What do you think?
Rate this book
Dark Matter: The Private Life of Sir Isaac Newton
I swore not to tell this story while Newton was still alive.
1696, young Christopher Ellis is sent to the Tower of London, but not as a prisoner. Though Ellis is notoriously hotheaded and was caught fighting an illegal duel, he arrives at the Tower as assistant to the renowned scientist Sir Isaac Newton. Newton is Warden of the Royal Mint, which resides within the Tower walls, and he has accepted an appointment from the King of England and Parliament to investigate and prosecute counterfeiters whose false coins threaten to bring down the shaky, war-weakened economy. Ellis may lack Newton’s scholarly mind, but he is quick with a pistol and proves himself to be an invaluable sidekick and devoted apprentice to Newton as they zealously pursue these criminals.
While Newton and Ellis investigate a counterfeiting ring, they come upon a mysterious coded message on the body of a man killed in the Lion Tower, as well as alchemical symbols that indicate this was more than just a random murder. Despite Newton’s formidable intellect, he is unable to decipher the cryptic message or any of the others he and Ellis find as the body count increases within the Tower complex. As they are drawn into a wild pursuit of the counterfeiters that takes them from the madhouse of Bedlam to the squalid confines of Newgate prison and back to the Tower itself, Newton and Ellis discover that the counterfeiting is only a small part of a larger, more dangerous plot, one that reaches to the highest echelons of power and nobility and threatens much more than the collapse of the economy.
Dark Matter is the latest masterwork of suspense from Philip Kerr, the internationally bestselling and brilliantly innovative thriller writer who has dazzled readers with his imaginative, fast-paced novels. Like An Instance of the Fingerpost, The Name of the Rose, and Kerr's own Berlin Noir trilogy, Dark Matter is historical mystery at its finest, an extraordinary, suspense-filled journey through the shadowy streets and back alleys of London with the brilliant Newton and his faithful protégé. The haunted Tower with its bloody history is the perfect backdrop for this richly satisfying tale, one that introduces an engrossing mystery into the volatile mix of politics, science, and religion that characterized life in seventeenth-century London.
345 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2002
237 people are currently reading
1138 people want to read
About the author
Philip Kerr
124 books2,012 followersPhilip Kerr was a British author. He was best known for his Bernie Gunther series of 13 historical thrillers and a children's series, Children of the Lamp, under the name P.B. Kerr.
Librarian’s note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Librarian’s note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 163 reviews
November 24, 2020
DNF.
I'd just resigned myself to tolerating the never-ending purple prose and occasional anachronism or misapplied vocabulary in the name of seeing whether this story's rather flat opening led to anywhere interesting, when the author saw fit to include a florid paragraph-long description of how "frowsty" the wayward innkeeper's wife's privates smelled in the summertime.
Since I'd already seen that Kerr's story had been mispackaged as smart/literary historical fiction, I decided I'd stop there, and not find out how far down the hole of mediocrity this book ultimately dug itself.
I'd just resigned myself to tolerating the never-ending purple prose and occasional anachronism or misapplied vocabulary in the name of seeing whether this story's rather flat opening led to anywhere interesting, when the author saw fit to include a florid paragraph-long description of how "frowsty" the wayward innkeeper's wife's privates smelled in the summertime.
Since I'd already seen that Kerr's story had been mispackaged as smart/literary historical fiction, I decided I'd stop there, and not find out how far down the hole of mediocrity this book ultimately dug itself.
March 9, 2012
If you are interested in finding a book to read with the goal of learning more about Isaac Newton... read another book. If, on the other hand, you are interested in a reasonably entertaining historical murder mystery - check this out.
The Newton we meet here is more Sherlock Holmes than, well, Newton. The story is told by his clerk, who happens to be a swashbuckling, pistol-toting rakehell. (Newton was aware that there were plots afoot, and that he might need some protection, you see.)
It's set at the time when Newton was in charge of England's Mint, in the Tower of London, which involved finding and prosecuting forgers. In the course of Newton and his clerk pursuing these duties, a whole bunch of murders happen, there are encoded messages, a possible Templar treasure connection, conflicts between Catholics and Protestants, issues with anti-British French Huguenots, opium-addled prostitutes, sword duels and alchemy.
The plot moves along without getting boring, and I thought that Kerr did a good job of making the language feel period-appropriate without it feeling stilted or awkward to read.
After all the action, it ends on a surprisingly (and slightly jarring) philosophical and downbeat note, but I didn't really mind that. But, as I said - you're not really going to learn a lot about Newton that you didn't already know.
The Newton we meet here is more Sherlock Holmes than, well, Newton. The story is told by his clerk, who happens to be a swashbuckling, pistol-toting rakehell. (Newton was aware that there were plots afoot, and that he might need some protection, you see.)
It's set at the time when Newton was in charge of England's Mint, in the Tower of London, which involved finding and prosecuting forgers. In the course of Newton and his clerk pursuing these duties, a whole bunch of murders happen, there are encoded messages, a possible Templar treasure connection, conflicts between Catholics and Protestants, issues with anti-British French Huguenots, opium-addled prostitutes, sword duels and alchemy.
The plot moves along without getting boring, and I thought that Kerr did a good job of making the language feel period-appropriate without it feeling stilted or awkward to read.
After all the action, it ends on a surprisingly (and slightly jarring) philosophical and downbeat note, but I didn't really mind that. But, as I said - you're not really going to learn a lot about Newton that you didn't already know.
December 3, 2009
Excellent. A fictional treatment of Sir Isaac Newton during his time at the Royal Mint, very well done, most engaging. Some differences of opinion about some of the events in Newton’s life – compared to the author of the biography I just read – but fine with me. In fact, I think this author's explanation of Newton's mysterious episode just prior to coming to London - mercury poisoning - was somewhat more plausible than the biographer's theory of disappointed love. The setting of this work is vivid and convincing, I quite felt I was present. And unlike some other reviewers, I liked the language very much.
August 9, 2015
Isaac Newton as Sherlock Holmes? Written by the author of the Bernie Gunther/Berlin Noir trilogy, which on the whole I liked? This seemed just the sort of thing for me, so in I jumped.
Well, it sounded a lot more fun than it proved in fact to be.
Which isn't to say that it's altogether a bad or boring book. It isn't. It's just not nearly so good as perhaps it might have been.
Although there are occasional genuine Newton quotes stuck into the dialogue (the small boy playing on the beach, for example), the central character here sounds and acts like Sherlock Holmes pretending to be Isaac Newton; there's very little sense that this actually is Newton.
The book's narrator, his new clerk Christopher Ellis, is a bit more realistic (and a bit less like Watson), but even his character has some contradictions. For example, after no more than a few weeks in Newton's company, observing the thought processes of the boss has converted him to atheism. This might seem quite plausible in the 21st century, but it seems to me completely alien to the 17th-century mind. In 17th-century Europe the existence of the Creator was an absolute paradigm -- as fundamental to an understanding of the world as, say, the "knowledge" that the earth was just a few thousand years old, because that was what the Bible was believed to indicate. Yes, certainly, there must have been a few atheists who, in an era when you could be burnt alive for so much as saying the wrong form of Christian mass, kept their traps wisely shut. But their adoption of that position would surely have been as a result of many years of questioning, not just a few weeks of watching someone use reason to solve problems and grapple with nature. Newton himself, to the best of my knowledge, wasn't an atheist (and he isn't portrayed as one here).
I'm not sure I entirely believe, either, the scandalous behavior of Newton's niece, Catherine Barton. I know ('cos I just looked it up) that the talk of the time had it that she was no saint, but -- and I can't say more without risk of spoilers -- her actions here seemed scarcely credible.
Anyway, what of the plot? The story's set during Newton's time as Warden of the Royal Mint, which involved him living in London and working out of the infamous Tower. His job was, essentially, to catch counterfeiters and send them to the gallows. With a new issue of coinage imminent, the opportunities and motivations for counterfeiters were many, so he was a busy man. In the novel, a series of often gruesome murders in the Tower further exercises his ratiocinative powers. Into the mix come Protestant-Catholic hatreds, secret codes, the treasure of the Templars and much more besides. There's certainly no lack of action, and I found I was reading quite quickly.
But, and it's a big but, I was irritated by the book a lot of the time -- not just by the lack of hoped-for insight into Newton's character but by the narrative itself. The text's written in a sort of cod-archaic style that a pal of mine once memorably dubbed "forsoothery." Here, rather than "I got out of bed," for example, you're more likely to find "I did get out of bed." The thing is, that isn't 17th-century English either. I didn't feel in the slightest as if I was reading a real 17th-century (well, since Ellis is writing this up decades later, early-18th-century) text, because I've read plenty of such texts and it's damned hard work. There was no reason at all why the narrative here couldn't have been written in straightforward modern English.
There's perhaps more excuse for the cod-archaism in the dialogue, although I'm not convinced. As for that dialogue, it has problems of its own. I groaned a bit at the inclusion in Newton's conversation (as noted above) of occasional quotes that I recognized. More importantly, there were several instances of the "I know you already know this but I'm going to explain it to you anyway" pitfall. Overall, the dialogue wasn't Dan Brownian, but the fact that from time to time I found myself thinking of Dan Brown is, I'd say, indicative in itself. (At least, talking of Brown, Kerr's secret cipher is genuinely a cipher rather than the kind of thing kids solve at parties.)
Summing up, this is a moderately entertaining novel, but it fell far short of my hopes and anticipations.
Well, it sounded a lot more fun than it proved in fact to be.
Which isn't to say that it's altogether a bad or boring book. It isn't. It's just not nearly so good as perhaps it might have been.
Although there are occasional genuine Newton quotes stuck into the dialogue (the small boy playing on the beach, for example), the central character here sounds and acts like Sherlock Holmes pretending to be Isaac Newton; there's very little sense that this actually is Newton.
The book's narrator, his new clerk Christopher Ellis, is a bit more realistic (and a bit less like Watson), but even his character has some contradictions. For example, after no more than a few weeks in Newton's company, observing the thought processes of the boss has converted him to atheism. This might seem quite plausible in the 21st century, but it seems to me completely alien to the 17th-century mind. In 17th-century Europe the existence of the Creator was an absolute paradigm -- as fundamental to an understanding of the world as, say, the "knowledge" that the earth was just a few thousand years old, because that was what the Bible was believed to indicate. Yes, certainly, there must have been a few atheists who, in an era when you could be burnt alive for so much as saying the wrong form of Christian mass, kept their traps wisely shut. But their adoption of that position would surely have been as a result of many years of questioning, not just a few weeks of watching someone use reason to solve problems and grapple with nature. Newton himself, to the best of my knowledge, wasn't an atheist (and he isn't portrayed as one here).
I'm not sure I entirely believe, either, the scandalous behavior of Newton's niece, Catherine Barton. I know ('cos I just looked it up) that the talk of the time had it that she was no saint, but -- and I can't say more without risk of spoilers -- her actions here seemed scarcely credible.
Anyway, what of the plot? The story's set during Newton's time as Warden of the Royal Mint, which involved him living in London and working out of the infamous Tower. His job was, essentially, to catch counterfeiters and send them to the gallows. With a new issue of coinage imminent, the opportunities and motivations for counterfeiters were many, so he was a busy man. In the novel, a series of often gruesome murders in the Tower further exercises his ratiocinative powers. Into the mix come Protestant-Catholic hatreds, secret codes, the treasure of the Templars and much more besides. There's certainly no lack of action, and I found I was reading quite quickly.
But, and it's a big but, I was irritated by the book a lot of the time -- not just by the lack of hoped-for insight into Newton's character but by the narrative itself. The text's written in a sort of cod-archaic style that a pal of mine once memorably dubbed "forsoothery." Here, rather than "I got out of bed," for example, you're more likely to find "I did get out of bed." The thing is, that isn't 17th-century English either. I didn't feel in the slightest as if I was reading a real 17th-century (well, since Ellis is writing this up decades later, early-18th-century) text, because I've read plenty of such texts and it's damned hard work. There was no reason at all why the narrative here couldn't have been written in straightforward modern English.
There's perhaps more excuse for the cod-archaism in the dialogue, although I'm not convinced. As for that dialogue, it has problems of its own. I groaned a bit at the inclusion in Newton's conversation (as noted above) of occasional quotes that I recognized. More importantly, there were several instances of the "I know you already know this but I'm going to explain it to you anyway" pitfall. Overall, the dialogue wasn't Dan Brownian, but the fact that from time to time I found myself thinking of Dan Brown is, I'd say, indicative in itself. (At least, talking of Brown, Kerr's secret cipher is genuinely a cipher rather than the kind of thing kids solve at parties.)
Summing up, this is a moderately entertaining novel, but it fell far short of my hopes and anticipations.
June 23, 2021
Entretenido libro en el que Sir Isaac Newton se transforma en Sherlock Holmes para descubrir los autores de una serie de asesinatos que ocultan algo más grande aún. Philip Kerr abandona a sus detectives habituales y se sumerge en la novela histórica con bastante éxito, aunque sin abandonar la serie negra. La historia se lee rápida y por ella pasan una serie de personajes históricos que el lector puede luego indagar algo de sus vidas.
May 8, 2025
Seldom have I read a book that became worse with each page. Another reviewer likens it more to Sherlock Holmes, and this is accurate, for Kerr rarely tries to draw his Newton in any way recognizable to Newton’s achievements and his Protestant heresy. Newton was a heretic, of the anti-Trinitarian sort (quite amusing given he was a graduate of, then scholar at, Cambridge’s College of the Holy and Indivisible Trinity).
But precisely because his beliefs were so heretical, I don’t know that he was candid with any contemporary other than John Locke. Yet, to believe this novel, it was well known to the Tory Lords.
Anyway, this yarn does start, then set up nicely, but grinds ever more beyond belief. At one point, Kerr writes two pages of history to catch readers up on France’s persecution of Huguenots. This either was unnecessary for the educated, or better captured in dialogue.
It’s an easy, but boring read. Avert your eyes.
But precisely because his beliefs were so heretical, I don’t know that he was candid with any contemporary other than John Locke. Yet, to believe this novel, it was well known to the Tory Lords.
Anyway, this yarn does start, then set up nicely, but grinds ever more beyond belief. At one point, Kerr writes two pages of history to catch readers up on France’s persecution of Huguenots. This either was unnecessary for the educated, or better captured in dialogue.
It’s an easy, but boring read. Avert your eyes.
November 28, 2016
I continue to be impressed by Kerr's range, even if, as here, one of his experiments doesn't resonate with me.
Is this the worst titled book ever? You judge. This is a mystery, in the style of Sherlock Holmes, only substituting Isaac Newton for Holmes. From the title, I thought a biography about the mathematician.
The hard thing about imitating Conan Doyle is to have a sufficient number of clever clues and inferences for the detective to discover and infer, clues visible but non-obvious, leading toward a solution but only with careful thought. Many have tried; most fail miserably.
Kerr actually does a credible job. Isaac Newton has much of the Holmes aura and operates in the stratified London society. Of course, Newton is two centuries earlier, so this is a different setting.
What disappointed me about the book was the authenticity of the prose: Kerr writes as though he was Conan Doyle, in the style of last century. Lots of telling, little showing, and much belaboring. I know from other books that this is not Kerr's typical writing; he had to work hard to make this book seem as tedious as anything else written more than a century ago.
The plot is complicated, the characters interesting, and if this had truly been written before 1900, it would be the first example of a thriller. As is, it is a fair read and interesting intellectual exercise.
Is this the worst titled book ever? You judge. This is a mystery, in the style of Sherlock Holmes, only substituting Isaac Newton for Holmes. From the title, I thought a biography about the mathematician.
The hard thing about imitating Conan Doyle is to have a sufficient number of clever clues and inferences for the detective to discover and infer, clues visible but non-obvious, leading toward a solution but only with careful thought. Many have tried; most fail miserably.
Kerr actually does a credible job. Isaac Newton has much of the Holmes aura and operates in the stratified London society. Of course, Newton is two centuries earlier, so this is a different setting.
What disappointed me about the book was the authenticity of the prose: Kerr writes as though he was Conan Doyle, in the style of last century. Lots of telling, little showing, and much belaboring. I know from other books that this is not Kerr's typical writing; he had to work hard to make this book seem as tedious as anything else written more than a century ago.
The plot is complicated, the characters interesting, and if this had truly been written before 1900, it would be the first example of a thriller. As is, it is a fair read and interesting intellectual exercise.
December 1, 2015
P. 82 - "Então é o efeito gravitacional da lua que causa as marés? (...) Newton assentiu. - E ficastes a saber tudo isto pela queda de uma maçã?
- Para falar a verdade, foi um figo - respondeu ele. - Mas não suporto o gosto dos figos ao passo que aprecio bastante maçãs.
Nunca pude tolerar a ideia de que foi um fruto que eu mais desprezo no mundo que me deu a ideia de como esse mundo se move."
Sir Isaac Newton e o seu assistente, Christopher Ellis, vêem-se a braços com complexa situação envolta em intriga, falsificação e misteriosos assassinatos.
Mas, o que eu esperava ser um livro cheio de suspense e enigmas, veio a transformar-se num relato sem sabor, onde a linguagem tão depressa é coloquial como brejeira. Penso que Kerr tentou associar a linguagem à situação descrita, mas não funcionou. A linguagem adoptada para descrever questões mais mundanas (bordéis e prostitutas), acabou por se revelar demasiado ordinária, sem justificação no meio da história.
As cifras que aparecem na obra acabam por não ter muita razão de ser pois são resolvidas de forma tão rápida que fiquei sem compreender qual a intenção...
Percebi que o autor se muniu de episódios biográficos de Newton para compor a narrativa mas... não me convenceu.
- Para falar a verdade, foi um figo - respondeu ele. - Mas não suporto o gosto dos figos ao passo que aprecio bastante maçãs.
Nunca pude tolerar a ideia de que foi um fruto que eu mais desprezo no mundo que me deu a ideia de como esse mundo se move."
Sir Isaac Newton e o seu assistente, Christopher Ellis, vêem-se a braços com complexa situação envolta em intriga, falsificação e misteriosos assassinatos.
Mas, o que eu esperava ser um livro cheio de suspense e enigmas, veio a transformar-se num relato sem sabor, onde a linguagem tão depressa é coloquial como brejeira. Penso que Kerr tentou associar a linguagem à situação descrita, mas não funcionou. A linguagem adoptada para descrever questões mais mundanas (bordéis e prostitutas), acabou por se revelar demasiado ordinária, sem justificação no meio da história.
As cifras que aparecem na obra acabam por não ter muita razão de ser pois são resolvidas de forma tão rápida que fiquei sem compreender qual a intenção...
Percebi que o autor se muniu de episódios biográficos de Newton para compor a narrativa mas... não me convenceu.
August 17, 2012
Isaac Newton...Detective! A historical mystery, accurate in just about every researchable detail, and according to the author's postscript, even more accurate than I had imagined. It has everything going for it that should have prejudiced me in its favor--set in 17th century London, much of it in the Tower of London, involving codes, cyphers, buried treasure, secrets of the Knights Templar, Arianism versus Trinitarianism and Huguenots versus Catholics, the new scientific outlook versus superstition, bizarre murders, possible ghosts, violence, drugs, explicit sex. What's not to like? And yet I didn't. The characters never came alive. In spite of the technical accuracy, the feel was wrong. There's more historical imagination in two pages of Hilary Mantel. I never really believed the plot. The suspense didn't work. By the time all the bad guys were being rounded up, even the narrator, who has been (metaphorically) kicked in the groin by his beloved, admitted that he no longer cared what happened, and neither did I. And justice was only partially done. Realistic? I guess. Satisfying? No.
October 23, 2012
4,41€ bem gastos numa tarde de compras num Continente perto da Ericeira à muitos meses atrás...
Este livro é um thriller que nos deixa viciados e a querer mais à medida que se vai lendo. Aqui acompanhamos Isaac Newton (caso não se lembrem, é o tipo da maçã) e o seu ajudante Christopher Ellis na sua investigação de várias mortes ao mesmo tempo que tentam desocbrir quem está por trás das moedas falsas que andam a circular.
A história não é apressada e segue um rumo quase que natural. A única personagem que me irritou profundamente foi miss Barton, que sendo pura, inocente e boa católica se atira ao pobre Ellis e depois deixa-o por ele não acreditar na doutrina católica mas acaba por se tornar amante de outro (you go girl).
Apesar de meter muita religião ao barulho (tema de que estou um nadinha farta neste momento) pois aborda os problemas entre católicos, protestantes, ... é uma excelente leitura que não consegui pousar.
Infelizmente a resolução das cifras encontradas junto dos mortos foram resolvidas de uma forma um tanto a correr, não tendo assim acompanhado bem o desenvolvimento da investigação de Newton nesta parte.
in: http://livrosportodolado.blogs.sapo.p...
Este livro é um thriller que nos deixa viciados e a querer mais à medida que se vai lendo. Aqui acompanhamos Isaac Newton (caso não se lembrem, é o tipo da maçã) e o seu ajudante Christopher Ellis na sua investigação de várias mortes ao mesmo tempo que tentam desocbrir quem está por trás das moedas falsas que andam a circular.
A história não é apressada e segue um rumo quase que natural. A única personagem que me irritou profundamente foi miss Barton, que sendo pura, inocente e boa católica se atira ao pobre Ellis e depois deixa-o por ele não acreditar na doutrina católica mas acaba por se tornar amante de outro (you go girl).
Apesar de meter muita religião ao barulho (tema de que estou um nadinha farta neste momento) pois aborda os problemas entre católicos, protestantes, ... é uma excelente leitura que não consegui pousar.
Infelizmente a resolução das cifras encontradas junto dos mortos foram resolvidas de uma forma um tanto a correr, não tendo assim acompanhado bem o desenvolvimento da investigação de Newton nesta parte.
in: http://livrosportodolado.blogs.sapo.p...
September 3, 2007
DARK MATTER (Amateur Sleuth-London-1600s) – Okay-
Kerr, Philip – 11th book
McArthur & Company, 2002- Paperback
Christopher Ellis has been hired and clerk and protector to Sir Issac Newton, now Warden of the Royal Mint. In their efforts to track down counterfeiters, they uncover murders, ciphers and a much more dangerous plot.
*** In spite of the length of the book, it did read quickly, probably because I did a lot of skimming. Kerr's detail of the period is fascinating and well researched, but the characters of Ellis and Newton seemed a parody of Watson and Holmes and lacked any real depth. Even though you were aware the author was trying to make the dialogue appropriate to the period, it came off stilted and awkward. There were descriptive sex scenes which seemed gratuitous. As one who enjoys historical mysteries, there are many better choices than this.
Kerr, Philip – 11th book
McArthur & Company, 2002- Paperback
Christopher Ellis has been hired and clerk and protector to Sir Issac Newton, now Warden of the Royal Mint. In their efforts to track down counterfeiters, they uncover murders, ciphers and a much more dangerous plot.
*** In spite of the length of the book, it did read quickly, probably because I did a lot of skimming. Kerr's detail of the period is fascinating and well researched, but the characters of Ellis and Newton seemed a parody of Watson and Holmes and lacked any real depth. Even though you were aware the author was trying to make the dialogue appropriate to the period, it came off stilted and awkward. There were descriptive sex scenes which seemed gratuitous. As one who enjoys historical mysteries, there are many better choices than this.
September 8, 2008
A crucible of secret plots and horrid murders, counterfeiters and French spies, heresy and religious hatred, alchemy and secret knowledge, deceit and political ambition, science and codebreaking, against the meticulously reconstructed background of London, pre-1700.
A gordian knot beautifully untied by Newton (elementary, my dear Chritopher).
All this distilled by a master storyteller, who devotes his talent to character as well as plot: after reading this book, you will feel as if you knew all the protagonists weel.
The book misses his fifth star by very little, because of Philip Kerr's choice of style (for from whence his fascination should come with archaick and subtile structures and spellings, I know not). Well I do know, but sometimes there can be a little too much couleur locale, methinks.
A gordian knot beautifully untied by Newton (elementary, my dear Chritopher).
All this distilled by a master storyteller, who devotes his talent to character as well as plot: after reading this book, you will feel as if you knew all the protagonists weel.
The book misses his fifth star by very little, because of Philip Kerr's choice of style (for from whence his fascination should come with archaick and subtile structures and spellings, I know not). Well I do know, but sometimes there can be a little too much couleur locale, methinks.
December 8, 2011
As several others have noted, this read more like a Holmes and Watson adventure, only with less character development or wit. I slogged through the first third, waiting for something to happen. Things briefly became lively and interesting, then nothing for another long while. There was potential here, but it wasn't developed. By the end of the book, I didn't care any more. The book just didn't work for me, although the historical tidbits scattered throughout the book were terrific. Evidence of of some nice research. Not much to hang your hat on there, though.
May 16, 2014
Difficult to follow at times. Jumps around, involving recoinage, relationships and religion.
December 13, 2020
Odd to say, I found the pile up of dead bodies in this book quite boring. I felt the author was just showing off his own liking for gruesome detail. Sir Isaac Newton as Sherlock Holmes didn't ring true for me, I don't think Newton would have taken such a keen interest in the lives of those who are poor and mad. However, as a view of class politics in the C17 & 18 this was an interesting book. The sex scenes, which some reviewers regard as gratuitous, fit, I think, into the other theme of the book: that wealth always wins. The aristocracy hold all the cards, are above the law and can use the law for their own ends. Newton, for all his brilliance, depends on wealthy patrons. At one point he is even called before the Lords Justices in order to answer the charge that he was not a fit and proper person to hold government office, being an anti-Trinitarian - Newton was in danger of being sent to the pillory, if not put to death. The underlying violence, not of murderous individuals, but of the whole social system was fascinating. And added to this was the often violent hatred of Catholics and Protestants. There was an idea of England - Protestant England - that had to be defended at all cost. Newton in his work as Warden of the Mint worked tirelessly to pursue coiners and counterfeiters, sending many men and women to the gallows; he was a true patriot.
I found Kerr's false archaic writing style quite off putting. But it was fun to find so many famous characters thrown together in this story.
March 20, 2018
Donc, un livre ardu à commencer, qui le devient de moins en moins à force d’entrer dans l’histoire. Le thriller prend une grande partie malgré le caractère historique ce qui donne une meilleure vitesse à la lecture. Le personnage de Newton est tout simplement incroyable. Il fait d’ailleurs pensé un peu à Sherlock Holmes ou encore à Hercule Poirot par sa grande capacité d’analyse. Le personnage Ellis est charmant, mais tellement malhabile. Il en fait pitié. Pour finir, la fin arrive trop lentement. Je crois que ça vaut réellement un 2,5.
July 2, 2019
Philip Kerr délaisse les nazis et se lance dans le polar historique avec Sir Isaac Newton dans le rôle de Sherlock Holmes et Christopher Ellis (personnage historique beaucoup moins connu) dans le rôle de Watson.
Basé sur des faits historiques car Newton a été Gardien du Royal Mint à Londres, et quatre ans plus tard, Maître du Mint jusqu'à sa mort en 1728.
Amusant de voir l'esprit du grand homme appliquer se fortes capacités intellectuelles à la résolution d'un crime plutôt qu'à celle d'équations différentielles.
Vaut définitivement la lecture
Basé sur des faits historiques car Newton a été Gardien du Royal Mint à Londres, et quatre ans plus tard, Maître du Mint jusqu'à sa mort en 1728.
Amusant de voir l'esprit du grand homme appliquer se fortes capacités intellectuelles à la résolution d'un crime plutôt qu'à celle d'équations différentielles.
Vaut définitivement la lecture
September 29, 2019
After a slow start due to the wealth of details the initial chapters contained, I enjoyed this mystery which contains many true details of the life of Sir Isaac Newton, who worked at the British Mint and was in charge of the great "Recoinage", an effort to improve the consistency and value of the British coins which had been devalued by counterfeiting. I recommend this book as a good mystery and a good education in a bit of history that I was totally unaware of.
February 17, 2019
I found the book a bit of a struggle. It certainly had an interesting premise of Isaac Newton investigating murders associated with the English Mint. I don't think I would have thought of the Sherlock Holms analogy if were not for the comments of other reviewers. Regardless his approach to solving the crimes was inspired. The subthemes of cryptology, Arianism and Templars served to confuse me more than lead to resolution. Taunting about the other gospels but not revealing substance was another let down. Also I would have liked an explanation just why there were problems with minting coins. Given it was set in the Mint some follow up on the process would have been helpful. Facts about Newton's background and why he was knighted were interesting. It was also appreciated being reminded why the Huguenots left France. A 3.8 rating out of 5 rounded up to a 4.
February 10, 2020
„- Nuostabu, - Niutonas stuktelėjo kumščiu į stalą, tarsi pradėdamas skaičiuoti. – O dar jūs puikiai šaudote, tiesa? – pastebėjęs mano nuostabą jis pridūrė: - Argi tai ne parako žymė ant jūsų dešinės rankos?
- Taip, sere. Jūs teisus. Šaudau karabinu ir pistoletu, gana neblogai.
- Bet pistoletą mėgstate labiau, taip?
- Jums tai pasakė mano brolis?
- Ne, misteri Elisai, tai pasakė jūsų ranka. Karabinas paliktų žymes ant veido ir rankos. O pistoletas – tik ant išorinės delno pusės, tai leidžia daryti išvadą, kad jūs dažnai šaudote pistoletu.“
Nieko neprimena? Philipas Kerras šioje knygoje iš Niutono padarė visišką Šerloko kloną. Nepasigėdijo netgi vos ne žodis žodin pakartoti žymiąją frazę „Tik jūs žiūrite, o ne stebite. Tai didelis skirtumas.“
Tiesa, maždaug persiritus per trečdalį knygos, autoriui tai nusibosta ir Niutonas staiga liaujasi vaizdavęs dedukcijos genijų.
Bet ne tik sero Arthuro dvasia mane persekiojo beskaitant šią knygą. Buvo gana smagu atpažinti ne tik kai kuriuos personažus, bet ir lankytis tuose pačiuose klubuose ar kavinėse, kaip ir Neilo Stephensono „Barokiniame“ cikle. Tik čia nieko keista – veiksmo vieta ir laikas sutampa, o jei to netyčia būtų maža – Philipas Kerras pagrindiniu romano veikėju padarė Izaoką Niutoną, „Barokiniame“ cikle taip pat grojusį ne paskutiniu ir mažiausiu smuikeliu.
Detektyvinė linija būtų nebloga, bet pernelyg jau perkrauta. Nereikia daryt sudėtingai ten, kur galima paprastai. Štai ir laiko tekmė – norėdamas iš esmės viską pririšti prie dviejų įvykių, Kerras persistengia tempdamas gumą. Juolab kad vienas tų įvykių jokios esmės nevaidina ir visa tai daroma tik vardan atitikimo istoriniam faktui. Bet kai tu devyniais atvejais iš dešimt dedi ant istorijos, - ar to reikia? Taip, knygoje specialaus tampymo nėra, išsiverčiama fraze „prabėgo dar trys savaitės“. Ir nors įvykį nuo įvykio skiria viso labo puslapis ar du, bet tos „trys savaitės“ kerta per virtualią dinamiką.
Trys iš penkių. Bet čia tik todėl, kad mėgstu istorinius detektyvus. Apie nacių Vokietiją Kerrui sekėsi rašyti geriau.
- Taip, sere. Jūs teisus. Šaudau karabinu ir pistoletu, gana neblogai.
- Bet pistoletą mėgstate labiau, taip?
- Jums tai pasakė mano brolis?
- Ne, misteri Elisai, tai pasakė jūsų ranka. Karabinas paliktų žymes ant veido ir rankos. O pistoletas – tik ant išorinės delno pusės, tai leidžia daryti išvadą, kad jūs dažnai šaudote pistoletu.“
Nieko neprimena? Philipas Kerras šioje knygoje iš Niutono padarė visišką Šerloko kloną. Nepasigėdijo netgi vos ne žodis žodin pakartoti žymiąją frazę „Tik jūs žiūrite, o ne stebite. Tai didelis skirtumas.“
Tiesa, maždaug persiritus per trečdalį knygos, autoriui tai nusibosta ir Niutonas staiga liaujasi vaizdavęs dedukcijos genijų.
Bet ne tik sero Arthuro dvasia mane persekiojo beskaitant šią knygą. Buvo gana smagu atpažinti ne tik kai kuriuos personažus, bet ir lankytis tuose pačiuose klubuose ar kavinėse, kaip ir Neilo Stephensono „Barokiniame“ cikle. Tik čia nieko keista – veiksmo vieta ir laikas sutampa, o jei to netyčia būtų maža – Philipas Kerras pagrindiniu romano veikėju padarė Izaoką Niutoną, „Barokiniame“ cikle taip pat grojusį ne paskutiniu ir mažiausiu smuikeliu.
Detektyvinė linija būtų nebloga, bet pernelyg jau perkrauta. Nereikia daryt sudėtingai ten, kur galima paprastai. Štai ir laiko tekmė – norėdamas iš esmės viską pririšti prie dviejų įvykių, Kerras persistengia tempdamas gumą. Juolab kad vienas tų įvykių jokios esmės nevaidina ir visa tai daroma tik vardan atitikimo istoriniam faktui. Bet kai tu devyniais atvejais iš dešimt dedi ant istorijos, - ar to reikia? Taip, knygoje specialaus tampymo nėra, išsiverčiama fraze „prabėgo dar trys savaitės“. Ir nors įvykį nuo įvykio skiria viso labo puslapis ar du, bet tos „trys savaitės“ kerta per virtualią dinamiką.
Trys iš penkių. Bet čia tik todėl, kad mėgstu istorinius detektyvus. Apie nacių Vokietiją Kerrui sekėsi rašyti geriau.
October 22, 2018
Firstly, this is NOT about Isaac Newton’s private life. It’s a mystery novel with Newton and his assistant Christopher Ellis investigating the counterfeiting that is rampant in England during the late 17th century. Newton has been appointed head of the Royal Mint and takes his duties extremely seriously. Ellis is hired by Newton to provide assistance and muscle during his investigations. Basically you have a Sherlock Holmes novel with Newton as Holmes and Ellis as his (very dull) Watson.
The story is told purely from Ellis’s point of view. Ellis is a 20-something former lawyer, disbarred for fighting a duel, and initially a pretty unlikeable character. He drinks, gambles and whores. He is narrow-minded, bigoted and utterly lacking in critical thinking skills, but his experience and training with Newton expand his horizons and begin to open his mind. Sadly, the novel does neither.
Newton’s character is told well, based on historical facts about him (short-tempered, insensitive and arrogant in the extreme). He was also, despite being one the world’s greatest mathematicians and scientists, a believer in alchemy and magic. Ellis, on the other hand, is very emotionally immature. At times his viewpoint is like a 13-year old school boy - refusing to believe a woman can be a suspect in the murders simply because she is pretty. He calls Newton’s niece “wicked” for flirting with him, but of course enjoys her attentions enormously whilst simultaneously judging her.
The descriptions of 17th century London are grim, nasty and probably completely accurate. Kerr weaves in real life people such as Daniel Defoe and Samuel Pepys, as well as historical events, but it wasn’t sufficient to keep this reader’s attention.
The biggest problem with the novel is the excruciating and torturous 17th century English that Kerr has employed in telling the story. I imagine Kerr reading every book, play and diary (hello Pepys!) from the era in order to replicate an accurate voice in the book, but the language and sentences end up being so convoluted that half the time you lose track of what’s actually going on. At one point the language becomes so ludicrously florid I wondered if Kerr had, in fact, written the novel as some kind of parody!
Be that as it may, I couldn’t finish it.
The story is told purely from Ellis’s point of view. Ellis is a 20-something former lawyer, disbarred for fighting a duel, and initially a pretty unlikeable character. He drinks, gambles and whores. He is narrow-minded, bigoted and utterly lacking in critical thinking skills, but his experience and training with Newton expand his horizons and begin to open his mind. Sadly, the novel does neither.
Newton’s character is told well, based on historical facts about him (short-tempered, insensitive and arrogant in the extreme). He was also, despite being one the world’s greatest mathematicians and scientists, a believer in alchemy and magic. Ellis, on the other hand, is very emotionally immature. At times his viewpoint is like a 13-year old school boy - refusing to believe a woman can be a suspect in the murders simply because she is pretty. He calls Newton’s niece “wicked” for flirting with him, but of course enjoys her attentions enormously whilst simultaneously judging her.
The descriptions of 17th century London are grim, nasty and probably completely accurate. Kerr weaves in real life people such as Daniel Defoe and Samuel Pepys, as well as historical events, but it wasn’t sufficient to keep this reader’s attention.
The biggest problem with the novel is the excruciating and torturous 17th century English that Kerr has employed in telling the story. I imagine Kerr reading every book, play and diary (hello Pepys!) from the era in order to replicate an accurate voice in the book, but the language and sentences end up being so convoluted that half the time you lose track of what’s actually going on. At one point the language becomes so ludicrously florid I wondered if Kerr had, in fact, written the novel as some kind of parody!
Be that as it may, I couldn’t finish it.
March 26, 2017
Great book!
Taking a core of historical fact (after publishing his great work on gravity, Newton did in fact become the master of the mint in England, and spent a huge amount of time chasing down counterfeiters). From this history, Kerr weaves a completely fictional murder mystery, involving a series of inexplicable and quite gory murders in London Tower--and Newton seems to be in the killer's crosshairs as the next victim!
The plot works very well, and the mystery is sufficiently complex to hold our attention. Add in the insight to life in the late 1600's in England--which to this non-historian seemed realistic--and you have a great book. On top of all of that, the reader gains some insight into Newton's thinking, and just how revolutionary the "scientific method" was--which Newton essentially invented, and remains the "industry standard" today--in essence, observe first, then propose hypotheses and check to see if they fit your collected data.
As an added bonus, I finally understand how Newton's lifelong fixation on the seemingly irrational study of alchemy made perfect sense in context, and how it is actually based on extremely advanced science--for the time. Alchemists were fixated on transforming lead into gold...and the "study" was rife with fraud, and considered blasphemy by the Church. However, at bottom, it was based on the then revolutionary insight that all matter was made up of the same building blocks. Therefore, with proper manipulation, there is no reason one material shouldn't be transformed into another. The quest to turn lead into gold was obviously attractive, and ultimately hopeless, but not at all irrational, as it was a seemingly obvious next step after one understands that they are both made up of the exact same ingredients--what we now know as electrons, neutron and protons.
Taking a core of historical fact (after publishing his great work on gravity, Newton did in fact become the master of the mint in England, and spent a huge amount of time chasing down counterfeiters). From this history, Kerr weaves a completely fictional murder mystery, involving a series of inexplicable and quite gory murders in London Tower--and Newton seems to be in the killer's crosshairs as the next victim!
The plot works very well, and the mystery is sufficiently complex to hold our attention. Add in the insight to life in the late 1600's in England--which to this non-historian seemed realistic--and you have a great book. On top of all of that, the reader gains some insight into Newton's thinking, and just how revolutionary the "scientific method" was--which Newton essentially invented, and remains the "industry standard" today--in essence, observe first, then propose hypotheses and check to see if they fit your collected data.
As an added bonus, I finally understand how Newton's lifelong fixation on the seemingly irrational study of alchemy made perfect sense in context, and how it is actually based on extremely advanced science--for the time. Alchemists were fixated on transforming lead into gold...and the "study" was rife with fraud, and considered blasphemy by the Church. However, at bottom, it was based on the then revolutionary insight that all matter was made up of the same building blocks. Therefore, with proper manipulation, there is no reason one material shouldn't be transformed into another. The quest to turn lead into gold was obviously attractive, and ultimately hopeless, but not at all irrational, as it was a seemingly obvious next step after one understands that they are both made up of the exact same ingredients--what we now know as electrons, neutron and protons.
January 4, 2008
Although it took me a while to get into this novel, I rather enjoyed it, for the most part.
I never really had any sense that this was Isaac Newton, other than the fact that other characters would refer to him as such, and occassionally make reference to one of his scientific theories. He was, however, an interesting "detective" for a crime novel. He seemed to be quite masterful at observation and with a pretty good sense of human character (despite being pretty terrible at social discourse), and often tries to instruct his assistant in being a better observer. Mr. Ellis, is his strength and protector.
As with any good mystery, there are "red herrings" and extra bits of knowledge that aren't necessary for solving the crime. What I enjoyed most about the book, though, was the historical aspect of the workings of the British mint and Newton's role there. What I would have liked to seen a bit more of would be a sense of this being Issac Newton rather than a wiley detective. What I didn't care for was the relationship between Ellis and Newton's niece (Miss Barton) which had no real bearing on any other aspect of the book (other than to add a couple of steamy sex sequences).
I enjoyed the read, but not necessarily enough to seek out other books by Kerr (but I wouldn't discount one if I saw one that piqued my interest).
I never really had any sense that this was Isaac Newton, other than the fact that other characters would refer to him as such, and occassionally make reference to one of his scientific theories. He was, however, an interesting "detective" for a crime novel. He seemed to be quite masterful at observation and with a pretty good sense of human character (despite being pretty terrible at social discourse), and often tries to instruct his assistant in being a better observer. Mr. Ellis, is his strength and protector.
As with any good mystery, there are "red herrings" and extra bits of knowledge that aren't necessary for solving the crime. What I enjoyed most about the book, though, was the historical aspect of the workings of the British mint and Newton's role there. What I would have liked to seen a bit more of would be a sense of this being Issac Newton rather than a wiley detective. What I didn't care for was the relationship between Ellis and Newton's niece (Miss Barton) which had no real bearing on any other aspect of the book (other than to add a couple of steamy sex sequences).
I enjoyed the read, but not necessarily enough to seek out other books by Kerr (but I wouldn't discount one if I saw one that piqued my interest).
March 23, 2015
The day I finished this book I gave it 3 stars...it was enjoyable on several levels, had a good beat and you could dance to it. The next day I downgraded it to 2 stars...after mulling it over, I thought it had too much gratuitous sex, violence and unbelievable intrigue for who I could imagine Newton to really be. But now a week later I'm back to 3. Its stuck with me, and surprisingly for the insights into Newton's religious beliefs, as well as the historical details that did ring true which is what I've enjoyed about Kerr's Berlin Noir trilogy. This book sparked a great dialogue with a friend regarding religion and caused me to read up on the concept of the trinity, Arianism and Socinianism. I'm done now.
January 26, 2012
This is a fun book with some of the best dialogue I have enjoyed in a while. This is a fiction story where Issac Newton is the chief investigator fighting forgery for the British Mint during the great re-coining effort of the 1600s. Newton is portrayed in the model of Sherlock Holmes, a supremely observant person with a sharp mind for details. The narrator hold true as he is in the model of Watson, a brave companion constantly shocked by the revelations of his 'master'.
Only 3 stars because I thought the plot was ok, the dialogue was great but missing was the vivid descriptions of ancient London that could have brought so much to the tale, and there is a very clumsy love story thrown in for no good reason.
Only 3 stars because I thought the plot was ok, the dialogue was great but missing was the vivid descriptions of ancient London that could have brought so much to the tale, and there is a very clumsy love story thrown in for no good reason.
September 10, 2009
We all know that Sir Isaac Newton was a genius, Cambridge professor, Priest, mathematician and scientist. But the Warden of the Mint in London? It's true that he served in this position during the last years of his life with Christopher Ellis as his assistant.
The novel jumps off from here with gruesome murders in the Tower where the Mint was located. "Sherlock" Newton uses his power of observation and intelligence to discover the plot to silence these men.
This was a fun read with period touches.
The novel jumps off from here with gruesome murders in the Tower where the Mint was located. "Sherlock" Newton uses his power of observation and intelligence to discover the plot to silence these men.
This was a fun read with period touches.
May 21, 2020
For a literary, historical novel, this is one of the best. If you like the author's Bernie Gunther novels, this will appeal to you, although the subject matter is a little more challenging. As a modest author myself, I appreciate the writing in this book, the careful attention to detail, the timing of the plot and the astute subtle commentary regarding morality. The careful examination of events by the author in this book is as much philosophical as it is historical. It will challenge your intellect.
October 15, 2009
Not the usual way we think of "SIN" (i.e. Sir Issac Newton). But, a bit fun to see a man whose intelligence and erudition laid many of the foundations of the modern world (at least in mathematics and physics, although Lebniz did simultaneously concieve of the calculus and we use his, not Newton's nomenclature today). But enough of that true history diversion!
Sit back and enjoy the ride as Sir Issac attempts to sleuth his way through a few murders and a state crisis or two.
Sit back and enjoy the ride as Sir Issac attempts to sleuth his way through a few murders and a state crisis or two.
October 11, 2010
Set in London in 1696 when Isaac Newton, former Lucasian Prof of Math at Cambridge [note that this is the position that Steven Hawking occupied 300 years later], becomes Warden of the Mint in the Tower of London. An interesting historical mystery novel based upon the real events of Newton's life. Fascinating account of the conflicts between protestants and Catholics in England and France. Even throws in a bit of physics, alchemy, and cryptography. Worth reading.
July 31, 2011
enjoyable historical thriller from the time newton managed the royal mint. writen as 1st person narrative by newton's assistant, seemingly well-documented although casts the great man in rather a frienly light for someone responsible for a number of executions. touches on newton's unorthodox religious views which is iteresting and will probably make me dig around for some bography. the book would make a good movie, let's see how long before someone takes it up :)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 163 reviews