Blood
Lance A Medieval Noir by Jeri Westerson
Blood Lance is the fifth book Jeri
Westerson has written about Crispin Guest, a former knight disgraced because of
treasonous behavior. Nearly a decade earlier Crispin had supported an attempt
to overthrow the king and replace him with Crispin’s foster father. Although other conspirators were
executed, Crispin’s life was spared and he was stripped of his knighthood.
Over
time Crispin has carved out a role for himself and become known as “The
Tracker” for his ability to solve mysteries. He has acquired an apprentice, a former cutpurse, Jack
Tucker. The two live on limited
means in a poor section of London. Despite his humiliation, Crispin lives by a
personal code, like later noir detectives.
When
he sees a man falling from London Bridge, Crispin dives into the Thames only to
discover that the man is dead.
Crispin believes the man was dead before he hit the water, even though
others believe he committed suicide.
Tracking the truth, Crispin becomes involved in a tangle that involves
friends from his past, a search for a religious icon, and a woman whose
motivation is as mysterious as her beauty is enthralling. The dead man was an armorer who
promised Crispin’s friend, Sir
Thomas Saunfyl, he would find an icon that would make the knight unbeatable in
battle. Sir Thomas is desperate
for Crispin to recover the icon since he has been accused of cowardice and
desertion. Sir Thomas will soon
face a trial by combat to determine whether he lives or dies. Another old friend, Geoffrey Chaucer,
is seeking the same item for reasons unknown.
The
author has recreated the mean streets of medieval London where the disgraced
knight has to bow to men who used to be his equal or his social inferior. Crispin is advised to end his search
and he knows the advice is warranted. However, he has given his word that he
will help Sir Thomas. His pride
will not allow him to break his word regardless of the consequences.
A world in which I would not care to live as either knight or peasant. That means the best way to "enjoy" the life and times is through good historical fiction.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if a millennium from now they will be saying the same of us and today.
~ Jim
I agree, Jim. Life was short and brutal. I don't think we will ever know what they will say about our time,
ReplyDeleteHi, Warren,
ReplyDeleteI've always enjoyed reading mysteries set in Medieval times. The Brother Cadfael series by Ellis Peters was great. I would certainly like to read this newer series as well. Thanks for doing the review!
I enjoyed the first two books in the Crispin series. I'll have to get the next ones, too.
ReplyDeleteI also loved the Brother Cadfael mysteries, but I agree with Jim and Warren, I wouldn't want to live in those times even if I was one of lucky ones born to wealth. PILLARS OF THE EARTH by Ken Follett showed just how brutal those times were.
Thanks for your review, Warren! Actually, for the most part, life was neither brutal nor short. Though the poorer you were the life expectancy could be shorter--much as it is today, and for the same reasons: poor diet and bad living conditions.
ReplyDeleteI think of living in the Middle Ages a little like perpetual camping; a lot of fetching water, a lot of looking for fuel, and a lot of smoky fires.
This is a wonderful series. I've got Blood Lance in my to-read pile. Unfortunately my pile is huge! Soon!
ReplyDelete