Customer Reviews

The talisman ring

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4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
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The Talisman Ring is a marvellous piece of comedy, high drama, farce, romance and wit. If you find Regency drawing-room dramas slow-moving, but enjoy the beautiful writing, and want something to set your pulse racing and your excitement on end - buy The Talisman Ring. If you love mystery, this book is considered by some to be Heyer's masterpiece from her mystery writing career - probably because it is not a mystery in the strict sense of the word. It is a late 18th century story of snowdrifts, misunderstandings, disguises, humour, murder, and stolen rings. The book is very romantic, with one of Heyer's most likeable casts - Eustacie de Vauban, the romantic, strong-willed French refugee, Ludovic, Lord Lavenham, refugee of justice, smuggler and rogue, Miss Thane, as sensible as she is romantic and inventive, and Sir Tristram, one of Heyer's sardonic dark heroes. With Basil Lavenham, the oily dandy, a charming innkeeper, his deaf sister, a couple of bumbling Bow Street Runners, and Hugo Thane, Justice of the Peace, this is a happy, very fast-moving novel full of the sort of corruption that the reader can forgive, and it is just the right length for a beginner. Younger readers, in particular, should thoroughly be recommended to read this book to introduce them to the world of Heyer and its high drama, stylised manners and wonderful language.

This book manages to be a romance (x 2), a romantic adventure, a murder mystery, and a comedy of manners, all rolled into one and with a bit of fashion and political history poured on top. As the old lord dies, he hands his volatile young French ward Eustacie over to no-nonsense bachelor Sir Tristram to marry. Incurably romantic, Eustacie runs away and falls into the arms of a smuggler, who turns out to be her long-lost cousin Ludovic, thought to have skipped the country after being accused of murder. When Ludovic is shot by customs officers, he and Eustacie take refuge in a local inn, where they run into maiden-lady Sarah Thane, traveling with her brother Hugh, a magistrate. As Eustacie and Sarah try to figure out how to restore his patrimony to Ludovic, they must decide whether to trust the sardonic Sir Tristram or yet another cousin, the silky Basil Lavenham.

The inn becomes the center of action for a series of set-pieces that are effortlessly comic or exciting, as Heyer chooses. (But mostly comic.) Some of the best scenes involve the gulling of some poor Bow Street Runners and Sarah's brother Hugh, a classic Heyer type: the bluff older brother or uncle who can't figure out what all the fuss is about, but has an unwavering appreciation for a good cellar. (Compare Rupert in "The Devil's Cub.")

A bit of a warning for casual fans of Regency romances: as with Heyer's other Georgians, the period detail is exact, right down to the language of the narrative, which can make the book a denser read than the usual historical romance written in the modern idiom. It's no more difficult a read than Jane Austen, though, and Heyer really does put you right into the period.

This and "Arabella" were my first Georgette Heyer books, read when I was around nine or ten. Even at that age I found the tempestuous younger couple tiresome, but grooved on the older couple, particularly the divinely unflappable Miss Thane. My love for this book never fades.

The Talisman Ring is my favorite book by Georgette Heyer (followed closely by The Reluctant Widow) because it has a perfect blend of romance, adventure and, especially, humor. There are several times throughout the book, no matter how many times I read it, that just make me laugh out loud. And the two couples juxtapose each other very well; one couple is young and brash and fun, and the other is older and more mature. Seeing the older couple's relationship grow is, in my opinion, one of the story's highlights. And the dialogue between characters is great- there is a lot of chemistry between the fairly large cast of characters, and even the secondary characters are VERY memorable. If you like Regency romances (without the physical action), then Heyer is for you. And if you like Heyer, then The Talisman Ring is definitely for you.

Heyer really enjoys herself in this tightly woven tale of comedy, adventure and a touch of mystery thrown in. There are all the main elements of an eighteenth century bodice ripper - only no bodices get ripped and it is much more satisfying. Heyer knows how to play with characters and the elements to get the best out of it all. Her characters are wonderfully light and witty and the whole tale is just so difficult to put down.

First off there is Eustacie who is an escapee from the French Revolution (although well before there was any danger thus breaking her romantic heart that she wasnever a romantic figure going to her death in a Tumbril). She is being set up for an arranged marriage with her cousin Sir Tristram - whose greatest wish is not to marry her at all. To escape this marriage she flees at night (despite terrible tales of the headless horseman which roams the nearby woods). In her flight she comes across a band of smugglers and her 'romantic' cousin Ludovic.

There is the missing 'Talisman Ring' of the title of this book which will release Ludovic from years of exile as an accused (but naturally innocent) murderer.

This book has one of my favourite Heyer heroines, the unshakeably prosaic Sarah Thane who steps in to help Eustacie clear her cousin Ludovic of murder and thus make them able to at last marry. In the meantime Sarah must work around the even more prosaic Sir Tristram.

Heyer manages to turn the most ordinary events into wonderfully farcical situations. She has a coterie of secondary characters to support this - for instance the two sincere but bumbling Bow Street Runners, as well as Nye (the inn owner) and his deaf daughter. There is also a lovely turn by Sarah's self-contained brother who, despite being a stern upholder of the law being a JP, only cares seem to be food and good smuggled wine.

The trouble with writing reviews is it never captures the essence of the humour and it is high in this one - I think Talisman Ring is one of Heyer's best. It was written in 1936 just before Heyer began her obsession with Regency Drawing room comedies - but this has the lightness of touch which her later Regency's such as Frederica, and The Grand Sophy have. It is all light and airy good fun. If you haven't read this one, then add it to the top of your Must Read list.

This is a wonderfully rich novel, full of excellent secondary characters which lots of charm and wit. Sir Tristram has promised to marry his cousin Eustacie, But Eustacie, passionate French girl that she has has decided that Sir Tristram will never ride Ventre Terre to her rescue and so she must escape and find her glamourous cousin Ludovic who has had to flee from the country house as he has killed a man over cards. All rather romantically passionate.

Sir Tristram is not impressed at all and in his practical capable fashion goes back to retrive her, only now he ends up in a country hostel, ver probably a msugglers den with highwaymen, a Justice of the Peace and his redoubtable sister, Sarah Thane. And further more, he gets dragged into the plans by Eustacie and Sarah to prove Ludovic's innocence.

It is hilarious good fun, Heyer's sense of the ridiculous is utterly to the fore in this one. It has so much good humour - very reminiscent of The Corinthian. Sir Tristram begins as a rather dour character, but is lifted up by his engaging battles with Sarah.

This is a guaranteed enjoyable read, good first novel for Heyer fans, and although not strictly regency period (more Georgian) one of her best humoured works

My mother read this to me when I was a young girl back in the late 60s. I'd had minor surgery, and she picked this to read to me during my recovery. Even at such a tender age, I fell in love with this book and cannot remember how many times I have read it.

Heyer was a master at creating unforgettable characters, and those in The Talisman Ring are no exception. Eustacie is a hoot. She wants a life of adventure, putting me in mind of Austen's Catherine Morland. However, Eustacie is not quite as naive nor as humorless as Miss Morland. She is lucky enough to have fallen in with Sarah Thane, one of the more delightful characters I have "met" over the years (she actually reminds me of an older Lizzy Bennet). Ludovic's earnestness and desire to clear his name are adorable, and Sir Tristram's maturity and level-headedness still make this old heart of mine go pitter-pat. Basil is wonderfully smarmy, and the completely befuddled Sir Hugh never fails to put a smile on my face.

I must confess that I didn't guess the identity of the murderer right away, but was not surprised when his identity became known. All in all, this is a wonderful, entertaining read.

This is one of the few Heyer novels I managed to skip over when I bought the rest of her works. Don't ask me why I skipped it, I don't know. I do things that surprise me at times.

I really loved this novel. It had it all...comedy, mystery and romance. It was as perfect as perfect can get without becoming obnoxious. The characters were awesome. I especially loved Sir Tristram Shield and Miss Sarah Thane. I had such a crush on Tristram. Tristram was so much smarter than everyone else. He was always at least ten steps ahead of all the other characters. If I was Eustacie, I would have married him in a split second. I also really liked Sarah. She was so smart. She had her head firmly on her shoulders. I really love strong, intelligent female characters. The dialogue was sharp and witty. Without giving anything away, the proposal scene at the end was hilarious. This was a great hybrid... regency romance mixed with mystery mixed with comedy. I found that those three elements really worked together well.

I did find, however, that the story got a bit weak at times. Not often but enough that I noticed it and only for a chapter or two. I found that this generally happened when Ludovic and Eustacie were the main focus. I couldn't stand Eustacie. She was so flighty and insipid. Definitely not my sort of character. I didn't like Ludovic either but I didn't want to bash my head into a wall when he was around. This couple did not have the charm or grace that Tristram and Sarah had.

The Talisman Ring would be a great for a Heyer fan that has already exhausted the other Heyer Regency romances and is looking for something a bit different. This might not be the best intro to Heyer but for a veteran, it's a great read.

Sourcebooks also does a great job of re-issuing these Heyer books. The cover design is really pretty and reflects the novel perfectly.

This is a sparklingly witty book that had me laughing out loud nearly constantly. The audio version, narrated by Phyllida Nash, is delightful. Her characterizations are wonderful, from the irrepressibly flighty Eustacie to the oblivious Hugo Thane. Best of all, she conveys the characters' own sense of the absurdity of the situations in which they find themselves embroiled. I loved every minute of the production, and am sorely tempted to start over again immediately from the beginning. Highly, highly recommended.

The plot is straightforward but the characters are a joy to behold! I have an old 1967 edition of this novel and I cringed at the romance-looking cover (bare-chested male, swooning female) and the blurb on the back, but the actual romance in the story is with another (and far better!) pair entirely. Nothing embarrassing in the least, with touches of Austen's wit and practicality. Heyer, I think, did better with the concept of spoofing bad romances than Austen did in Northanger Abbey. I found myself laughing out loud and thoroughly enjoying this book. For a bit of light fun, go for it! :)

Georgette Heyer has an eye for the ridiculous and in this wonderfully hilarious romp she let fly her full range of comic and romantic notions.

Eustacie, a romantically inclined and altogether very young French girl is given in marriage by a death-bed promise to Sir Tristram - mild reluctance turns quickly into distaste for the scheme on both sides - Eustacie is shocked to find that Sir Tristram will neither ride ventre a terre to her deathbed, nor does he find the imaginative vision she conjures up of herself alone, and dressed maybe in white, being drawn in a tumbril to the guillotine, at all affecting.

Realising the cause is hopeless, Eustacie runs away and gets caught up with a gang of smugglers, which happens to include her very wildly irresponsible cousin Ludovic - he promptly gets shot by Excisemen and...... well, writing about it here it all sounds vastly dramatic and far-fetched but Heyer writes with her tongue firmly in her cheek and she lets us in to the joke as well.

She has such a light touch that the most seemingly ridiculous situation is never taken too seriously - you can truly suspend your disbelief and enjoy the story. Indeed, she does that with a great deal of irony for Sir Tristram is the least imaginative hero you might imagine. Were he to live now he would most definitely have belonged to the Skeptics Society.

Events move to a local inn where a we meet the resolute and sparkling Sarah Thane, surely one of the most wonderful heroines Heyer has every created. Along the way we must solve a old crime that will clear Ludovic's name, search an old house for priests hole, escape numerous scrapes and help Sir Tristram mend his broken heart.

A charming, funny, romantic mystery and full of great scenes to remember.