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The Chronicles of St Mary's #9
An Argumentation of Historians
The ninth book in the bestselling Chronicles of St Mary's series which follows a group of tea-soaked disaster magnets as they hurtle their way around History. If you love Jasper Fforde or Ben Aaronovitch, you won't be able to resist Jodi Taylor.They say you shouldn't push your luck. Max gives her own luck a massive shove every day - and it's only a matter of time until luck pushes back...January 1536 - the day of Henry VIII's infamous jousting accident. Historians from St Mary's are there in force, recording and documenting. And, arguing - obviously.A chance meeting between Max and the Time Police leads to a plan of action. And, it's one that will have very serious consequences - especially for Max. Her private life is already more than a little rocky. But with Leon recovering and Matthew safe in the future there will never be a better opportunity to bring down Clive Ronan, once and for all.From Tudor England to the burning city of Persepolis - and from a medieval siege to a very nasty case of 19th century incarceration - Max is determined that this time, he will not escape.Readers love Jodi 'Once in a while, I discover an author who changes everything ... Jodi Taylor and her protagonista Madeleine "Max" Maxwell have seduced me''A great mix of British proper-ness and humour with a large dollop of historical fun '' Addictive. I wish St Mary's was real and I was a part of it''Jodi Taylor has an imagination that gets me completely hooked ''A tour de force'
453 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 10, 2018
556 people are currently reading
3431 people want to read
About the author
Jodi Taylor
84 books5,381 followersJodi Taylor is the internationally bestselling author of the Chronicles of St Mary's series, the story of a bunch of disaster prone individuals who investigate major historical events in contemporary time. Do NOT call it time travel! She is also the author of the Time Police series - a St Mary's spinoff and gateway into the world of an all-powerful, international organisation who are NOTHING like St Mary's. Except, when they are.
Alongside these, Jodi is known for her gripping supernatural thrillers featuring Elizabeth Cage together with the enchanting Frogmorton Farm series - a fairy story for adults.
Born in Bristol and now living in Gloucester (facts both cities vigorously deny), she spent many years with her head somewhere else, much to the dismay of family, teachers and employers, before finally deciding to put all that daydreaming to good use and write a novel. Over twenty books later, she still has no idea what she wants to do when she grows up.
Alongside these, Jodi is known for her gripping supernatural thrillers featuring Elizabeth Cage together with the enchanting Frogmorton Farm series - a fairy story for adults.
Born in Bristol and now living in Gloucester (facts both cities vigorously deny), she spent many years with her head somewhere else, much to the dismay of family, teachers and employers, before finally deciding to put all that daydreaming to good use and write a novel. Over twenty books later, she still has no idea what she wants to do when she grows up.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 694 reviews
September 3, 2022
*** 4.44 ***
Second read and I liked it even better!!! 5*****!
A Buddy Read with my family @ BB&B UF Wednesday group.
"... “Dr Bairstow regarded him icily. ‘All my staff are handpicked.’ ‘That’s quite true, actually,’ said Markham, sunnily. ‘I’ve been handpicked many times. Mug shots. Police line-ups. ID parades. People are always pointing at me and shouting, “That’s him.”.” ..."
Maaaaaannnn, why does she do this to us, poor, gullible, good-hearted fools that we are... ? Once again, JT gets our full attention with another heartbreaking, hilarious, smart, convoluted and emotional installment in the Time-Travel Fiction series "The Chronicles of St. Mary's". Hmmm, my mistake, it isn't Time Travel, it is "investigating major historical events in contemporary time", as Dr. B never fails to remind us. I got a kick out of the name - apparently, a group of historians, one of those social structures who never agree on anything, is called an Argumentation:). It makes total sense to me and it is a perfect description of the group in Blue in St. Mary's. And as always, this Argumentation is joined by the chaos causing and in disaster thriving Science section, the never-quite-there Security section, the panic-inducing Costume section, and the ones who have to figure out how to fix everything after, the Technical section... Throw in a despotic director with a good heart and an aloof Muse of History, mix in some bad guys who constantly want to make mischief and destroy the place for ever, and you have just another day in the Chronicles.
"... "Somewhat to everyone’s surprise, the alarms went off which at least meant we couldn’t hear each other screaming."..."
The book starts pretty much as the last one left off. Max and Leon are trying to cope with Leon's injuries and missing Matthew. However, the ever thorn in their ass Clive Ronan, is out, free, and bent on destroying everything Max loves. Supposedly the Time Police has been helping search for him, but he is slippery and never backs himself in a corner. This is why Max decides to take things into her own hands and plans a trap. What could possibly go wrong??? We all know that answer, don't we? EVERYTHING! Not a thing goes right. Things go so badly, in fact, that at one point Max things it might be better if she dies... But we, well trained St. Mary's readers, know that JT is going to put her characters and her readers through their paces, pile up grief, hopelessness, and pain on us, and still make us beg for more...
I have very accepting and caring feelings for Max, and most of the time I am completely with her. But, there are times when I think she gets very easily thrown into self-pity and stops considering that other people have feelings and bad experiences as well... Leo went through , but Max tends to see only what she experiences as real and tends to get plain selfish. As I said, I still love her, maybe even because of that very realistic flaw in her character, but I wanted to smack her and shake her the last 20% of the book and remind her to count her blessings. She is still very, very lucky for the friendships, loyalty and love she receives from her gang.
"... “No, he’s made a very good point,’ said Bashford provocatively. ‘Women are just vessels, you know.’ ‘That’s very true,’ said Sykes, smiling angelically at him. ‘I myself am a seventeen-thousand-ton Dreadnought class battleship with enough firepower to destroy a medium-sized city.”..."
I love this series. It has some of the most likable and lovable characters and the travel to different major events in history only adds to the chaos and danger, never letting us relax and think that any of the characters is safe from pain or even death... But what keeps me personally coming back for more is the humor, always present in the core of the storytelling and seamlessly interwoven with the tragedies that are just as common. This time around we went to the tourneys with Henry the Eight, the fire of Persepolis, and the St. Mary's of 1399. We even got a very attractive Lord of the Manner to sigh over for a bit. I liked this vignette of the Chronicles very much, despite it also breaking my heart...
Overall, I enjoyed this book tremendously and am looking with anticipation for the books to follow!!! Give this series a chance - start from book one and if you are undecided, read until book three and then decide for sure if you are in it for the long run. I think it might surprise you:)
Now I wish you All Happy Reading and may you always find what you Need in the pages of a Good Book!!!
Second read and I liked it even better!!! 5*****!
A Buddy Read with my family @ BB&B UF Wednesday group.
"... “Dr Bairstow regarded him icily. ‘All my staff are handpicked.’ ‘That’s quite true, actually,’ said Markham, sunnily. ‘I’ve been handpicked many times. Mug shots. Police line-ups. ID parades. People are always pointing at me and shouting, “That’s him.”.” ..."
Maaaaaannnn, why does she do this to us, poor, gullible, good-hearted fools that we are... ? Once again, JT gets our full attention with another heartbreaking, hilarious, smart, convoluted and emotional installment in the Time-Travel Fiction series "The Chronicles of St. Mary's". Hmmm, my mistake, it isn't Time Travel, it is "investigating major historical events in contemporary time", as Dr. B never fails to remind us. I got a kick out of the name - apparently, a group of historians, one of those social structures who never agree on anything, is called an Argumentation:). It makes total sense to me and it is a perfect description of the group in Blue in St. Mary's. And as always, this Argumentation is joined by the chaos causing and in disaster thriving Science section, the never-quite-there Security section, the panic-inducing Costume section, and the ones who have to figure out how to fix everything after, the Technical section... Throw in a despotic director with a good heart and an aloof Muse of History, mix in some bad guys who constantly want to make mischief and destroy the place for ever, and you have just another day in the Chronicles.
"... "Somewhat to everyone’s surprise, the alarms went off which at least meant we couldn’t hear each other screaming."..."
The book starts pretty much as the last one left off. Max and Leon are trying to cope with Leon's injuries and missing Matthew. However, the ever thorn in their ass Clive Ronan, is out, free, and bent on destroying everything Max loves. Supposedly the Time Police has been helping search for him, but he is slippery and never backs himself in a corner. This is why Max decides to take things into her own hands and plans a trap. What could possibly go wrong??? We all know that answer, don't we? EVERYTHING! Not a thing goes right. Things go so badly, in fact, that at one point Max things it might be better if she dies... But we, well trained St. Mary's readers, know that JT is going to put her characters and her readers through their paces, pile up grief, hopelessness, and pain on us, and still make us beg for more...
I have very accepting and caring feelings for Max, and most of the time I am completely with her. But, there are times when I think she gets very easily thrown into self-pity and stops considering that other people have feelings and bad experiences as well... Leo went through , but Max tends to see only what she experiences as real and tends to get plain selfish. As I said, I still love her, maybe even because of that very realistic flaw in her character, but I wanted to smack her and shake her the last 20% of the book and remind her to count her blessings. She is still very, very lucky for the friendships, loyalty and love she receives from her gang.
"... “No, he’s made a very good point,’ said Bashford provocatively. ‘Women are just vessels, you know.’ ‘That’s very true,’ said Sykes, smiling angelically at him. ‘I myself am a seventeen-thousand-ton Dreadnought class battleship with enough firepower to destroy a medium-sized city.”..."
I love this series. It has some of the most likable and lovable characters and the travel to different major events in history only adds to the chaos and danger, never letting us relax and think that any of the characters is safe from pain or even death... But what keeps me personally coming back for more is the humor, always present in the core of the storytelling and seamlessly interwoven with the tragedies that are just as common. This time around we went to the tourneys with Henry the Eight, the fire of Persepolis, and the St. Mary's of 1399. We even got a very attractive Lord of the Manner to sigh over for a bit. I liked this vignette of the Chronicles very much, despite it also breaking my heart...
Overall, I enjoyed this book tremendously and am looking with anticipation for the books to follow!!! Give this series a chance - start from book one and if you are undecided, read until book three and then decide for sure if you are in it for the long run. I think it might surprise you:)
Now I wish you All Happy Reading and may you always find what you Need in the pages of a Good Book!!!
April 15, 2018
Always a solid SF read no matter what my initial mood. This is my go-to popcorn fiction/time travel/goofy historians/soap opera. I'm always excited to read and always amused to encounter and always satisfied at the end.
What more can anyone ask?
Hmmm... less heartbreak? But no. Then it wouldn't be such a soap-opera! Hunky lords of late-middle English castles or LEON? Hmmmm. Abandoned in time, making do with a hunky English lord that gets Max all hot or WAIT FOR LEON TO SAVE HER? Hmmmm.
COME ON! SOAP OPERA! DRAMA! lol
Setting that aside for just a moment, of course, we have some delicious Henry the 8th action, Persopolis, and some more dastardly villain stuff. And of course, tea and teddy. And reset buttons. And tears.
And Max burning down St. Mary's not just once, but now, TWICE! Sheesh!
Funny stuff, dark stuff, great stuff.
What more can anyone ask?
Hmmm... less heartbreak? But no. Then it wouldn't be such a soap-opera! Hunky lords of late-middle English castles or LEON? Hmmmm. Abandoned in time, making do with a hunky English lord that gets Max all hot or WAIT FOR LEON TO SAVE HER? Hmmmm.
COME ON! SOAP OPERA! DRAMA! lol
Setting that aside for just a moment, of course, we have some delicious Henry the 8th action, Persopolis, and some more dastardly villain stuff. And of course, tea and teddy. And reset buttons. And tears.
And Max burning down St. Mary's not just once, but now, TWICE! Sheesh!
Funny stuff, dark stuff, great stuff.
December 28, 2018
Brilliant! Jodi Taylor on form again. One of the things I’ve wished to read about in a series about time travel, was more of a prolonged stay in a time period. In these stories, usually, the team goes to observe specific events, get into a bit of trouble and come back. But in this one, Maxwell gets a longer stay. I loved William and was sorry for him. I really thought that would be the book wrapped up, but once there was a resolution to that story arc, then we have a very dramatic last few chapters. All her books have been excellent but this was one of the best! Recommended series, but start at the beginning.
April 12, 2018
So this is still one of my auto-buy favourite series and it continues t0 be so because it's great. The story is once more, bonkers, but in the most brilliantly British way, and I adore Max and how she deals with the various problems, creepy men, and hiccups along the way. She's just a power-house, and yet she feels like such a genuine and caring character too. She's real to me now!
I also really love Markham and Leon and all the others we follow, but I think Max will always remain the focal point, and so she is the one who always happens to get into (and out of) trouble. In this particular book we start the journey with a quick trip to the Tudors, and then not long after all the way back to see Alexander the Great and his sacking and destruction of Persepolis. There are, of course, many interesting historical tidbits along the way too.
Unfortunately, by this point in the series we are still being plagued by a familiar villain (and I like to think by this point he has become pure evil much like those you see in the superhero comics) who continues to try and disrupt the timeline and also to break up St Marys, the research facility who travel through time. He's a long-time enemy of them all, for numerous reasons, and once again he is up to no good trying to do nefarious deeds in this one.
Overall, this was another jolly good romp with just the right splash of Medieval peril and modern-day tea, but THAT ENDING is SO UNFAIR. I must admit, I need the next book NOW and part of the .5* deduction is because of the massive cliffhanger ending. I hope book 10 will be on the way soon as can be! 4.5*s from me :)
I also really love Markham and Leon and all the others we follow, but I think Max will always remain the focal point, and so she is the one who always happens to get into (and out of) trouble. In this particular book we start the journey with a quick trip to the Tudors, and then not long after all the way back to see Alexander the Great and his sacking and destruction of Persepolis. There are, of course, many interesting historical tidbits along the way too.
Unfortunately, by this point in the series we are still being plagued by a familiar villain (and I like to think by this point he has become pure evil much like those you see in the superhero comics) who continues to try and disrupt the timeline and also to break up St Marys, the research facility who travel through time. He's a long-time enemy of them all, for numerous reasons, and once again he is up to no good trying to do nefarious deeds in this one.
Overall, this was another jolly good romp with just the right splash of Medieval peril and modern-day tea, but THAT ENDING is SO UNFAIR. I must admit, I need the next book NOW and part of the .5* deduction is because of the massive cliffhanger ending. I hope book 10 will be on the way soon as can be! 4.5*s from me :)
April 12, 2018
I laughed. I cried. I gasped.
As always, I can rely on St Mary’s to spin a good yarn and deliver an excellent story. This time we find Max, on her own and without any chance of rescue, in desperate need of help. I don’t want to expand on the plot too much, as I think this is best enjoyed ‘blind’, but trust me - it’s as good as ever. The new characters, especially William, are thoughtfully developed to the point where I really grew quite attached to for all of them in such a short space of time. This is certainly where Jodi Taylor excels, in her character development and ability to creat such likeable and down to earth characters that just makes you either warm to them, or despise them, immediately.
I also felt like I was living in the time periods described - smells and all. I think it takes an author who really understands the layman’s love of history to make so many different time periods come alive and ignite an interest in an area of history I’d never really examined before. In this case, it was the fall of Persepolis. I knew nothing about Alexander (apart from the ‘Great’ conquering skills) and his apparent destruction of the once grand capital. As usual, I’ve since undergone a bit more research (I looked on Wikipedia) to gain a deeper understanding of what happened. I love that this series does that.
The stoic Leon, ever reliable and long suffering husband, definitely plays more of a backseat in this instalment. As does all of St. Mary’s. It’s all about Max, and to a lesser extent Ronan. How Max can cope on her own, and the very moral dilemma’s she faces when there’s no one to help. The main plot did remind me of Outlander a little (although it was less romantic and more realistic, thankfully). It was also concluded well, and rather delicately played out to a satisfying end.
I found I wasn’t as emotional after this book as the previous novel, And the Rest is History, but I appreciated the reprieve in heartache this time around. I think if anything, I missed the camaraderie between Max, Peterson and Markham from the main story. They’re the heart and soul of these novels, and I find the best stories come from these three being at the heart of everything.
Nonetheless, I loved this, and I’m already looking forward to the next one.
As always, I can rely on St Mary’s to spin a good yarn and deliver an excellent story. This time we find Max, on her own and without any chance of rescue, in desperate need of help. I don’t want to expand on the plot too much, as I think this is best enjoyed ‘blind’, but trust me - it’s as good as ever. The new characters, especially William, are thoughtfully developed to the point where I really grew quite attached to for all of them in such a short space of time. This is certainly where Jodi Taylor excels, in her character development and ability to creat such likeable and down to earth characters that just makes you either warm to them, or despise them, immediately.
I also felt like I was living in the time periods described - smells and all. I think it takes an author who really understands the layman’s love of history to make so many different time periods come alive and ignite an interest in an area of history I’d never really examined before. In this case, it was the fall of Persepolis. I knew nothing about Alexander (apart from the ‘Great’ conquering skills) and his apparent destruction of the once grand capital. As usual, I’ve since undergone a bit more research (I looked on Wikipedia) to gain a deeper understanding of what happened. I love that this series does that.
The stoic Leon, ever reliable and long suffering husband, definitely plays more of a backseat in this instalment. As does all of St. Mary’s. It’s all about Max, and to a lesser extent Ronan. How Max can cope on her own, and the very moral dilemma’s she faces when there’s no one to help. The main plot did remind me of Outlander a little (although it was less romantic and more realistic, thankfully). It was also concluded well, and rather delicately played out to a satisfying end.
I found I wasn’t as emotional after this book as the previous novel, And the Rest is History, but I appreciated the reprieve in heartache this time around. I think if anything, I missed the camaraderie between Max, Peterson and Markham from the main story. They’re the heart and soul of these novels, and I find the best stories come from these three being at the heart of everything.
Nonetheless, I loved this, and I’m already looking forward to the next one.
April 14, 2018
It's been a while since I've been at St. Mary's. True, I've kept up with the short stories as they are usually sweet in a way, but feel no guilt over having skipped #8. Maybe some day I'll feel strong enough to read it. Why I haven't so far? Well, I can get quite emotional about characters and the disaster magnets that are the historians, techies, R&D and security staff here are very close to my heart. The series has always been dramatic and an emotional rollercoaster but things happen in book #8 that are too much for poor little me. And people have to deal with the repercussions in this installment.
We know now that Leon, Guthrie and Markham are back and even Leon is on the mend. However, the events of the previous book have left their mark (and not only because ). There is a new doctor (although nobody knows for how long) and an annoying bureaucrat from Thirsk on top of all the work that had and still has to be put into rebuilding the building and equipment itself.
So when an almost unusually almost-uneventful trip back to when Henry VIII fell off his horse during a joust leads to a rendevous between St. Mary's and the infamous Time Police, Max and Matthew decide it's time to finally apprehend Ronan.
A plan is hatched involving Persepolis shortly before Alexander the Great burns it to the ground as well as an invaluable crown.
Naturally, things go very wrong (I was also sad to discover that we didn't spend nearly as much time in the ancient city as I had hoped) and Max lands when she didn't expect, being stranded in history with nobody knowing when/where. My problem with that was that ! So yeah, Max has become a major asshole for me. Sorry, but it's true.
The romp through time, the three historical settings the author conjures up, the humorous bits (especially R&D, as usual), the adventure, action and surprising reveals - it's all still great, clever, and I will continue to read the series just for that. However, Max and I are through. I'm over her so to speak and I pity Leon. And little Matthew. Dottle WAS right in a way.
We know now that Leon, Guthrie and Markham are back and even Leon is on the mend. However, the events of the previous book have left their mark (and not only because ). There is a new doctor (although nobody knows for how long) and an annoying bureaucrat from Thirsk on top of all the work that had and still has to be put into rebuilding the building and equipment itself.
So when an almost unusually almost-uneventful trip back to when Henry VIII fell off his horse during a joust leads to a rendevous between St. Mary's and the infamous Time Police, Max and Matthew decide it's time to finally apprehend Ronan.
A plan is hatched involving Persepolis shortly before Alexander the Great burns it to the ground as well as an invaluable crown.
Naturally, things go very wrong (I was also sad to discover that we didn't spend nearly as much time in the ancient city as I had hoped) and Max lands when she didn't expect, being stranded in history with nobody knowing when/where. My problem with that was that ! So yeah, Max has become a major asshole for me. Sorry, but it's true.
The romp through time, the three historical settings the author conjures up, the humorous bits (especially R&D, as usual), the adventure, action and surprising reveals - it's all still great, clever, and I will continue to read the series just for that. However, Max and I are through. I'm over her so to speak and I pity Leon. And little Matthew. Dottle WAS right in a way.
April 20, 2018
I’m so torn. There are things about this series that I love and others that tend to bug me. This book did have one of the best slap me in the face reveals at the end though so props to Jodi Taylor for that.
I love the history. Since I’m completely rubbish at historical stuff it is all new and interesting to me. Even when I do know a little about the historical event it is made better because it is shown with a new twist to it. That is really what makes the books really fun.
An Argumentation of Historians is more linear than most of the series in that Max gets stuck in one time Medieval St Mary’s for the majority of the book. It was as always interesting to learn the customs and ways of a culture in a different time and I totally liked that aspect of the story. I was a bit concerned that the book was going to try an Outlander type situation but I'm okay with how that particular arc was carried out.
But because Max in on her own for a good portion of the book we miss out on some of the fun shenanigans of all the historians together. It is just a different feeling to the story and while there is some spectacular fun at the beginning and a mess OMG reveal at the end I really missed the crew in the middle.
The thing that is difficult for me is that sometimes the author just doesn’t follow through on a few things. Like the Teapot pod, it shows up the time police are chasing it Leon takes it off someplace but then later he is back in the story and we have no idea where/when the teapot is and how they are keeping the time police off the trail.
There are a few things like this throughout the story that I feel are just left kinda dangling. Like when Max is back in the past
This is the book when I start wondering how much longer this series is going to go. I enjoy it but it seems like we should be getting to a point where we are wrapping things up a little. I mean how many times can Ronan be the bad guy? If nothing else that arc should have an end.
So while I like the series I really wish that sometimes a little more wrap up was done on certain sub arcs, but overall the entire thing is fun.
I love the history. Since I’m completely rubbish at historical stuff it is all new and interesting to me. Even when I do know a little about the historical event it is made better because it is shown with a new twist to it. That is really what makes the books really fun.
An Argumentation of Historians is more linear than most of the series in that Max gets stuck in one time Medieval St Mary’s for the majority of the book. It was as always interesting to learn the customs and ways of a culture in a different time and I totally liked that aspect of the story. I was a bit concerned that the book was going to try an Outlander type situation but I'm okay with how that particular arc was carried out.
But because Max in on her own for a good portion of the book we miss out on some of the fun shenanigans of all the historians together. It is just a different feeling to the story and while there is some spectacular fun at the beginning and a mess OMG reveal at the end I really missed the crew in the middle.
The thing that is difficult for me is that sometimes the author just doesn’t follow through on a few things. Like the Teapot pod, it shows up the time police are chasing it Leon takes it off someplace but then later he is back in the story and we have no idea where/when the teapot is and how they are keeping the time police off the trail.
There are a few things like this throughout the story that I feel are just left kinda dangling. Like when Max is back in the past
This is the book when I start wondering how much longer this series is going to go. I enjoy it but it seems like we should be getting to a point where we are wrapping things up a little. I mean how many times can Ronan be the bad guy? If nothing else that arc should have an end.
So while I like the series I really wish that sometimes a little more wrap up was done on certain sub arcs, but overall the entire thing is fun.
April 13, 2018
It's Book Nine in a series. If you're still reading reviews, pull the trigger already! Start at book one, Just One Damned Thing After Another, and work your way through the books. You will experience:
--angst
--agony
--outrage
--fury
--loathing
and that's just for the perpetratrix of the series.
All while laughing yourself sore. And note please that should you not be amused by the authorial voice, stop at once. Do not attempt to read further. You will do irreparable harm to your clearly already overloaded pucker-and-purse circuits.
--angst
--agony
--outrage
--fury
--loathing
and that's just for the perpetratrix of the series.
All while laughing yourself sore. And note please that should you not be amused by the authorial voice, stop at once. Do not attempt to read further. You will do irreparable harm to your clearly already overloaded pucker-and-purse circuits.
May 1, 2018
Buddy read with the honorary Historians (we can't be the real thing we have too much brains and sense of self preservation) of the Wednesday UF Group.
Jodi Taylor gutted us in the previous instalment so I expected a tamer as far as emotions go 9th book. Boy, was I wrong! Sure it wasn't as brutal as And the Rest is History but it had its own brand of emotional impact.
Warning! Spoilers!
Two things really screwed with my head and my poor abused feelings. As we well know Max's plans always end in disaster so when things went terribly wrong with her newest plan to capture Ronan (and let's face it more idiotic plan, showing just how much she doesn't grasp how his mind works plan there can't be!) I just shrugged and kept going. It was totally expected! So suddenly we're stuck into the Outlander and Max has to learn to live in the Middle Ages with absolutely no preparation. While it was fun to see life in 1399 and how Max manages to stear things into the right path as to preserve the timeline her growing attachment to St. Mary's Marshal bothered me. It bothered me because he is/was (I'm getting confused as to what the proper tense should be) a good man that deserved happiness and not the disaster magnet that is Madeline Maxwell. And since I was sure that she'll eventually return to her own time I felt bad for him because he truly cared for her. It was actually very sweet in a medieval, gruffy kind of way. Personally I think was unnecessary cruelty. I know it broke my heart and it can't take much more abuse.
The second thing was betrayal. We've known for a while that there's a traitor feeding Ronan information I just never in a million years expected it to be In the end this person got what he/she (I'm doing this so if you haven't read the book/my spoiler tags you can remain ignorant of who the traitor is) deserved though personally I would have rather seen him/her prisoner of the Time Police and squeezed for all he's/she's worth. Not to mention suffering in the knowledge that .
The last sentence actually scared the crap out of me because it promises mayhem of such epic proportions that I don't think even the combined powers of the Muse of History and the God of Historians will be able to preserve the world let alone the timeline because Maxwell has truly set her sights on Clive Ronan.
Jodi Taylor gutted us in the previous instalment so I expected a tamer as far as emotions go 9th book. Boy, was I wrong! Sure it wasn't as brutal as And the Rest is History but it had its own brand of emotional impact.
Warning! Spoilers!
Two things really screwed with my head and my poor abused feelings. As we well know Max's plans always end in disaster so when things went terribly wrong with her newest plan to capture Ronan (and let's face it more idiotic plan, showing just how much she doesn't grasp how his mind works plan there can't be!) I just shrugged and kept going. It was totally expected! So suddenly we're stuck into the Outlander and Max has to learn to live in the Middle Ages with absolutely no preparation. While it was fun to see life in 1399 and how Max manages to stear things into the right path as to preserve the timeline her growing attachment to St. Mary's Marshal bothered me. It bothered me because he is/was (I'm getting confused as to what the proper tense should be) a good man that deserved happiness and not the disaster magnet that is Madeline Maxwell. And since I was sure that she'll eventually return to her own time I felt bad for him because he truly cared for her. It was actually very sweet in a medieval, gruffy kind of way. Personally I think was unnecessary cruelty. I know it broke my heart and it can't take much more abuse.
The second thing was betrayal. We've known for a while that there's a traitor feeding Ronan information I just never in a million years expected it to be In the end this person got what he/she (I'm doing this so if you haven't read the book/my spoiler tags you can remain ignorant of who the traitor is) deserved though personally I would have rather seen him/her prisoner of the Time Police and squeezed for all he's/she's worth. Not to mention suffering in the knowledge that .
The last sentence actually scared the crap out of me because it promises mayhem of such epic proportions that I don't think even the combined powers of the Muse of History and the God of Historians will be able to preserve the world let alone the timeline because Maxwell has truly set her sights on Clive Ronan.
October 28, 2021
Thank goodness! After a few stinker reviews, how nice to review something fun, exciting, well-written and intelligent.
Not going to mention too many details, but the St. Mary’s crew gets the chance to see Henry VIII. For me, Fat Henry as they call him, is one historical ratfink that ranks up there with Hitler, Stalin and Caligula in natural villainy. Here not so much, but he’s on the downswing and about to lose another wife. Clive Ronin lurks evilly and Max takes a detour to medieval England for a very long solo trip through no choice of her own.
It’s worthwhile to note that Max as a female character, wife and mother, is not defined by being a wife and mother. They are essential elements to her identity, but this book and her stay in medieval England, post Black Plague, really drives home the concept that she sees herself as an individual first. Having read so many romances where the heroine is not a complete person with her hero, Max’s independence and drive to survive is refreshing. Some readers will hate it.
Her sojourn isn’t just medieval England, but medieval St. Mary’s. Without getting into spoilers, Jodi Taylor creates a life for Max out of time that is interesting and ultimately bittersweet and poignant and made me tear up.
Not going to mention too many details, but the St. Mary’s crew gets the chance to see Henry VIII. For me, Fat Henry as they call him, is one historical ratfink that ranks up there with Hitler, Stalin and Caligula in natural villainy. Here not so much, but he’s on the downswing and about to lose another wife. Clive Ronin lurks evilly and Max takes a detour to medieval England for a very long solo trip through no choice of her own.
It’s worthwhile to note that Max as a female character, wife and mother, is not defined by being a wife and mother. They are essential elements to her identity, but this book and her stay in medieval England, post Black Plague, really drives home the concept that she sees herself as an individual first. Having read so many romances where the heroine is not a complete person with her hero, Max’s independence and drive to survive is refreshing. Some readers will hate it.
Her sojourn isn’t just medieval England, but medieval St. Mary’s. Without getting into spoilers, Jodi Taylor creates a life for Max out of time that is interesting and ultimately bittersweet and poignant and made me tear up.
May 5, 2018
I love this series so much but this was kinda same old...not in a great way.
World: The world building continues to be fantastic, the history jumps and the cast of characters that readers have grown with for 9 books now is great. If you want history meets the office this world is for you.
Story: I really enjoyed the first third of the book, the banter, the crazy things that St. Mary's gets up to is great. I really enjoyed the barn story, it made me giggle. The core of the story is Max and the best part of it is when she interacts with the rest of the squad. That's why as much as I did enjoy this arc with her being alone in history (I love the history bits), I missed the banter, the tone went from nutty to that of 'To Say Nothing of the Dog'...which is rather drab and dark. It was a tone shift I didn't expect, of course things get back to normal in the end but the lull in the middle, not a fan. Add to that we have the same story again with Clive I'm waiting for something a bit more fresh.
Characters: Max is always great, and this book if nothing gave us a lot of her being resourceful and just strong and amazing. The rest of the cast is also hilarious and the best, but we don't get enough of it in this book. Clive and his story is getting long in the tooth I think that part of the story and his character needs to end.
I really liked this book, but I didn't love it because this felt too familiar to past books with Clive and the middle part was a tonal change I did not expect. I love this series, please give me something fresher next book!
Onward to the next book!
World: The world building continues to be fantastic, the history jumps and the cast of characters that readers have grown with for 9 books now is great. If you want history meets the office this world is for you.
Story: I really enjoyed the first third of the book, the banter, the crazy things that St. Mary's gets up to is great. I really enjoyed the barn story, it made me giggle. The core of the story is Max and the best part of it is when she interacts with the rest of the squad. That's why as much as I did enjoy this arc with her being alone in history (I love the history bits), I missed the banter, the tone went from nutty to that of 'To Say Nothing of the Dog'...which is rather drab and dark. It was a tone shift I didn't expect, of course things get back to normal in the end but the lull in the middle, not a fan. Add to that we have the same story again with Clive I'm waiting for something a bit more fresh.
Characters: Max is always great, and this book if nothing gave us a lot of her being resourceful and just strong and amazing. The rest of the cast is also hilarious and the best, but we don't get enough of it in this book. Clive and his story is getting long in the tooth I think that part of the story and his character needs to end.
I really liked this book, but I didn't love it because this felt too familiar to past books with Clive and the middle part was a tonal change I did not expect. I love this series, please give me something fresher next book!
Onward to the next book!
December 29, 2018
Before my review I want to respond to the snarky comment the author made toward her readers regarding our feelings/reviews over her last St Mary's book (#8). For most of this series these books have been the best in silly fun. This is not in anyway a criticism - it is damn hard to write books in which the dialog is laugh-out-loud funny. And Jodi Taylor does it. Books 1-7 have been rollicking good fun. They are best with the entire gang together planning for every contingency as they drop in to observe some historical event only to get into trouble because of course, it's the past and something always comes up unexpectedly. Book 8 is where the fun died. This book had the murder of a beloved character, a kidnapping, and child abuse. It was a downer in every sense of the word. And apparently the author is a bit pissed over our reaction. I say to her - if that is what you want to write then do so but do it in another series. It is snotty and immature of you to snark at the readers for telling you you wrote a crappy St. Mary's book.
Now about this one. Once again - no fun. There isn't one laugh-out-loud moment in this book - not one. And as for the entire staff -they hardly spend any time together so of course that limits the opportunities for witty and fun dialog and for frantic historical adventures. The back of the book mentions 'Mrs Midgely's objection to dead hamsters in her airing cupboard' as though that was just more of the crazy fun at St. Mary's for the reader to enjoy. It was - two-three paragraphs? What was it all about? Exactly as stated on the book cover - Mrs Midgely objected to the dead hamster in her cupboard. Apparently, this is now what passes as funny in a St. Mary's story.
And there is way to much Clive Ronan in this series as it is and in this book he completely drives the narrative. It is only because of him that Max plans the trip to Persepolis. And it is because of him that Max is once again stranded in a different time period (1399 for almost a year) And to the reader -it feels like it takes a year to read that part of the book. Max on her own is not that interesting. Max, at St. Mary's with everyone else, is. The 1399 section was too long and tedious. Christ - deal with Clive Ronan already. He is dragging down the narrative and he becomes more and more of a presence as the series goes on. This is supposed to be a series about a group of historians who time travel - not the evil plannings of Clive Ronan.
It doesn't look promising for the next story either since this one ends with Max determined to catch Clive her own way because everyone else has failed. Maybe Max (and our author) forgot that the plan to Persepolis WAS all Max's idea as a plan to get Clive. This was Max trying to catch Clive her own way. And since Max thought he would go for the crown (everyone but the readers thought that) I don't put much hope into her next plan.
And finally- when Max is captured by Clive he removes her tags so she can't be found by the Time Police. I am sorry but the Time Police are in the future. It is beyond belief that they haven't come up with tags that go under the skin or are implanted some how so they can't be removed. How many times can that horse be driven? Bored now.
12/18 -extra comment
Our book club just read the first one in the series and enjoyed it very much. But it just reminded me how this series has changed from one that was really funny and fun to one that has become something else. I read the review again and stand by every word of it.
Now about this one. Once again - no fun. There isn't one laugh-out-loud moment in this book - not one. And as for the entire staff -they hardly spend any time together so of course that limits the opportunities for witty and fun dialog and for frantic historical adventures. The back of the book mentions 'Mrs Midgely's objection to dead hamsters in her airing cupboard' as though that was just more of the crazy fun at St. Mary's for the reader to enjoy. It was - two-three paragraphs? What was it all about? Exactly as stated on the book cover - Mrs Midgely objected to the dead hamster in her cupboard. Apparently, this is now what passes as funny in a St. Mary's story.
And there is way to much Clive Ronan in this series as it is and in this book he completely drives the narrative. It is only because of him that Max plans the trip to Persepolis. And it is because of him that Max is once again stranded in a different time period (1399 for almost a year) And to the reader -it feels like it takes a year to read that part of the book. Max on her own is not that interesting. Max, at St. Mary's with everyone else, is. The 1399 section was too long and tedious. Christ - deal with Clive Ronan already. He is dragging down the narrative and he becomes more and more of a presence as the series goes on. This is supposed to be a series about a group of historians who time travel - not the evil plannings of Clive Ronan.
It doesn't look promising for the next story either since this one ends with Max determined to catch Clive her own way because everyone else has failed. Maybe Max (and our author) forgot that the plan to Persepolis WAS all Max's idea as a plan to get Clive. This was Max trying to catch Clive her own way. And since Max thought he would go for the crown (everyone but the readers thought that) I don't put much hope into her next plan.
And finally- when Max is captured by Clive he removes her tags so she can't be found by the Time Police. I am sorry but the Time Police are in the future. It is beyond belief that they haven't come up with tags that go under the skin or are implanted some how so they can't be removed. How many times can that horse be driven? Bored now.
12/18 -extra comment
Our book club just read the first one in the series and enjoyed it very much. But it just reminded me how this series has changed from one that was really funny and fun to one that has become something else. I read the review again and stand by every word of it.
May 3, 2018
This is a one click pre-order for me as are all the Chronicles of St. Mary's books! Can't wait to read it!
April 4, 2018
I thought this book wasn't supposed to be out until May 1st, but whatever, I'll take it, Amazon!
Oh man. So, first of all, I laughed out loud about ten times before the book even started thanks to Taylor's introduction and character lists. And then, just...a lot of things happen! And there are shocks, and tears, and great conversations, and that ending!
Okay, but seriously, Jodi Taylor! I am so mad about
Anyway, dying for book 10 now, arghhhh!
Oh man. So, first of all, I laughed out loud about ten times before the book even started thanks to Taylor's introduction and character lists. And then, just...a lot of things happen! And there are shocks, and tears, and great conversations, and that ending!
Okay, but seriously, Jodi Taylor! I am so mad about
Anyway, dying for book 10 now, arghhhh!
July 21, 2025
Oh my goodness. What a fun and wild ride. I had to listen to the last chapter twice to make sure I heard it correctly.
I believe that I will begin listening to the series all over again. I love Max and Leon and the gang so much. I am not ready to put them aside just yet.
I believe that I will begin listening to the series all over again. I love Max and Leon and the gang so much. I am not ready to put them aside just yet.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 3, 2019
An author's note opens the ninth book of the Chronicle of St. Mary's series indicates that this volume is a bit more "lighthearted" than the previous work. Although I agree with it being a "bit", it's not by much. There isn't as much killing of primary characters, but the story isn't any less emotional, especially when the protagonist, Dr. Lucy ("Max") Maxwell, is stranded at the 14th century St. Mary's by the rogue historian and villainous Clive Ronan's inept henchmen.
Although this book could feasibly be read as a standalone, I wouldn't recommend it. With eight previous books and a number of short-stories, it is becoming almost impossible to cover the major details in all the previous works. Anyway, it is unusual for me reading any series as far as I have read this series before becoming bored with it. However, Max's historical forays into the past with its accurate and detailed descriptions of life of ordinary people impacted by historical luminaries make learning history fun. I wish she was my history teacher when I was in school.
I'm troubled by one of mandates of St. Mary's designed to ensure historical integrity and to prevent time paradoxes. The historians can not bring anything back to the future unless it is about to be loss to calamities such as fire. What impact do they think that simply carrying on a conversation with the indigenous citizens might have for the future? I still enjoy the series even with these petty details. If you enjoy time travel series, this personal guilty pleasure should be on your "to be read" pile.
Although this book could feasibly be read as a standalone, I wouldn't recommend it. With eight previous books and a number of short-stories, it is becoming almost impossible to cover the major details in all the previous works. Anyway, it is unusual for me reading any series as far as I have read this series before becoming bored with it. However, Max's historical forays into the past with its accurate and detailed descriptions of life of ordinary people impacted by historical luminaries make learning history fun. I wish she was my history teacher when I was in school.
I'm troubled by one of mandates of St. Mary's designed to ensure historical integrity and to prevent time paradoxes. The historians can not bring anything back to the future unless it is about to be loss to calamities such as fire. What impact do they think that simply carrying on a conversation with the indigenous citizens might have for the future? I still enjoy the series even with these petty details. If you enjoy time travel series, this personal guilty pleasure should be on your "to be read" pile.
January 9, 2024
Book 9 in the St, Mary's Series and after a few ho-hum books this one made the grade for me.
In this tale we are taken back to medieval St. Mary's, where Max has gotten lost. I truly enjoyed the visit there, and enjoy Taylor's concentration on only Max for most of the book. I liked seeing Max pull her boot straps up and acclimate herself to a time period for more than a few hours or days. I got some good laughs and a few tears-a plus for me.
I know this series is "jumping the shark" and it is probably time for Taylor to wrap it up. However, I will read them until the end. They are easy, fun and combine 2 of my favorite genres, a great escape for me
In this tale we are taken back to medieval St. Mary's, where Max has gotten lost. I truly enjoyed the visit there, and enjoy Taylor's concentration on only Max for most of the book. I liked seeing Max pull her boot straps up and acclimate herself to a time period for more than a few hours or days. I got some good laughs and a few tears-a plus for me.
I know this series is "jumping the shark" and it is probably time for Taylor to wrap it up. However, I will read them until the end. They are easy, fun and combine 2 of my favorite genres, a great escape for me
May 25, 2021
This was amazing as usual! slightly slower paced than the usual books as we spent a lot of time in one place but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I did not see that twist coming at the end (I never do), I'm excited for the next book!
I did not see that twist coming at the end (I never do), I'm excited for the next book!
April 15, 2018
Probably one of my least favorites, so it was still really good, but I was rather disappointed in it. While Max is one of my all time favorite female characters, I'm a fan of St Mary's as a whole and their antics. I didn't enjoy the approximately 40% of the Max only show, and it seemed longer than that. It wasn't awful, it just wasn't as enjoyable as when they are all together either. Ending was pretty damn good and made up for it, otherwise I might have given this a three. Still, was wonderful to be back with all them, when we were. And damn Max & Leon going back to having no communication. They do suck sometimes. :/
October 13, 2018
I love this series. Unfortunately, except for a couple of short stories, I’m all caught up and now must endure the interminable wait until the next Chronicles of St. Mary’s novel comes out.
April 15, 2018
Well I was frustrated by the ending but I know we’ll find out more in the next book. Hope it comes out soon. Maxwell and Leon are recovering from the pod explosion that happened in book 8 but Clive Ronan is still lose and causing trouble. Where is he? I listened to the book in audible and Zara Ramm is Max. She is the saving grace from some of the stuff that happens in this book. I mean getting stuck in 15th Century St. Mlary’s For a year only to return to find out you’ve been gone only a week. All’s well that ends well. What’s next? Be sure you start with book 1 because you’ll be hopelessly lost unless you meet these quirky characters at the beginning. Historical time travel is amazing!
April 14, 2018
You know you really love a series when you buy the 9th one the very day it comes out and keep reading till it's done. Time travel, historical accuracy, wacky British humor, mayhem, and a certain amount of saucy romance--these are a few of my favorite things and they're all present in the Chronicles of St. Mary's. Now, when will we get #10????
June 2, 2025
This series has quickly become my go to for time travel and fantasy. Guaranteed to be full of adventure, hilarity and action packed it successfully ensures I get out of any reading slump and become sleep deprived as I end up staying up until it’s finished even if it is 4am and I’m only halfway through the book! Can’t wait for the next one!
April 18, 2018
Whilst continuing the main series arc with the intrepid historian Madeleine 'Lucy' Maxwell - Max to her friends - Taylor manages to deliver both another thrilling, humourous instalment and a very funny, tongue in cheek take on Outlander. I love this series so much. One to read and reread. My only quibble is the length of time between books, which if I'm being reasonable, isn't actually that long but I find it frustrating nevertheless. Highly recommend these fabulous time travelling historians.
April 21, 2018
Another brilliant masterpiece!!!
I love this series of books, the sass, sarcasm and humour are brilliant. Also you unwittingly learn things! I’ve learnt more history from these books than I ever did at school.
I love this series of books, the sass, sarcasm and humour are brilliant. Also you unwittingly learn things! I’ve learnt more history from these books than I ever did at school.
April 26, 2018
What can I say??? What a fantastic series. I absolutely love love love this series and this author!!! I'm already into Battersea Barricades! Oh my goodness, when is the next novel coming out??? Can't be too soon.
August 26, 2021
Excellent fun as usual! Love this series.
April 14, 2018
Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
Collective noun for historians: an argumentation.
One of the consequences of having a Mt. TBR that is just short of keeping me awake at night (both literally and figuratively speaking) is that there are few times I'm really waiting for a book to be published, because I have at least twenty (or a hundred) that are constantly screaming for my attention. However, An Argumentation of Historians was one of those few books, that I immediately bought on release day and I dropped all the rest so I could read it.
St Mary's is one of my favourite series. It is so light and British I find it the ultimate way to relax. Luckily the tone of this book is lighter compared to the previous one, and I enjoyed it much more. (Apparently Jodi Taylor received much complains about And the Rest is History, because she mentions it in her introduction). If you ever wanted to know what people get up to when they are 'investigating major historical events in contemporary time' read this series (this is book #9 and they should really be read in order). Don't bother with the science though, you will find very little of that, which is just fine because it is their not having an idea what they're doing that's at least half the fun of it. Additionally, it makes their responses when they historian better. Oh, and if you can't stand tea, stay wide from this series, because you will be reminded about it every second page or so.
This all being said and done, it is not all gold that glitters of course. There were some things I didn't like, so the next part will contain some spoilers for this book and the previous ones in the series.
After ATRIH I was pissed off, because she pulled the 'assuming someone was dead' again, and it is just such a cheap plot point. So I was glad she stayed far away from that in this one (even though it was clear from the start that Max would eventually return to the right St. Mary's). Which was really good, because in a fit of rage I might have declared to throw the entire series out of the window. See, I've certainly learned from the impulsiveness of everyone at St. Mary's. As I mentioned above, there is not a lot of scientific explanation to the workings of the time travel, but apparently it can't be that hard, since there are enough rogue time travellers to keep an full police force going. Also, the moments it bordered more on science fiction were some of the weakest in the series, in my opinion. Ellis' explanation of the future, with the Time Police's involvement in almost all things, was really bad. It would have better been left out. Finally, I feel the Ronan storyline should have ended some time ago. It feels rather repetitive at this point and I think there would be more than enough nice, interesting historical events to explore without him.
I see a new short story is due in 10 days, I can't wait!
Collective noun for historians: an argumentation.
One of the consequences of having a Mt. TBR that is just short of keeping me awake at night (both literally and figuratively speaking) is that there are few times I'm really waiting for a book to be published, because I have at least twenty (or a hundred) that are constantly screaming for my attention. However, An Argumentation of Historians was one of those few books, that I immediately bought on release day and I dropped all the rest so I could read it.
St Mary's is one of my favourite series. It is so light and British I find it the ultimate way to relax. Luckily the tone of this book is lighter compared to the previous one, and I enjoyed it much more. (Apparently Jodi Taylor received much complains about And the Rest is History, because she mentions it in her introduction). If you ever wanted to know what people get up to when they are 'investigating major historical events in contemporary time' read this series (this is book #9 and they should really be read in order). Don't bother with the science though, you will find very little of that, which is just fine because it is their not having an idea what they're doing that's at least half the fun of it. Additionally, it makes their responses when they historian better. Oh, and if you can't stand tea, stay wide from this series, because you will be reminded about it every second page or so.
This all being said and done, it is not all gold that glitters of course. There were some things I didn't like, so the next part will contain some spoilers for this book and the previous ones in the series.
After ATRIH I was pissed off, because she pulled the 'assuming someone was dead' again, and it is just such a cheap plot point. So I was glad she stayed far away from that in this one (even though it was clear from the start that Max would eventually return to the right St. Mary's). Which was really good, because in a fit of rage I might have declared to throw the entire series out of the window. See, I've certainly learned from the impulsiveness of everyone at St. Mary's. As I mentioned above, there is not a lot of scientific explanation to the workings of the time travel, but apparently it can't be that hard, since there are enough rogue time travellers to keep an full police force going. Also, the moments it bordered more on science fiction were some of the weakest in the series, in my opinion. Ellis' explanation of the future, with the Time Police's involvement in almost all things, was really bad. It would have better been left out. Finally, I feel the Ronan storyline should have ended some time ago. It feels rather repetitive at this point and I think there would be more than enough nice, interesting historical events to explore without him.
I see a new short story is due in 10 days, I can't wait!
September 8, 2022
Cette série est définitivement MA série doudou. Des historiens qui voyagent dans le temps et qui font n'importe quoi, un humour de fond de tiroir... j'adore!
November 24, 2024
St Mary’s doesn’t disappoint! Thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of the story and looking fwd to the next one.
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