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Fortune's Hand: The Triumph and Tragedy of Walter Raleigh
"In impressively muscular prose strongly reminiscent of Hilary Mantel, R N Morris packs the entire life of Sir Walter Raleigh into one breath-taking volume. This stunning tale grips from the first line to the last, brims with dazzling images, vivid characters, electric dialogue and unforgettable action." Peter Tonkin, author of A Verse To Murder “This spell-binding story of Elizabeth I’s infamous favourite brings the adventurous, dangerous, and glittering world of late-Elizabethan England to life.” Steven Veerapen, author of A Dangerous Trade Adventurer, soldier, courtier, poet, prisoner – outsider. Drawn by ambition to Elizabeth’s court, Walter Raleigh soon becomes the queen’s favourite. But his meteoric rise attracts the enmity of powerful rivals. Sir Francis Walsingham, the queen’s spy master, proves a dangerous enemy. While the Earl of Oxford is an equally dangerous friend. Even Elizabeth’s favour is an uncertain gift. It can be withdrawn on a whim as easily as it is granted and earns him as much trouble as it does profit. Seeking gold for his queen and glory for himself, Raleigh launches a series of ever more reckless adventures. The ultimate prize he dreams of is the fabled city of Eldorado in the New World. He is possessed by the dream. After Elizabeth’s death, Raleigh fails to find favour with the new king and is imprisoned in the Tower. To restore his reputation, he embarks on his most desperate venture yet. By now an old and broken man, he risks everything to discover the city of his dreams. Recommended for fans of Hilary Mantel, Joseph O’Connor and CJ Sansom. R. N Morris is the author of eleven novels. His series of St. Petersburg novels revolving around the character of Porfiry Petrovich include A Gentle Axe and A Vengeful Longing , which was shortlisted for the 2008 CWA Duncan Lawrie Dagger for Best Novel and was Highly Commended in the CWA Ellis Peters Prize for Best Historical Crime Novel in 2008. He also wrote the libretto to the opera When The Flame Dies, composed by Ed Hughes. Praise for Roger "An extraordinary excursion into the past by a master storyteller. I have never read a book quite like it, nor admired a book so much." Michael Gregorio "Morris’ recreation of the seamy side of 19th-century St Petersburg is vivid and convincing … As to who did it, Morris keeps the reader guessing until the end.” The Independent “Morris has created an atmospheric St Petersburg, and a stylish set of intellectual problems, but what makes A Gentle Axe such an effective debut is its fascination with good and evil.” Times Literary Supplement “As fans of Morris’s previous A Gentle Axe will know, this author not only has the nerve to lift his lead character from Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment but also the skill to bring that distant Russia and its inhabitants to life, while drawing parallels with our own world.” The Guardian “The streets of St Petersburg are vividly portrayed as the author shows the imperial Russian capital on the brink of upheaval… If you like historical crime novels, you will enjoy this.” Historical Novels Review “Morris’s descriptions of the horrors of insanitary slum dwellings in St Petersburg are extraordinarily vivid, but the most striking feature of the novel is the way in which Porfiry’s sophisticated understanding of human nature compensates for the limited investigatory tools at his disposal.” The Times “… a book that satisfies on more than one level — as a story of investigation and also as a historical novel crammed with sharply individualised characters.” Andrew Taylor in the Spectator
267 pages, Paperback
First published September 12, 2020
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43 people want to read
About the author
R.N. Morris
27 books43 followersR. N. Morris's most recent book is the historical novel, Fortune's Hand.
He is the author of the St Petersburg Mysteries Series featuring Porfiry Petrovich, the detective from Dostoevsky's masterpiece Crime and Punishment: A Gentle Axe, A Vengeful Longing, A Razor Wrapped in Silk and The Cleansing Flames.
He also wrote the Silas Quinn series, set in London in 1914: Summon Up The Blood, The Mannequin House, The Dark Palace, The Red Hand of Fury, The White Feather Killer and The Music Box Enigma.
He has written a standalone dystopian thriller, Psychotopia and, writing as Roger Morris, the contemporary thriller Taking Comfort.
He is the author of the St Petersburg Mysteries Series featuring Porfiry Petrovich, the detective from Dostoevsky's masterpiece Crime and Punishment: A Gentle Axe, A Vengeful Longing, A Razor Wrapped in Silk and The Cleansing Flames.
He also wrote the Silas Quinn series, set in London in 1914: Summon Up The Blood, The Mannequin House, The Dark Palace, The Red Hand of Fury, The White Feather Killer and The Music Box Enigma.
He has written a standalone dystopian thriller, Psychotopia and, writing as Roger Morris, the contemporary thriller Taking Comfort.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
February 27, 2021
This book is daring, different, and a real treat.
The prose is so powerful: muscular, meaty, surging – it reminded me not only of Mantel but of Emily Bullock, whose brilliant historical novel Inside the Beautiful Inside I read last year, and, like Bullock’s book, it also put me in mind of William Golding’s Rites of Passage trilogy. It is important to state that I don’t mean Morris’ prose imitates or approximates these writers – I mean it is just as strong and unique – a take-no-prisoners style (ironically, as Raleigh does his fair share of prisoner-taking) that marches to its own inexorable rhythm. What I loved most was the way the novel marries a contemporary, experimental narrative style with perfectly pitched old-fashioned language. Like Mantel, Morris inhabits his protagonist fully and utterly convincingly, so that character of Raleigh completely takes over the book. It is masterful.
Raleigh himself is depicted as complex, often unlikeable, but strangely admirable for his ability to play the game at court and, as he says of another courtier, to always land on his feet (until he doesn’t). The opening chapter gives a flavour of the kind of telescopic vision Walter possesses in the novel, sending his eyes out over the ocean and under the sea, questing and seeking out knowledge and discoveries in a beautifully poetic way. His all-seeing point of view works so gorgeously with his role as explorer, and the balance of these really quite intellectually and philosophically complex ideas of omniscience with the raw, brutal action scenes in the book is perfectly done.
All the way through Fortune’s Hand, the sublime walks hand in hand with the ridiculous, or rather, the beauty of much of the prose is shot through with coarse humour (much of which made me chuckle out loud). The swearing is some of the best I have come across – Morris takes his cue from Shakespeare and reminds us just how colourfully and crudely the Elizabethans could curse. If you object to the ‘c’ word, this is not the book for you. There is horrific violence, shocking brutality, a whole host of heinous behaviours that rip the velvet curtain from ‘genteel’ courtly ideals, and it is brilliant. Each chapter is short, almost vignette-like, and at times Morris plays with form in inventive ways that add yet another layer to this complex novel. It isn’t always easy to orientate yourself as a reader in the narrative, but I really enjoyed puzzling out where we’d got up to in Raleigh’s story.
I read this book much more quickly than I thought I would, unable to put it down. Special mention must go to the depiction of Gloriana herself: Elizabeth I is here painted as you’ve never seen her before, and it is indeed glorious. The grotesque crumbling of her face behind the white mask, the way ‘Water’ reassesses the expression in her eyes as he gets to know her better – the connection between Raleigh and Elizabeth is one of the absolute highlights of this book.
For me, the most exciting thing about historical fiction is how surprisingly contemporary and innovative it can be. Fortune’s Hand is not an easy read, both in terms of structure and subject matter, but my god it is exciting. I was left buzzing, feeling as if I had been introduced to a blazing writing talent, an author who dares to tread where others would not. It is an extraordinary work of fiction, and I’ll never be able to think of Walter Raleigh in the same way again.
The prose is so powerful: muscular, meaty, surging – it reminded me not only of Mantel but of Emily Bullock, whose brilliant historical novel Inside the Beautiful Inside I read last year, and, like Bullock’s book, it also put me in mind of William Golding’s Rites of Passage trilogy. It is important to state that I don’t mean Morris’ prose imitates or approximates these writers – I mean it is just as strong and unique – a take-no-prisoners style (ironically, as Raleigh does his fair share of prisoner-taking) that marches to its own inexorable rhythm. What I loved most was the way the novel marries a contemporary, experimental narrative style with perfectly pitched old-fashioned language. Like Mantel, Morris inhabits his protagonist fully and utterly convincingly, so that character of Raleigh completely takes over the book. It is masterful.
Raleigh himself is depicted as complex, often unlikeable, but strangely admirable for his ability to play the game at court and, as he says of another courtier, to always land on his feet (until he doesn’t). The opening chapter gives a flavour of the kind of telescopic vision Walter possesses in the novel, sending his eyes out over the ocean and under the sea, questing and seeking out knowledge and discoveries in a beautifully poetic way. His all-seeing point of view works so gorgeously with his role as explorer, and the balance of these really quite intellectually and philosophically complex ideas of omniscience with the raw, brutal action scenes in the book is perfectly done.
All the way through Fortune’s Hand, the sublime walks hand in hand with the ridiculous, or rather, the beauty of much of the prose is shot through with coarse humour (much of which made me chuckle out loud). The swearing is some of the best I have come across – Morris takes his cue from Shakespeare and reminds us just how colourfully and crudely the Elizabethans could curse. If you object to the ‘c’ word, this is not the book for you. There is horrific violence, shocking brutality, a whole host of heinous behaviours that rip the velvet curtain from ‘genteel’ courtly ideals, and it is brilliant. Each chapter is short, almost vignette-like, and at times Morris plays with form in inventive ways that add yet another layer to this complex novel. It isn’t always easy to orientate yourself as a reader in the narrative, but I really enjoyed puzzling out where we’d got up to in Raleigh’s story.
I read this book much more quickly than I thought I would, unable to put it down. Special mention must go to the depiction of Gloriana herself: Elizabeth I is here painted as you’ve never seen her before, and it is indeed glorious. The grotesque crumbling of her face behind the white mask, the way ‘Water’ reassesses the expression in her eyes as he gets to know her better – the connection between Raleigh and Elizabeth is one of the absolute highlights of this book.
For me, the most exciting thing about historical fiction is how surprisingly contemporary and innovative it can be. Fortune’s Hand is not an easy read, both in terms of structure and subject matter, but my god it is exciting. I was left buzzing, feeling as if I had been introduced to a blazing writing talent, an author who dares to tread where others would not. It is an extraordinary work of fiction, and I’ll never be able to think of Walter Raleigh in the same way again.
January 27, 2022
Fortune’s Hand, the Triumph and Tragedy of Walter Raleigh isn’t a biography in the conventional sense of the word. It is all together something different and much, much more exciting.
It is, of course, about the meteoric rise and an equally spectacular fall of the Elizabethan adventurer, privateer, courtier and solider, Walter Raleigh. But you will find that R.N. Morris isn’t just writing about the man – in the course of the book, he becomes the man. I was astounded, as I tread deeper into his story, by how comprehensively the author managed to get inside Raleigh’s head. Or perhaps it was the other way around – perhaps it was Raleigh who possessed the writer’s mind? However it happened, the personality acquisition was complete, seemingly on a molecular level.
The fact that the book is written in the first person abets this author-to-protagonist metamorphosis. Norris is intimate with Raleigh’s innermost thoughts, his desires, his ambitions and calculations. As a reader, I trusted Norris’s interpretation of Raleigh as a rogue and chancer but also Her Majesty’s most loyal servant, brutal executioner but also a foster carer of his enemy’s disabled son, reckless hell-raiser but also a cunning political strategist.
Other characters are portrayed with similarly keen insight into both their psyche and physicality: the Queen (her manner, her scent, the sounds and vibes surrounding her), the obnoxious Lord Oxford, dr John Dee, the hostile new king, James I – a whole plethora of Elizabethan players brought to life.
Events aren’t described linearly, but in carefully selected sections that are put under a magnifying glass and dissected before the reader’s eye. Some of them are drawn in such intense and lyrical prose that you will feel as if you are swept into it and drown in it, only to be catapulted to the surface. The language is raw in places, and thus authentic without being pretentious.
Fortune’s Hand By R.N Morris has been quite a discovery for me, prompted by a friend’s recommendation for which I cannot be grateful enough. If you enjoy all-encompassing historical tour de force this book is for you.
It is, of course, about the meteoric rise and an equally spectacular fall of the Elizabethan adventurer, privateer, courtier and solider, Walter Raleigh. But you will find that R.N. Morris isn’t just writing about the man – in the course of the book, he becomes the man. I was astounded, as I tread deeper into his story, by how comprehensively the author managed to get inside Raleigh’s head. Or perhaps it was the other way around – perhaps it was Raleigh who possessed the writer’s mind? However it happened, the personality acquisition was complete, seemingly on a molecular level.
The fact that the book is written in the first person abets this author-to-protagonist metamorphosis. Norris is intimate with Raleigh’s innermost thoughts, his desires, his ambitions and calculations. As a reader, I trusted Norris’s interpretation of Raleigh as a rogue and chancer but also Her Majesty’s most loyal servant, brutal executioner but also a foster carer of his enemy’s disabled son, reckless hell-raiser but also a cunning political strategist.
Other characters are portrayed with similarly keen insight into both their psyche and physicality: the Queen (her manner, her scent, the sounds and vibes surrounding her), the obnoxious Lord Oxford, dr John Dee, the hostile new king, James I – a whole plethora of Elizabethan players brought to life.
Events aren’t described linearly, but in carefully selected sections that are put under a magnifying glass and dissected before the reader’s eye. Some of them are drawn in such intense and lyrical prose that you will feel as if you are swept into it and drown in it, only to be catapulted to the surface. The language is raw in places, and thus authentic without being pretentious.
Fortune’s Hand By R.N Morris has been quite a discovery for me, prompted by a friend’s recommendation for which I cannot be grateful enough. If you enjoy all-encompassing historical tour de force this book is for you.
November 9, 2020
Walter Raleigh is a man I've been interested in for a while as he always seems to be mentioned when the Elizabethan era is discussed.
Morris tells the story of Raleigh's life from his own point of view. I've never read a book like this, the narrative is almost poetic it's incredible and highly engaging. Through the eyes of Raleigh we see his first sea voyage, a bloody massacre in Ireland, the discovery of Virginia and his relationship with the monarchy.
From Raleigh's point of view we see how he came to be at sea, his introduction to court and of course his execution. Raleigh recounts his life with an amazing eye for detail, he sees the acorn that will become the tree which eventually becomes a part of his ship. The experience of being at sea is portrayed in detail, the sufferings of the crew to the weevils sustaining themselves on the ships provisions.
The dialogue is brilliant, Morris incorporates the language used at court, regional dialects and of course the slang used at sea. As a reader I was immersed into Raleigh's life through the vivid descriptives and dialogue.
Although Raleigh had successes he also had failures. Morris takes us through all of them whilst also adding a little humour through the Portuguese navigator Simon Fernández, whose language is atrocious but hilarious.
Although I know how Raleigh's story ends i couldn't help but hope it would be different. He seems to have been loved and hated by many, I would certainly like to read more about him and also hope to see the garden created by the Tower of London in his memory once lockdown is over as it wasn't there when I last visited.
For those interested in Raleigh I recommend this book to discover the life of Raleigh through his own eyes. This is fiction but it is clear a lot of research has been done with a wonderful result.
Morris tells the story of Raleigh's life from his own point of view. I've never read a book like this, the narrative is almost poetic it's incredible and highly engaging. Through the eyes of Raleigh we see his first sea voyage, a bloody massacre in Ireland, the discovery of Virginia and his relationship with the monarchy.
From Raleigh's point of view we see how he came to be at sea, his introduction to court and of course his execution. Raleigh recounts his life with an amazing eye for detail, he sees the acorn that will become the tree which eventually becomes a part of his ship. The experience of being at sea is portrayed in detail, the sufferings of the crew to the weevils sustaining themselves on the ships provisions.
The dialogue is brilliant, Morris incorporates the language used at court, regional dialects and of course the slang used at sea. As a reader I was immersed into Raleigh's life through the vivid descriptives and dialogue.
Although Raleigh had successes he also had failures. Morris takes us through all of them whilst also adding a little humour through the Portuguese navigator Simon Fernández, whose language is atrocious but hilarious.
Although I know how Raleigh's story ends i couldn't help but hope it would be different. He seems to have been loved and hated by many, I would certainly like to read more about him and also hope to see the garden created by the Tower of London in his memory once lockdown is over as it wasn't there when I last visited.
For those interested in Raleigh I recommend this book to discover the life of Raleigh through his own eyes. This is fiction but it is clear a lot of research has been done with a wonderful result.
January 22, 2021
It is hard for me to rate this book. It the author's goal was to show me how arrogant and self-centered Sir Walter Raleigh was, he succeeded. If his goal was to bore me to death, he also succeeded. Morris seems to want to be a wordsmith, rather than a biographer. Did I really need to read about his "being a weevil." His dying took forever with use of word "red" continuing for pages. Not a very satisfactory read.
July 24, 2022
don’t bother
A really disappointing book. I thought is was a history, turns out to be some trippy, arty self-indulgence from the author. If you read this, you’ll never get that time back again.
A really disappointing book. I thought is was a history, turns out to be some trippy, arty self-indulgence from the author. If you read this, you’ll never get that time back again.
February 7, 2021
It is a difficult book to read at times. The language is at times very confusing and hard to understand Is a dreaming or is he imagining things, not easy to read.
December 6, 2020
"There is nothing so hateful in a man of talent as integrity, especially for those who have prostituted their own."
R.N. Morris's astonishingly vivid novel shows us the Elizabethan period through the eyes of Sir Walter Raleigh, one of the great men--and great rogues--of the age. He is an ambitious man who looks to gain consequence in Elizabeth I's court through a series of adventures which would be scarcely believable if they were not true: plundering Spanish treasure ships, searching for the mythical El Dorado, founding a doomed colony in America and bloodily suppressing a rebellion in Ireland. Such a man inevitably makes enemies at court, and his manoeuvrings to retain the Queen's favour are every bit as exciting as his exploits abroad.
What makes the novel exceptional in Morris's prose. The language immerses the reader in the period, with all its energy, vitality and occasional brutality. Raleigh himself is not always a sympathetic character--his suppression of the Irish rebellion is a thing of horror--but he continues to fascinate the reader until the inevitable dramatic conclusion.
This is one of the finest historical novels I have read in many years.
R.N. Morris's astonishingly vivid novel shows us the Elizabethan period through the eyes of Sir Walter Raleigh, one of the great men--and great rogues--of the age. He is an ambitious man who looks to gain consequence in Elizabeth I's court through a series of adventures which would be scarcely believable if they were not true: plundering Spanish treasure ships, searching for the mythical El Dorado, founding a doomed colony in America and bloodily suppressing a rebellion in Ireland. Such a man inevitably makes enemies at court, and his manoeuvrings to retain the Queen's favour are every bit as exciting as his exploits abroad.
What makes the novel exceptional in Morris's prose. The language immerses the reader in the period, with all its energy, vitality and occasional brutality. Raleigh himself is not always a sympathetic character--his suppression of the Irish rebellion is a thing of horror--but he continues to fascinate the reader until the inevitable dramatic conclusion.
This is one of the finest historical novels I have read in many years.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews