I Serve: A Novel of the Black Prince by Rosanne Lortz

Susan · Post by **Susan** » Sun May 13th, 2012, 7:23 pm

[quote=""MLE""]But was the story engagingly told? I have this on my Kindle, and I keep looking at it, but so far haven't gotten beyond the first couple pages.[/quote]

Um, no! 91% into the novel (read it on my Kindle), there was this: "You must pardon me, dear lady, for the length of the story I have told." The pardon was for a character, but the reader needs one also! The first third was just OK, but then I got bored by all the recounting of sieges and other historical information in a very drawn out manner. This is not a long book (372 pages in the paperback), but it felt longer. I started skimming it and considered giving up on it, but I just continued the skimming.

Yes, we read historical fiction and we do expect some history, but I found the character development completely lacking. There was way too much historical narrative (which seemed well researched) and not enough of a plot, setting, and details to make me feel like I was in the 1300s.

MLE (Emily Cotton) · Post by **MLE (Emily Cotton)** » Mon May 14th, 2012, 3:38 am

Thanks for the heads-up, I think I'll pass.

SonjaMarie · Post by **SonjaMarie** » Mon May 14th, 2012, 3:39 am

I'm debating on passing. At least I didn't have to pay for it.

SM

Brenna · Post by **Brenna** » Mon May 14th, 2012, 6:49 pm

This was not a favorite of mine. I thought it actually lacked anything about the Black Prince-was he even in there? (she says with sarcasm)

Susan · Post by **Susan** » Mon May 14th, 2012, 10:55 pm

[quote=""Brenna""]This was not a favorite of mine. I thought it actually lacked anything about the Black Prince-was he even in there? (she says with sarcasm)[/quote]

LOL! The author certainly described all the battles and sieges the Black Prince was in during the time period, but character of the Black Prince was severely lacking. While reading this book, I kept thinking about all the details of life that Elizabeth Chadwick, Susan Higginbotham, Helen Hollick, Sharon Kay Penman, etc. research and include in their novels. Those details are what make the reader feel as if they were there with the characters.