Eclecticism

...making decisions on the basis of what seems best instead of following some single doctrine or style.
Me in a nutshell!!!

Monday, April 29, 2013

The Sins of the FatherThe Sins of the Father by Jeffrey Archer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This being the 2nd book in the Clifton Chronicles started out "amazing" and then petered out to being "I liked it" resulting in the 3 star rating. I was so looking forward to this after how much I enjoyed the 1st book Only Time Will Tell and have to say I was some what disappointed.

It wasn't so much how the story continued but how ridiculous the characters became. Does everyone have to be a heroine or hero Mr. Archer? 
 I mentioned in my review of Only Time Will Tell that the story was a bit cheesy, but The Sins of the Father was an extra order of cheese on top! It just became un-realistic on so many levels.

By far the most interesting character was the villain Hugo Barrington. The most un-realistic and ridiculous part of the story was the finale!

I will read the newly released 3rd book in the Clifton Chronicles The Best Kept Secret, but not right away, I will need to be in a real Archer mood for that.

View all my reviews

Friday, April 26, 2013

Only Time Will Tell by Jeffrey Archer Review...


Only Time Will TellOnly Time Will Tell by Jeffrey Archer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Who is Harry's father anyway? That is the question. Is it Arthur Clifton the "docker" or Hugo Barrington the son of a shipping baron? Not even his mother really knows. Her one night stand with Barrington just weeks before her marriage to Arthur could of resulted in pregnancy since Harry was born eight months later. At the time no one even needed to know about her rendezvous with Hugo, little did she know that this one mistake would have such power to devastate so many lives twenty years later.

Harry who is so likable never had a clue until his wedding day that he may be or may not be Hugo Barrington's son whom he blames for the death of his assumed father Arthur Clifton. How will anyone ever know, I guess Only Time Will Tell. O the tangled web we weave when at first we practice to deceive!!!

I did really like this book, thus the four crown rating! I have been a fan of Jeffrey Archer for a long time, he tells a good story! To me he is a "gentleman author". He doesn't get caught up in hyperbole. He is tasteful and gets to the point without dragging on the plot. Some of his characters can be a little cheesy, but in today's world that can be refreshing.

It's a good fast read that left me wanting more, so I am glad that the Harry Clifton saga will continue for at least two more books, Sins of the Father and newly released The Best Kept Secret.

Mr. Archer does not disappoint. Well done!!





Wednesday, April 10, 2013

The Iron King beginning of The Accursed Kings Series...

In 1955 the french author Maurice Druon began writing a series of books called The Accursed Kings. The series in total is seven books and took twenty years to complete. I first noticed these books on a Goodreads advertisement of the 1st in the series The Iron King. I ordered it on Amazon prime and began reading it right away. I didn't put it down. A marvelous book. 



The story begins with The Iron King, Phillip IV(Phillipe the Fair) the year 1307. The country is broke from war and poor money management.  King Phillip is young and ruthless. He goes to the Knights Templar for a loan and is refused. That very night Friday October 13, 1307 he has the Templar's put under arrest, and seizes the gold anyway. Over the next seven years 15,000 Templar's have been arrested, tortured and executed by the King's order and sanctioned by the Pope. The last to be executed is the Grand Master  Jacques de Molay who upon his death puts a curse on Pope Clement and the King and their descendants for 13 generations...


King Phillip IV of France


Grand Master Knights Templar Jacque de Molay


The King has three sons, Louis, Charles and Phillipe and one daughter, Isabella the queen of England, married to Edward II mother of Edward III. All of the King's children are involved in the intrigue in one way or another which will result shortly in the 100 years war between France and England.

This is just the first book of seven. I understand that they will be re-publishing all seven on a monthly basis. The next one in the series is The Strangled Queen being released tomorrow, April 11, 2013. I look forward to it. 


How refreshing to be reading 14th century France instead of 14th century England for a change. Completely fascinating on the two countries are intertwined through-out history. But seriously who doesn't love France.

The seven books are:
I. Le Roi de fer (The Iron King), 1955
II. La Reine étranglée (The Strangled Queen), 1955
III. Les Poisons de la couronne (The Poisoned Crown), 1956
IV. La Loi des mâles (The Royal Succession), 1957
V. La Louve de France (The She-Wolf of France), 1959
VI. Le Lis et le Lion (The Lily and the Lion), 1960
VII. Quand un Roi perd la France (When a King Loses France), 1977


Maurice Druon (23 April 1918 – 14 April 2009) was a French novelist and a member of the Académie française.
He was also a French Resistance fighter in WWII and received the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour for his service along with many other awards over his lifetime for academia contributions.
Maurice Druon

This book is well worth the read. It is surprisingly a fast read. Not only is it a great historical study but a good story, very intriguing. This book deservedly receives 5 crowns! 


 

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