Succession: A Novel Of Elizabeth And James [Paperback]

George Garrett (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 16, 1991

The tortuous relationship between Elizabeth I of England and James VI of Scotland runs its course here. Using extant letters and documents, Garrett evokes the passionate and dissembling temperament of the queen and the duplicity of her secretary, Robert Cecil. "Garrett draws us into the total reality of Elizabethan life....Once you enter into its spirit, you will be unable to stop reading" (Washington Post).

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The first of these three highly praised volumes is a fictionalized look at the courageous and gallant life of Sir Walter Raleigh, who awaits execution. According to PW , ``The whole panorama of Elizabethan and early Stuart England comes to life before our eyes.'' The Succession , an ``acutely intelligent, faithfully rendered historical novel,'' concerns the political rivalries and mercurial personalities rampant in turn-of-the-17th-century British society, as Queen Elizabeth I's reign draws to a close and James VI of Scotland prepares to step in. Completing the trilogy is a tale set in 1597 of two rival Londoners investigating poet and playwright Christopher Marlowe's death. ``Like an impressionist painting, vivid in its small, shimmering details, the novel conveys a picture of Renaissance society, offers richly nuanced character portraits and sparkles with bawdy humor and robust sexuality,'' said PW .

Copyright 1991 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Review

The first of these three highly praised volumes is a fictionalized look at the courageous and gallant life of Sir Walter Raleigh, who awaits execution. According to PW , ``The whole panorama of Elizabethan and early Stuart England comes to life before our eyes.'' The Succession , an ``acutely intelligent, faithfully rendered historical novel,'' concerns the political rivalries and mercurial personalities rampant in turn-of-the-17th-century British society, as Queen Elizabeth I's reign draws to a close and James VI of Scotland prepares to step in. Completing the trilogy is a tale set in 1597 of two rival Londoners investigating poet and playwright Christopher Marlowe's death. ``Like an impressionist painting, vivid in its small, shimmering details, the novel conveys a picture of Renaissance society, offers richly nuanced character portraits and sparkles with bawdy humor and robust sexuality,'' said PW . (Publishers Weekly )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 552 pages
• Publisher: Mariner Books; First Edition edition (September 16, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0156863030
• ISBN-13: 978-0156863032
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,682,548 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars My only complaint with this book is the title., May 12, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Succession: A Novel Of Elizabeth And James (Paperback)

I love the way Garrett writes, and have enjoyed all of his books that I have read, but this book doesn't seem to have much to do with the title. If you are looking for a clever insight into the minds of commoners, messengers, and Catholic Priests (among others) during Elizabeth's reign, then this is the book for you. There is one very interesting chapter on the letters between Elizabeth and James, but most of the rest of the book seems to stray from the subject of the succession.