Published 11 July 2017
Description:
A SPELLBINDING TALE SET IN CARDINAL RICHELIEU’S FRANCE
With enemies advancing on all sides and Cardinal Richelieu’s health failing, France is at breaking point. Yet salvation may arrive in the most unlikely form…
Born into poverty and with terrible deformities, Sebastian Morra is a dwarf with the wit of Tyrion Lannister and three foot, four inches of brazen pluck. Through a mixture of brains and luck, he has travelled far from his village to become a jester at the royal court. And with a talent for making enemies, he is soon drawn into the twilight world of Cardinal Richelieu, where he discovers he might just be the only man with the talents to save France from her deadliest foes.
My Thoughts & Review:
Historical fiction is a genre that I slip in and out of easily, and sometimes depending on my mood, it can be the only thing I want to read. From the moment I read the book description my interest was piqued, however with little knowledge of Game of Thrones, the Tyrion Lannister reference was a little lost on me.
Set during the times of The Thirty Years’ War in France, the author lays out the foundations of a very well written debut with great detail. The wonderful use of atmospheric descriptions for the locations evoke a wonderful sense of the period. And it is clear from the depth of the writing that the author has done his research, yet he still manages to keep the writing light and entertaining in places. Sebastian Morra is an fascinating character, he oozes wit and charm but there is a considerable wealth of knowledge hidden behind this. Being born with dwarfism, his career choices are limited. From playing jester in Louis XIII court he becomes a spy for Cardinal Richelieu in order to gain the notorious Cardinal’s protection after making one too enemies at Court.
Despite being set in an era I’m not overly familiar with, I still managed to pick up on the tensions that would later escalate to the troubles of the French Revolution. But unfortunately this book just didn’t grab me as I’d hoped it might. An interesting read and for the most part enjoyable just perhaps not my era.
You can buy a copy of The Cardinal’s Man via:
Amazon
My thanks to Lina Langlee at Black & White Publishing for the opportunity to read this and to take part in the blog tour.
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