Book Review - The King's Assassin Angus Donald
The latest instalment on the journey of Sir Alan Dale. Angus has throughout this series clever woven the legend and myth that is Robin Hood and his merry men into the true events during the late 12th and early 13th century.
In this latest instalment we find Sir Alan returned from the siege at Château Gaillard even more despondent with King John than ever. He has good reason given what he witnessed in the previous instalment and of course with Sir Alan having been a one-time great friend and co-composer of legendary songs with King Richard the Lionheart King John will never meet up to his expectations. But he returns to find his lands taxed beyond what he can afford and the latest Sheriff of Nottingham determined to extract as much from the area as possible.
Against this background whilst supporting the King's latest attempts to reclaim lost territory in France which comes to eventual failure at the Battle of Bouvines Alan foolishly agrees to help some of the angry barons rid the kingdom once and for all of King John. Needless to say history dictates that Alan fails but then Angus weaves Robin Hood into the story of the signing of one of the most important documents in the history of England, the Magna Carta.
I like this series despite the odd historical inaccuracy here and there for dramatic effect they are great readable historical thrillers with plenty of guts and gore and intrigue. Indeed whilst I part guessed one guilty party in the intrigues the other I only realised late in the day so suspense was maintained for me through a lot of the book. We are promised one more outing with Sir Alan and Robin Hood in the last of the series soon. I certainly will look forward to it.
In this latest instalment we find Sir Alan returned from the siege at Château Gaillard even more despondent with King John than ever. He has good reason given what he witnessed in the previous instalment and of course with Sir Alan having been a one-time great friend and co-composer of legendary songs with King Richard the Lionheart King John will never meet up to his expectations. But he returns to find his lands taxed beyond what he can afford and the latest Sheriff of Nottingham determined to extract as much from the area as possible.
Against this background whilst supporting the King's latest attempts to reclaim lost territory in France which comes to eventual failure at the Battle of Bouvines Alan foolishly agrees to help some of the angry barons rid the kingdom once and for all of King John. Needless to say history dictates that Alan fails but then Angus weaves Robin Hood into the story of the signing of one of the most important documents in the history of England, the Magna Carta.
I like this series despite the odd historical inaccuracy here and there for dramatic effect they are great readable historical thrillers with plenty of guts and gore and intrigue. Indeed whilst I part guessed one guilty party in the intrigues the other I only realised late in the day so suspense was maintained for me through a lot of the book. We are promised one more outing with Sir Alan and Robin Hood in the last of the series soon. I certainly will look forward to it.
Definitely a two thumbs up in the FITUBRS*
* Furtheron International Thumbs Up Book Review Scale -
lowest is both thumbs down with a frown
two thumbs down,
one thumb horizontal,
two thumbs horizontal,
one thumb up,
two thumbs up
two thumbs up with a grin - very rarely awarded
lowest is both thumbs down with a frown
two thumbs down,
one thumb horizontal,
two thumbs horizontal,
one thumb up,
two thumbs up
two thumbs up with a grin - very rarely awarded
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