Journal Entry 1 by k00kaburra from San Jose, California USA on Saturday, January 08, 2011

Rec'd via Amazon.com's Vine Program.
PAPERBACK ARC.

--

Product Description

The era of the Tudors was one of danger, intrigue, conspiracy, and, above all, spies.

Summer 1553: A time of danger and deceit. Brendan Prescott, an orphan, is reared in the household of the powerful Dudley family. Brought to court, Prescott finds himself sent on an illicit mission to the king’s brilliant but enigmatic sister, Princess Elizabeth. But Brendan is soon compelled to work as a double agent by Elizabeth’s protector, William Cecil, who promises in exchange to help him unravel the secret of his own mysterious past.

A dark plot swirls around Elizabeth’s quest to unravel the truth about the ominous disappearance of her seriously ill brother, King Edward VI. With only a bold stable boy and an audacious lady-in-waiting at his side, Brendan plunges into a ruthless gambit of half-truths, lies, and murder. Filled with the intrigue and pageantry of Tudor England, The Tudor Secret is the first book in The Elizabeth I Spymaster Chronicles.
About the Author

C. W. Gortner is the author of the acclaimed historical novels The Last Queen and The Confessions of Catherine de Medici. He holds an MFA in writing with an emphasis on Renaissance studies from the New College of California. In his extensive travels to research his books, he has danced a galliard in a Tudor great hall and experienced life in a Spanish castle. He is also a dedicated advocate for animal rights and environmental issues. Half Spanish by birth, he lives in Northern California. Readers can visit him online at www.cwgortner.com. 

Journal Entry 2 by k00kaburra at San Jose, California USA on Wednesday, February 02, 2011

Started reading on Monday. 

Journal Entry 3 by k00kaburra at San Jose, California USA on Thursday, February 03, 2011

Finished day before yesterday.

Brendan Prescott, a foundling raised in the Duke of Northumberland’s household, has just been sent to London to join the service of Robert Dudley. Bullied by the Dudley sons as a child, Brendan doesn’t relish the appointment, but he cannot turn his back on the family that raised him. Almost immediately upon his arrival, Brendan is swept up in intrigue when Robert Dudley sends him to carry a ring to the Lady Elizabeth Tudor. He catches the eye of William Cecil, Elizabeth’s trusted protector, and he approaches Brendan with a tantalizing offer. If he will spy for Cecil, Cecil will use his intelligence network to unravel the mystery of Brendan’s parentage. As if the flirtation between Elizabeth and Robert isn’t risky enough, the situation at court has become increasingly tumultuous. The King of England is deathly ill, and his succession is uncertain. As Edward VI lies dying – only fifteen years old – three women are raised as potential heirs: Mary, Henry VIII’s eldest daughter; Elizabeth, who follows her father’s Protestant faith, and Jane Grey, a Tudor cousin with the backing of several powerful families. Brendan is constantly thrust into life-or-death situations as the battle for the crown threatens to tear the country apart.

Most of the novels I’ve read set in this time period have been written from a woman’s perspective. This is understandable. Three strong claims for the throne – and all women! It’s certainly an unusual situation in English history. But I’m glad C. W. Gortner went with a male lead, since guys could find many opportunities for trouble unavailable to women.

Brendan is a likeable hero, so reading about him was delightful. He’s intelligent and observant, but naïve and pretty inept at navigating the etiquette and machinations of court. He’s constantly being bailed out of trouble by a plucky stable boy named Peregrin, who latches onto Brendan early on. Brendan is also mad about one of Elizabeth’s ladies, a fellow spy called Kate. Their romance seems sudden and out of place – they go from despising each other to passionate love in a few pages – but I suppose that’s how love goes, sometimes.

Exciting and action-packed, The Tudor Secret is a spy novel rich in detail. There are tons of twists and turns in the plot (many of which are predictable if you’re familiar with history of the time period) that kept me turning the pages, eager to see what happened next. It’s a great, entertaining book for fans of historical fiction.
 

Journal Entry 4 by k00kaburra at Bookbox, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- USA on Monday, February 27, 2012

Released 1 yr ago (2/27/2012 UTC) at Bookbox, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- USA

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

adding to my Medieval & Renaissance Bookbox! 

Journal Entry 5 by ravencat at Lancaster, New York USA on Saturday, April 07, 2012

Picked from the Medieval/Renaissance bookbox. 

Journal Entry 6 by ravencat at Hendersonville, Tennessee USA on Sunday, January 27, 2013

This was a great historical fiction book about young Brendan Prescott an orphan who was raised in the Dudley household and then brought to court which sends him into a world of danger and plots that unravel into the secret of his true identity. This book was a page turner and kept my interest from start to finish. Being a big fan of anything Tudor, I usually read Philippa Gregory and when I chose this book from the Medieval/Renaissance Bookbox I figured it was time to try a different author and am very glad I did so. 

Journal Entry 7 by ravencat at Hendersonville, Tennessee USA on Monday, March 11, 2013

Released 2 mos ago (3/11/2013 UTC) at Hendersonville, Tennessee USA

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

March 11, 2013 Now traveling bookray. Here is the list so far:

1. Icila/France/Intl ship <~~~ Book Here

2. Froggie66/Canada/Int ship

3.penelopewanders/Switz/EU ship

4. dutch-book/Netherlands/EU ship

5. Originalmullli/UK/Intl ship 

Journal Entry 8 by Icila at Nantes, Pays de la Loire France on Thursday, March 21, 2013

Arrived yesterday along with The Daughter of Time. Thanks a lot ! 

Journal Entry 9 by Icila at Nantes, Pays de la Loire France on Sunday, April 14, 2013

A man's perspective. I wasn't aware of the author's sex when I began but it jumped on my mind when reading.
I'm fond of Philippa Gregory but this author gives a stride to the story .
Thanks for introducing me to him.
Sure I'm looking forward to reading his other books. 

Journal Entry 10 by Icila at La Chapelle-sur-Erdre, Pays de la Loire France on Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Released 3 wks ago (4/23/2013 UTC) at La Chapelle-sur-Erdre, Pays de la Loire France

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

On its way to Canada. 

Journal Entry 11 by Froggie66 at Ottawa, Ontario Canada on Monday, May 06, 2013

Received a couple days ago before the weekend and was super busy this weekend so only getting time to log it in now. On the top of my tbr pile. 

Journal Entry 12 by Froggie66 at Ottawa, Ontario Canada on Thursday, May 16, 2013

I really liked this book. This must be a popular story in history that all the historians like. I read this really fast. I will wait to mail this to PenelopeWanders with the other book as soon as Frogladyreader1 is finished. :) Thanks for sending this one to me.