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Prophecy by S.J. Parris

Prophecy

An Historical Thriller

by S.J. Parris

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  • Published:
  • May 2011, 384 pages
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  • Sue Ellen S. (CEDAR FALLS, IA)
    "The Plot Thickens..."
    I love all things Elizabethan and so looked forward to reading this "historical thriller" set in the court of Queen Elizabeth Tudor. Indeed the stage immediately is set for the solving of a murder—"a virgin defiled in the very court of the Virgin Queen." What next? An attempted murder of Elizabeth herself on the 25th anniversary of her reign? My favorite parts of the book did not relate to murders (more than one) but rather to the accounts of various attempts to unseat Elizabeth from her throne. Always a central force in the story, Elizabeth actually appears in the story much too briefly for me. And yet when she does, the author portrays her vividly—"this open-minded, unashamedly intellectual woman who, behind the generous smiles she bestows now on her fawning courtiers, must have a will of steel to have ruled so long alone in a world of men." I was left wanting more, but fans of mystery will find this a good read.
  • Katherine T. (Atlanta, Georgia)
    Realizing my heart is with mysteries and not historical fiction.
    I was excited about reading this book since I love mystery novels and I love British history. I discovered that in the book Prophecy that I am not a fan of the two combined. I found the book a bit difficult to follow and since I had not read the first in the series, I found it hard to relate to the main character, Giordano Bruno. However, for those who enjoy historical fiction this book has it all. Queen Elizabeth, Queen Mary, Catholics, Protestants, fair maidens, spies, monks, sorcery, evil and so on.
  • Norman G. (Diamond Bar, CA)
    Love the Historical Fiction Genre, but not this title
    Prophecy has a fine plot, decent characterization, and pages of historical detail, but it all goes together to make an average read. I cannot really feel strongly for the anyone or actually get emotional about the villains. The novel typifies the word average. I usually read a book in 2 or 3 days. Prophecy took ten. The story might work for some but I am just glad it was a free copy.
  • Joan C. (Warwick, RI)
    The Hodge/Podge Who-Done-It!
    An historical thriller by definition is a dramatic story designed to hold the reader's interest with a high degree of intrigue, adventure or suspense. Halfway through this book i was still trying to get all the characters straight. The story has multiple plots involving multiple characters - religious strife, black magic, astrology, royal and non-royal political alliances, along with murder and mayhem. By the time the culprits and their motives were revealed I'd forgotten they were characters in the plot. To the author's credit, those responsible for the crimes were not revealed until the very end, but by that time Renaissance England, and its inhabitants, both good and bad had become very tiresome.

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