Jester Leaps In

October 30, 2000
Having boldly appropriated Shakespeare's Feste and Viola from Twelfth Night for his well-received debut novel, Thirteenth Night (1999), Gordon returns with a cunningly plotted sequel that is sure to be another crowd pleaser. Feste the Fool and his wife, Viola, are off to Constantinople to ensure that the Crusade of 1202 sticks to its goal of capturing the Holy Land. The son of a deposed Byzantine emperor threatens to turn the Crusaders against the Eastern Christian Church in a bid to gain his throne, while certain trading interests want to divert the force to invade the Muslim empire in Egypt. Amid the sometimes confusing but never less than intriguing plots and counterplots, Feste and Viola must resort to sleight of hand, disguise and other tricks in order to unmask the assassin who's been silencing agents trying to preserve peace in Constantinople--before they themselves become victims. Gordon brings Constantinople and its environs wonderfully alive against the backdrop of the political and religious uncertainty and tension of the time. Like a master juggler, the author puts on a fine show, full of fun and surprises. While there are many medieval historicals in the marketplace, there's always room for another high quality series. An eye-catching "stained-glass window" jacket design will attract browsers. Agent, Jessica Jones.

November 1, 2000
In this follow-up to his debut in Thirteenth Night (LJ 1/99), Feste, a professional "fool," and his wife, Viola, Duchess of Orsin, journey in 1202 to Constantinople to search for six agents of the Guild of Fools (actually more akin to spies than clowns), who have disappeared while on fact-finding missions in the Byzantine capital; fortunately, Feste and Viola (disguised as a man) soon discover the reason why and attempt to foil the conspiracy. Travel, adventure, intrigue, contemporary culture, and many "foolish" word plays combine in this captivating historical. For all collections.

Copyright 2000 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2000
Gordon's "Thirteenth Night" [BKL Ja 1 & 15 99] was a clever mystery, a twist on "Twelfth Night "in which Feste, a minor character in the Shakespeare play, took center stage. Feste, it turns out, is an operative of the Fools' Guild, a collective of secret agents who roam the countryside, posing as jesters and keeping the Christian world safe from evil. This time the secret agent is sent to Byzantium to find out why six of his colleagues seem to have vanished and, if he's lucky, to stop an attack on Byzantium itself. Too many medieval mysteries are dull conglomerations of period detail and shopworn plots. This one, on the other hand, is exciting, original, and exceedingly well told. Gordon, a New York attorney, has a remarkable grasp of the historical period (the very beginning of the thirteenth century), and he knows how to pack an immense amount of detail into his novels without making readers feel like they are being educated. Fans of historical mysteries will be delighted by this second installment in a charming series. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2000, American Library Association.)