This is a sequel to The Kingsbridge series which had started with Tom Builder which was mainly about Gothic and Roman architecture interlaced with ..church and King and monastery and what not!….. It was continued with world without end which I must say was more thrilling to read!… Here also the chief protagonist was a builder (architect or designer to be accurate) and here the story gets mixed with witch craft, nuns, the hundred years war and the great plague!… That was a ride!….
If you haven’t read these two then read them first if you want to go in a chronological order…
This latest book in the series has no continuity to the other two and no builder though it makes sense to read the earlier two books to get a feel of what’s to come…. Anyhow if you have read the world trilogy then you will get the idea…. Only Ken can take random fictional characters and mix them up with true ones to make a great story to remember!……
In this novel he takes on the British and scots and the French in the 15th to 16th century and though the story is mostly fiction, the depiction of true events has the same feel as they happen. Never knew that even amongst Christians there’s a huge difference when it comes to Catholics and Protestants!…. Though I knew that it was a broad division I never realized that it was a literal linear split!….
Only Ken can make the description so vivid that we can imagine how religion can be divine and can divide….. When Catholics are in power how they suppress Protestants and vice versa to a certain extent…..
How politicians and people can decide who will be the king (or queen!)….. The battle of Pope and queen of England and the queen of Scotland and the king of France!!… Religion, politics and greed…. The three never dying aspects of any kingdom or nation….
… And at least now we know what the big deal is all about!!….make some minute changes an it can be 20th century!…. Not much has changed in the world!….
Close to 750 pages of small print may slow down your speed though much as the English Navy slowed down the Scot!…
For people recovering from Jeff Archer’s Clifton Chronicles this is nectar!… Go for it!…..
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