A review by jimbowen0306
The Bones of Avalon by Phil Rickman
3.0
This is the story of Dr. John Dee, Queen Elizabeth's astrologer (and general know it all), as he travels (with Robert Dudley) on a mission for William Cecil. His job: to bring the bones of King Arthur back to London in an attempt to cement Elizabeth's hold on the crown in a time of religious upheaval. The logic behind his mission being that everyone knows the Arthurian legend, and if Arthur's linked to Elizabeth, she gets some reflected glory.
The bones were in Glastonbury Abbey, which was sacked by Henry VIII, so Dee and Dudley have to tread carefully in the search for the bones, as people have long memories and the sacking induced some unpleasant memories for the locals.
While there, they meet all sorts of "olde worlde religion" types, and get involved in what looks like a "olde worlde sacrifice," when one of their servants (who's been asking questions round town for them) is murdered on the Abbey's high alter, with the suspect being the local "herbalist."
The book isn't bad, but it didn't grip me either. It's well enough told, and found the historical parts interesting, bur I couldn't really get behind John Dee. He felt like too much of a whiner to be honest.
The bones were in Glastonbury Abbey, which was sacked by Henry VIII, so Dee and Dudley have to tread carefully in the search for the bones, as people have long memories and the sacking induced some unpleasant memories for the locals.
While there, they meet all sorts of "olde worlde religion" types, and get involved in what looks like a "olde worlde sacrifice," when one of their servants (who's been asking questions round town for them) is murdered on the Abbey's high alter, with the suspect being the local "herbalist."
The book isn't bad, but it didn't grip me either. It's well enough told, and found the historical parts interesting, bur I couldn't really get behind John Dee. He felt like too much of a whiner to be honest.