Sometimes I’m in the mood for a good, thrilling historical novel. And, here are two of them: The Eyes of the Queen (2020) and The Queen’s Men (2021). The two books are subtitled: An Agents of the Crown Novel.
The Eyes of the Queen introduces Francis Walsingham, Queen Elizabeth I’s “principal private secretary” (aka, spy master). Mary Queen of Scots is under confinement but she’s busy plotting the assassination of Queen Elizabeth using her wiles to feed information on the Queen’s movements to her supporters.
Meanwhile, Walsingham recruits Queen Elizabeth’s tutor and sometime alchemist, Dr. Dee, to investigate the assassination plot. Dee discovers threads that lead to a group who recruited a sharpshooter who never misses. Only Dee can disrupt the assassination…if the assassin’s minions can be outwitted! GRADE: B
When Queen Elizabeth travels in a convoy through Waltham Forest at night, her carriage is ambushed by masked gunmen and riddled with holes. By chance, the Queen happened to be in a different carriage, but one of her ladies-in-waiting is killed. Walsingham suspects someone in the Royal Court is leaking information to the assassination team…but who?
Dr. Dee is called in again to assist the investigation. In addition, the Queen asks Dee to discover the formula for “Greek Fire,” a incendiary fluid famous for its ability to burn on water. With the threat of an invasion from Spain, the secret of “Greek Fire” might delay the Spanish Armada. In 1578, Dee has limited equipment and knowledge of how to re-invent the long-lost toxic substance. But, conspiracies swirl around the Royal Court as members of the Privy Council attack Walsingham for not solving the latest assassination attempt.
Dee finds himself drawn into a nefarious plot to “protect” the Queen…which could lead him to the gallows. While Walsingham urgent searches for the assassination team, Dee discovers that one of the gunman had a relationship with the dead lady-in-waiting. Following that clue leads to a mind-boggling plot to destroy the Queen and most of the Royal Court. If you’re looking for action and intrigue, The Eyes of the Queen and The Queen’s Men deliver more thrills than a roller-coaster! Are you a fan of historical fiction? GRADE: B+
Occasionally, yes. It depends on the period, the setting and the characters. For instance, I would have said I had no interest in Feudal Japan, but then I read SHOGUN. I do have an interest in English history, so that helps. I like C. J. Sansom’s Matthew Shardlake books, and then there is Hilary Mantell. Ellis Peters’ Cadfael books are set in an era I don’t generally read about, but they are really good. Normally I prfer 19th and 20th Century England an America as a time and place, but clearly I’ve read other times too.
Jeff, I’m a fan of C.J. Sansom’s historical novels, too. I’m a couple volumes behind. And, like you, I’m fond of Hilary Mantell’s work. The Cadfael books and TV series delighted me!
I loved SHOGUN and a couple of other Clavell novels but they didn’t lead me to more of the same. British history has always interested me, and back in the 70s I decided to try Dorothy Dunnett’s Lymond Chronicles. I didn’t get far and that was pretty much the end of my fling with British historical novels.
Michael, I had the same experience with Dorothy Dunnett Lymond Chronicles. I tried three times to get into it, but I couldn’t get beyond 50 pages of the first book. It’s like my failures at reading Proust.
I keep meaning to take a stab at the genre but so many of these are such doorstops I can’t muster up the enthusiasm. I’ve looked at some of the Rutherford and Follet books but they strike me as the prose equivalents of a TV mini series; not necessarily bad but not my cup of tea. I do have Caleb Carr on my radar and might give him a stab this summer. The closest I’ve ever come so far is Michael Crichton’s EATERS OF THE DEAD and Daphne Du Maurier’s MY COUSIN RACHEL. In the end I’ll probably just read some Edith Wharton. Thanks for the review, though, it was an interesting read and I was unfalimiar with Clements.
Byron, you might enjoy these two historical novels by Oliver Clements. They’re around 300 pages and the action is relentless. Real page-turners!
I have to agree that I do sometimes have a problem with the length too (including Sansom). I didn’t have a problem with Clavell’s books, though, or LONESOME DOVE for another example.
Jeff, some authors know how to sustain a Big, Fat Book (500+ pages) and many writers don’t. I usually reserve long books for Summer reading.
Roger Ebert’s rule about movie lengths transfers well to books: no good book is too long and no bad book is too short.
Michael, exactly! I totally agree!