Customer Reviews

We Speak No Treason (Book 1)

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If you are looking for a biography of Richard III, as some of the reviewers seem to be, this is not the book for you. Being historical FICTION, it should be no surprise that FICTIONAL characters hold center stage in this novel. Together with the author's ability to conjure up the sound, the smell, the taste, and the feel of a romantic yet harsh and dangerous world, it is the stories of those fictional characters that make this novel so compelling. These narrators are exactly the types of minor players that orbit, touch, and even influence the famous and royal, but that history forgets. Ms. Jarman brings them to life, ensnaring them in the romance, friendship, loyalty, and treachery that swirl around the House of York. If you are looking for a fat novel of romance, adventure, and intrigue set in a familiar yet untamed world, you can't do better than "We Speak No Treason."

I recently read 'The Courts of Illusion' by Rosemary Harley Jarman and I loved it and that's a big deal for me. It seems that so much of what I've read lately just hasn't thrilled me, and I read a lot.

I wanted to read this book because it was somewhat removed from Richard III. This is the story of the War of the Roses and Richard III but it's told from the perspective of 'the Maiden' and 'the Fool'. They fill us in on the events that unfold between the Houses of Lancaster and York but they are not involved directly with the events themselves.

Jarman has a way of creating characters who sort of steal the show. You pick up one of her books and you think that you want to hear the story of the war of the roses, but then she starts weaving in a story that's completely separate from the one you thought you wanted to hear and that's what you want more of. At least that how it was for me.

Patch, the king's fool, is a character who appears in 'The Courts of Illusion' as well as in this book. I really enjoyed reading about him and his history, so much so that I lost interest in the War of the Roses. If the second part of the book had focused more on his life story I would have enjoyed it more. The same thing happened to me when I read 'The Courts of Illusion'.

Jarman's writing is pretty and I think she's a good story teller but this one just didn't capture my interest like 'The Courts of Illusion' did. I think that 'Courts of Illusion' seemed a bit more refined than this story. I believe that 'Courts' was her fourth book so it make sense that it would be a stronger piece of work. And this book was written "with no thought of publication" so that would certainly give it a different 'flavor' so to speak.

All in all I would say try this if you like reading fiction set in the fifteenth century. But I recommend 'The Courts of Illusion' by this author. I found a copy through the inter-library loan system at my local library. I'm going to try her other books and see if I can find some more of Patch. If you have found him in her other work will you let me know?
Thanks.

I purchased this used on the basis of a recommendation and am very glad that I did. It took me a while to get into the Maiden's story, but once I did I was completely hooked. The switch to the Fool's story was a bit disconcerting (and disappointing because I was at that point captivated by the Maiden), but within a few pages I was hooked by him as well.

My only other complain is that I had a really hard time keeping the minor characters straight in my head. Every other character is named Richard or Ann or Elizabeth or Henry. I had to look at the pedigree chart every few pages to figure out who was who. If I hadn't just read a book about John of Gaunt and had a basic idea of the preceding family situation, I think it would have been much, much harder.

Still I enjoyed the journey and am off to find a copy of the second book.

This book has been one of my favourites
for ten years, and re-read many times.
Powerfully written, haunting, heart-breaking and lovely. Unforgettably vivid characters and scenes. Gorgeously
poetic.