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Review Date: 9/8/2010
Absolutely terrible. I could not even finish it, which is truly saying something for me. I ALWAYS try to finish a book, just in case it had a rough beginning.
Had I wanted a dry read on machinations of Roman politics, this would have be a top-lister. Since I was expecting a fiction story with at least SOME entertainment, it can barely rate above "I managed not to throw it at the wall in disgust."
Bear in mind, this arises from a purely personal dislike for the style and "voice" of the author. The subject matter was obviously VERY well researched; the author simply could not put it in a format which I found worth reading.
There were terribly long passages of exposition on Roman politics and geneology which might have been intended to add dimension to the story, but instead wore on me to the point of skimming.
The few times the author managed to tell a story using character development and interaction, I found it necessary to return to the previous such moment in order to understand who the characters were! That, sadly, did not always help. Many times, the author jumped, without any form of segue, into the POV of a heretofore unknown and unannounced character.
Truly terrible book. I cannot recommend it to anyone.
Had I wanted a dry read on machinations of Roman politics, this would have be a top-lister. Since I was expecting a fiction story with at least SOME entertainment, it can barely rate above "I managed not to throw it at the wall in disgust."
Bear in mind, this arises from a purely personal dislike for the style and "voice" of the author. The subject matter was obviously VERY well researched; the author simply could not put it in a format which I found worth reading.
There were terribly long passages of exposition on Roman politics and geneology which might have been intended to add dimension to the story, but instead wore on me to the point of skimming.
The few times the author managed to tell a story using character development and interaction, I found it necessary to return to the previous such moment in order to understand who the characters were! That, sadly, did not always help. Many times, the author jumped, without any form of segue, into the POV of a heretofore unknown and unannounced character.
Truly terrible book. I cannot recommend it to anyone.
Review Date: 12/2/2014
Not my cup of tea.
I was hoping for Historical Fiction. This is NOT that. It's light-beach-reading concerning Templar myths.
If you're into the Angels and Demons genre of ancient secret societies mingling with Biblical history, you'll love it.
I was hoping for Historical Fiction. This is NOT that. It's light-beach-reading concerning Templar myths.
If you're into the Angels and Demons genre of ancient secret societies mingling with Biblical history, you'll love it.
Review Date: 7/6/2010
Helpful Score: 2
Worth your time if you are looking for realism in medieval warfare, lifestyle, clothing and politics. This is a fantastic story for those who like historical fiction! Also good if you prefer experiencing the world from "inside the character", a trait of which Mary Gentle is a superior writer. I found myself identifying with many of the characters in Ash and have since gone on to collect the entire series.
NOT good if you cannot handle the blood, filth, and profanity inherent in the lifestyle of a soldier. Personally, I thought the realism enriched the story, but it may not be the same for everyone.
The only detraction was the interjection of "emails" between "manuscripts." (Ash's tale is told through several different manuscripts which are being researched by an historian, who is in turn discussing them with his publisher.) This modern intrusion is necessary to explain why certain things are happening in Ash's time, but it was like reading two books that had been hastily shoved into one another.
NOT good if you cannot handle the blood, filth, and profanity inherent in the lifestyle of a soldier. Personally, I thought the realism enriched the story, but it may not be the same for everyone.
The only detraction was the interjection of "emails" between "manuscripts." (Ash's tale is told through several different manuscripts which are being researched by an historian, who is in turn discussing them with his publisher.) This modern intrusion is necessary to explain why certain things are happening in Ash's time, but it was like reading two books that had been hastily shoved into one another.
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