Die Burg der Könige

by Oliver Pötzsch

Ein junge Burgherrin, die um das Erbe ihrer Familie kämpft ...
Der Sohn eines Burgschmieds, der von Freiheit und Gleichheit träumt ...

1524. Die deutschen Lande werden von den Bauernkriegen zerrissen. Dem Adel droht der Verlust der Macht, dem Volk Hunger und Tod. Die Herrschaft Kaiser Karls V. ist in Gefahr.
Da stoßen Agnes, die Herrin der mächtigen Burg Trifels, und Mathis, der Sohn des Burgschmieds, auf ein Geheimnis, das über die Zukunft der Krone entscheiden wird.

Bestsellerautor Oliver Pötzsch hat einen großen Roman über die legendäre Burg der Staufer geschrieben. Der Trifels: Hort vieler Legenden und Schlüssel zum Kaiserthron.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Germany, Audiobook, Historical, Fantasy, Mystery

944 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 27, 2013

About the author

Oliver Pötzsch is a German writer and filmmaker. After high school he attended the German School of Journalism in Munich from 1992 to 1997. He then worked for Radio Bavaria. In addition to his professional activities in radio and television, Pötzsch researched his family history. He is a descendant of the Kuisle, from the 16th to the 19th Century a famous dynasty of executioners in Schongau.

Reviews

[Clif Hostetler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this tome of a historical novel of particular interests because it is set in the Palatinate region of southwest Germany in the years 1524 to 1526. The year 1525 was when the peasant's revolt reached this area—it started earlier in lands south of this region. The following is a map provided by the book to show the area in which the action takes place.

Map of Region Where Story of "The Castle of Kings" Takes Place

This upheaval filled setting provides an environment of chaos within which to place a fictional tale with numerous twists and turns, thrilling escapes from danger, villains coming from all directions, and a mysterious 300-year-old secret that needs to be solved. But solving the mystery only brings another dilemma, where to find an important relic of national significance. As this action packed plot plods through its 656 pages (25 hours audio) the reader learns about how gun powder is making knights and walled castles obsolete. We also learn about drought, crop failures, and the peasant serfs being expected to pay exorbitant rents. Social structure is changing with urban merchants becoming more wealthy than the landed gentry. And of course this is early in the Protestant Reformation and Martin Luther and Thomas Müntzer are adding the religious aspect to the revolutionary spirit of the times.

Even though the book has a historical setting, the plot is fictional and has characteristics (including dreams and visions) similar to most thriller/adventure fiction books; thus there are descriptions of events that are too amazing to be true. For example, early in the book a trained hunting falcon returns a ring with a 300-year history to the strategically correct person. I as a reader tend to be cynical of these unlikely twists of fate, but I have to admit that by the end of the book I was moved to tears when a young girl finds an orphaned falcon chick, and she plans to raise the falcon and become a falconer just like her older sister-in-law. (I'm a sucker for that sort of sentimentality.)
_______________
The following short review is from the 2018 PageADay's Book Lover's Calendar which is how I learned about this book:

Set in the early 16th century in what is now Germany, The Castle of KIngs is the riveting story of two young lovers trying to survive a revolution. Agnes is the daughter of a wealthy aristocrat, and Mathis, her childhood friend, is poor. Naturally, they can’t be together—until thousands of peasants revolt against the upper class and Agnes flees town with Mathis. It's love on the run, and danger lurks around every turn. A winning blend of history, action, and romance.
THE CASTLE OF KINGS, by Oliver Pötzsch, translated from the German by Anthea Bell (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016)

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

History certainly comes alive in Oliver Pötzsch's The Castle of Kings, but I'm afraid that's the only part in this story that does. While Pötzsch's knowledge and passion for castles and the stories they bore witness to are quite evident in this massive tome, there were some major elements that lacked such impassioned fire. The adventure? Splendid. The setting? Detailed. The twists and turns, however? Nauseating. The characters? Opaque. Emotionless. Frustrating. Conflicting in their personalities. Oh, I could go on.

The history, and the full picture of the story at hand, is quite intriguing. But the characters within that story left so much room for improvement. If anything, I found them to be quite pedantic, whiny, and downright annoying. How are we supposed to connect with these characters if we don't give a flying flair what happens to them? I just couldn't bring myself to connect with these characters, and for that, I didn't enjoy this story as much as I wanted to.

Also, the execution of some of the story's elements drove me mad. A few of the more intriguing points to the story weren't extrapolated upon, whereas the uninteresting points seemed to fester for far too long. It is this type of unbalanced creativity that led to such a dismal outlook on a promising endeavor. Such was my frustration, as I thoroughly enjoyed Pötzsch's The Hangman's Daughter , but I was ultimately unable to connect with this story, thereby dampening my interest and crushing my expectations. But, of course, readers have quite differing interests, so don't let such harsh criticism put you off of a great story.

Indeed, it is not my inability to connect with such loathsome characters that should deter you from venturing forth into The Castle of Kings. Pötzsch's writing style is superb, quite solid, and succeeds in telling the tale of a great historical adventure. If you are a fan of castles, historical tales, grail quests, and knights in shining armor, I would suggest giving this story a shot. For I am but one reader, and who am I to deter you from experiencing the adventure yourself?

[Steven Z. · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a July 20, 2016 interview with the New York Times, author Oliver Potzsch remarked that in his latest book, THE CASTLE OF KINGS his goal was to write a “German Ken Follett” type novel. The story is set in the Holy Roman Empire during the 16th century. At the time Germany was made up of a large number of principalities whose princes owed fealty to Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor. The period described in the novel is in the midst of the 1524-1525 Peasant Wars between the German princes and their peasants who revolted against the high rents they were charged to work the land. The situation was also exacerbated by the continued religious struggle that was launched by Martin Luther that would lead to the Protestant Reformation.

The novel begins in the Palatinate, a small German principality that the Rhine River navigates. Mathis a sixteen year old boy is returning from an errand delivering horseshoes for his father who is the blacksmith for the castle of Trifels. On his route through the small town of Annweiler he passes a large gathering of people who are about to witness the hanging of three individuals, one of which is Mathis’ own age. Due to the socio-economic catastrophe caused by the plight of the peasants, families were starving and the therefore resorted to poaching, a crime punishable by death.

The novel itself meanders with a Folletesque tinge. We find a developing love story between Agnes, a falconer, and daughter of a knight who is the castellan of the Castle at Trifels, and Mathis, who is the son of a blacksmith. As Agnes and Mathis are confronted by the mores and social norms of the time period one is reminded of the love story between Ned Willard and Margery Fitzgerald in Follett’s latest novel, PILLAR’S OF FIRE.

The novel presents two worlds that are on a collision course. Agnes’ father Philipp Schluchteren von Efernstein represents the feudal code of knights and the courtesies that men offered each other even on the battlefield. There are a number of scenes, both peaceful and violent whereby this plays out. Efernstein’s beliefs are confronted by modernity, particularly when it came to the battlefield. The development of gun powder and artillery is replacing courtly combat that relied on broad swords. Efernstein has difficulty accepting this and the kinds of agreements one must make with other Dukes, Counts, and former knights in order to survive. This generational gap is also seen in the relationship between Mathis and his blacksmith father, Hans Weilenbach who has casted swords and armor for decades and now must deal with a son who has become an explosive expert.

Potzsch has created a number of story lines which all seem to intersect. Mathis’ development as an expert in the deployment of artillery and his relationship with Agnes who must deal with a stubborn father. The presence of robber knights like Hans von Wertingen and their impact on the local economy and the lives of everyone, Dukes and peasants included. Agnes’ obsession with her dreams which present a 13th century figure named Johannes of Brunswick and his alleged conspiracy haunts her – what do they mean and what is his relationship to her contemporary world? The relationship between Erfenstein and a young Count, Frederick von Lowenstein-Scharfeneck who enter into an alliance which has a major impact on all the major characters, the machinations pf Mayor Bernwart Gessler of Annweiler, the role of the Peasants Revolt and the rebels who live in the forest who organize to deal with the high burden of taxes and the demands not only by secular leaders, but the Catholic Church itself. Lastly, and most importantly is Agnes’ quest to learn the history and significance behind a ring that belonged to Frederick Barbarossa that falls into her hands leading Agnes to a monastery where the secrets are hidden.

Potzsch has woven an intricate and complex plot that makes excellent use of German history. The conflict between Luther and the Church, the peasants and the princes, and princes against princes dominates. What emerges is a series of flawed characters that Potzsch develops with remarkable detail. Efenstein, Agnes, Mathis, and von Lowenstein-Scharfeneck have already been mentioned. But individuals like Father Tristan, Agnes’ confessor and medical healer, Shepherd Jockel, a peasant leader, and Melchoir von Tanningen, a traveling minstral and swordsman, in addition to the brotherhood of 12 whose secrets can alter the course of European history contribute greatly to plot development.

Potzsch’s creativity creates many twists and turns as the murders and disingenuous behavior on the part of a number of characters continue to mount. Potzsch describes beautiful landscapes, dark castles, Rhine River rapids, information about arquebuses, falconets, mercenaries, and a wonderful summary of the Hohenstaufen and Habsburg monarchies. This is a big book, but an engrossing and enchanting one at times that is well worth the read. Again, if you enjoy Ken Follett, you most certainly will enjoy Oliver Potzsch.

[Kathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just cannot continue reading this long book although I normally enjoy the writing of this author.
I have started 7 books today after working hard in the yard, hoping to have something to enjoy. Will watch INDY 500 for a bit and then try MHz. Can't start and abandon another book today!

The Peasant Rebellion is of interest, but the characters don't reach me in this one.

[Liviu · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book though the writing (or translation) is occasionally flat (overall the book makes you turn pages to see what happens next), the story line fairly predictable at least after a while (including the final twist) and the way the main characters (Agnes and Mathis) escape quite a few sticky situations verging on jumping the shark by the n-th time, but Agnes, Mathis (and an assorted cast of memorable villains: a foreign assassin, a vicious and devious Count, a rebel who wants power rather than improving things, a truly brutal traveling showman, while a few other secondary cast are more ambiguous but all are coming to life brilliantly), really stay with you and I cannot pay a higher compliment to the novel that it made me want to visit asap the places described here, the Trifels castle of the title - there is an afterword by the author with more about it - and other assorted castles and locations on the Rhine where the action takes place, so much so that I hope I will be able to fit a day trip there when i go to Basel in September, while I was already planning to visit the Rhinefalls and the castle there which appear prominently in the novel too

The blurb is really not that accurate at least in details, though it is is accurate in the general flow of the story, but there is a lot happening and the book starts in Trifels and the surrounding areas and then goes quite a few places with lots and lots of action, a bit of the supernatural and superb imagery

Highly, highly recommended and a top 5 novel of the year for me

[Jeanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Castle of Kings is set in 16th century Germany (or what we would now call Germany) and is loosely set in real historical places and events, although the specific events are fictional.

Castle of Kings is a book that used up my time without giving me much in return. The prose was flat, even as the characters marched from one crisis to another, defying death. This may have been a fault of the translation, although I cannot say, as I have not read any other Oliver Pötzsch (translated by Anthea Bell or anyone else).

I liked Pötzsch's characters, although they were also flat, even when aiming to inspire. His characters were (largely) good or terrible, whereas most of us are somewhere in between. I never believed that his characters were living in the 16th century rather than 21st century characters in the dress of an earlier time (contrast this with Ellis Peters' books about Brother Cadfael).

Nonetheless, I finished Castle of Kings. That says something, although I suspect that it just says that 2020 has been a difficult year, and I needed some distraction. If that's what you're looking for, Castle of Kings succeeds.

[Shawn Mooney (Shawn Breathes Books)]

Abandoned less than 10% of the way in due to the laughably stock characters, hackneyed prose, and the complete absence of any nuance in the story. It read like a bad children's novel. Not a bad young adult novel, a bad children's novel.

[Nikki_Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Удачное у вас с Петчем получилось знакомство :) Все как я люблю:
- своенравная героиня, которая плевала на правила, которые ей диктует общественное положение :)
- высокий, широкоплечий кузнец Матиас ;) *неистово подмигиваю*
- элемент детектива + щепотка магии :)
- приключения
- крестьянские восстания
- скандалы, интриги, расследования :)

Добротно :) Почему 4? Потому что все таки чувствуется что это первая книга автора в данной трилогии? серии? Но...в общем, советую :)

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed The Hangman's Daughter, and I really liked this one as well. The description threw me off a bit (it's a long time before the two main characters go on the run), but I get why it gets compared to Ken Follet's Pillars of the Earth- both are epic and show the struggle of the peasants.

The ending wasn't quite what I was expecting, and at least one character completely surprised me. It made for a good last read of 2016!

[Tara (Spinatale Reviews) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Before I started this book, I was incredibly excited to read another work by Oliver Potzsch. His Hangman’s Daughter series is one of my favorites and I really enjoyed the The Ludwig Conspiracy. His characterization is usually top-notch, his settings so beautifully described that you can imagine yourself there, and his plots defy woven, with surprises even for the most astute of readers. Unfortunately, after reading the first half of the book, I ended up skimming through the rest because the plot had become incredibly slow.

This book was wonderfully researched and had the potential to be a well-written, beautiful piece of historical fiction. All of the components were there, they just didn’t quite fit together correctly. As with his other books, the setting was top-notch. Agnes and Mathis’ world came alive for me, I could easily picture the crumbling ruins of the castle, the slightly sinister forest, the prison pit, etc.

However, The characters themselves lacked personality, any depth, or consistency with their actions. I wasn’t able to connect with either of the protagonists, which made it difficult for me to care about what happened to them. Agnes had the potential to be a very interesting character (she’s caught up in a huge conspiracy and gets visions), but the writing didn’t allow her to achieve that potential. Additionally, Mathis was never really developed beyond his rebellious tendencies and love for Agnes. The secondary characters were a little more interesting as they had slightly more depth, but it wasn’t enough to make up for the protagonists.

I think the plot itself was interesting and intriguing. Had there been about 200 fewer pages in this book and some heavier editing, it would be an incredible work of historical fiction. As it was, I enjoyed the way that the mystery unraveled. Skimming the last half of the book, I was able to pick up on the major plot points and arrive at the ending with a fun comprehension of how the final scene had been set up.

After looking at the rave reviews of the German version, I’m not sure if the flaws in this book were the fault of the author or the translator but either way, the english edition does not live up to its potential.

I received a free advance copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. This review is also available on my blog.

[Stephen Richter · Rating 1 out of 5]

I thought that if Kate Reading narrated the book, it must have merits, but it did not. Despite an interesting setting, Germany in the early 16th Century amongst peasant revolt and the rise of Lutheranism, the book just dragged in parts.

[Patrick · Rating 2 out of 5]

Schon als ich das Buch zum ersten Mal in der Hand hatte, war ich erstaunt, was es für ein Wälzer war: Fast 1000 Seiten zählt das Werk, also nicht gerade ein Leichtgewicht. Nicht verwunderlich vielleicht, bedenkt man, dass sich die Geschichte um nicht weniger als das Schicksal des Deutschen Reiches dreht, wie schon der Inhaltstext des Verlags verrät:

1524. Die deutschen Lande werden von den Bauernkriegen zerrissen. Dem Adel droht der Verlust der Macht, dem Volk Hunger und Tod. In den Wirren dieser Zeit suchen vier Menschen ihre Bestimmung: Agnes, die Burgherrin der einst mächtigen Stauferburg Trifels, will ihr Erbe bewahren und die Rätsel der Burg lösen. Mathis, Sohn eines Burgschmieds, träumt von der Gleichheit der Menschen. Er schließt sich aufständischen Bauern an und kämpft für seine Ideale. König Franz von Frankreich strebt nach der Kaiserkrone. Um sie zu bekommen, muss er den Schatz der Staufer finden. Karl V., gewählter deutscher König und selbst ernannter Kaiser des Reiches, sieht seine Macht bedroht. Vier Menschen, vier Leben. Und ein Ort, der den Schlüssel zu ihrem Schicksal birgt: Der Trifels. Hort vieler Geheimnisse. Legendäre Burg der Staufer.

Die Erwartungen waren also entsprechend hoch, als ich mit dem Buch begann. Die Geschichte dreht sich in erster Linie um Agnes, Adlige und Erbin der Burg Trifels, und ihren Jugendfreund Mathis, der ein einfacher Schmied ist. Eine unglückliche Liebesgeschichte ist also vorprogrammiert. Agnes kommt „zufällig“ in den Besitz eines alten Siegelrings und wird kurz darauf von fiebrigen prophetischen Träumen geplagt, die sich um den Trifels drehen. Zusammen mit Mathis versucht sie im Verlauf der Geschichte, das Rätsel um den Trifels und ihre Träume zu lösen. Dies passiert vor dem Hintergrund der Bauernkriege und den politischen Auseinandersetzungen des Habsburger Kaisers Karl V. mit seinem französischen Widersacher Franz I.

Eines gleich vorweg: Pötzsch hat für seinen Roman eine sehr gute Recherchearbeit geleistet. Die Schauplätze und Reisewege sind wunderbar ausgearbeitet und geschildert, bis hin zu einem Reisetipp im Anhang des Buches, mit dem man die Schauplätze der Geschichte selbst besuchen und auf den Spuren der Protagonisten wandeln kann.

Doch leider erschöpft sich damit das Positive an dem Roman auch schon fast. Denn Pötzsch schafft es nicht, seine Figuren glaubwürdig zu beschreiben und handeln zu lassen. So stolpern sie über die kompletten fast 1000 Seiten von einem Unglück ins nächste, ohne groß aus ihren Fehlern zu lernen, dennoch kommen sie immer wieder mit (mehr oder weniger) heiler Haut davon, was mit der Zeit doch etwas unglaubwürdig erscheint, zumal die Charaktere sich auch nicht sonderlich bewegt von den Unglücksschlägen zeigen und diese einfach hinnehmen. So anschaulich die Orte, Burgen und Plätze im Roman beschrieben sind, so farblos bleiben leider die Charaktere und ihre Dialoge, besonders Agnes, die sich gegenüber Mathis immer wieder übertrieben zickig verhält, was wohl dazu dienen soll, die Liebesgeschichte zu untermalen, auf Dauer aber eher nervig wirkt. Gefühle und Emotionen kommen nicht wirklich herüber, was dazu führt, dass man sich nur schwer mit den Figuren identifizieren kann. Generell sind die Charaktere etwas platt beschrieben und Stereotyp. Agnes ist das Abziehbild einer gebildeten jungen Frau, die sich nicht mit ihrem Platz in der mittelalterlichen Welt abfinden will und lieber Hosen denn Kleider trägt. Mathis ist der naive Weltverbesserer, dem alles gelingt, was er anpackt. Obwohl er nur Sohn eines Schmiedes ist, bringt er sich selbst nur mithilfe von Büchern bei, Kanonen und Schießpulver herzustellen, und wird somit gleich ein gefragter Geschützmeister. Wer sich einmal ein mittelalterliches Feuerwerkbuch angeschaut hat, der weiß, dass das ziemlich weit an den Haaren herbei gezogen ist, besonders was das Schmieden von Feuerwaffen angeht. Ohne Lehrmeister ist es ein recht großes Wunder, dass Mathis sich nicht selbst in die Luft sprengt mit seinen selbstgebauten Waffen. Die Widersacher der Helden sind nicht weniger stereotyp beschrieben, vor allem der „böse schwarze Mann“, der mordend durchs Reich zieht, offenbar mit unbegrenzten Mitteln ausgestattet ist, überall seinen Willen bekommt und jeden Kampf gewinnt. Wirklich glaubwürdig oder spannend ist dies meiner Meinung nach nicht.

Die Bauernkriege, die den Hintergrund für die Geschichte bilden, werden hingegen sehr anschaulich und teils auch sehr kompromisslos beschrieben – auch hier wurde wieder gut recherchiert und man merkt Pötzsch die große Liebe zum Detail an. Gleiches gilt für die Passagen, die sich mit der Auseinandersetzung der beiden Herrscher Franz und Karl beschäftigen. Leider bleiben diese für die Handlung größtenteils ohne Konsequenz. Wer sich für die deutsche Geschichte interessiert, kann hier aber auch einiges Interessantes mitnehmen.

Die Geschichte selbst erscheint ein wenig märchenhaft, besonders auch aufgrund von Agnes‘ Visionen, die dem Ganzen doch einen mythischen Anstrich geben. Sicher nicht jedermanns Sache in einem Historischen Roman. Mich hätte es weniger gestört, doch bleibt die ganze Story leider etwas unglaubwürdig, vor allem auch das Ende. Und überdies zieht sie sich doch sehr lange hin und man fragt sich, warum es unbedingt so viele Seiten sein mussten. Immer wieder passieren den Helden Dinge, die die Handlung unnötig in die Länge ziehen und nicht unbedingt hätten sein müssen, so dass der eigentliche Faden öfter mal in Vergessenheit gerät und sich kaum Spannung aufbauen kann, zumal viele Wendungen vorhersagbar sind.

Noch ein Wort zur Aufmachung des Buches: Hier war ich wirklich positiv überrascht, was für einen Aufwand der Verlag investiert hat. Ein schönes geprägtes Cover ist heute ja schon fast Standard, aber auch das komplette Buch ist durch farbige Akzente verschönert. Die Seitenzahlen sind durchgehend mit roten Verzierungen versehen und die Kapitelanfänge sind durch große Initialen abgehoben, die an eine mittelalterliche Handschrift erinnern. Für das Äußere des Buchs würde ich glatt 5 Punkte vergeben, doch geht es ja in erster Linie um den Inhalt, und da sieht es leider weniger rosig aus.

Alles in allem verbleibe ich daher mit 2,5 Punkten für „Die Burg der Könige“. Das Buch war ok, ich bereue nicht, es gelesen zu haben, aber es war einfach viel zu lang und bot wenig Spannendes. Dennoch weiß Pötzsch offensichtlich gut mit den Handwerkzeugen für einen Historischen Roman umzugehen und ich werde seiner „Henkerstochter“-Reihe auch eine Chance geben, zumal ich schon mehrfach gelesen habe, dass diese bedeutend besser sei als „Die Burg der Könige“.

Rezension von http://klingenfaenger.blogspot.de

[Deanne]

Potzsch paints picturesque landscapes, whether it's damp, dark castles, the stink of a medieval tannery, or whirlpool-plagued Rhine River rapids . . . Combine Princess Bride with Germanic history circa 1500, add a dash of Lord of the Rings, and there's a week of good fun." - Kirkus Reviews

After finally finishing this I came to the conclusion that this book was too long. I enjoyed it but didn't really love it. Maybe, because the book is in third person or maybe, because by the time I hit page 525 I was quite done with it. Going to be reading something with less inches now:)

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, this ended up being a pretty fun adventure although I wasn't really invested in it until about 2/3 of the way through it and it was unfortunately pretty predictable. I almost gave up on it a few times along the way but I absolutely hate abandoning books that I've started. I'm glad I stuck it out though, it turned out to be a fun adventure and the climax at the end was really exciting.

[📚 Shannon · Rating 1 out of 5]

I think I'm done with this book. I've tried to like this author. Tried again and again, so hard, but I simply don't. I love historical fiction, of course, but I have a special place in my heart for HF set in or around Germany since I speak the language and lived there for a time. Unfortunately, there is a dearth of (translated and available) books set in this time and place. Sad face for me.

Enter Oliver Poetsch. A real German writing Germany-set historical fiction. Where do I sign up? I tried The Hangman's Daughter and wound up thoroughly underwhelmed. The book was slow, uninteresting, and rather painful. I still managed to finish it (no clue how), but I didn't pick up the second book in the series after hearing from many GR friends that if I thought the first in the series was too slow, then I definitely would find the second book even slower. Instead, I added this book to by to-read list. Big mistake. It's far slower, far less interesting, and much longer. Even worse, there's magic in it. Like, the kind of magic where you find a random ring and it causes you to have dreams filled with things that actually happened. Um, yeah, that's not historical anymore, and that's too fantasy and not enough "fiction" for me. I had to give up. There was not a drop of caring left in me.

Either this author is simply not for me or all the other reviewers of these books got different copies than I did, because if I were an agent or publisher, I never would have considered this for publication. It's not worth your time. I'd rather troll wikipedia to learn about these interesting times than spend another minute reading this.

[Joyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've enjoyed Potzsch's mysteries, and since I'm always on the lookout for Germany-set historical fiction, I was looking forward to this. Unfortunately, I found it an uneasy blend of history and myth/folktale with a magical ring and quest and kings from olden times. That said this is a well-researched historical novel set during the Peasant War in 1524 and 1525 with some real historical figures and a strong sense of time and place with medieval life and customs and weaponry highlighted. The author's note at the end separates fact from fiction. Although it does drag at spots--way too many adventures and escapes and dangerous adversaries for Lady Agnes, a countess, and her childhood friend and eventually lover peasant Mathis, with whom she is on the run--the pace is relentless; authentic characters except perhaps the unconventional Agnes--though there likely were women of her ilk; action/adventure story line with dreams and visions interspersed; framed by authentic historical details; richly detailed descriptions; romantic but gritty and gripping tone. Kate Reading does a good job with the multi-syllabic German names.

[Michael Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

1524 zur Zeiten des Bauernaufstandes. Agnes ist die Tochter des Burggrafen und mit Mathis, dem Sohn des Waffenschmiedes befreundet. Diese sympathisiert mit den Bauern und möchte gegen die herrschende Ungerechtigkeit angehen. Doch ist Gewalt eine Lösung? Agnes soll gegen ihren Willen verheiratet werden. Ihr Schicksal scheint besiegelt. Doch dann kommen sie einem Geheimnis aus der Vergangenheit auf die Spur die ihre Zukunft ändern könnte. Dann wird Agnes entführt und Mathis versucht alles um sie zu finden.--- Sehr spannende Geschichte mit leichtem Fantasy touch.

[Hannah · Rating 1 out of 5]

All I can think as I finish this book today is "Finally!"
While there are excellent descriptions of the landscape and castles of the German countryside, the story plods on for too long, and there are many repetitive words. The characters are not ones that are easy to want to root for, and the plot is predictable.
I liked the era and the setting, but this could have been so much better.

[Mary Alice · Rating 2 out of 5]

Strong female lead, but a predictable story

[Corin Kraai · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very entertaining, but pretty YA.
Definitely recommend if you need to turn your brain off and get lost.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 STARS. Enjoyed this 644 paged tome placed in Germany around 1524. The book centers around Agnes, not a typical sixteenth-century girl as she is busy flying her falcon and mixing with the commoners. She grows up during the Peasants War and the author does a great job with the time period. Words for the day: castellan, vivandiere and landsknechts.

[Judy Chessin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has been compared to Ken Follett's castle/cathedral series. It has the same epic scope covering the Peasant wars against the German princes and land owners as well as the religious Reformation beginning at the time. However the characters were not nearly compelling as Follet's. I enjoyed the history and the castle and church lore. I loved the back history of Agnes' life. However, as a character I found her shallow (or was it merely the narrators artificially high voice in reading Agnes -- often making her sound like a 9 year old girl?). The book was too long for characters I didn't enjoy enough.

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

If this is an adventure novel, it does a good job of continually dishing up danger, escape, wars, fighting, etc, but the writing style (or translation) was cringe-worthy too often. Bodice-ripping is a male fantasy, I guess, as the author used it at least twice, along with rapes and attempted rapes, that just did not sit well with me. The story was long and complicated and some of this trite material could simply have been left out.

The heroine was alternately bold and simpering. The hero, unbelievable. The villains- cruel. None were complex. I do thank the author for the setting and the historical background.

[Madison Houghton · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is nothing epic about this tale. It is honestly the most boring string of exciting plot points ever written. DNF.
(I tried so hard, I swear, but when you read more than 50% of a book and STILL don’t like it, you sometimes have to bite the bullet and call it quits).

[Jason · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have a complicated relationship with Oliver Pötzsch. I have read three of his books in “The Hangman’s Daughter” series, and I love that someone is out there fighting the good fight for quality historical fiction (particularly medieval fiction). At the same time, his books tend to be longer than I expect, sometimes overstaying their welcome, and there is just something else in his writing that... doesn’t work for me. Regardless, I dived into “The Castle of Kings”, excited for something new from the author of “The Hangman’s Daughter” series.


SUMMARY
Agnes is the daughter of the castellan of Trifels Castle in the Palatinate region of southwestern Germany and the year is AD 1524. She is a headstrong girl of 15 who enjoys hunting with her falcon and flirting with Mathis, the son of the local village’s blacksmith. Her father soon seeks to marry her off while contending with a local robber knight who is terrorizing the countryside.

Things grow increasingly complicated as Mathis aligns himself with protestant rebels and the countryside erupts with the Peasants’ War. Throughout this Agnes is plagued by bizarre dreams hinting at a secret within Trifels Castle. A mysterious society, foreign agents, a young nobleman obsessed with lost treasure, and an insane rebel leader are soon involved in a conspiracy that plays out against the backdrop of a countryside ravaged by rebellion and war.


OVERALL: 2.8 out of 5
This is a good historical adventure, filled with romance, fighting, and intrigue. There’s also melodrama, some uninteresting characters, and uneven plotting. You have to take the bad with the good though, and this book is mostly good. My biggest complaints center on parts of the story that aren’t interesting, a hint of supernatural elements that are really just story crutches, and a general disjointing of the mood.

To explain that last bit; the book feels torn between “hard reality” where horrible things happen to people, and a more fairy tale “the passing of feudalism” story where dreams mean important things and beautiful women stand on the battlements with their hair blowing in the wind. The narrative switches between these two atmospheres without warning, and maybe that was the goal, but it lessened the impact of the story for me. I guess I would have liked something more concise in terms of the mood developed by the reader while reading.

Ultimately, (according to the afterward) the author set out to capture the mystery and majesty of castles, and I think he succeeded. Medieval architecture plays an important role in the book, and readers who allows themselves to be carried away into the stone passages and tall towers will not consider their time wasted.


RATINGS BY CATEGORY
CHARACTERS: 2 out of 5
The characters aren’t very original. Agnes could be any modern Disney princess (strong willed, speaks her mind, engages in men’s sports, etc.), while Mathis is a typical “educated young tradesman” who feels torn between his love for Agnes (a lady of lesser nobility) and his belief that the feudal system is broken. Other characters play important roles (a minstrel-knight named Melchior von Tanningen provides some unpredictability), but there isn’t anyone here who jumps off the page.

My biggest complaint is that I did not really care about the characters. They have their motivations and hardships, but I was never too invested. Other opportunities for interesting personalities, like a mysterious African assassin who appears periodically, are mostly wasted.


PACE: 2 out of 5
The interesting stuff comes at occasional intervals, though not necessarily synchronized with the peak-valley structure of action vs. quiet scenes. Parts with the secret society, the mysterious African assassin, and the robber knight were of interest, while most of the parts dealing with Agnes’s dreams and the peasant rebels were not as interesting for me. The book feels too long.


STORY: 4 out of 5
Despite earlier complaints, I really enjoyed the overall story. It’s a great historical adventure with love, war, lost secrets, betrayal, and curious reversals of fortune. The decay of Trifels Castle parallels the declining role of knights in a changing world, and Pötzsch tries his best not to pull any punches. Innocent people are murdered senselessly, maidens are violated, and a lot of blood is spilled.

I think I prefer a slightly more “cavalier” flavor to my fiction (Howard Pyle’s “Otto of the Silver Hand” comes to mind, though that is by no means my favorite), but the grittiness in this story works partly because the first few chapters feel ideal- almost like a fairy tale that is rudely shattered by harsh reality.

My complaints mostly have to do with plot devices. The book itself seems to be uncertain whether the supernatural is a real thing or not. Maybe these elements add spice for other readers, but I was mostly annoyed by what seemed to be indecision on the writer’s part. Dreams just don’t work in real life the way they seem to in this story, and because it’s not really supernatural, they (the dreams) became a plot crutch.


DIALOGUE: 3 out of 5
Most of the dialogue is well-written, and Pötzsch does a good job of making sure each character has their own voice. You can flip to any conversation and tell within a second or two whether you’re reading Agnes, Mathis, Melchior, or some of the others.

There are some “speeches” though, where I felt like I was being bombarded with (admittedly important) narrative disguised as unrealistic dialogue.


STYLE/TECHNICAL: 3 out of 5
Okay, this is probably the hardest part for me to review. Pötzsch’s writing is clear and easy to read. There are some mistakes that should have been caught at the editor’s level (a one-eyed character seems to frequently have two eyes in the text), but there is something else going on here... something that is at the root of my problem with all of this author’s work...

My best guess is that something is lost in translation. Pötzsch’s writing is solid, but it lacks character. Robert E. Howard has this descriptive ability and dynamic action unlike anyone else, while Sabatini is eloquent to the point of being difficult to read (for those untrained). William Gibson’s writing requires a person to read into each sentence, but also pay attention to paragraphs as a whole, and J.K. Rowling has this ability to transport the reader into the world she is describing. Pötzsch... feels a bit like a textbook.

This isn’t to bash the author or his translators- I think the English here is TERRIFIC. It’s just that the technical execution lacks something more personal, and I don’t know if that could be fixed by anyone. Maybe I need to learn German to read the original material, but I wouldn’t want anyone to think the writing isn’t clear or even enjoyable- it just leaves me with a kind of empty feeling.

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s been about five years since I read The Hangman's Daughter with our book club, and while it wasn’t one of my favorites, it really felt like the majority of my problems with the book were more a result of the translator than anything else. Potzsch’s latest historical novel, this standalone one, has a different translator and I am hoping that this makes it more enjoyable.

And it’s engaging from the very beginning, offering a clear picture of the civil unrest in sixteenth century Germany with the reaction to a hanging. Potzsch nicely integrates history with action here – and even a sprinkling of romance, too! There are, unfortunately, still some anachronistic colloquialisms in the dialogue in particular that pull the reader out of the time period.

Still, it’s a fast-paced (though lengthy) read. While some parts of the plot are not entirely unexpected, it has a genuine adventure quality to it. The dreams, too, almost offer a flair of fantasy, too. It’s an enjoyable read, with an epic flair to it! The action is pretty consistent throughout, but the build-up doesn’t quite match the conclusion… it feels a bit rushed. The characters and the plot hold a few twists, and I liked the more fantastical elements – maybe Potzsch should consider a genre shift?

[Dokusha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ein junges Paar inmitten mittelalterlicher Hofintrigen ... würde das Buch in der heutigen Zeit spielen, wäre es wohl als Politthriller anzusehen. So aber ist das Dekor doch arg anders, und dadurch erhält die Geschichte eine ganz andere Atmosphäre.
Über die historische Korrektheit der Hintergrundfakten der Geschichte, die im 16. Jahrhundert in der Pfalz angesiedelt ist, kann ich nicht wirklich urteilen, dazu kenne ich mich nicht gut genug aus. Aber jedenfalls ist sie gut erzählt und klingt richtig. Am Ende bekommt Pötzsch auch die Kurve, ein Happy End zu erzeugen, ohne die geschichtliche Entwicklung verfälschen zu müssen. Ich habe das Buch gerne gelesen bzw. gehört und mich in die Zeit hineinversetzen lassen.
Was mich etwas störte, waren Agnes' Träume - ich bin nicht so der Esoterik-Fan. Und einige Male waren der Zufall etwas zu stark am Werk. Aber sonst - schön.

[Gloria · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not sure I can really write a review on this that can endorse this strongly. First, I listened to it over a few day that were personally stressful—a diversion basically. And something to help me sleep—which may be a questionable characteristic. If I could fall a sleep and have to rewind only sometimes, this might indicate the long-windedness of the tale, and from what I can see from the editions, the physical book is looooong.

I had this on my to-read list based on some sort of Goodread notification based on the reputation of the author's previous books. I have to say that, for historical fiction, I didn't really care about the two main characters (Agnes and Mattieu) and that really makes it tough to like the book overall. The writing (or is it the translation) made it seem that the writing itself was pretty clunky. I was interested in learning about castles in that time period (castles in general) with the implications for the politics for the time.

Again, a decent enough diversion but not engrossing. I think I felt committed to it based on mild curiosity about the mystery, the fact that the author's bio indicates he has a strong commitment to Germany history, being a descendant of a famous family of executioners.

[RG · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading this on and off for the last few weeks. Epic in scope however writing quite poor at times. Enjoyable read in parts however, very predictable plot and clichéd.. Could have been alot shorter which may have made it more accessible to some.

[Steve Coughlan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a clear example of how the translator matters. Some of the Hangman's Daughter series have occasional awkward translation moments... not horrible, but awkward phrasings that take you out of the moment to spend a few seconds thinking about idioms and grammar and the differences between German and English. This book reads as if written by a native English speaker. So all praise to translator Anthea Bell (and bonus points for a classical Greek reference in her name), and I'll probably move on to The Ludwig Conspiracy because she translated that as well.
I like to read Poetzsch because I know nothing about the time and place he writes about, so I get entertained and learn a lot at the same time. I'll never be an expert on Middle Age Germany, but I feel like I know where a few more puzzle pieces fit in the mosaic of European history that led us to the geopolitical, linguistic, and cultural place we are today. Yes, they are tiny pieces, well removed. But still.
So we have a "Ripping Yarn", set in a nothing-much-happened-here-that-changed-history time and place, that scratches a couple of my itches. Good enough. It's a long slog, but entertaining and educational. Oddly, I put off picking it up frequently, thinking "it's a lot of work to get back into the story, do I want to?", but then when I overcame inertia and re-engaged, it was hard to stop reading. Then time ran out, I put the book down, and the cycle started all over again. Some books are like that, and reward perseverance in the face of laziness. Clearly this is not everybody's cup of tea, but if you have my itches too, this will scratch them.
I have to complain (lightly) about the flirtation with the supernatural, which is rationally explained in the denouement, so it wasn't supernatural at all. But I didn't want any supernatural, so I was anxious he was going to ruin the story every time he went there. Also, there are the fairy-tale plot twists where wild hope and coincidence move the action, so a bit of unreality intrudes that requires some vigorous suspension of disbelief.