John Shakespeare Series Rory Clements Collection 3 Books Set (Martyr, Revenger, Prince)

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John Shakespeare is the lead protagonist of the John Shakespeare historical mystery series of novels by Rory Clements. The first novel in the series that introduced John Shakespeare was “Martyr” that was first published in 2009 to much critical acclaim and commercial success. Given the early success of the debut novel, Rory would go on to publish several more titles in the still ongoing series. The John Shakespeare novels are set in Elizabethan England, during a period of much political, social, religious, and economic intrigue not only in England, but also on the continent. The lead character in the series is the fictional John Shakespeare, the brother of bard extraordinaire William Shakespeare. John is a compelling, strong, credible, and moral man living in an immoral society. Clements writes impressive narratives with fictional plots that evoke the sense of the bygone eras. He records history in all its unhygienic glory and gory as the Elizabethans strive to get ahead in a constantly changing world. Clements creates an interesting universe with complicated plots and subplots that combine mystery with political intrigue to make for a great read full of soul and wit.

Topcliffe knows that John has secrets, secrets that could undermine his position, family and his life. But when the assassin and Topcliffe start to threaten those John has grown to love, the stakes become even higher. In this ingenious debut, Rory Clements introduces John Shakespeare, Elizabethan England's most remarkable investigator, and delivers a tale of murder and conspiracy that succeeds brilliantly as both historical fiction and a crime thriller. Gibbons, Brian (1993). Shakespeare and Multiplicity. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. doi: 10.1017/CBO9780511553103. ISBN 978-0-511-55310-3. OCLC 27066411– via Cambridge Core. This tale is set between the years, AD1586-1587, and we follow our chief intelligencer of Spymaster Sir Francis Walsingham, John Shakespeare, leading several investigations, namely the murder of a high-born young woman, a secret assassination threat towards Sir Francis Drake, who's preparing his fleet against the invasion threat by Spain, and two Jesuit priests who are hiding in fear for their lives. The concept that Shakespeare was born on 23 April, contrary to belief, is a tradition, and not a fact; [1] see § Early life below.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Roe, John, ed. (2006). The Poems: Venus and Adonis, The Rape of Lucrece, The Phoenix and the Turtle, The Passionate Pilgrim, A Lover's Complaint. The New Cambridge Shakespeare (2nd reviseded.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-85551-8. OCLC 64313051. Wells, Stanley (2006). Shakespeare & Co: Christopher Marlowe, Thomas Dekker, Ben Jonson, Thomas Middleton, John Fletcher and the Other Players in His Story. New York: Pantheon. ISBN 978-0-375-42494-6. OCLC 76820663. John Shakespeare the lead in the series is first introduced as a man working under principal secretary Sir Francis Walsingham, Queen Elizabeth I’s original spy chief. Working in intelligence, he is charged with protecting important persons of the realm, solve murders, and undertake daring missions, all the while navigating the social politics and court intrigues of his day. John has been compared to the Shardlake character of the Shardlake series of novels by C. J. Sansom, in being thoughtful, sensitive, smart and questioning of the power abuses by the English royals. The supporting cast in the series comprises quite an interesting mix from John’s boss Walsingham, Sir Francis Drake, and his friend Boltfoot Cooper. Over the course of the series, Shakespeare has to deal with the villainous Richard Topcliffe an Elizabethan operative who unlike John is totally reprehensible. Similar to William Shakespeare’s villains he is close to being evil incarnate who is constantly getting into John’s nerves with his villainous acts in the name of the crown. Topcliffe who is supposedly on the same side as John often destroys, hides, and subverts witnesses, evidence, and information. Unlike the fictional John Shakespeare, Topcliffe is an actual historical character who made a name for himself as a bloodthirsty character with a predilection for torture. He casts a horrifying and long shadow on everything that happens in intelligence terrifying everyone that encountered him. Given that he knows many of John’s secrets, he can easily undermine his family, his position in the government, which makes him quite a dangerous character. So Topcliffe will live to be an obstructive pain another day, Boltfoot will marry the maid Jane and Shakespeare (whose mother really was a Catholic) will bed a catholic maid in his own house and this will cause problems to be included in the next book, no doubt.

Kermode, Frank (2004). The Age of Shakespeare. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson. ISBN 978-0-297-84881-3. OCLC 52970550. Jonson, Ben (1996) [1623]. "To the memory of my beloued, The AVTHOR MR. WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE: AND what he hath left vs". In Hinman, Charlton (ed.). The First Folio of Shakespeare (2nded.). New York: W.W. Norton & Company. ISBN 978-0-393-03985-6. OCLC 34663304. Berry, Ralph (2005). Changing Styles in Shakespeare. London: Routledge. ISBN 978-1-315-88917-7. OCLC 868972698.John Shakespeare is an investigator for Walsingham, charged with keeping Sir Francis Drake from being assassinated and rooting out any Catholic plots against the queen. Fellow investigator and rival Topcliffe always seems to be just ahead of Shakespeare in the investigation, using his brutal methods to get the answers he wants from the victims and perpetrators. Schoch, Richard W. (2002). "Pictorial Shakespeare". In Wells, Stanley; Stanton, Sarah (eds.). The Cambridge Companion to Shakespeare on Stage. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 58–75. doi: 10.1017/CCOL0521792959.004. ISBN 978-0-511-99957-4. OCLC 48140822– via Cambridge Core.