore, W. T. Woodson High School, Fairfax, VA
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: Publishing Mills; abridged edition edition (March 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0962718742
• ISBN-13: 978-0962718748
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,276,532 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My FAVORITE book EVER! along with Gabaldon's "Outlander", June 6, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: In Pursuit of the Green Lion (Audio Cassette)

It got to a point where I would pick up this book and start reading just anywhere; I liked this book so well and read it so often that I was ashamed when the thought struck me that other people probably read their bibles with this kind of regularity. The heroine, Margaret of Ashbury, is an everyday saint in disguise (a true healer) who meets all kinds of adventures on the road to rescue her husband who is being held prisoner by an evil count in a dungeon in the south of France. Her busband, brother Gregory, is a failed monk who very much reminds me of Everyman in his pride and arogance, and Michaelangelo's David in looks with his curls and frown and above average intelligence. Margaret sets out to rescue him with Brother Malachai (who is an aspiring alchemist) and Mother Hilde (who is a midwife and a healer) in tow. All these characters are excentric and interesting at the very least, their adventures are full of action and the setting in 14th century England is absolutely believable. This is a second installment in the series and I have been praying for a 3rd!!! ever since it came out. I have read Riley's other historicals and liked them well enough but none came close to this one in my opinion.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exciting book--I couldn't put it down!, December 21, 2002

By 

M. M Roberts "mac" (Lawrence, KS USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: In Pursuit of the Green Lion (Hardcover)

I am a huge fan of Judith Merkle Riley's work, and this book is one of her best. The sequel to A Vision of Light, this book doubles the excitement, and the stormy relationship between the book's protagonist, Margaret, and her reluctant husband, Gilbert, is a great centerpiece to the book. I highly recommend this to anyone who likes historical fiction, but be sure to read A Vision of Light first, as the sequel will be far more enjoyable if you know the complete history going in.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Another wonderful Judith M. Riley book!, May 4, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: In Pursuit of the Green Lion (Audio Cassette)

4 1/2 stars! Another wonderful book from JMR, in her vintage tongue-in-cheek style and her wicked sense of humor. It took me two readings to fully appreciate her style--this book was my very first introduction to her, months ago when I was in the mood for something with a bit less substance and more flash. Three books later, I came back to this one--and it was definitely well worth the second trip! Margaret is such a great character--full of common sense and insight that Riley uses to gently poke fun at the absurdities of society. It's refreshing to see a woman who is extraordinary by virtue of the strength of her character rather than her looks, and one made even more appealing by her various quirks. And, as always, it's nice to see the woman rescuing the man, although I was initially hard-pressed to see what she saw in the self-important, self-pitying Gregory (although he DOES improve in the end!). I HAVE in vain been trying to locate the prequel--maybe it'll enlighten me. Can't really comment on the audio, though, since I read this in the book version.