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Queen of Spades
In a near future, technology has evolved to a high degree worldwide and UK has become almost fully integrated as a multi-cultural nation. However, there are still a few who would prefer white supremacy. When a black Princess of Wales joins the royal family, she is threatened with abuse and undergoes several assassination attempts.
During the summer of 2018 the new, free-spirited Princess of Wales comes under threat from a home grown terrorist group who have taken offence to the simple fact that she is a black woman. Princess India refuses to temper her partying or charity work, causing all manner of problems for her royal protection officers.
Matters come to a head during India's celebrity-strewn charity ski event in central London, with a traitor emerging to aid a spectacular attack on live TV.
During the summer of 2018 the new, free-spirited Princess of Wales comes under threat from a home grown terrorist group who have taken offence to the simple fact that she is a black woman. Princess India refuses to temper her partying or charity work, causing all manner of problems for her royal protection officers.
Matters come to a head during India's celebrity-strewn charity ski event in central London, with a traitor emerging to aid a spectacular attack on live TV.
284 pages, Paperback
First published October 3, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
November 16, 2012
Disclaimer: I won this book in a giveaway.
After struggling with this book since the beginning of the year, I've finally given up on it.
During this time, I've countlessly picked it up, begun reading and thrown it back down. I never got further than the half of the second chapter. A good book is not supposed to feel like a chore, its supposed to grip you and cling to you like mud and refuse to let you go on with your life.
While I can't pinpoint exactly what turned me off, I can say that the constant stream of people (and places and their names, God so many names) contributed. Charlie Pugh, Josh Walker, India, Dave Clarke, Naz Badawi, June Brennerman, Sofia de Glanville, Poppy Purdy-Jones, Maggie McKnight, Angela Hector, Brian Messenger, Mary Lewis, Miss Dutton, Gill, Jenny, Ricky, Dirk, Suzy, Jemma, Stuart Hussey, Laura Coe, Alex Darbo, Bessie, Simon Fabry, Lawrence Alexander, Malcolm, Joanna Cole. And that's even before page 30.
All of them barely introduced with a few lines on background or physical attributes and suddenly the author expects us to juggle over ten characters that all kinda sound the same and keep straight who is who. Many characters without barely any characterization going on and I just couldn't keep up.
I also had a problem with how all the women on this book were either hard faced and fugly or incredibly hot and tight. Pugh either was disgusted by them or wanted to fuck them and that's just so... Idk. There even was this one line that seriously struck me. "... with short brown hair pulled forward and carrying one or two extra pounds. Apart from that she was quite pretty..." Really, two extra pounds? But that's okay, because apart those awful, God forbid 2 extra pounds, she's actually pretty so all is well. Life can go on.
I really wanted to read this book, the blurb seemed so interesting. A dark skinned Princess of Wales. Yet I couldn't bring myself to care about perfect, lovely India enough to waddle through all the confusion of names and places and dialogue.
But just because it wasn't for me, doesn't mean that you won't like it. Give it a chance.
After struggling with this book since the beginning of the year, I've finally given up on it.
During this time, I've countlessly picked it up, begun reading and thrown it back down. I never got further than the half of the second chapter. A good book is not supposed to feel like a chore, its supposed to grip you and cling to you like mud and refuse to let you go on with your life.
While I can't pinpoint exactly what turned me off, I can say that the constant stream of people (and places and their names, God so many names) contributed. Charlie Pugh, Josh Walker, India, Dave Clarke, Naz Badawi, June Brennerman, Sofia de Glanville, Poppy Purdy-Jones, Maggie McKnight, Angela Hector, Brian Messenger, Mary Lewis, Miss Dutton, Gill, Jenny, Ricky, Dirk, Suzy, Jemma, Stuart Hussey, Laura Coe, Alex Darbo, Bessie, Simon Fabry, Lawrence Alexander, Malcolm, Joanna Cole. And that's even before page 30.
All of them barely introduced with a few lines on background or physical attributes and suddenly the author expects us to juggle over ten characters that all kinda sound the same and keep straight who is who. Many characters without barely any characterization going on and I just couldn't keep up.
I also had a problem with how all the women on this book were either hard faced and fugly or incredibly hot and tight. Pugh either was disgusted by them or wanted to fuck them and that's just so... Idk. There even was this one line that seriously struck me. "... with short brown hair pulled forward and carrying one or two extra pounds. Apart from that she was quite pretty..." Really, two extra pounds? But that's okay, because apart those awful, God forbid 2 extra pounds, she's actually pretty so all is well. Life can go on.
I really wanted to read this book, the blurb seemed so interesting. A dark skinned Princess of Wales. Yet I couldn't bring myself to care about perfect, lovely India enough to waddle through all the confusion of names and places and dialogue.
But just because it wasn't for me, doesn't mean that you won't like it. Give it a chance.
November 10, 2012
The Crown Prince of England has fallen in love with and married a beautiful, energetic,outgoing black young woman. They are perfectly happy with this arrangement, as is most of the country. There is 1 group who simply won't stand for a black Queen and heirs. They are willing to go to dangerous lengths in order to eliminate the Princess.
Princess India, OTOH, is not too concerned with these death threats. She is more interested in continuing her daily life and routines- exercising, going to sporting events, doing charity work. The prince is out of the picture, having broken both legs over in America.
Most of the book follows princess India as she travels from place to place, dragging along her secret service men and women. It's only when 1 of her close friends is tragically, horrifically killed that India realizes to what lengths this group will go to kill her.
It all comes to a head at the ski event where a betrayal from within the royal circle of friends, family and employees turns this event from a fun day at the slopes to a dangerous one.
I thot this book would be more of a mystery book than it was. Once the betrayal is solved the book abruptly ends. No last chapter, no epilogue to take the book farther. I guess i was hoping for a longer time frame- years instead of months, where we see India making her way into the royal family's and the country's heart- or not. Maybe even the pitter-patter of little royal feet.
A good read for guys too. It's not a girly book by any means.
PS> I got this book as part of goodreads giveaway.
Princess India, OTOH, is not too concerned with these death threats. She is more interested in continuing her daily life and routines- exercising, going to sporting events, doing charity work. The prince is out of the picture, having broken both legs over in America.
Most of the book follows princess India as she travels from place to place, dragging along her secret service men and women. It's only when 1 of her close friends is tragically, horrifically killed that India realizes to what lengths this group will go to kill her.
It all comes to a head at the ski event where a betrayal from within the royal circle of friends, family and employees turns this event from a fun day at the slopes to a dangerous one.
I thot this book would be more of a mystery book than it was. Once the betrayal is solved the book abruptly ends. No last chapter, no epilogue to take the book farther. I guess i was hoping for a longer time frame- years instead of months, where we see India making her way into the royal family's and the country's heart- or not. Maybe even the pitter-patter of little royal feet.
A good read for guys too. It's not a girly book by any means.
PS> I got this book as part of goodreads giveaway.
November 3, 2012
This is an editorial review from the publisher as there doesn't seem to be anywhere else to put it:
I would just like to say that it is rare to find a new and prolific author like GB Hope, who not only thinks up wild and unusual scenarios, but also describes them in an intriguing and competent manner.
'Queen of Spades' is set in a not too distant future, where technology has advanced to a high degree (believable seeing as how fast it is going at the present time). The story centres around a black Princess of Wales and the kind of intolerance and racism that she has to endure. No more spoilers...
I would just like to say that it is rare to find a new and prolific author like GB Hope, who not only thinks up wild and unusual scenarios, but also describes them in an intriguing and competent manner.
'Queen of Spades' is set in a not too distant future, where technology has advanced to a high degree (believable seeing as how fast it is going at the present time). The story centres around a black Princess of Wales and the kind of intolerance and racism that she has to endure. No more spoilers...
November 19, 2012
Loved this book! I did have to look up some of the slang as I wasn't positive what certain things meant :) Looking forward to reading other works by this author!!!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews