The Tudor Secret

November 8, 2010
In Gortner's latest riveting historical (after The Last Queen), the influential Dudley family sends orphan servant Brendan Prescott to serve their cruel son, Lord Robert, at King Edward's court, and the young man is soon caught up in intrigue, suspicion, and shifting loyalties. Young King Edward is under the thumb of the Dudleys, but illness is greatly affecting his influence. Then the lion-eyed Princess Elizabeth, whom the Dudleys view as a threat, arrives and Prescott becomes a spy for her protector, William Cecil. Deeper involvement in the conspiracies surrounding the throne makes Prescott increasingly uncertain of loyalties, including his own, and he begins to question his fate and identity. In Gortner's capable hands, Prescott is a believable and enjoyable hero, a man of strong loyalties but naïve enough to be exploited. And while the Dudleys are mostly broadly drawn villains, Robert has depth, and though readers familiar with the Tudor era will know the key players, they may be surprised by their depiction here. Gortner handles action with aplomb, adding a riveting, fast-paced thriller to the crowded genre of Tudor fiction.

November 15, 2010

Gortner's (Confessions of Catherine de Medici; The Last Queen) third historical novel and the first in his "Elizabeth I Spymaster Chronicles" details the rivalries struggling for power during the demise of the young King Edward VI. Narrator Brendan Prescott, a lowly page in the employ of the once powerful Dudley family who saved him as a foundling, takes readers into the Tudor court as he is sent on a secret mission to protect the king's sister, the Princess Elizabeth, from the scheming of King Edward's uncles. Opening with great promise, the novel begins to disappoint after the first few chapters. Gortner breaks one of the unspoken rules of historical fiction: if it's not true, it must at least be believable. There is nothing plausible about Brendan being the royal personage he is later discovered to be or his many escapes from danger. Most problematic, though, is the lack of emotion behind Brendan's supposed love of Elizabeth, who is portrayed as without intelligence or wit. Overall, Gortner's uninteresting plot goes nowhere, in an unfortunate contrast to his acclaimed previous novels. VERDICT Not worth the money, but as it is part of a series, this title may need to be reconsidered should the second book prove more entertaining. Strictly for the author's most ardent readers and Tudor fiction fans.--Audrey Johnson, Arlington, VA

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