Every Friday Book Beginnings on Friday is hosted by Gillion at Rose City Reader where you can share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires.
This week I’m featuring Tombland by C J Sansom, one of the books I’m currently reading.
It begins with a Prologue:
January 1549
I had been in my chambers at Lincoln’s Inn when the messenger came from Master Parry, asking me to attend to him urgently. I wondered what might be afoot. He was the Lady Elizabeth’s Comptroller, head of the financial side of her household, and I had worked under him since I was recommended to Elizabeth by Queen Catherine Parr two years before, following King Henry’s death.
It continues with
Chapter One
June 1549
It rained throughout our journey to Hatfield Palace; hard, heavy rain that dripped from our caps and made our horses’ reins slippery and slick. Occasionally, a gust of cold wind drove it at us slantwise; as though even now, in early June, the chill of the hard winter and cold spring was reluctant to let go of the land.
Also every Friday there is The Friday 56, hosted by Freda at Freda’s Voice.
These are the rules:
- Grab a book, any book.
- Turn to page 56, or 56% on your eReader. If you have to improvise, that is okay.
- Find any sentence (or a few, just don’t spoil it) that grabs you.
- Post it.
- Add the URL to your post in the link on Freda’s most recent Friday 56 post.
Pages 56 – 57:
I turned to the young man. ‘I understand that you visited Master Boleyn in gaol.’
Lockswood turned to his master, who nodded his agreement, then said, ‘I visited him last week in the castle gaol, where he is held until trial. An unpleasant place, sir, and Master Boleyn was in a sorrowful state. He seemed shocked by what had happened to him, kept doddering -‘
~~~
About the Book (extracted from Amazon)
Tombland is the seventh novel in C. J. Sansom’s number one bestselling Shardlake series.
It’s set in the summer of 1549, two years after the death of Henry VIII, England is sliding into chaos . . .
The nominal king, Edward VI, is eleven years old. His uncle Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset, rules as Protector. The extirpation of the old religion by radical Protestants is stirring discontent among the populace while the Protector’s prolonged war with Scotland is proving a disastrous failure and threatens to involve France. Worst of all, the economy is in collapse, inflation rages and rebellion is stirring among the peasantry.
Matthew Shardlake is asked to investigate the murder of Edith Boleyn, the wife of John Boleyn – a distant Norfolk relation of Elizabeth’s mother Anne Boleyn. Then he and his assistants get caught up in the rebellion against the landowners’ enclosures of the common land as thousands of peasants led by Robert Kett establish a vast camp outside Norwich.
~~~
I am thoroughly absorbed by this book, reading it at a leisurely pace, enjoying all the details. I knew about the early enclosures of common land, but hadn’t heard of Kett’s Rebellion before. It’s a long book of 866 pages including an historical essay, Reimagining Kett’s Rebellion, notes and a bibliography.
What about you? Does it tempt you or would you stop reading?
800+ words! Gosh these Shardlake books just get bigger and bigger. Interesting to see how he has moved the series on from Henry to his daughter. The word ‘doddering’ in the extract caught my attention so I had to check out whether it was actually in use at the time this book is set. Apparently it has early 17th origins so Sansom is a little premature with his usage (though he is usually so meticulous in his research I wonder if he knows something else about that word)
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He does expand on the word ‘doddering’. Lockswood’s Master Copuldyke tells him off for using the word saying it is Norfolk slang and Lockswood apologises saying he meant that Boleyn was ‘shivering, very upset’ – not the same as the modern use of ‘doddering’.
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Ah that’s interesting to understand there are different meanings
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I like Sansom’s work very much, Margaret, so I would no doubt keep reading. I’m not this far along in the series, but I keep hearing great things about it. I hope you’ll enjoy the rest of the novel!
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I have enjoyed all the books of his I’ve read, Margot! I think he’s one of the best historical writers at the moment.
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Interesting language that takes us back to the times in which the story is set…and the history is fascinating. Thanks for sharing, and for visiting my blog.
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I think what makes it so fascinating is that it combines history with a mystery, combining two of my favourite genres.
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This is tempting. I have been enjoying quite a few historical mysteries lately. This week I am featuring Lies Sleeping by Ben Aaronovitch – an urban fantasy from my review stack. Happy reading!
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I keep meaning to read one of Ben Aaronovitch’s books – I have a copy of Rivers of London.
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As I age I get more and more impatient with long books. It is as if I want to get on with things because I have so many more books I want to read before I can’t anymore and how dare the author trap me for weeks in a long one. Ha! My quotes are from HEY, KIDDO a graphic memoir.
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I know what you mean about long books, Anne and I’m not as keen on them as I used to be, but this one is worth the effort, I think.
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This is a series I hadn’t heard of before. I like historical fiction, so I may give the first book a try.
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If you like historical fiction Catherine I do recommend the Shardlake books – I was hooked from the first book, Dissolution!
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He’s a good author! I’ve not read anything of his for a long while. I should revisit his bio and see just how much I’ve missed.
Here’s my Friday post, and I’m carrying on with the madness of posting mostly non-fiction all month, and actually really enjoying it! Happy Friday, Margaret!
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I’ve been reading more nonfiction recently and enjoying the Nonfiction November meme.
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I’ll keep an eye 👁 lol on your non fiction selection as I’m always on the look out for more Margaret! 😁
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Not one I’m familiar with but it looks fantastic!! Happy weekend!
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Thanks Freda – hope you’re having a happy weekend too.
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I’m hoping to read this soon too, so I’m glad to hear you’re enjoying it. I’m looking forward to learning about Kett’s Rebellion, which I’ve never heard of either.
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Thanks, Helen – I’m sure you’ll enjoy it too.
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Loved this one, Margaret – hope you continue to enjoy it! I hadn’t heard of Kett’s Rebellion either – I honestly think I learn more history from Sansom than from history books!
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Glad you loved it – I’m nearing the end now and looking forward to reading Sansom’s essay on Kett’s Rebellion. I love learning about history in this way.
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I love the cover. See what book I’m featuring this week at Girl Who Reads
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Yes, I love the cover too – it is very striking I think!
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yes! I started to read this series and really loved it, thanks for the reminder
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It’s really good – and as soon s the book arrived I started reading it – never mind all those TBRs, they will have to wait a bit longer.
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