2011 March 10

Book Review: Altar of Bones by Philip Carter

Title: Altar of Bones
Author: Philip Carter
Publisher: Gallery
Publication Date: March 8, 2011
Hardcover: 464 pages
ISBN: 978-1439199084
Genre: Fiction, Suspense, Thriller

From the Publisher:

“They didn’t have to kill him…He never drank from the altar of bones.”

Cryptic dying words from a murdered homeless woman in present day San Francisco unlock a decades-buried secret that changed history. Now a pair of ruthless assassins are sent to cut the few living “loose ends.” And a young, resourceful woman on the run encounters a determined man with his own connected past and vengeful agenda. Forced to partner for survival and answers, a fast-paced and deadly game of cat and mouse ensues, taking them across the globe from the winding streets of Paris to the faded palaces of Budapest to the frozen lakes of Mongolia…where destiny, passion, and further betrayal await them.

The Altar of Bones has it all: The Russian mob. KGB spies. Presidential assasination. A doomed Hollywood legend. Deathbed confessions. Corrosive power. Shattered families. Guardians of an ancient religious icon housing a secret others will kill to possess. The dark promise of immortality. And it delivers on its ambitious premise to leave you stunned and breathless at the end.

My Review:

An action-packed adventure mystery novel, Alter of Bones is filled with greed, lust, power and a race, which spans the globe. Had Alter of Bones been a movie I would have liked it a lot more. As a book I just did not enjoy the conspiracy theory theme mixed with a magical theme of an ancient tribe of reindeer herders who have a secret cave behind a waterfall on a lake in Siberia, “which is not on a map”, and men have been trying to locate this magical alter, while the Keeper, passed down through generations of women has protected it. For those who enjoy an action packed adventure mystery, Altar of Bones has something for everyone. The book opens in present day San Francisco where Katya Orlova is murdered, making her granddaughter, lawyer Zoe Dmitroff the new Keeper, placing her in peril. The author flashes back to 1937 Norilsk where pregnant Lena Orlova is employed and about to embark on an escape with her lover Nikolai Popov. As I mentioned the books is action packed filled with NKVD, KGB, CIA, and a dizzying array of people all after the sacred alter. The two central characters; Zoe, the new keeper, and Ry O’Malley, black-ops hired to protect Zoe and is her lover. As I mentioned, this book has a little something for everyone, especially violence, a lot of travel, and sex. The book covers a lot of territory. While Alter of Bones kept my attention for the most part, admittedly I skipped the sex scenes as they are really unnecessary to further the plot. The book progressed nicely, but it was simply not a book I was invested in. I felt there was far too much occurring, leaving little room for character development. For those who enjoy a rapid fire action adventure with a hint of mystery, mysticism, conspiracy theories and a lot of romance thrown in, then Alter of Bones may be the book you are looking for.

About the Author:

Philip Carter is a pseudonym for an internationally renowned author.

I received a complimentary copy of Altar of Bones by Philip Carter from Gallery Books to offer my honest review of the book. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of aforementioned book.

Book Review: The Queen’s Lover by Vanora Bennett

Title: The Queen’s Lover
Author: Vanora Bennett
Publisher: Harper Paperbacks; Reprint edition
Publication Date: March 8, 2011
Paperback: 624 pages
ISBN: 978-0061689871
Genre: Historical Fiction

From the Publisher:

Catherine de Valois, daughter of the French king Charles VI, is born into troubled times. Though she is brought up in a royal court, it is a stormy and unstable environment. Before she is out of her teens, Catherine is married off to England’s Henry V as part of a treaty honoring his victory over France. She is terrified at the idea of being married to a man who is a foreigner, an enemy, and a rough soldier, and is forced to leave her home for England.

Within two years she is widowed, and mother to the future King of England and France—even though her brother has laid claim to the French crown for himself. Caught between warring factions of her own family and under threat by the powerful lords of the English court, she must find a way to keep her infant son safe. In Owain Tudor, a childhood friend for whom Catherine has long had affection and who now controls the Royal household, Catherine finds both strength and kinship. As their friendship turns to love, however, she risks not only her life and that of her son but the uneasy balance of power in England and France that will be forever changed.

History comes alive in this lyrical and moving true story of one woman’s courage and the inception of one of the most famous royal lineages of all time.

My Review:

I adore history and there is a fair bit of it to digest in the nine parts that make up The Queen’s Lover by Vanora Bennett. The book is essentially about the love affair between Owain Tudor and Catherine, during the time when Catherine of Valois is married to Henry V of England and is subsequently widowed. Whether or not Owain and Catherine’s marriage was actually acknowledged remains a debate, but this is a work of fiction, the fact remains that their union, while unhappy, ends for them both, eventually provided heirs to the thrown. Bennett introduces the reader to the French court and a very young Owain Tudor, which is a refreshing change of events and allows the reader to learn more about Owain’s childhood, what happened to his Welsh countrymen and family, and how he entered the service of King Henry V. Catherine’s childhood was less tumultuous than Owain’s, however her family life was less than ideal for a Princess. The Queen’s Lover begins as a very fast paced read and eventually becomes mired in extensive details, some of which I can neither prove nor disprove without research, but again, this is a work of historical fiction. There is no doubt that Bennett spins an intriguing tale of two adolescents who would eventually alter the course of history but not without sacrifices along the way. The character development is strong, Owain is an affable character and Catherine is not only a strong French Princess but makes for a strong Queen of England and a powerful and resilient widow. I did enjoy reading The Queen’s Lover and must say this is probably the most unique and creative version of Owain and Catherine I have read to date. The book is long, vividly detailed, filled with a lot of history, and at times can appear a bit overbearing, yet it still makes for exceptional reading. For those who enjoy historical fiction and do not fear long books, this one comes in around 575 pages; The Queen’s Lover may indeed be the right book to try. I would be remiss to add that at the conclusion of the book, Bennett includes historical notes, how she came to choose this topic as well as describing 15th century France. For those who may not quite be up to date on this time period, Bennett has it covered with a timeline of the major events listed at the end of the book. The Queen’s Lover was an enjoyable book and I would recommend it to those who enjoy historical fiction.

About the Author:

An award-winning journalist, Vanora Bennett is the author of Portrait of an Unknown Woman and Figures in Silk. She lives in North London with her husband and two children.

To learn more about the author please visit her website.

For more reviews of the book, please follow the book tour.

I received a complimentary copy of The Queen’s Lover by Vanora Bennett from TLC Book Tours to be a part of this tour and offer my honest review of the book. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of aforementioned book.