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The winner of the runoff poll for the May group read was Dissolution, by C.J. Sansom, a historical mystery set in 1537. It is the first book in a series of five novels - although I believe the sixth is due out later this year? It was published in 2003, and should be widely available, both online and in libraries or bookstores.

IMO - an excellent read!

I would recommend the whole series, if one hasn't already read them :)

I understand that the new book in the series is called Lamentation and is due for publication in the Uk in October 2014. I can't wait. I love the Shardlake series - in particular Sovereign.

I guess that means we hear on this side of the ocean will get it in Oct 2015 :(

happy wrote: "IMO - an excellent read!

I would recommend the whole series, if one hasn't already read them :)"

So would I; I think this is a great series.

Oh, thanks for the info, Sue!

happy wrote: "I guess that means we hear on this side of the ocean will get it in Oct 2015 :("

That would be par for the rotten course.

I read Dissolution last year Dissolution
Now I have just started Dark Fire Dark Fire
So far this is a great read and will be continuing with the series. This seems to be better than the first as already familiar with characters, setting.

I've just taken a copy from the library - I might start it a little sooner, I'm very excited :)

I just picked up a copy of Dissolution at my local library and have already started reading it. I know it's early, but I couldn't wait! So far so good. Have wanted to read this series for ages.

I have read later books in the series, but never read Dissolution because I never seemed to have the time when I got it from the library. This time I dived right into it and I should be finished soon.

6:30pm Finished Dissolution. I liked seeing the evolution of Matthew Shardlake's views over the course of the novel.

I'm currently reading it. Really enjoyable so far, even if I've read a little more than 100 pages. The mystery is intriguing and I really like Shardlake.

Yay! I have this book on my shelf and have been voting for it for months :-)

I have started this, am at 32% so far. It is interesting but it feels like I am waiting for something exciting to actually happen.

I just started this, and I'm not very far yet, but it does strike me how different this version of Thomas Cromwell is from Hilary Mantel's! Definitely much more sinister and a lot less sympathetic.

Sarah (Warning: Potentially Off-Topic) wrote: "I just started this, and I'm not very far yet, but it does strike me how different this version of Thomas Cromwell is from Hilary Mantel's! Definitely much more sinister and a lot less sympathetic."

I have never read Hilary Mantel's books because my impression of Thomas Cromwell from history I've read was rather negative. Sansom's version of Cromwell seems to me to be authentic. It's also important to point out that the protagonist's view of Cromwell evolves over the course of the book.

Shomeret wrote: "I have never read Hilary Mantel's books because my impression of Thomas Cromwell from history I've read was rather negative. Sansom's version of Cromwell seems to me to be authentic. It's also important to point out that the protagonist's view of Cromwell evolves over the course of the book. "

Oh, I would certainly agree that the historical view of him tends to be more negative. I guess as with many things in history, though, it can be spun in either direction. I read two biographies of Cromwell last year, The Rise & Fall of Thomas Cromwell: Henry VIII's Most Faithful Servant and Thomas Cromwell: The Rise and Fall of Henry VIII's Most Notorious Minister. The facts didn't differ much in the books, just the spin. Come to think of it, maybe being Henry VIII's most faithful servant is notorious in itself?

I started this last fall with another group... but then I got hammered with the holidays and have yet to return to it to finish. So, I'm quite thrilled it finally won here.

I had enjoyed what I read, but I have to admit, at times my mind would wander a little and I sometimes struggled to get enthused to read it; however, once I could settle in with it, I would become engrossed.

I hope my memory allows me to easily recall all the monks and keep them straight! lol

I finished it. I enjoyed it very much for the most part, but I was a little disappointed in other aspects.
I thought the setting was superbly done, as well as the atmosphere. The mystery was good, even if I saw the ending coming. Anyway, some parts were really impossible to put down!
I just think the book was a little too long. Some parts were very slow and took away a little of my excitement for the mystery.
I was also a little disappointed by Shardlake, because I really liked him in the beginning but then I got annoyed by his naivety and prejudices - but his character development was deep and mostly satisfying.
I also didn't like the whole (view spoiler)[Shardlake/Alice/Mark drama (hide spoiler)], and I found it a little weird that Mark, who was presented for the whole novel as just and pure, (view spoiler)[decided to side himself with a murderer. Yes, Alice's actions can be justified, but she still isn't a very decent person. (hide spoiler)]

I think that the book is about the fact that ethical choices are difficult and that "purity" may be non-existent.

At 70% and I must have missed something because I have no idea who the murderer is.

All finished! I thought it was interesting. I have read a few tudor themed books, mostly romance based or regarding the Tudor family.

I enjoyed reading about the monasteries and the religious changes that happened.

I am struggling to get into this book which is a little disappointing since so many other people with common reading interests have enjoyed or are enjoying this book. I am on chapter seven and the whole thing just seems to drag on for me at this point. I am enjoying the writing style. The descriptions of the monastery and the English landscape are very well done. The depictions of the characters are also excellent but I just feel like the plot is dragging. I plan to keep at it. Boredom is hardly a reason for me to give up on a book. The list of books I have never finished sits at three and there really isn't any reason to change that at this point.

Gretchen, I also struggled with this book. It took me almost a month to read it, and I think I read five other books during that time. I really had to force myself to keep on with it.

I really enjoyed this novel and am glad that I finally got it off my TBR pile ;-) Though it is a mystery, it was the character development and creation of the setting that I enjoyed more than anything else. I agree with others in that I will be continuing with this series. Great research and writing in this! Here is my review: /review/show...

I finally finished! Once (view spoiler)[ Simon Whelplay was killed (hide spoiler)] I found the book picked up. Of course it took me nearly a month to get to that point. My review is here /review/show...
I did think this was a good book once I got through the slow beginning. I am interested in moving on to the other books in the series. I have been given an idea of how the author works and I think that will help me move forward in the series. I am glad I stuck it out.

I FINALLY finished it! As I stated earlier, I started this in Nov. with another group read, but got so busy I couldn't keep up and set it aside. Then I ended up not being able to join back in with you all until the end of May... but I did it! lol

I was really impressed with Sansom's solid historical foundation for this book. It's obvious the research time was there and he knows his stuff. I like that we were given a different take on Cromwell, given our current post-Wolf Hall (and even post-Tudors TV series) atmosphere. I think he showed how fear would have run rampant - and fear of Cromwell (which only further solidifies his fall which we know inevitably comes).

The descriptions were vivid and richly detailed. He brought the times and the people to life - far beyond the romanticized version we usually get with Tudor fiction. He really brought out how gross the city was, with the stench, dumped pisspots, and infrequent bathing. I also LOVED the descriptions of how the bathroom was set up - daily life decoded, finally! lol I will think of it every time I see a creek for the rest of my life.

He also did a fantastic job of highlighting the politics of the time: the juxtaposition of how cruelly Henry (via Cromwell) enforced his Reform changes with the hypocritical corruption and political power of the church at that time. This idea also seemed to be mimicked to a degree in how the monks treated the girls (violating everything they stood for) vs how Shardlake and Poer treated Alice (despite all their judgment, they too, felt the pull of temptation).

Plus, the mystery wasn't completely predictable.

My biggest complaint, really, was that I just never got overly jazzed about reading it. It wasn't a book I couldn't wait to pick up again. On the other hand, when I did get to set aside some time with it, I was absorbed into the world and story.

Overall, I would give it about 4 stars. I hope to read more of the series - but not right away. :)

I moved on to the next novel in this series, Dark Fire, and I have to say I loved it! I thought Dissolution was alright. It made for a good starter book. Dark Fire was a million times better! I am glad I forced myself to finish Dissolution. After reading Dark Fire, I placed holds on the rest of the available Shardlake books at the library. I thought Dark Fire could be read as a stand alone novel. Maybe for those of you who like me, struggled (or are currently struggling) with Dissolution, you might try Dark Fire.

I finally finished Dissolution last weekend and am going to pick up Dark Fire at the library today. Dissolution moved slowly but it kept me interested throughout and I like the fact that the author made an effort to be historically accurate. I don't mind the addition of fictional characters, but I am starting to get cranky about authors that change dates and facts in order to improve the story.

Jenny wrote: "I finally finished Dissolution last weekend and am going to pick up Dark Fire at the library today. Dissolution moved slowly but it kept me interested throughout and I like the fact that the autho..."

I just started Sovereign, the third book in the series. Maybe we need to start a thread just for this series ;)

Do you want me to set up a thread for the Shardlakes in "Buddy Reads" or "Authors, Authors, Authors"?

I think Authors, Authors, Authors would be a good place for a Shardlake thread.

Alrighty.

Turns out there was already a thread for C.J. Sansom there, so I posted in it to bump it up to the top.

I guess I am just as good at looking for things as my children ;)

Ha! My mother thinks I am blind in the refrigerator.