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The Wolves of Savernake

Domesday, Book 1

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About this listen

Ralph Delchard, a soldier who fought at the Battle of Hastings, and Gervase Bret, a talented lawyer, have been commissioned by William the Conqueror to look into irregularities brought to light during the compilation of the Domesday Book. Their investigations take them throughout the kingdom, but the pair often find themselves embroiled in more sinister mysteries in the towns they visit.

The king’s work is a dangerous business. A man’s body is found mutilated in Savernake Forest and the residents of Bedwyn sleep uneasy at night, fearing a monster stalking the town. When Ralph Delchard and Gervase Bret arrive, they discover that the locals are harbouring dark secrets and that the real killer may be a little closer to home....

©1993 Edward Marston (P)2020 Soundings Crime Fiction Detective Fiction Historical Mystery Traditional Detectives Crime
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This is historical fiction at the shallow end of the history pool but not the worse for it. Edward Marston seems to have perfected the lightness of touch needed for cosy crime eleventh-century-style.The historical detail was enough to make the setting removed from reality yet earthy enough for enjoyment.

The characters were engaging and diverse, the plot was entertaining and interesting without any angst to trouble the reader, and the denouement satisfactory.

What more could we want? David Thorpe as a narrator, that's what. He gives as masterful a performance as ever.

Easy listening at its best.

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Interesting details about life and state of the country post Norman Conquest and compiling the Doomsday book. Good murder mystery too.

Interesting read

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what a brilliant, twisting plot, read/acted with perfect precision. I enjoyed every paragraph, next one please

intriguing

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The writer seems incapable of letting his own culture and values bleed through, to a degree where it becomes silly. The characters in the book react with rage to things which were common back then. Why? Because the writer finds them enraging. On the other hand, all the "good" characters talk, act and joke in ways that would be foreign to people in England just 200 years age, let alone over a 1000. Acts and speech which would get you jailed or killed.

It would be like if you today casually joked to people you just met, that you like eating small puppies, and have a dungeon filled with children, and if maybe they wanted a tour. Or join you in strangling cats. But since the writer wants to force in modern views on gender, sexuality, marriage, religion, and authority, the whole book becomes really shallow, with no immersion. And that really kills all sense of adventure. It feels like the writer just did not care.

History: A dudebro perspective

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Mardton’s two principal characters, Ralph and Jervase, are a wonderful contrast and each plays a specific role in this medieval mystery. The plot twists and turns but I did work it out, thus the 4 stars, but for the first in a series I am hopeful the others will surpass it. The writing evokes the period, with lots of detail, but wound through the story, never delivered in a lecturing way.
At first I found the narration a bit OTT but it soon settled down and the different characters were delivered very well and gave an individual voice to each one. Throughly enjoyed it, off to buy the next one.

Great medieval detail

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