Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Rebels and Traitors-Lindsey Davis

Rebels and Traitors
Lindsey Davis
St. Martin's, Jan 19 2010, $27.99
ISBN: 9780312595418

Gideon Jukes is a printer, but that does not stop him from joining London Trained Bands in support of Parliament fighting against King Charles Stuart. Juliana Lovell supports the monarch in the struggle. Gideon and Juliana are falling in love, but these are dangerous times for allies let alone defenders of opposing camps.

In 1649, Charles Stuart is executed and Oliver Cromwell takes charge of England. In 1657 his Protectorate collapses. Through these deadly civil war decades, Gideon and Juliana have each other in spite of others trying to divide these beloved enemies.

Rebels and Traitors is an entertaining historical epic that occurs over the mid seventeen century decade of the English religious civil war. Gideon is a terrific lead character whose role as a printer is more intriguing than his heroism as a musketeer. He brings to life the use of printed material as a propaganda means to support your side of a hostile debate. Although his relationship with Juliana seems overly forced to bring beloved enemy bedfellows together, Lindsey Davis moves from the first century Ancient Rome mysteries of private informer Marcus Didius Falco to the 1650s England epic tale to the delight of fans of historical sagas.

Harriet Klausner

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