The Sun King Conspiracy

by Yves Jégo, Denis Lépée, Sue Dyson (Translator)

A tale of religious brotherhoods, corruption, romantic intrigue and political scheming at the court of Louis XIV.



'Keeps the reader guessing ... conspiracy theorists will love it' Historical Novel Society


1661 is a year of destiny for France and its young King, Louis XIV. Cardinal Mazarin, the Chief Minister who has governed throughout the King's early years, lies dying. As a fierce power struggle develops to succeed him, a religious brotherhood, guardian of a centuries-old secret, also sees its chance to influence events. Gabriel de Pontbriand, an aspiring actor employed as secretary to Moli�re, becomes unwittingly involved when documents stolen from Mazarin's palace fall into his hands. The coded papers will alter Gabriel's life for ever, and their explosive contents have the power to change the course of history for France and the Sun King himself.

Genres: Historical Fiction, France, Fiction, Mystery, 17th Century, European Literature

445 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2006

Reviews

[Heidi Wiechert · Rating 2 out of 5]

A historical fiction about a French King, his mistress, his minister, his mother, an aspiring actor with a secret past and a secret society with hidden knowledge that could change the world.

"A chief minister is dying, yet people are interested only in counting the supporters and detractors of an entertainer..." pg 9, ebook.

Unfortunately, I didn't really care for The Sun King Conspiracy.

I felt like it was trying to be a mystery like The Da Vinci Code with the complexity of an epic historical fiction. It didn't quite reach either pinnacle.

"According to Colbert's report, the murderers took nothing else of any worth from my apartments. From this, I deduce that their only concern was to seize those papers." pg 36, ebook.

It was probably just me, but I kept getting the ministers and their roles confused. Also, their alliances and reasons why they hated each other never really made sense to me.

"The truth is," said the scholar with a sad smile, "that this question of succession seems to be the only matter that interests anyone in Paris, when the real subject that ought to occupy us, the only one worthy of any interest, is entirely different: it concerns the stability of the Kingdom." pg 142, ebook.

It felt like there were nuances to the court relationships that were never explicitly stated.

Maybe the author assumed a familiarity with the court of the Sun King that I don't possess.

The whole secret society part of this story was just flat. I felt like I'd read the same conspiracy in half a dozen other books.

"I am more aware of this than anyone else. I have paid so dearly for it that my belief in its ultimate success is perhaps the only thing that still keeps me alive..." pg 229, ebook.

I didn't connect with any of the cast of characters either. They were so cookie cutter.

Here's hoping I like the next read more. :)

[Susanna - Censored by GoodReads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual rating something between 2.5 and 3 stars.

This book has too many plot lines. And one of them, alas, is "overreaching universal religious conspiracy."

With a side touch of "as you know, Bob."

[Heather · Rating 1 out of 5]

It took me three tries to get through this thing. It's just not for me. There were too many characters and not enough story. Pacing was dreadfully slow. If you have a love a 1600's French history and political conspiracies, maybe you'll like this one better than I did. But, no. This was not for me at all.

**I received this copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

[Tonstant Weader · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Sun King Conspiracy by Yves Jégo and Denis Lépée is a complex historical novel with a myriad of intrigue and conspiracy swirling around Louis XIV, the famed Sun King. It’s a novel full of the movers and shakers of the 17th Century, from the Sun King himself, Louis XIV, his mother Anne of Austria, the Cardinal Mazarin, Minister of Finance Colbert, and Superintendent Fouquet with cameos by Moliere and even Charles Perrault, the author of Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and many other fairy tales.

Like a sheep among wolves, there is poor Gabriel Pontbriand, a lowly fictional character who comes to Paris to escape an overbearing uncle and be an actor. He is in love with Louise de La Vallière, though of course he does not know it. He literally trips over the key to secrets that could bring down the state and so much more, secrets that people have killed to get, including a cipher with the key to The Secret, a document guarded for centuries by a secret society.

The novel would be better named The Sun King Conspiracies because there is not one person who is not part of one of several conspiracies. There is the Queen and Mazarin’s conspiracy about the parentage of King Louis. There is Colbert’s conspiracy against Fouquet and every other person who is not Colbert. There are the religious zealots conspiring against Mazarin and Colbert. And of course, there is Fouquet’s grand conspiracy with the members of a secret society to guard The Secret and with its power change the course of history.

The best historical novels are those about people and times of which the readers know very little. Certainly, the less you know, the more you will enjoy The Sun King Conspiracy. It’s not that it is not grounded in history. It is. There are conversations that come right out Madame de Montespan’s memoirs, a sort of Real Housewives of Versailles score-settling memoir of one of Louis XIV’s mistresses. However, their interpretation of history leaves a lot to be desired. This is sort of an opposite-day history.

The novel takes seriously the wild theory that Louis XIV is the son of Cardinal Mazarin and not Louis XIII. It’s a ridiculous theory and ignores that Louis XIII and Anne were reconciled after yet another uprising when Richelieu convinced him that if he did not get an heir the uprisings and problems would continue. This speculation exists because some people insist Louis XIII was gay and would not sleep with his wife. He was bisexual, he had affairs with men and women. He understood the need for an heir and did his duty for an heir and a spare.

For me, the greatest problem was the authors’ decision to make Jean-Baptiste Colbert into such a cardboard villain, he only lacked a long mustache to twist with his fingers. No one who achieved his level of power was an innocent, the road to power is full of compromises and moral ambiguity. But, Colbert was one of the truly great bureaucrats of all time.

Colbert was not the flamboyant and charismatic sort of character that gets to be heroic. He was too busy working. Less famous than Richelieu and Mazarin, he mattered because of his competence in restoring the balance of trade, building new industries, investing in the infrastructure of France, and hauling France off the cliff of bankruptcy. He also codified the laws, and expanded and supported the colonization of Canada and Louisiana, even promoting the “Daughters of the King” whose transport to Canada was paid by the King to encourage colonization and expansion rather than just trade.

And while Colbert was a typical 17th century European and did not work to ban slavery or promote abolition, he did write the Black Code that guaranteed certain human rights to slaves, including one day off a week, adequate food and clothing, and the right to marry. It prohibited slave owners from raping women slaves. It prohibited separating families, defined a way to earn freedom and mandated other conditions utterly unlike American chattel slavery. Freed slaves also had the same rights as other subjects. It is why New Orleans had so many free people of color, people who earned their freedom under Colbert’s Black Code. And yes, from the eyes of today, it is all horrible and inexcusable, but for its time, it was a remarkably humane document.

So Colbert is the villain.

In contrast, Nicolas Fouquet is heroic, a patron of the arts, generous and pious and wonderful. However, in reality while he was Superintendent of Finance, he mingled his personal finances with the royal finances so thoroughly they could not be untangled. This was common. Richelieu and Mazarin enriched themselves as well. Surely Colbert did, too. But Fouquet’s conspicuous consumption in building Vaux-le-Vicomte, the inspiration for Versailles, was his downfall. You don’t show up the King. In the novel, he is presented as purely innocent of any inurement, though certainly the leader of the central conspiracy.

While the novel portrays Fouquet as a patron of the arts, he was more a personal collector of the arts for his benefit while Colbert founded many Royal Academies that continue to this day. He gave many writers a settlement enough to support them in their work, independent of the need to seek further patronage. For someone who has done so much good in his life, whose ideas about national economic development, banking and finance informed Alexander Hamilton and was a basis of our own system in the United States, it is sad to see him cast as the villain, but I suppose if you’re going to make Fouquet a good guy, there is no other option.

The Sun King Conspiracy was disappointing, not just in its historical revisionism, but also in the central plot. There was a conflict in France between the clergy and the aristocracy, it was not a conflict between oppression and liberty. The actual Secret was silly and disappointing. I expected more and kept reading in hopes that there would be a great Dan Brown sort of payoff, but there was not. Sure, I see the Dan Brown inspiration, but if you’re going to hide a secret until the next to last chapter, it better be a good one.

This book is going to be much more enjoyable for people who have studied history, who won’t have an inner “So Wrong!” sounding in their head while they read. If it were just a story about something I knew nothing about I would probably like it better. It’s a translation from French and who knows, perhaps the French view Colbert differently than those who studied him because of his profound influence on Canada and the United States.


I received a digital edition of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.

This review originally posted on my blog at:
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpre...

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

VERDICT: Meet all the major actors of mid 17th century France through this unrelenting conspiracy and a clever plot containing an age old secret and coded documents.

my full review is here:
https://wordsandpeace.com/2017/04/04/...

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

As Cardinal Mazarin, the Chief Minister and Godfather to Louis XIV of France lies dying, someone sets fire to his palace and steals secrets and compromising documents. Various factions would like to find and use these documents for their personal benefit and to support their own political or religious causes. But as the King comes into his own with the death of his most trusted adviser, the Cardinal, he may decide to rule on his own, thereby thwarting the plans of his ministers.

This historical novel is full of political intrigue, action and terrific descriptions of historical figures, architecture and arts as well as royal customs. The rich details provided by the authors make the reader feel a part of the action, while the scenery and characters come to life in a way that allows one to appreciate the past. Anyone interested in French history will find this an entertaining and fulfilling read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Gallic books for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Gretchen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion.

I find the Sun King, Louis XIV of France, to be a fascinating figure. Between the politics and the mistresses, it is hard not to. This novel made Louis XIV something less than fascinating and I found that to be disappointing.

The first half of this book was like pouring molasses on a cold day. Credit to the writer, because I had a desire to continue reading despite finding myself bored to tears at points. The mystery was just enough to keep me going. Unfortunately, the mystery (which finally revealed itself about 3/4 of the way through), was a little disappointed. Without giving too much away, I felt like this was a story told several times before. In this case, the author failed to put any kind of interesting spin on it.

I would recommend this book to those interested in the court of the Sun King who want to read about something slightly more interesting than which bed everyone is sleeping in.

[Βασίλης Ζησόπουλος · Rating 3 out of 5]

Το βιβλίο με κράτησε σε ενδιαφέρον, αλλά κάτι δεν μου άρεσε σε αυτό που διάβαζα. Ίσως να έφταιγε το γεγονός ότι ήξερα τον νικητή του συνομωσιακού πολέμου που πραγματεύεται το βιβλίο από πριν! Ίσως να έφταιγε και η γραφή (ή ίσως η μετάφραση) που σε κάποια σημεία κούραζε (ένιωθα λες και διαβάζω παιδικό βιβλίο).
Η υπόθεση εξελίσσεται στην αυλή του Λουδοβίκου 14ου, την περίοδο που αυτός αναλαμβάνει ουσιαστικά την εξουσία από τον Μαζαρίνο. Τα γεγονότα της εποχής προσφέρονται για πολλές ιστορίες, ειδικά όταν αυτές καταπιάνονται και με πρόσωπα όπως ο Φουκέ, ο Κολμπέρ και η Άννα η Αυστριακή. Το «1661» διηγείται μια έκδοση αυτών των ιστοριών και δίνει μια εξήγηση για την εξέλιξη της πολυσυζητημένης αναμέτρησης των Κολμπέρ και Φουκέ στο επίπεδο των ραδιουργιών και της συνομωσίας που έπλεξαν ο ένας για τον άλλο.
Το βιβλίο σε βάζει στην εποχή που περιγράφει και σε καταφέρνει (αυτή είναι νομίζω η σωστότερη λέξη) να το διαβάσεις μέχρι το τέλος, ακόμα κι αν το ξέρεις, όπως στην περίπτωσή μου. Το πρόβλημα έγκειται ότι τρέχουν πολλές ιστορίες ταυτόχρονα, χωρίς να είναι «σφιχτά» δεμένες μεταξύ τους και κατά συνέπεια η υπόθεση αφήνει κενά που γίνονται έντονα αντιληπτά την ώρα που διαβάζεις τις πιο αγωνιώδεις ίσως σελίδες.
Συμπερασματικά, αν πέσει στα χέρια σας, αξίζει να το διαβάσετε, αλλά μέχρι εκεί!

[ErinAlise · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cardinal Mazarin is not just the King’s advisor but he is also his godfather, confidant and above all, his friend. As Mazarin lays slowly dying, the King finds himself suddenly feeling free and powerful but at the same time, saddened and grieving for the man who had become his father. There are many who lurk in the shadows, waiting for the Cardinal to take his last breath and when it comes to the King’s majesty, no one can be trusted.
On the other side of Paris is Gabriel de Pontbriand who spent most of his life believing his father had passed away and seeks to make a name of himself in acting. By accident or divine intervention a document from the Cardinal’s keeping happens to mysteriously appear, Gabriel can’t make much of it but the one thing he does recognize is his father’s signature. The two stories weave and play out till it all comes together and the King faced with many decisions, must make his final move.
I’ve always loved the story of The Sun King and how Versailles came to be but this book definitely fell short of my expectations. I believe it started out with the best intentions but as the story progressed, it all became too much fiction and not enough history. To make matters worse there was also implications of a conspiracy within the Bible gospels, that for me was the breaking point.

[Constance Fastré · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alors que le parrain de Louis XIV se meurt, la Cour s'agite. Avides de pouvoir, les courtisans choisissent leur allégiance entre les puissants Colbert et Fouquet. Mais les machinations sont nombreuses et bientôt, Gabriel de Pontbriand, jeune artiste, se retrouve malgré lui mêlé à une conspiration dont il ne connaît pas encore l'étendue.
Un roman qui se lit facilement et vous transporte dans la cour du Roi Soleil presque sans effort. Malheureusement, j'ai trouvé la fin un peu faible et j'aurais aimé que le bouquin soit plus centré sur Louise que sur tous les protagonistes masculins et leur conspiration.

[Maarten Vidal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book to freshen up your knowledge of 17th century France and its protagonists. Loosely based on actual history. Unfortunately there are some irritating anachronisms throughout the book (one in the first few pages where one of the characters passes under Ponte Mazzini in Rome even though that bridge was only built 250 years later).

[Keisha VanWesten · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was hoping this book would be good. It was a last minute find at the library and mentioned on the book cover that conspiracy theorists would love it. I guess I was hoping for more action throughout the book. It started out with some action and mystery and then became slow. I struggled to finish this book and only finished it because I made a commitment to not have any books this year be a DNF.

[Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book from start to finish. King Louis was a very interesting character that was outrageous and diverse but those around him treated him like he was a god out of fear and belief. A great read. If you like anything about the French court you will enjoy this.

[Mary Ellen Barringer · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was interested in a historical novel that detailed "The Sun Kings " reign. This is not that book. The chatacters are flat, the political intrigue is left up in the air. Extremely disappointing.

[Velia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dalla quarta di copertina mi aspettavo molto di più da questo libro. Le premesse erano di per sé molto buone: focalizzarsi sul 1661 (l’anno di svolta per il regno di Luigi XIV) era un’idea ottima che lasciava ampio spazio di manovra, ma la resa è stata senz’altro deludente.
Se, infatti, la presentazione delle premesse storiche (quali i legami della famiglia reale con Mazzarino, la rivolta della Fronda e via discorrendo) sono dipinti molto bene, il proseguo sembra quasi un guazzabuglio d’eventi che si susseguono l’un altro fino a concludersi in una bolla di sapone: dell’inizio della politica del Re Sole, dei motivi che l’han portato ad essere il grande sovrano che conosciamo ci viene, infatti, detto poco o niente, se non quelle poche conseguenze che sono facilmente deducibili.
C’è, poi, l’altra storia, quella che procede parallelamente al quadro storico. Ebbene, sembra essere buttata senza alcun riguardo all'interno della narrazione, comparendo improvvisamente dopo la metà del libro dopo un breve cenno nel primo capitolo e non apportando assolutamente nulla al contesto. Insomma, a tratti l’ho trovata perfino fastidiosa.
Al di là della trama di fondo, l’altro enorme problema è stato lo stile: denso, lento, tanto che dopo un paio di pagine ti sembra di averne letto almeno una decina.
Unica nota positiva: d’Artagnan. Avendo amato il libro di Dumas padre prima e la serie televisiva poi, ritrovarmelo capitano dei moschettieri al fianco del Re è stata una grande soddisfazione, tanto da farmi sorridere ogni qual volta compariva sulla “scena”.

[Alain · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nous sommes ? Paris, en 1661, ann?e d?une grande importance car elle marque la prise r?elle du pouvoir par Louis XIV apr?s la mort du Cardinal Mazarin. Le roi a bien l?intention de mettre la noblesse au pas, ne lui ayant jamais pardonn? la Fronde. Un des premiers ? faire les frais de cette nouvelle politique sera Nicolas Fouquet, surintendant des Finances.


C?est dans ce contexte que les deux auteurs, Yves J?go et Denis L?p?e, ont inclus leur intrigue. Ils ont, en quelque sorte, plac? leur histoire dans l?Histoire.




Juste avant la mort du Cardinal, des hommes de main ont d?rob? dans les appartements de Mazarin des documents d?une extr?me importance pour le royaume. Gabriel de Pontbriand, jeune noble de province r?cemment arriv? ? Paris pour devenir com?dien, va ?tre entra?n? bien malgr? lui dans cette affaire. Gr?ce ? lui, le lecteur va rencontrer de nombreux personnages illustres de cette ?poque : La Fontaine, Anne d?Autriche, Colbert, le ch?teau de Vaux-le-Vicomte ?




L?int?r?t de ce livre vient en grande partie de son aspect historique bien document?. Mais si, comme moi, le lecteur conna?t d?j? bien l'histoire de cette ?poque, le livre lui para?tra bien moins int?ressant. Il reste cependant la r?solution du complot qui fait passer un bon moment de lecture.

[Katrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nicholas Fouquet---a man associated with extraordinary rise and fall, secret societies and (rightly or wrongly) the Man in the Iron Mask. To be able to read a book that explores his downfall set against the religious and political turbulence of the time was a real treat and I enjoyed every moment spent with the book.

The other characters are just as intriguing: the dying Cardinal Mazarin and his spoiled nieces, the conniving Colbert, Anne of Austria at the end of a tumultuous reign and her son Louis XIV, a young king both arrogant and unsure of himself, easily manipulated even as he tries to enforce his will.

The worldbuilding is excellent, I did feel as I was transported to those times and the language beautiful though I'm sure if I read it in its original French, I would be even more enthralled.

My own quibble is regarding the secret society having been plotting for centuries and yet unable to counteract the threat to their emissary to the King. At certain points, it was frustrating to read about men who were so brilliant and careful misjudging the situation so badly. Though it perhaps is more genuine and 'real' for the fallibility of its characters, yet still there is the urge to wish that they could have outsmarted their enemy.

This book was provided by the Publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this novel for free from Goodreads.

This was an interesting and engaging novel about the young King Louis XIV of France, the death of his Godfather Cardinal Mazarin and the tumultuous play for power that follows.

I want to preface this review by saying I know basically nothing about this time period. I've read The Three Muskateers and that's the extent of it (which, lets be honest, isn't really anything at all to go on). It seems D'Artagnan is actually a real person and serves Louis XIV, so Dumas knew more than I thought as well!

During the narrative we follow the building of the Chautaux de Vaux-le-Vitcome and the beginning of Louis' relationship with his mistress Louise, both of which Google tells me are real. The writers Jego and Lepee are both writers of historical novels so I don't doubt that there's a lot to get out of this novel if you're a particular fan of the time period too.

The plot itself is well paced and the characters are engaging however the phrasing is occasionally a little clumsy as this is a translation from French to English.

I enjoyed this novel and was intrigued to see how it would play out even if I did have to keep Googling people! A great read.

[Mirella · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this fast paced historical thriller, we are swept into the court of France's Sun King, King Louis XIV. The authors introduce us many of the characters who lived at the time - the king, queen, mistresses, and Cardinal Mazarin and his nieces. But Cardinal Mazarin is near death and members of the secret society to which he belongs enact some dastardly and powerful maneuvers to take his place. Thus begins an exciting story of political intrigue, espionage, murder, and betrayal. I liked the fast-paced, intricate plot and how more and more of the story was revealed a little at a time. This kept me engaged to the end. The characters were well drawn, as were the many historical descriptions of locations, clothing, and occurrences.
This was one of the most decadent periods of French History. and the authors present a spectacular yet private glimpse into the wealthy and opulent court of the handsome and virie King Louis XIV and his many lovers.
Thank you to the author and publisher. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for visiting my blog, http://greathistoricals.blogspot.ca, where the greatest historical fiction is reviewed! For fascinating women of history bios and women's fiction please visit http://www.historyandwomen.com.

[Melisende · Rating 4 out of 5]

A secret society will stop at nothing to obtain a secret document held by the dying Cardinal Jules Mazarin, and to this end they employ one Gabriel de Pontbriand, an actor in Moliere's troupe, to retrieve the document. But now, Gabriel has become a target as those who employed him now seek to recover this mysterious document. Gabriel finds himself under the protection of Nicholas Fouquet, little realising Fouquet is not what he appears. A meeting with his father, and the secret is partly revealed (hence another alternate title of this book - The Fifth Gospel).

It helped that I was somewhat familiar with this period in history, so the cast was not unknown. The pace was certainly maintained and my interest did not wain, despite the length of the novel. The fact that both authors are politicians may have enhanced the heightened elements of political courtly intrigue that feature so prominently at the French court at this time - a veritable hornets nest.

Will there be a sequel ..... the reader was certainly left with questions unanswered so I hope so.

[Eileen Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book about the France of the young, so called Sun King, Louis X1V, involving his dying Prime Minister Cardinal Mazarin.
Papers have been stolen from the Cardinal, implicating him in a scandal of marriage and embezzlement. These papers could change France and alter the course of history.
An exciting story with brilliant descriptions of Versailles as well.
This is an English translation of a book published in France in 2005, titled 1661.
I was given a digital copy of this novel by the publisher via Netgalley in return for an honest unbiased review.

[E Vikander · Rating 5 out of 5]

Political intrigue surrounds the court of Louis XIV. The king's powerful godfather and Chief Minister, Cardinal Mazarin, is dying and the ministers are vying for the power left in the Cardinal's wake. Key to this struggle for power are missing documents also sought by the enigmatic Brotherhood, protectors of the Secret that goes back to the time of Christ. This sophisticated and finely tuned historical fiction is thoroughly engaging. The lush period details enhance the spying, scheming, poisoning, double-dealing, and torture in this nest of vipers.

[Antonio · Rating 1 out of 5]

Non si capisce gli autori dove vogliono andare a parare con questo libro. E' un romanzo mix tra storico e mistero, molto più incentrato sul lato storico, dove agli avvenimenti realmente accaduti viene associata una sorta di storia tra sette e compagnia bella... Riuscito? NO, gli autori non sono Dan Brown, quindi anche sforzandosi non ci sono riusciti, ne esce un romanzo che non ingrana (diventa interessate solo a 80 pagine dalla fine), un romanzo che annoia e che vorresti chiudere (quindi se siete come me che se iniziate un libro DOVETE finirlo, bhè una mezza tortura)... evitatelo.

[Eileen Hall]

An intriguing fictional account of the struggle by warring factions in the court of Louis XIV, to replace the dying Cardinal Mazarin, Louis chief minister with one of their own.
Conspiracies and secret coded papers abound and the threats to Louis' life are real.
Recommended.
I was given a digital copy of this book by the publisher Gallic Books via Netgalley in return for an honest unbiased review.

[thebookiereviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing book. A story of secrets, political plots inside a well developed plot with really strong characterizations alongside with brilliant descriptions.

disclaimer: I got a copy from netgalley for my honest opinion

[Marta J. de Villefort · Rating 1 out of 5]

#grandiludendo

[The Idle Woman · Rating 2 out of 5]

For a review, please see my blog:
https://theidlewoman.net/2016/06/29/t...

[Ann Theis]

PW

[Karen Lee-Johnston · Rating 3 out of 5]

An ok story but I found the translation a bit stilted!