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For Queen and Country #1-3
For Queen And Country Books 1-3
Ghosts, demons, wizards and a kingdom in trouble. As the only child of a successful merchant, Johanna has her wits and a sense for business. The royal family is in deep ever since the crown princess died of illness, the king has attempted to educate his son to become king. However, the prince is "not good in the head" and quite unsuited to the task. In his grief for his daughter, the king has run the coffers he hired dubious magicians for even more dubious tasks. Those magicians circle like vultures waiting for the kingdom to fail. The king must get his son on the throne, preferably supported by a smart and well-off wife. He holds a ball in his son's honour. Johanna has agreed to a dance. But the guests include a number of magicians who are not there for the festivities. This collection of the first three books in the series has all the ghosts, demons and evil magic you ever wanted, and a strong heroine to deal with them all. Grab this special deal now!
586 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 11, 2015
111 people are currently reading
129 people want to read
About the author
Patty Jansen
148 books293 followersAuthor of Science Fiction and fantasy and non-fiction.
Author of the Ambassador series, the Icefire Trilogy, For Queen And Country series and the Return of the Aghyrians series.
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Author of the Ambassador series, the Icefire Trilogy, For Queen And Country series and the Return of the Aghyrians series.
Join the official newsletter and receive four books free
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
December 25, 2016
I am really glad that I got an ombnibus edition of this series that included books 1-3. Even after reading all three, there are many, many questions about who invaded Saardam, the murky political connections between the Baron, the Duke, and magicians, and even the ultimate fate of the possessed farm girl Loesie (featured in the prologue) who is the companion of the main character, merchant's daughter Johanna Brouwer.
Each of the three books ends in something of a cliffhanger.
Johanna and her father are rich merchants owning river boats drawn by "sea cows" in this alternate European history-based fantasy where magic is frowned upon by a Church of the Triune only loosely based on Christianity.. The series starts with Johanna attending the King's ball and being introduced to the Prince, who is deemed a half-wit by most nobles, but to whom a reader my attribute signs of autism.
When the city is invaded, Johanna, the prince, and Loesie must flee upriver into the lands of the Baron and the Duke in the midst of a forest filled with ghosts and bandits.
There are mysteries and adventures, but the best part of this series is the way Johanna learns to manage the prince and appreciate his strengths. The second book seemed to me a lot of gallivanting around in the forest, but in the third book when they finally reach the mysterious monastery where the prince was hidden away before, some of the temporarily abandoned thread plots (such as the mysterious magician who cursed Loesie) begin to be woven together again.
Entertaining, if somewhat slow in the middle, has developed characters, politics, and intrigue.
Each of the three books ends in something of a cliffhanger.
Johanna and her father are rich merchants owning river boats drawn by "sea cows" in this alternate European history-based fantasy where magic is frowned upon by a Church of the Triune only loosely based on Christianity.. The series starts with Johanna attending the King's ball and being introduced to the Prince, who is deemed a half-wit by most nobles, but to whom a reader my attribute signs of autism.
When the city is invaded, Johanna, the prince, and Loesie must flee upriver into the lands of the Baron and the Duke in the midst of a forest filled with ghosts and bandits.
There are mysteries and adventures, but the best part of this series is the way Johanna learns to manage the prince and appreciate his strengths. The second book seemed to me a lot of gallivanting around in the forest, but in the third book when they finally reach the mysterious monastery where the prince was hidden away before, some of the temporarily abandoned thread plots (such as the mysterious magician who cursed Loesie) begin to be woven together again.
Entertaining, if somewhat slow in the middle, has developed characters, politics, and intrigue.
February 12, 2023
This was three books and an interesting start to the series. I couldn't work out when it was set, but got the impression it was in the nineteenth century. I also couldn't decide the place, although it sounded like the Netherlands, but it could have been a fictitious location.
I quite liked Johanna and her feisty and courageous nature carried the story along. I was touched by the fact the man she married, King Roald, was called an idiot king, but in the twenty-first century he would be diagnosed on the autistic spectrum. The author certainly understood the condition very well.
This story was filled with mystical creatures, magical abilities and moved at a fast pace. There were some typos near the end and it's a shame a proofreader didn't spot these.
Even so, I enjoyed Ghostspeaker Chronicles and can recommend it to readers who like their adventures to be not of this world.
I quite liked Johanna and her feisty and courageous nature carried the story along. I was touched by the fact the man she married, King Roald, was called an idiot king, but in the twenty-first century he would be diagnosed on the autistic spectrum. The author certainly understood the condition very well.
This story was filled with mystical creatures, magical abilities and moved at a fast pace. There were some typos near the end and it's a shame a proofreader didn't spot these.
Even so, I enjoyed Ghostspeaker Chronicles and can recommend it to readers who like their adventures to be not of this world.
January 18, 2019
Ghosts and magic!
Patty Jansen has a wonderful gift for coming up with new and different storyline’s. This series doesn’t disappoint. We follow the story of Johanna Brouwer, the daughter of a successful spice merchant. He is so successful that the king wants Johanna as a wife to the Prince, at a price. Johanna is young and naive and doesn’t appreciate being told that she needs to marry the Prince, Roald. During a ball, given in the Prince’s honour, an attack by rough bandits and men with trained attack bears as well as fire mages. Before long, the city of Saardam is aflame and people are being massacred everywhere, including in the palace. Johanna sees the carnage and runs to her home hoping to find her father but only finds her maid Nellie and a friend, Loesie. Johanna takes charge and gets them down to the jetty where one of her father’s boats is moored. As they cast off they see a man swimming towards them and calling for help. When he is pulled aboard he is seen to be Prince Roald.
From this dramatic start the four of them make their way upstream where they encounter more magic than they realised existed and meet up with other refugees from Saarland.
Johanna is a strong character who takes charge and pushes forward despite the fact that she is petrified for much of the time.
Trying to get to the bottom of who’s responsible for the havoc created in Saardam is not easy but Johanna realises that, no matter what, they must return home and establish Roald as the new king.
The series proofreading is not up to the normal standards of Jansen’s books but the story overcomes that defect. Definitely 5 stars.
Patty Jansen has a wonderful gift for coming up with new and different storyline’s. This series doesn’t disappoint. We follow the story of Johanna Brouwer, the daughter of a successful spice merchant. He is so successful that the king wants Johanna as a wife to the Prince, at a price. Johanna is young and naive and doesn’t appreciate being told that she needs to marry the Prince, Roald. During a ball, given in the Prince’s honour, an attack by rough bandits and men with trained attack bears as well as fire mages. Before long, the city of Saardam is aflame and people are being massacred everywhere, including in the palace. Johanna sees the carnage and runs to her home hoping to find her father but only finds her maid Nellie and a friend, Loesie. Johanna takes charge and gets them down to the jetty where one of her father’s boats is moored. As they cast off they see a man swimming towards them and calling for help. When he is pulled aboard he is seen to be Prince Roald.
From this dramatic start the four of them make their way upstream where they encounter more magic than they realised existed and meet up with other refugees from Saarland.
Johanna is a strong character who takes charge and pushes forward despite the fact that she is petrified for much of the time.
Trying to get to the bottom of who’s responsible for the havoc created in Saardam is not easy but Johanna realises that, no matter what, they must return home and establish Roald as the new king.
The series proofreading is not up to the normal standards of Jansen’s books but the story overcomes that defect. Definitely 5 stars.
March 25, 2024
This was, to be blunt, bullshit. There is nothing in the blurb to indicate that this book is incomplete. It simply ends. I can't even call it a cliffhanger, because the story simply ends.
The writing was well done. I enjoyed the set up of the fantasy realm, and it felt easy to slip into this world. Some description would have have served when it came to certain details. For example, there is nearly no description of how people look/appear. Since there is no description of what a sea-cow actually is, I simply envisioned manatees.
Also, horses with duck feet? So they can swim? Horses already can swim, and quite well. At least if they had used kelpies I could appreciate the mythology making sense.
I very strongly believe that Johanna's father should have been more upfront with her in the beginning. Especially regarding marriage prospects. It would have lead to better relations between them, and lessened the sting of learning she was to marry the crown prince.
I refuse to even acknowledge the complete and utter bullshit that is the mockery of mental illness that the author dumped on the crown prince.
The writing was well done. I enjoyed the set up of the fantasy realm, and it felt easy to slip into this world. Some description would have have served when it came to certain details. For example, there is nearly no description of how people look/appear. Since there is no description of what a sea-cow actually is, I simply envisioned manatees.
Also, horses with duck feet? So they can swim? Horses already can swim, and quite well. At least if they had used kelpies I could appreciate the mythology making sense.
I very strongly believe that Johanna's father should have been more upfront with her in the beginning. Especially regarding marriage prospects. It would have lead to better relations between them, and lessened the sting of learning she was to marry the crown prince.
I refuse to even acknowledge the complete and utter bullshit that is the mockery of mental illness that the author dumped on the crown prince.
January 4, 2023
In book 1 & 2 The MC Johanna is a 24 yr old merchants daughter and her lady maid aprox same age is a rather prudish girl who acts like either a small child whinning or a old Spinster lady. The maid whines and crys and complains constantly, which is extremely annoying.
The story is long and drawn out and not all that interesting. I personally will not continue this Series. Narrator did a fair job on this book.
The story is long and drawn out and not all that interesting. I personally will not continue this Series. Narrator did a fair job on this book.
July 7, 2020
Fantastic savings on a great series!
I read 'Innocence Lost' in an anthology and had to get more of the story. This is an epic coming of age/battling evil tale. Warning: Each book ends at a decision point with the story unfinished. Sword and Sorcery War, friendship loyalty tested, world view expanded, sex with the chance of sexy times. Some editing errors.
I read 'Innocence Lost' in an anthology and had to get more of the story. This is an epic coming of age/battling evil tale. Warning: Each book ends at a decision point with the story unfinished. Sword and Sorcery War, friendship loyalty tested, world view expanded, sex with the chance of sexy times. Some editing errors.
October 31, 2021
I read the Ghostspeaker Chronicles AFTER the Dragonspeaker Chronicles, just because I found the latter first. A bit of a pity coz the Ghostspeaker Chronicles give the background to the Dragonspeaker Chronicles. I rate these a bit lower, as they tend to drag on a bit here and there. Worth reading though.
September 23, 2017
Interesting story but rambling
Atypical characters were refreshing but the rambling path from on uncontrolled situation to the next took it's toll. Mechanically well written but not my type of story.
Atypical characters were refreshing but the rambling path from on uncontrolled situation to the next took it's toll. Mechanically well written but not my type of story.
August 7, 2018
Had my mind made up these books would get a 4.
Then I started reading the third book and disappointment reigned. In the first two books the editing is close to perfect. The third book has characters called by each other's names, misspelled words and a strange sentence.
Then I started reading the third book and disappointment reigned. In the first two books the editing is close to perfect. The third book has characters called by each other's names, misspelled words and a strange sentence.
August 24, 2018
Strong characters and setting
Slow build, with unexpected twists. Magic in the background and building. Such a mixed bag of characters, learning to rely on and even love each other.
Slow build, with unexpected twists. Magic in the background and building. Such a mixed bag of characters, learning to rely on and even love each other.
July 31, 2018
I was very impressed with the fantasy that seems to be centered on 16th century Amsterdam. I would have preferred a more thorough explanation on how magic system works, but overall a very good read.
October 13, 2025
I have listened to the audiobook for this title under "Ghostspeaker Chronicles Books 1=3"
I have reviewed each title contained within this series set box on the individual titles pages.
I have reviewed each title contained within this series set box on the individual titles pages.
January 16, 2017
Fantasy genre, set in a sort of alternate Europe with magic. You join the headstrong but likeable (read not irrationally stubborn) heroine, who is the daughter of a rich port city merchant, right before her world gets turned upside down. You are along for the ride, in some cases knowing more than the heroine, in trying to figure out why and who to trust. The unconventional Prince lead is described as having some autistic features. The other characters are not as well drawn, but the political backdrop definitely is. There are church politics, class politics, and national politics to contend with. I had never read anything by this author before - and I was pleasantly surprised by this inexpensive set. I will definitely buy the rest of the series, and check out her other works. Recommended!
September 6, 2018
Patty Jansen sure have taught me a lesson with this book,
She taught me that good writing does all the difference, it was wonderful that I could feel exactly what the characters did, she really brought them to life.
Truly beautiful, I really need to continue listening to the rest of this series, somehow she was able to install in me that it’s going to get serious soon enough.
A masterpiece !!!
Yes I full heartedly recommend listening to this audiobook to all.
Even so that I got this audiobook for free I truly believe that I reviewed this one as honestly as possible.
She taught me that good writing does all the difference, it was wonderful that I could feel exactly what the characters did, she really brought them to life.
Truly beautiful, I really need to continue listening to the rest of this series, somehow she was able to install in me that it’s going to get serious soon enough.
A masterpiece !!!
Yes I full heartedly recommend listening to this audiobook to all.
Even so that I got this audiobook for free I truly believe that I reviewed this one as honestly as possible.
May 7, 2019
This book was fun and sweet, and had great representation of overlooked personalities and touches on autism/spectrum.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews