[books 2015] Dark Fire
Jan. 17th, 2015 01:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
inulro3. Dark Fire by CJ Sansom
I liked Dissolution so much I started the next book right away.
It's three years later. Since we last met him, Matthew Sheldrake has become disillusioned with the reform movement (he still believes in reform but has seen that actually it's only going to profit the already-rich) and distanced himself from Cromwell, concentrating instead on his private legal practice.
A client comes to him asking him to defend a girl accused of murder. It's an almost-impossible task, but is made possible because Cromwell intervenes. On the condition that Sheldrake helps him out one last time (Cromwell is rapidly falling out of favour at court), to track down the people who have stolen Greek Fire, which has recently been rediscovered.
This one's another page turner. I've been up too late every night this week reading it. Two compelling mysteries, political intrigue, wonderful snapshots of daily life in Tudor England - what's not to love?
Sheldrake himself is a much more sympathetic character now. The self-righteousness is gone.
As in Dissolution, Sansom portrays the social upheaval and atmosphere of terror caused by the Reformation far better than any history book I've ever read.
I have six more library books already, and a room full of my own books, but the temptation to order the third volume from the library right now is almost overwhelming.
I liked Dissolution so much I started the next book right away.
It's three years later. Since we last met him, Matthew Sheldrake has become disillusioned with the reform movement (he still believes in reform but has seen that actually it's only going to profit the already-rich) and distanced himself from Cromwell, concentrating instead on his private legal practice.
A client comes to him asking him to defend a girl accused of murder. It's an almost-impossible task, but is made possible because Cromwell intervenes. On the condition that Sheldrake helps him out one last time (Cromwell is rapidly falling out of favour at court), to track down the people who have stolen Greek Fire, which has recently been rediscovered.
This one's another page turner. I've been up too late every night this week reading it. Two compelling mysteries, political intrigue, wonderful snapshots of daily life in Tudor England - what's not to love?
Sheldrake himself is a much more sympathetic character now. The self-righteousness is gone.
As in Dissolution, Sansom portrays the social upheaval and atmosphere of terror caused by the Reformation far better than any history book I've ever read.
I have six more library books already, and a room full of my own books, but the temptation to order the third volume from the library right now is almost overwhelming.
