Customer Reviews

The Serpents of Harbledown: A Novel (Domesday Books (St. Martins))

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2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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

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.

Edward Marston is the pseudonym of Keith Miles, a fairly prolific and extremely good writer of mainly Elizabethan and medieval mysteries. He has also written mysteries under his own name with both sporting and golf backgrounds. However it is primarily the books that take place earlier in history that I am interested in. He read modern history at Oxford and has had many jobs, including university lecturer, but fortunately for all his readers, he turned to the writing profession.

After reading the first book in the series, I avidly sought out all the other books by Edward Marston and not a single one has ever disappointed me. They are about a period of history that I love. His Elizabethan theatre series of books were wonderful and he has continued them through from 1988 to 2006. The Domesday series is also a great series and this is the second book in the series.

The Domesday series is about a period in England's history shortly after the Norman conquest , during the reign of William the Conqueror. It was King William himself who called for an `inventory' to assess taxes and survey landholdings. This inventory was called the Domesday book and was a tremendous undertaking, but one that brought stability to England. Edward Marston's Domesday novels are based upon actual entries in the Domesday Book.

Norman soldier Ralph Delchard and his friend and associate the lawyer Gervase Bret arrive in Canterbury to settle a land dispute between the archbishop and head of the abbey. Ralph is newly married to a beautiful Saxon bride, Golde and he hopes that he and his new wife can make a tour of the famous cathedral and surrounding countryside. But their honeymoon plans are cut short and Ralph's investigation into the land dispute is put in turmoil when Bertha a 17-year-old is found dead in a holly path. Death appears to be from a snakebite and the who of the town is distressed by the young girl's premature death. However before long Ralph and Gervase are looking for something far more dangerous than a mere snake.

"The Serpents of Harbledown" is Volume V of the Domesday Books, and author A.E. Marston continues his Ralph Delchard and Gervase Bret series in a convincing manner!

Ralph and Gervase are dispatched to Canterbury to help solve a dispute between the cathedral and St. Augustine's Abbey involving some land, not to mention liturgical authority. This complementary duo are royal officials commissioned by King William to see that justice is meted out and the issue settled. The entourage includes Ralph's new bride (Golde), Canon Hubert, Brother Simon (all whom we've met in previous episodes) and their military retainers. They are eager to dispense their judicial findings.

Alas, a young girl is found dead and at first she is assumed to have died from a poisonous snake, as the teeth marks are readily seen. However, we soon begin to suspect more than accidental death and, true to Marston's nature, we have a full-blown mysstery on our hands. It will take all the logical skill Gervase has, the military bearing of Ralph, and the religious observances of the Canon and Brother Simon to unravel this conundrum. Before its solution, however, we find that, indeed, a serpent has invaded the community, in the form of heresy, and the story takes on even greater meaning.

Marston's fifth tale begins rather slowly, but with patience the reader will find that the narrative begins to jell and the desire to find out the solutions to all the problems compels one to complete the book. Marston seems to have some trouble with his dialogue, especially the passages involving Delchard and his new bride. These conversations borders readily on the stilted, as of course, even in 11th century England meaningful conversation between husband and wife would not be this formal! But that aside--and do push it aside--the book is worth reading through. Marston writes with a social conscience, especially as he deals with the leper issue, and, quite importantly, the relationship of the church with its dissident priests (who seem fully justified in their dissidence!). The author has also spent some time in the presentation of his characters, all the while trying to keep in mind that this is England just after the Norman conquest.

"The Serpents of Harbledown" ends another episode in the King's commissioners' efforts at demonstrating the king's justice, to Norman, Saxon, and Church member alike. Marston seems fully in command of his characters, his plot, and his themes.

(Billyjhobbs@tyler.net)

I really enjoy the main characters in this series, but the stories are so similar that I can simply scan the book and get enough of the plot to have my fill. Gervase and Ralph make a great team.