2.0 out of 5 stars
Poor editing in Kindle edition, December 28, 2011
This review is from: The Serpents of Harbledown: A Novel (Domesday Books (St. Martins)) (Hardcover)
As I pointedly commented in my review of "The Lions of the North," these comments are in regards to the Kindle edition editing and not the story. This 'book' appears to have been created so quickly that little to no editing was done to ensure fidelity to the print edition. For example, there is only one one section break in the text, although there are multiple places throughout where in a print edition either a double return would be used or some other indicator that a new section has started. Other simple-to-correct errors: missing dashes in words, forcing the reader to translate, shifting the focus from the story to the text, spelling errors, and so on. It is quite sad that a publisher has so little respect for their patrons that they willingly produce such poorly done work.
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3.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent period detail. Good, but not my favorite, March 2, 2011
This review is from: The Serpents of Harbledown: A Novel (Domesday Books (St. Martins)) (Hardcover)
First Sentence: The search began at dawn.
The Royal Commission, including Sir Ralph Delchard and his bride Golde, travel to Canterbury in order to settle a land dispute between the archbishop and the prior of St. Augustine's Abbey. Murder takes precedence over land; particularly the murder of a 17-year-old girl found with a snake bite on her neck and an apple, from which one bite was taken, in her hand. Followed shortly but the poisoning of a kind monk, Delchard and Gervase find themselves combating a cunning and dangerous adversary.
Books that include maps and one of Canterbury in the 11th Century are my kind of thing. I also appreciate books that make me think about things such as the difference between perception and reality, and allow me to learn--in this case about the Gnostics. Unfortunately, those were the major highlights of this entry into a series that is, otherwise, one of my favorites.
There were some definitely shortcomings here, including a small portent and a large coincidence. While I have generally felt Marston's dialogue conveyed the period, here it seemed stilted. The descriptions of the action scenes felt awkward and less exciting than they should have been.
I have loved the characters of Ralph, Gervase and the two priests who accompany them, Canon Hubert and Brother Simon. Part of the reason why I've felt the characters worked so well was the interaction between them. Perhaps some of my disappointment with this book was that it seemed fragmented due to the union of the main characters being fragmented. There were very few instances of them working together.
Don't misunderstand; I did not hate the book. The story definitely kept me reading and I was very glad it did. The insight into the period was strong, as always, and the honesty that any person may be good or bad, regardless of rank or position, is significant. In fact, one of the most chilling characters is not the killer. That element was very effective. Not one to give up on an otherwise favorite author, I am curious to read the next book in this series.
THE SERPENTS OF HARBLEDOWN (Hist Mys-Sir Ralph Delchard/Gervase Bret-England-Middle Ages) - Good
Marston, Edward - 5th in series
St. Martins' Press, ©1998, US Hardcover - ISBN: 0312180217
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Another Page Turner!, January 3, 2009
This review is from: The Serpents of Harbledown: A Novel (Domesday Books (St. Martins)) (Hardcover)
I am really enjoying Marston's Domesday Series. This is the fifth in the series and it as good as all the previous ones that I have read. I highly recommend reading these books in order as the story of the main characters continues from book to book. In this one Gervais and Ralph with Ralph's wife Golde are in Canterbury. They are there to settle land disputes as a result of the Norman occupation, and are drawn into a particularly evil murder and murderer. They find themselves against an extraordinarily intelligent villain who seems to be able to get a number of others to follow his teachings. This is a wonderful series. The characters are wonderful, and the settings historically correct. I especially love the villains. They are portrayed so realistically by Marston's talented pen.
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