October 2008: The Devil's Brood by Sharon Kay Penman

diamondlil · Post by **diamondlil** » Mon September 29th, 2008, 8:32 pm

Ash · Post by **Ash** » Tue September 30th, 2008, 12:35 am

What is the actual US date of release?

diamondlil · Post by **diamondlil** » Tue September 30th, 2008, 2:39 am

October 7 I believe.

JaneConsumer · Post by **JaneConsumer** » Thu October 9th, 2008, 11:23 am

I enjoyed the book very much. My review is based on a reading of the ARC.

BTW, Even though it's part of a series, I didn't find it necessary to have the first 2 books. It reads like a stand-alone novel.

Misfit · Post by **Misfit** » Thu October 9th, 2008, 1:37 pm

I'm on about page 100 or so and enjoying it very much. It's interesting to see how she's setting up the disputes between Henry and the younger Henry along with the other brothers -- it's not all black and white.

I agree with Jane, it can stand alone, she's taken enough care to set up some of the background on the Becket bit and more so a new reader would not be completely lost. Although I'd not want to give up reading the early years of Henry and Eleanore. They do smoke off the pages!!

LCW · Post by **LCW** » Thu October 9th, 2008, 3:09 pm

I also agree that it can stand alone. Although having read the first two books I found the first 50-60 pages a bit tedious and I wondered if I was going to enjoy the book

! But once we got past the set up for the story it got much better and I'm enjoying it now. SKP is so good at describing the back and forth between Henry and Eleanor and showing the reader exactly how these two people who were once so in love and had the world at their feet ended up hating each other as they did.

Misfit · Post by **Misfit** » Thu October 9th, 2008, 3:34 pm

I agree it's a bit slow at first, but since it's been almost three years since I read the first two it was helpful to have some catch up on back story. Young Hal just slipped out of the castle this morning before I had to put it down and go to work......dang just when things were getting interesting.

Ash · Post by **Ash** » Thu October 9th, 2008, 4:09 pm

Its interesting reading this after reading The Greatest Knight. There's much that dovetails the stories together, making it such an enjoyable read, even more so than it would have been if I hadn't read GK

Susan · Post by **Susan** » Thu October 9th, 2008, 4:39 pm

[quote=""Ash""]Its interesting reading this after reading The Greatest Knight. There's much that dovetails the stories together, making it such an enjoyable read, even more so than it would have been if I hadn't read GK[/quote]

Now you have given me the idea to read The Greatest Knight after I finish Devil's Brood (and The Other Queen, which I am itching to read to see for myself what it is like.) GK has been sitting in my TBR pile for too long.

Misfit · Post by **Misfit** » Thu October 9th, 2008, 4:49 pm

Ash is right, its an interesting perspective to see William from the other side of the coin. I noticed Penman's take on William's father is a bit different than what I came away with after reading EC's A Place Beyond Courage.