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World War I #2
Shoulder the Sky
In the firmament of great historical novelists, Anne Perry is a star of the greatest magnitude. First there were her acclaimed Victorian mysteries, sparkling with passion and suspense. Now readers have embraced this bestselling new series of World War I novels–which juxtapose the tranquil life of the English countryside with the horrors of war.
By April of 1915, as chaplain Joseph Reavley tends to the soldiers in his care, the nightmare of trench warfare is impartially cutting down England’s youth. On one of his rescue forays into no-man’s-land, Joseph finds the body of an arrogant war correspondent, Eldon Prentice. A nephew of the respected General Owen Cullingford, Prentice was despised for his prying attempts to elicit facts that would turn public opinion against the war. Most troublesome to Joseph, Prentice has been killed not by German fire but, apparently, by one of his own compatriots. What Englishman hated Prentice enough to kill him? Joseph is afraid he may know, and his sister, Judith, who is General Cullingford’s driver and translator, harbors her own fearful suspicions.
Meanwhile, Joseph and Judith’s brother, Matthew, an intelligence officer in London, continues his quiet search for the sinister figure they call the Peacemaker, who, like Eldon Prentice, is trying to undermine the public support for the struggle–and, as the Reavley family has good reason to believe, is in fact at the heart of a fantastic plot to reshape the entire world. An intimate of kings, the Peacemaker kills with impunity, and his dark shadow stretches from the peaceful country lanes of Cambridgeshire to the twin hells of Ypres and Gallipoli.
In this mesmerizing series, Anne Perry has found a subject worthy of her gifts. Illuminating the murderous conflict whose violence still resounds in our consciousness–as well as the souls of men and women who lived it– Shoulder the Sky is a taut, inspiring masterpiece.
By April of 1915, as chaplain Joseph Reavley tends to the soldiers in his care, the nightmare of trench warfare is impartially cutting down England’s youth. On one of his rescue forays into no-man’s-land, Joseph finds the body of an arrogant war correspondent, Eldon Prentice. A nephew of the respected General Owen Cullingford, Prentice was despised for his prying attempts to elicit facts that would turn public opinion against the war. Most troublesome to Joseph, Prentice has been killed not by German fire but, apparently, by one of his own compatriots. What Englishman hated Prentice enough to kill him? Joseph is afraid he may know, and his sister, Judith, who is General Cullingford’s driver and translator, harbors her own fearful suspicions.
Meanwhile, Joseph and Judith’s brother, Matthew, an intelligence officer in London, continues his quiet search for the sinister figure they call the Peacemaker, who, like Eldon Prentice, is trying to undermine the public support for the struggle–and, as the Reavley family has good reason to believe, is in fact at the heart of a fantastic plot to reshape the entire world. An intimate of kings, the Peacemaker kills with impunity, and his dark shadow stretches from the peaceful country lanes of Cambridgeshire to the twin hells of Ypres and Gallipoli.
In this mesmerizing series, Anne Perry has found a subject worthy of her gifts. Illuminating the murderous conflict whose violence still resounds in our consciousness–as well as the souls of men and women who lived it– Shoulder the Sky is a taut, inspiring masterpiece.
325 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
295 people are currently reading
1168 people want to read
About the author
Anne Perry
362 books3,377 followersAnne Perry, born Juliet Hulme in England, lived in Scotland most of her life after serving five years in prison for murder (in New Zealand). A beloved mystery authoress, she is best known for her Thomas Pitt and William Monk series.
Her first novel, "The Cater Street Hangman", was published in 1979. Her works extend to several categories of genre fiction, including historical mysteries. Many of them feature recurring characters, most importantly Thomas Pitt and amnesiac private investigator William Monk, who first appeared in 1990, "The Face Of A Stranger".
Her story "Heroes," from the 1999 anthology Murder And Obsession, won the 2001 Edgar Award For Best Short Story. She was included as an entry in Ben Peek's Twenty-Six Lies / One Truth, a novel exploring the nature of truth in literature.
Series contributed to:
. Crime Through Time
. Perfectly Criminal
. Malice Domestic
. The World's Finest Mystery And Crime Stories
. Transgressions
. The Year's Finest Crime And Mystery Stories
Her first novel, "The Cater Street Hangman", was published in 1979. Her works extend to several categories of genre fiction, including historical mysteries. Many of them feature recurring characters, most importantly Thomas Pitt and amnesiac private investigator William Monk, who first appeared in 1990, "The Face Of A Stranger".
Her story "Heroes," from the 1999 anthology Murder And Obsession, won the 2001 Edgar Award For Best Short Story. She was included as an entry in Ben Peek's Twenty-Six Lies / One Truth, a novel exploring the nature of truth in literature.
Series contributed to:
. Crime Through Time
. Perfectly Criminal
. Malice Domestic
. The World's Finest Mystery And Crime Stories
. Transgressions
. The Year's Finest Crime And Mystery Stories
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 213 reviews
November 13, 2020
If I were discussing only the writing quality of this book, I would probably give it three stars--maybe even four--but I have a major issue with the central conceit. The author--and consequently the main character--thinks World War I was a righteous pursuit of justice that got a bit messy. Eyeview it as a ghastly and unnecessary bloodbath. All soldiers in this book are presented as noble, honorable, and good while all pacifists are cowardly, conniving, and lacking in personal morality. The enemy is perfectly understandable; people unwilling to kill are not. If this book had been written during World War I, this attitude would've been typical and understandable--but it wasn't.
The main character lost all moral high ground with me when he was willing to kill an innocent and helpless man in order to prevent certain truths from being publicized. I agree that the conspiracy in this novel is despicable, but it would have been nice to have at least one character who is opposed to the war and had some personal honor. Many pacifists had believes they were willing to die for — they simply weren't willing to kill others for them.
I don't know whether or not I will continue with this series. I would absolutely love to see a pacifist character who was also willing to help unravel the so-called pacifist conspiracy, or at least one who refuses to participate in it.
The main character lost all moral high ground with me when he was willing to kill an innocent and helpless man in order to prevent certain truths from being publicized. I agree that the conspiracy in this novel is despicable, but it would have been nice to have at least one character who is opposed to the war and had some personal honor. Many pacifists had believes they were willing to die for — they simply weren't willing to kill others for them.
I don't know whether or not I will continue with this series. I would absolutely love to see a pacifist character who was also willing to help unravel the so-called pacifist conspiracy, or at least one who refuses to participate in it.
June 20, 2017
It's now 1915, the first full year of the war: Joseph is a chaplain at Ypres, Matthew is still working in London for the Intelligence services, Judith is an ambulance driver at the front, and Hannah is the stay-at-home sister, anxious about her Navy husband. The series arc of the search for the 'Peacemaker', a man who wants to stop the war for an arguably worse world empire, continues, but there are also local stories contained within this volume: Judith's first love affair (albeit a restrained one), the murder of a reporter at Ypres.
Don't even think about starting this without having read the first book No Graves As Yet, and be prepared to invest in the quartet as a whole as the 'big' story continues across them. Also be aware that this is very different from Perry's much lighter murder mysteries.
This book feels soaked in grief: for the loss of loved individuals but also for the wider realities of what the brutalities of war might do to the inner life and self-identity of people and culture. There are a few moments where Joseph is unbearably sanctimonious but Perry seems to realise this herself and puts him through a moral ordeal that taints his sense of a high moral ground - making him more human and humane in the process.
This is a much-underrated series and gives a panoramic as well as intimate sense of the First World War - there's definitely some sanitising and slight romanticising of the soldiers (none of whom swear, for example) who speak with a kind of moral innocence and bone-deep honour that reminds me of Hardy's rural characters. Nevertheless, a masterful depiction of a historical moment - I'm going to have a short break before returning to the next book set in 1916.
Don't even think about starting this without having read the first book No Graves As Yet, and be prepared to invest in the quartet as a whole as the 'big' story continues across them. Also be aware that this is very different from Perry's much lighter murder mysteries.
This book feels soaked in grief: for the loss of loved individuals but also for the wider realities of what the brutalities of war might do to the inner life and self-identity of people and culture. There are a few moments where Joseph is unbearably sanctimonious but Perry seems to realise this herself and puts him through a moral ordeal that taints his sense of a high moral ground - making him more human and humane in the process.
This is a much-underrated series and gives a panoramic as well as intimate sense of the First World War - there's definitely some sanitising and slight romanticising of the soldiers (none of whom swear, for example) who speak with a kind of moral innocence and bone-deep honour that reminds me of Hardy's rural characters. Nevertheless, a masterful depiction of a historical moment - I'm going to have a short break before returning to the next book set in 1916.
March 30, 2010
The first part of the book is three stars; the second half is definitely two. Perry does an excellent job of giving a reader a feel for life in the trenches, and the battle scenes are well-done. The mystery involving the death of a war reporter while "going over the top" is an interesting hook - especially since it looks like it was done by a friendly. Once the action gets into the larger story of the Reavley brothers trying to find the Peacemaker, I got distracted.
The problem with the second half is that I don't buy into the political line supported by the main characters. Here the premise is that they're trying to stop a man who is trying to stop the war (along the lines of appeasement). The problem is that the argument - which takes up most of the last 1/4 of the book - is seriously flawed. Granted, I can look at it with hindsight; WWI was idiotic and tragic, and a sad waste of a generation of young men. So maybe that's why I just can't buy into the idea that Joseph purports, which is mainly that peace would result in Germany occupying Belgium and parts of France (which may have happened, but not necessarily). The last section of the book is a ton of moralizing about how war is good and peace is too expensive.
Anyway, by the time I got to the end, I found that I began to agree more with the Peacemaker than the Reavleys. (Also, I found the whole subplot of Judith falling in love with a man older than her father slightly creepy.) I doubt I will finish the series now.
The problem with the second half is that I don't buy into the political line supported by the main characters. Here the premise is that they're trying to stop a man who is trying to stop the war (along the lines of appeasement). The problem is that the argument - which takes up most of the last 1/4 of the book - is seriously flawed. Granted, I can look at it with hindsight; WWI was idiotic and tragic, and a sad waste of a generation of young men. So maybe that's why I just can't buy into the idea that Joseph purports, which is mainly that peace would result in Germany occupying Belgium and parts of France (which may have happened, but not necessarily). The last section of the book is a ton of moralizing about how war is good and peace is too expensive.
Anyway, by the time I got to the end, I found that I began to agree more with the Peacemaker than the Reavleys. (Also, I found the whole subplot of Judith falling in love with a man older than her father slightly creepy.) I doubt I will finish the series now.
April 8, 2014
I am a huge fan of Anne Perry’s Victorian mysteries (both series). I love some of the elegant phrases she turns. Here’s one: “They were moving around and around each other like a medieval dance, never touching.” (p. 95) I didn’t entirely warm to the first one in this World War One series, however. For me, it was both too introspective and more of a spy novel than the type of mysteries I expected from Ms. Perry. I thought the pacing dragged and, even though I have several hardbound volumes in the series, I hadn’t moved forward until now.
I’m actually glad that I did move into Shoulder the Sky. For the most part, the venue has changed and reflects the appropriate atrocities of the War to End All Wars, the gas attacks at Ypres and the slaughter at Gallipoli. These venues are perfect for the theodicy (problem of evil) that Perry wants to grapple with in this series. In truth, there is no irony intended when Captain Joseph Reavley responded to his commanding officer’s outburst:
“Jesus wept!’ Sam said between his teeth, his voice trembling.’
‘Actually, He’s probably the one person who would understand.” (p. 156)
For those who haven’t read the other books in the series, Captain Reavley is a chaplain from a rather large and prominent family. Indeed, his brother and sister discuss his position in the trenches during one important scene. “’He has a pretty rotten job,’ she said aloud. ‘Especially after the gas, trying to tell people that there’s a God who’s in control of everything, and He loves us. There’s not much evidence of it.’ To which his brother responds: ‘I don’t think Joseph ever said God was in control,’ Matthew pointed out, sipping his wine even before he had tasted the food. ‘He doesn’t control us, and we are the ones who’ve made the mess, not God. You’d better remind him of that.’” (p. 292)
The “mystery” within the novel has to do with the apparent murder of an obnoxious traitor. Nearly everyone thinks it would be better to leave things alone and let people think the Germans did it. Perry explains: “But if Joseph’s faith, even his morality, were about anything at all, it must be about humanity. Like or dislike had nothing to do with it. To care for those you liked was nature; it only rose above that into morality when your instincts cried out against it.” (p. 170)
She even has his brother explain to another: “He’s a priest. He is used to thinking of morality in absolutes, and letting God take care of the broken pieces.” (p. 238)
Again, she has a poor soldier respond to Joseph’s willingness to expose the killer: “In’t that what God’s about, been fair to them as rubs your coat all the wrong way.” (p. 413)
When Perry has one character complain about humanity’s inhumanity to the rest of humanity, the character blames a flaw in God’s creation. At that point, the brother in the intelligence service has a different answer. “’Joseph would tell you it’s human weakness,’ Matthew replied. ‘People use religion as a justification for what they wanted to do anyway. It isn’t the cause; it’s just the excuse.’” (p. 352) Of course, that doesn’t mean that the author or her characters believe in empty words as comfort. At one point Matthew despairs of humanity’s attempt to bind emotional wounds with platitudes. “Platitudes showed one’s own need to attempt something that was impossible.” (p. 339)
Instead of platitudes, Perry’s characters opt for responsibility. “We have to make it count now, Joe. Maybe your God will sort it out in eternity, but I think He means us to do something here and now, as well. There’s enough that needs fixing for all of us to have a place.” (p. 318) Both brothers and one sister find their place to do something, but while each has a certain amount of success in his/her own way, the overarching problem (the conspiracy revealed in the first book) is still threatening. That seems realistic enough. A conspiracy as vast and powerful as this series suggests would have more heads than a Hydra and the blows from the protagonists thus far amount to little more than lopping off a head or two. One things for sure: it’s interesting enough now that I won’t wait as long between books. All my reservations from the first volume have been resolved.
I’m actually glad that I did move into Shoulder the Sky. For the most part, the venue has changed and reflects the appropriate atrocities of the War to End All Wars, the gas attacks at Ypres and the slaughter at Gallipoli. These venues are perfect for the theodicy (problem of evil) that Perry wants to grapple with in this series. In truth, there is no irony intended when Captain Joseph Reavley responded to his commanding officer’s outburst:
“Jesus wept!’ Sam said between his teeth, his voice trembling.’
‘Actually, He’s probably the one person who would understand.” (p. 156)
For those who haven’t read the other books in the series, Captain Reavley is a chaplain from a rather large and prominent family. Indeed, his brother and sister discuss his position in the trenches during one important scene. “’He has a pretty rotten job,’ she said aloud. ‘Especially after the gas, trying to tell people that there’s a God who’s in control of everything, and He loves us. There’s not much evidence of it.’ To which his brother responds: ‘I don’t think Joseph ever said God was in control,’ Matthew pointed out, sipping his wine even before he had tasted the food. ‘He doesn’t control us, and we are the ones who’ve made the mess, not God. You’d better remind him of that.’” (p. 292)
The “mystery” within the novel has to do with the apparent murder of an obnoxious traitor. Nearly everyone thinks it would be better to leave things alone and let people think the Germans did it. Perry explains: “But if Joseph’s faith, even his morality, were about anything at all, it must be about humanity. Like or dislike had nothing to do with it. To care for those you liked was nature; it only rose above that into morality when your instincts cried out against it.” (p. 170)
She even has his brother explain to another: “He’s a priest. He is used to thinking of morality in absolutes, and letting God take care of the broken pieces.” (p. 238)
Again, she has a poor soldier respond to Joseph’s willingness to expose the killer: “In’t that what God’s about, been fair to them as rubs your coat all the wrong way.” (p. 413)
When Perry has one character complain about humanity’s inhumanity to the rest of humanity, the character blames a flaw in God’s creation. At that point, the brother in the intelligence service has a different answer. “’Joseph would tell you it’s human weakness,’ Matthew replied. ‘People use religion as a justification for what they wanted to do anyway. It isn’t the cause; it’s just the excuse.’” (p. 352) Of course, that doesn’t mean that the author or her characters believe in empty words as comfort. At one point Matthew despairs of humanity’s attempt to bind emotional wounds with platitudes. “Platitudes showed one’s own need to attempt something that was impossible.” (p. 339)
Instead of platitudes, Perry’s characters opt for responsibility. “We have to make it count now, Joe. Maybe your God will sort it out in eternity, but I think He means us to do something here and now, as well. There’s enough that needs fixing for all of us to have a place.” (p. 318) Both brothers and one sister find their place to do something, but while each has a certain amount of success in his/her own way, the overarching problem (the conspiracy revealed in the first book) is still threatening. That seems realistic enough. A conspiracy as vast and powerful as this series suggests would have more heads than a Hydra and the blows from the protagonists thus far amount to little more than lopping off a head or two. One things for sure: it’s interesting enough now that I won’t wait as long between books. All my reservations from the first volume have been resolved.
October 4, 2018
El peso del cielo, enlaza la historia de los tres hermanos Reavley durante la Primera Guerra Mundial, luego de que sus padres sufren un accidente y fallecen. Joseph trabaja como capellán en las trincheras cerca a Yres, Judith es conductora de ambulancias y luego chofer de un importante general del ejército británico y Matthew trabaja para la inteligencia británica en Londres y al mismo tiempo esta tratando de aclarar la muerte de sus padres, pues los hermanos tras algunas investigaciones se dieron cuenta de que no fue un accidente. Pronto, sus historias se tornaran mas oscuras pues descubrirán muchos secretos que guardan personas con mucho poder, y formas en las que se quiere poner fin a la guerra pero con consecuencias aún peores, todo parece ser un complot entre varios paises muy poderosos del mundo.
Este libro, me pareció muy bien escrito, con los toques justos de profundidad en los personajes, para conocerlos mejor pagina a pagina y comprender muchas de sus decisiones, solamente criticaría que en algunas partes se hace muy denso y lento para leer, pero creo que es obvio que no todo el libro puede estar teniendo acción. Tampoco fui muy fan del final, pues me faltaban unas 20 páginas donde se cierren algunos puntos y se expliquen mejor otros, pero en sí la historia me gusto y me atrapo. La forma como esta escrito tambien beneficia a que el lector no se aburra con una sola historia, pues se van sorteando las historias de los tres personajes principales en los diferentes capitulos. La ambientación del libro también estuvo perfecta, con datos tristemente verdaderos.
Este libro, me pareció muy bien escrito, con los toques justos de profundidad en los personajes, para conocerlos mejor pagina a pagina y comprender muchas de sus decisiones, solamente criticaría que en algunas partes se hace muy denso y lento para leer, pero creo que es obvio que no todo el libro puede estar teniendo acción. Tampoco fui muy fan del final, pues me faltaban unas 20 páginas donde se cierren algunos puntos y se expliquen mejor otros, pero en sí la historia me gusto y me atrapo. La forma como esta escrito tambien beneficia a que el lector no se aburra con una sola historia, pues se van sorteando las historias de los tres personajes principales en los diferentes capitulos. La ambientación del libro también estuvo perfecta, con datos tristemente verdaderos.
April 15, 2017
The second book of the Reavley/World War I series begins in 1915. Joesph Reavley is a chaplain, not a soldier but he shares all that his friends undergo. Rats, mud, cold; supply problems and of course the dreadful times when the soldiers leave the meager safety of the trenches and go "over the top".
As chaplain, besides assisting the soldiers in his unit, Joseph helps with the wounded--and prepares bodies to be shipped home. He is preparing the body of Eldon Prentice, a very unpopul.ar war correspondent when he discovers evidence that the newsman may not have been killed by the Germans but by someone on the English side I will avoid more details to avoid spoilers.
While Joseph--and his sister Judith, a volunteer ambulance driver--work on this mystery, Matthew, his borther is using his contacts at military intelligence to discover the "Peacemaker".
This is the name of the Reavley family had given to their unknown antagonist. An unknown but powerful figure who is behind the drive to turn public opinion against the war.
An excellent book in its own right, this is book 2 of the Reavley/World War I series. Anne does not disappoint--weaving the mystery of "the Peacemaker" with the historical tale of the war. I found this book contained her usual excellent characterization and great historical descriptions.
Note: This is a five book series. You could read them separately but imho you would enjoy it much more if all five books are read in order.
Highly recommended for Anne Perry fans; mystery fans; historical fiction fans and family saga fans..
As chaplain, besides assisting the soldiers in his unit, Joseph helps with the wounded--and prepares bodies to be shipped home. He is preparing the body of Eldon Prentice, a very unpopul.ar war correspondent when he discovers evidence that the newsman may not have been killed by the Germans but by someone on the English side I will avoid more details to avoid spoilers.
While Joseph--and his sister Judith, a volunteer ambulance driver--work on this mystery, Matthew, his borther is using his contacts at military intelligence to discover the "Peacemaker".
This is the name of the Reavley family had given to their unknown antagonist. An unknown but powerful figure who is behind the drive to turn public opinion against the war.
An excellent book in its own right, this is book 2 of the Reavley/World War I series. Anne does not disappoint--weaving the mystery of "the Peacemaker" with the historical tale of the war. I found this book contained her usual excellent characterization and great historical descriptions.
Note: This is a five book series. You could read them separately but imho you would enjoy it much more if all five books are read in order.
Highly recommended for Anne Perry fans; mystery fans; historical fiction fans and family saga fans..
September 3, 2019
3.5 stars
I confess, I am not a Perry fan. I don't hate her, don't get me wrong. But I've read several of her other books from her 2 series and I was just never that impressed by her. I always found her style mediocre.
But I picked up this book because I'm doing research on WWI for a short story collection I'm writing and wanted to get a feel for what it was like to go through the war. In this, Perry's book is excellent. She really gives a good sense of what the men in combat were experiencing from every aspect. This book also contains mystery and thriller elements, which is what you'd expect from Perry. The book builds on the previous book in the series, which I didn't read (and don't intend to) but I was able to care about the characters involved.
However, it had a lot of the stylistic flaws that I've found in her other books. She does a LOT of historical information dumping, which, from my perspective (reading for research) was great, but from the perspective of a reader looking for an engaging story, not so much. She also does a LOT of telling (I guess the "show don't tell" lesson in writing sort of passed her by). I don't object to some telling, but pages and pages and pages of it just distances readers from the story, in my view.
But for Anne Perry fans, I'm sure they would enjoy this very much, especially since it's a departure from her usual historical whodonits but not so much of a departure as to throw loyal readers off.
I confess, I am not a Perry fan. I don't hate her, don't get me wrong. But I've read several of her other books from her 2 series and I was just never that impressed by her. I always found her style mediocre.
But I picked up this book because I'm doing research on WWI for a short story collection I'm writing and wanted to get a feel for what it was like to go through the war. In this, Perry's book is excellent. She really gives a good sense of what the men in combat were experiencing from every aspect. This book also contains mystery and thriller elements, which is what you'd expect from Perry. The book builds on the previous book in the series, which I didn't read (and don't intend to) but I was able to care about the characters involved.
However, it had a lot of the stylistic flaws that I've found in her other books. She does a LOT of historical information dumping, which, from my perspective (reading for research) was great, but from the perspective of a reader looking for an engaging story, not so much. She also does a LOT of telling (I guess the "show don't tell" lesson in writing sort of passed her by). I don't object to some telling, but pages and pages and pages of it just distances readers from the story, in my view.
But for Anne Perry fans, I'm sure they would enjoy this very much, especially since it's a departure from her usual historical whodonits but not so much of a departure as to throw loyal readers off.
November 20, 2024
Esta segunda novela de la serie me ha encantado, creo que refleja de forma fantástica el horror de la guerra de trincheras y los dilemas morales a los que se enfrentaron los jóvenes de la época, que llegaron al frente con una idea romantizada de la guerra y se encontraron con un sinsentido, hundidos en las trincheras entre ratas, barro y cadáveres.
La novela se ambienta en 1915 y continúa con la vida de los protagonistas de la novela anterior, los hemanos Reavley: Joseph está como capellán en el frente, en Ypres, y Matthew sigue en Londres, formando parte del SIS. En esta novela, la hermana menor, Judith, también entra en escena, y también irá de voluntaria al frente continental como conductora de ambulancias. Cuando un periodista muere en tierra de nadie de forma extraña, Joseph tratará de reconstruir sus últimos pasos para dilucidar lo que le ocurrió exactamente.
Me ha gustado muchísimo. Nota: 9/10.
La novela se ambienta en 1915 y continúa con la vida de los protagonistas de la novela anterior, los hemanos Reavley: Joseph está como capellán en el frente, en Ypres, y Matthew sigue en Londres, formando parte del SIS. En esta novela, la hermana menor, Judith, también entra en escena, y también irá de voluntaria al frente continental como conductora de ambulancias. Cuando un periodista muere en tierra de nadie de forma extraña, Joseph tratará de reconstruir sus últimos pasos para dilucidar lo que le ocurrió exactamente.
Me ha gustado muchísimo. Nota: 9/10.
June 24, 2023
Excellent and yet horrible book about the beginnings of World War One, and also the race to stop the Peacekeeper from betraying freedom and allowing evil to take that away from the world. This was well written, but so saddening and heartbreaking and hard to read. It gives me a little more understanding of what that war was like and some of what my grandfather must have seen and how his brother died in a gas attack. I cried a lot!
June 10, 2022
The expression “war is hell” is clearly depicted in book two of this series. Six months into WWI and it is clear it won’t be over soon. The Reavley’s are still trying to figure out who was behind the deaths of their parents and also come to terms with their roles in the War. A murder among the destruction at the French front offers more philosophical questions than answers. I like Perry’s writing style but the philosophical questions can also be a tedious.
January 9, 2021
Once again Anne Perry delivers a great story with surprising twist and turns. You will love all the characters even the guilty. I recommend the entire series.
August 5, 2016
The second novel of this series is set in spring/summer 1915 and is the first to take place after the declaration of war. That setting makes what is powerful in this novel poignant. The action is seen primarily through the horrors Chaplain/Capt. Joseph Reavley confronts in the trenches on the Western Front near Ypres. On top of mangled bodies, death, mud, rats, lice, cold, precipitation, and uncertainty, Reavley struggles with the inadequacies of his faith amidst such atrocity as well as with the ways he has been dishonest with himself. The murder of a hated war correspondent magnifies his crisis of belief. The ways the characters must grow and change or die is compelling. Perry has made the horrors vivid from multiple perspectives in a way that enlightens and moves the reader without bludgeoning. Despite these strengths, three glaring flaws leave me unable to give this novel a higher rating.
The first is a flaw I frequently notice in Perry's William Monk series as well. Many of the facts in the ongoing story concerning the Peacemaker and what is publicly known about Sebastian Allard's actions as written in the first novel conflict with the facts laid out in this one. Either Perry is poorly served by her editor, or she is perfectly comfortable with changing the facts, in sometimes contradictory ways, from one novel to the next. It confuses and annoys me. It's also sloppy, detracting unnecessarily from compelling storylines.
The second continues to be the Peacemaker storyline. It feels artificial and melodramatic, almost like a graphic novel plot. It is sometimes jarring amidst these deeply human conflicts--individual, corporate and political.
The final and most pertinent is the resolution of the mystery, and Joseph's actions in balancing the demands of justice, truth and mercy. I didn't understand what he did at all, and it seemed to come out of nowhere and not solve anything since he apparently never made public that he'd found the killer. I won't include Spoilers, so I have to leave it at that. Since I find Joseph Reavley such a compelling character, this resolution felt inconsistent and poorly executed. Maybe I'm just missing something. Anyone?
The first is a flaw I frequently notice in Perry's William Monk series as well. Many of the facts in the ongoing story concerning the Peacemaker and what is publicly known about Sebastian Allard's actions as written in the first novel conflict with the facts laid out in this one. Either Perry is poorly served by her editor, or she is perfectly comfortable with changing the facts, in sometimes contradictory ways, from one novel to the next. It confuses and annoys me. It's also sloppy, detracting unnecessarily from compelling storylines.
The second continues to be the Peacemaker storyline. It feels artificial and melodramatic, almost like a graphic novel plot. It is sometimes jarring amidst these deeply human conflicts--individual, corporate and political.
The final and most pertinent is the resolution of the mystery, and Joseph's actions in balancing the demands of justice, truth and mercy. I didn't understand what he did at all, and it seemed to come out of nowhere and not solve anything since he apparently never made public that he'd found the killer. I won't include Spoilers, so I have to leave it at that. Since I find Joseph Reavley such a compelling character, this resolution felt inconsistent and poorly executed. Maybe I'm just missing something. Anyone?
June 6, 2011
Second in the WWI series. I have now read this, the next and the final books in the series and enough is enough. This one is set in 1915 and features Joseph Reavley, an army chaplain based at Ypres, working in the front-line experienceing the horrors of gas warfare. The descriptions are historically accurate and uncompromising. Joseph spends a lot of time in no mans land retrieving the dead, dying and wounded. When Joseph discovers an arrogant war correspondant drowmed in a shallow foxhole, a murder victim not a war casualty, he feels obliged to investigate despite his absolute dislike for the man. His sister Judith has temporarily abandoned her ambulances to chaffeur a general and finds herself falling in love.
There is a lot of philosophical discussion in the series relating to God, good and evil, the nature of friendship, love, war etc.. The descriptions of the trenches and the conditions of life are suitably harrowing. But I have reservations about the series. I found the characters likeable and interesting but the plot is somewhat flimsy at times. The overarching idea of an unknown traitor at the apex of the British establishment, the 'peacemaker' rather detracted from the more credible events and dilemmas facing those at the coalface. How should you respond when a deeply unpopular and damaging man is found murdered in the middle of a sea of death ?
There is a lot of philosophical discussion in the series relating to God, good and evil, the nature of friendship, love, war etc.. The descriptions of the trenches and the conditions of life are suitably harrowing. But I have reservations about the series. I found the characters likeable and interesting but the plot is somewhat flimsy at times. The overarching idea of an unknown traitor at the apex of the British establishment, the 'peacemaker' rather detracted from the more credible events and dilemmas facing those at the coalface. How should you respond when a deeply unpopular and damaging man is found murdered in the middle of a sea of death ?
March 21, 2014
World War I is about eight months old and Joseph is serving as a chaplain with the units in France. His sister Judith is working as an ambulance driver and, for a while, driver for a General. Their brother Matthew remains in London working for the Intelligence Service. In their own way, each of them is still dealing with the loss of their parents the previous summer. A war correspondent, Eldon Prentice, shows up one day at the frontlines and quickly makes himself an enemy of everyone with his arrogance and demoralizing language. Later, he is found dead in no-man's land: it was Joseph who brought the body in. When the manner of Prentice's death is learned, Joseph knows he has to get to the truth little realizing that it will take him to a link with the one they call the Peacemaker - the mastermind behind their parents' death.
I'm really enjoying this series. While the WWI setting and descriptions can be heavy, it is the characters which pull you in and made me want to continue. I'm glad there are three more books in this series because I'm enjoying all three of the Reavley siblings (four, if you count the minor character of sister Hannah) and their search for the truth. It is also making me want to do some research to understand more of the events of WWI.
I'm really enjoying this series. While the WWI setting and descriptions can be heavy, it is the characters which pull you in and made me want to continue. I'm glad there are three more books in this series because I'm enjoying all three of the Reavley siblings (four, if you count the minor character of sister Hannah) and their search for the truth. It is also making me want to do some research to understand more of the events of WWI.
October 23, 2014
When available to Anne Perry's books. I enjoy her work but find the quality of the quality of the disks to be very poor. This sometimes makes listening a challenge. This set of disks was especially bad. The problem will resolve itself when more of her work will be downloadable from the source I use.
I love World War I series. It provides a feel for the difficulties of the soldiers, complexity of the European community, and the impact on civilian populations. Perry concentrates on the soft boundaries between opposing forces. It gives an appearance of similarity to a civil war. It was a time in many English communities when one could not trust neighbors.
May 5, 2016
Four stars because it's Anne Perry, because she doesn't write crap, because she does her research, and knows how to tell a story. I got a little tired of the journalist-obsessed priest, but again, it's Anne Perry.
December 6, 2007
Second in the WWI series. Perry repeats and repeats her impressions of the war and the moral dilemma war represents. Still worth reading.
April 3, 2010
I disliked this book on so many levels, but primarily because I was so repulsed by the main character's smug, holier-than-thou warmongering.
October 12, 2010
some of this book was hard reading due to description of war but very good history and very honest about the dee[questions we have in our hearts.
August 27, 2013
An excellent book about World War I. See my write-up on the first book in the series "No Graves As Yet" for full details. Highly recommended.
March 7, 2014
Outstanding book, Perry uses brilliant words, and depicts the story so well....I'm 14 and I loved it!!
December 5, 2023
A GRIPPING HISTORICAL MYSTERY THAT'S ALSO A GREAT WAR NOVEL
When I was born, shortly before the United States entered World War II, the Great War of 1914 to 1918 was an active living memory for many adults. Today, a century after the last of the sixteen peace treaties ending the conflict was signed at Lausanne in 1923, almost no one remembers. We rely on the research skills and perspective of historians, a handful of still-readable contemporaneous accounts, and the ability of historical novelists to convey a sense of what it was like to live through the war that was meant to end all wars. And one of the most evocative of the recent efforts is Anne Perry’s World War I mystery, Shoulder the Sky.
IN 1915, BRITAIN WAS LOSING THE WAR
In Shoulder the Sky, the late British-American novelist deftly crosses the bounds of genre. The novel blends a story of espionage, a murder mystery, and a tale of unrequited love in a historical setting. Anchored in 1915 in Flanders, Gallipoli, and England, the book conveys the desperation of the British Establishment as they fought to stave off defeat in the face of a steadily shrinking army on the Western Front, ammunition rationing, German poison gas, devastating U-boat attacks, losses all over Africa to the Germans and Ottomans, and the strategic setback at Gallipoli in what is today Turkey. To some Britons, it was beginning to look as though a stiff upper lip wouldn’t carry the day.
IT LOOKED LIKE THE END OF THE WORLD
As many television viewers have learned through the ITV and PBS television series Downton Abbey, World War I upended the certainties of the rigid British class system. And Perry conveys the change underway as upper-class officers shared the privations of common soldiers amid the freezing mud, ear-shattering artillery, German sniper attacks, and suicidal frontal assaults across No Man’s Land in the Ypres Salient. She spotlights the officers and their families as they looked on what many thought the end of their world.
FIVE MAJOR CHARACTERS DOMINATE THE TALE
MATTHEW REAVLEY
The principal characters in Shoulder the Sky are Matthew, Joseph, and Judith Reavley. A year earlier someone had murdered their parents in a futile attempt to recover an explosive document at the heart of a conspiracy to end the war before it started by uniting Britain and Germany in a strategic alliance to take over the world. Now, a year later, the unidentified “Peacemaker” who masterminded this conspiracy seeks to end the war by engineering Britain’s defeat. And Matthew Reavley, a senior officer in British military intelligence, is on a quest to stop him.
JOSEPH REAVLEY
Meanwhile, Matthew’s brother, Joseph, an Episcopal priest, is serving as a chaplain on the Western Front. But he doesn’t limit himself to preaching to the men, many of whom have long since lost their faith in God. Far from it. Joseph himself is no longer certain he believes in the goodness of an all-seeing deity. He has thrown himself into the work at hand, dragging wounded and dead alike from No Man’s Land to the casualty station and tending to the wounded when needed.
JUDITH REAVLEY
At the same time, the Reavley brothers’ youngest sister, Judith, is serving as a Volunteer Ambulance Driver in Flanders, not far from Joseph’s post. But she has been commandeered as a driver by General Cullingford, who commands the corps at the heart of the Ypres Salient. The general is twice Judith’s age, and long married. But Judith is falling in love with him.
ELDON PRENTICE AND GENERAL OWEN CULLINGFORD
Two others, both men, join the Reavley siblings in major roles in Perry’s story. Eldon Prentice, a brash and arrogant young reporter, has made his way to the front. There he makes himself obnoxious, managing to alienate everyone and enrage a few. Things will not end well for Mr. Prentice. Nor does the future look bright for Prentice’s uncle, General Cullingford, who struggles to resist the love he feels for Judith Reavley.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
The late Anne Perry (1938-2023) is best known for two series of historical detective novels set in Victorian England. The two encompass a total of fifty-six books. She also wrote thirty-nine other novels as well as numerous short stories and several other books. However, to many, Perry is equally well known for having been convicted of murder in New Zealand at the age of fifteen. She served five years in prison there, then returned to England. (She had been born in London.) For a time thereafter, she lived in the United States as well. There, she joined the Mormon church. For the last five years of her life she lived in Los Angeles.
When I was born, shortly before the United States entered World War II, the Great War of 1914 to 1918 was an active living memory for many adults. Today, a century after the last of the sixteen peace treaties ending the conflict was signed at Lausanne in 1923, almost no one remembers. We rely on the research skills and perspective of historians, a handful of still-readable contemporaneous accounts, and the ability of historical novelists to convey a sense of what it was like to live through the war that was meant to end all wars. And one of the most evocative of the recent efforts is Anne Perry’s World War I mystery, Shoulder the Sky.
IN 1915, BRITAIN WAS LOSING THE WAR
In Shoulder the Sky, the late British-American novelist deftly crosses the bounds of genre. The novel blends a story of espionage, a murder mystery, and a tale of unrequited love in a historical setting. Anchored in 1915 in Flanders, Gallipoli, and England, the book conveys the desperation of the British Establishment as they fought to stave off defeat in the face of a steadily shrinking army on the Western Front, ammunition rationing, German poison gas, devastating U-boat attacks, losses all over Africa to the Germans and Ottomans, and the strategic setback at Gallipoli in what is today Turkey. To some Britons, it was beginning to look as though a stiff upper lip wouldn’t carry the day.
IT LOOKED LIKE THE END OF THE WORLD
As many television viewers have learned through the ITV and PBS television series Downton Abbey, World War I upended the certainties of the rigid British class system. And Perry conveys the change underway as upper-class officers shared the privations of common soldiers amid the freezing mud, ear-shattering artillery, German sniper attacks, and suicidal frontal assaults across No Man’s Land in the Ypres Salient. She spotlights the officers and their families as they looked on what many thought the end of their world.
FIVE MAJOR CHARACTERS DOMINATE THE TALE
MATTHEW REAVLEY
The principal characters in Shoulder the Sky are Matthew, Joseph, and Judith Reavley. A year earlier someone had murdered their parents in a futile attempt to recover an explosive document at the heart of a conspiracy to end the war before it started by uniting Britain and Germany in a strategic alliance to take over the world. Now, a year later, the unidentified “Peacemaker” who masterminded this conspiracy seeks to end the war by engineering Britain’s defeat. And Matthew Reavley, a senior officer in British military intelligence, is on a quest to stop him.
JOSEPH REAVLEY
Meanwhile, Matthew’s brother, Joseph, an Episcopal priest, is serving as a chaplain on the Western Front. But he doesn’t limit himself to preaching to the men, many of whom have long since lost their faith in God. Far from it. Joseph himself is no longer certain he believes in the goodness of an all-seeing deity. He has thrown himself into the work at hand, dragging wounded and dead alike from No Man’s Land to the casualty station and tending to the wounded when needed.
JUDITH REAVLEY
At the same time, the Reavley brothers’ youngest sister, Judith, is serving as a Volunteer Ambulance Driver in Flanders, not far from Joseph’s post. But she has been commandeered as a driver by General Cullingford, who commands the corps at the heart of the Ypres Salient. The general is twice Judith’s age, and long married. But Judith is falling in love with him.
ELDON PRENTICE AND GENERAL OWEN CULLINGFORD
Two others, both men, join the Reavley siblings in major roles in Perry’s story. Eldon Prentice, a brash and arrogant young reporter, has made his way to the front. There he makes himself obnoxious, managing to alienate everyone and enrage a few. Things will not end well for Mr. Prentice. Nor does the future look bright for Prentice’s uncle, General Cullingford, who struggles to resist the love he feels for Judith Reavley.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
The late Anne Perry (1938-2023) is best known for two series of historical detective novels set in Victorian England. The two encompass a total of fifty-six books. She also wrote thirty-nine other novels as well as numerous short stories and several other books. However, to many, Perry is equally well known for having been convicted of murder in New Zealand at the age of fifteen. She served five years in prison there, then returned to England. (She had been born in London.) For a time thereafter, she lived in the United States as well. There, she joined the Mormon church. For the last five years of her life she lived in Los Angeles.
November 10, 2022
Well done, gripping WWI story.
I still like Joseph's character. in this 2nd book, Joseph & Matthew continued the search for the one responsible for their parents' deaths. In addition, Joseph found someone murdered on the front lines - by their own side!
I thought the tension was well-done as to the desire for peace vs the even higher costs of peace at any price. Some of it reminded me of C. S. Lewis' spoken address to pacifists, "Why I am Not a Pacifist." But I thought the book did well presenting both sides, and even having the main characters question their own side at times.
I also thought Judeth's character was well done, even if some of her morality was murky.
I didn't expect the general to ...
I thought Joseph was going to ask Sam to do something even harder.
I enjoyed the letters in the book.
I knew whodunit just from suspicious comments made earlier on, but it didn't hinder the suspense any.
Favorite quotes:
"And you may believe in nothing at all, but you've got no place coming out here and making mock of other men's faith. When it gets bad, it may be all you've got." This one reminded me of the open derision that some people have for faith today.
"'If you would try to pick up the pieces of the things that your mother used to do for others, is that not useful?' he asked. There was a startling gentleness in his voice. 'Isn't that what we do, when we miss someone almost beyond bearing?'" It's what I try to do in grieving, try to model in some aspect, what I admired about the person I grieve.
"You know what grief is like. You could speak to her without being sentimental, which she would hate." This one makes me smile, because I also hate empty sentimentality for its own sake. A little sentimentality isn't bad to me, but when it crosses the lines of truth or reason, I don't care for it. Dead people becoming angels in heaven sort of thing.
"But he sees a cause of truth there. He's a priest. He is used to thinking of morality in absolutes, and letting God take care of the broken pieces." It's the "letting God take care of the broken pieces" in this quote that I like, because so often we have to do that.
"There is no choice without knowledge. Truth is the only freedom." I thought the whole issue of morale and freedom of the press was well done, for both sides. I remember my dad talking about journalists in various wars having similar issues. He felt that some journalists had negatively affected morale so far that they could be considered traitors.
Speaking of war: "I don't think Joseph ever said God was in control. He doesn't control us, and we are the ones who've made the mess, not God. You'd better remind him of that."
I'm not going to argue the point about what God does & does not control. He does give us free will, and the horrific effects of war are our fault, the result of humanity's own choices. I liked this quote because I felt like throughout this book, most of the people didn't realize that war just brings forth more clearly how vastly our world was broken by sinful man in the fall. We don't mind thinking of our world as being a little broken, but times of war can remind us starkly, how vastly broken our world has become, and how vastly wrong we are.
I still like Joseph's character. in this 2nd book, Joseph & Matthew continued the search for the one responsible for their parents' deaths. In addition, Joseph found someone murdered on the front lines - by their own side!
I thought the tension was well-done as to the desire for peace vs the even higher costs of peace at any price. Some of it reminded me of C. S. Lewis' spoken address to pacifists, "Why I am Not a Pacifist." But I thought the book did well presenting both sides, and even having the main characters question their own side at times.
I also thought Judeth's character was well done, even if some of her morality was murky.
I didn't expect the general to ...
I thought Joseph was going to ask Sam to do something even harder.
I enjoyed the letters in the book.
I knew whodunit just from suspicious comments made earlier on, but it didn't hinder the suspense any.
Favorite quotes:
"And you may believe in nothing at all, but you've got no place coming out here and making mock of other men's faith. When it gets bad, it may be all you've got." This one reminded me of the open derision that some people have for faith today.
"'If you would try to pick up the pieces of the things that your mother used to do for others, is that not useful?' he asked. There was a startling gentleness in his voice. 'Isn't that what we do, when we miss someone almost beyond bearing?'" It's what I try to do in grieving, try to model in some aspect, what I admired about the person I grieve.
"You know what grief is like. You could speak to her without being sentimental, which she would hate." This one makes me smile, because I also hate empty sentimentality for its own sake. A little sentimentality isn't bad to me, but when it crosses the lines of truth or reason, I don't care for it. Dead people becoming angels in heaven sort of thing.
"But he sees a cause of truth there. He's a priest. He is used to thinking of morality in absolutes, and letting God take care of the broken pieces." It's the "letting God take care of the broken pieces" in this quote that I like, because so often we have to do that.
"There is no choice without knowledge. Truth is the only freedom." I thought the whole issue of morale and freedom of the press was well done, for both sides. I remember my dad talking about journalists in various wars having similar issues. He felt that some journalists had negatively affected morale so far that they could be considered traitors.
Speaking of war: "I don't think Joseph ever said God was in control. He doesn't control us, and we are the ones who've made the mess, not God. You'd better remind him of that."
I'm not going to argue the point about what God does & does not control. He does give us free will, and the horrific effects of war are our fault, the result of humanity's own choices. I liked this quote because I felt like throughout this book, most of the people didn't realize that war just brings forth more clearly how vastly our world was broken by sinful man in the fall. We don't mind thinking of our world as being a little broken, but times of war can remind us starkly, how vastly broken our world has become, and how vastly wrong we are.
September 29, 2018
Shoulder the Sky takes place during the Great War or in other words World War 1. On June 28, 1914 Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and his wife are assassinated on the orders of the independent nation of Serbia. And on July 28, 1914 a month to the day after the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. This triggered a chain reaction throughout Europe leaving two sides, the Central and the Allied powers. Among the Allied powers were the British Empire, France, and Russia. The Axis Powers were made up by Austria-Hungary and Germany. World war one lasted from 1914-1918 with multiple theatres along the borders of Austria-Hungary, Germany, and the borders of the Allied powers. The Central and Allied powers were basically stuck in a deadlock on all fronts. The favored style of battle was considered to be attrition and trench warfare. Attrition is where one side tries to basically bleed out the other by committing large amounts of soldiers to a battlefield and targeting an important area that the other side is unwilling to surrender. This style of warfare usually includes large amounts of casualties, because both sides pour tons of men and resources into one location. The Great War is known as one of the bloodiest wars in history with at least 9 Million dead and over 15 million injured, maimed, or shell-shocked by the conclusion of the war.
Joseph Reavley is a chaplain in the British Expeditionary Force along the Ypres salient. He has seen men be bayoneted, gassed, machine gunned, and drowned. So it comes as no surprise when he finds the body of a young man out in no man’s land. But this man, a young war correspondent Eldon Prentice shouldn’t have been there. After closer examination of the body, Joseph finds out that Eldon Prentice wasn’t killed during a German raid but drowned by someone who had access to the British lines. Matthew Reavley, intelligence agent in the Secret Intelligence Service (S.I.S.) and brother to Joseph Reavley knows something he shouldn’t. The police declared that there was no foul play involved in the deaths of his parents. But he knows otherwise. They were murdered, for knowing about a plan for the British to abandon their French allies and corroborate with the invading German Empire, a tremendous act of treachery and betrayal. Who would want peace so bad as to murder for it? And could this “Peacemaker” also be the missing factor in the death of Eldon Prentice? I liked this book so much! It gives new insight into the Great War in all it’s horrific glory. You witness the first use of Chlorine Gas as a weapon at the Ypres salient, You hear the rats crawling at the bottoms of the trench gnawing on dead bodies, And you sit with rapt attention listening to what some will do to achieve peace. I really enjoyed and was disgusted by the descriptions in this book and I would recommend it to anyone with some time on their hands. I give this book five stars.
Joseph Reavley is a chaplain in the British Expeditionary Force along the Ypres salient. He has seen men be bayoneted, gassed, machine gunned, and drowned. So it comes as no surprise when he finds the body of a young man out in no man’s land. But this man, a young war correspondent Eldon Prentice shouldn’t have been there. After closer examination of the body, Joseph finds out that Eldon Prentice wasn’t killed during a German raid but drowned by someone who had access to the British lines. Matthew Reavley, intelligence agent in the Secret Intelligence Service (S.I.S.) and brother to Joseph Reavley knows something he shouldn’t. The police declared that there was no foul play involved in the deaths of his parents. But he knows otherwise. They were murdered, for knowing about a plan for the British to abandon their French allies and corroborate with the invading German Empire, a tremendous act of treachery and betrayal. Who would want peace so bad as to murder for it? And could this “Peacemaker” also be the missing factor in the death of Eldon Prentice? I liked this book so much! It gives new insight into the Great War in all it’s horrific glory. You witness the first use of Chlorine Gas as a weapon at the Ypres salient, You hear the rats crawling at the bottoms of the trench gnawing on dead bodies, And you sit with rapt attention listening to what some will do to achieve peace. I really enjoyed and was disgusted by the descriptions in this book and I would recommend it to anyone with some time on their hands. I give this book five stars.
January 7, 2019
Die Geschichte spielt in England und in Flandern, wenn der Erste Weltkrieg ungefähr zwei Jahre dauert. Es gibt viele Charakter, aber am wichtigsten sind Matthew, Joseph und Judith Reavley. Matthew arbeitet im militärischen Geheimdienst, Joseph ist Kaplan in Flandern an der Front und Judith ist Freiwillige bei einer Ambulanz, auch an der Front. Aber meistens ist sie der Fahrer von General Cullingford. Ihre Eltern wurden bei einem Autounfall getötet. Es stellt sich heraus, dass es kein Zufall ist, sondern ein Mord. Dahinter steckt jemand, der den Krieg durch politische Intrigen und Mord beenden will. Er heißt "Der Friedensstifter"
Besonders ist Matthew damit beschäftigt herauszufinden, wer seine Eltern getötet hat und warum. Die Geschichte spielt abwechselnd in England und in Flandern. Der Geschichte hat viel Aufmerksamkeit für Details: Die Umgebung, das Drama dass jede Familie ein Kriegsopfer hat, der getötet oder verletzt wurde. Ein Cousin von General Cullingford ist Kriegsberichterstatter. er will näher an der Front sein, um bessere Geschichten zu schreiben. Das ist den Korrespondenten nicht erlaubt, aber er erpresst seinen Onkel. Dann wird er getötet.
Es wird immer deutlicher, dass zwischen diesen Ereignissen ein Zusammenhang besteht. Aber stimmt das wirklich? Und wenn ja, wie? Der Friedensstifter kommt wieder ins Bild. Er plant, den Krieg schnell zu beenden und die ganze Welt umzugestalten. Dazu gehört auch, dass die britische Öffentlichkeit zumindest einen Blick auf die Schrecken dieses Krieges werfen muss. Kein Heldentum und keine Ehre. Dann gibt es keine Freiwilligen mehr, der Krieg ist bald vorbei, denn die Deutschen werden gewinnen.
Joseph spricht sich entschieden dagegen aus und verhindert schließlich auch die Veröffentlichung von Artikeln darüber. Ich habe mehr Verständnis für den Kriegskorrespondenten. Wie kannst du so ein Gemetzel gehen lassen? Auch in Deutschland und Österreich zu veröffentlichen, dann endet alles bald!
Spannend und gut geschrieben, die Handlung etwas unbeholfen.
Ich habe gerade herausgefunden, dass dieser Teil 2 von 4 war.
Besonders ist Matthew damit beschäftigt herauszufinden, wer seine Eltern getötet hat und warum. Die Geschichte spielt abwechselnd in England und in Flandern. Der Geschichte hat viel Aufmerksamkeit für Details: Die Umgebung, das Drama dass jede Familie ein Kriegsopfer hat, der getötet oder verletzt wurde. Ein Cousin von General Cullingford ist Kriegsberichterstatter. er will näher an der Front sein, um bessere Geschichten zu schreiben. Das ist den Korrespondenten nicht erlaubt, aber er erpresst seinen Onkel. Dann wird er getötet.
Es wird immer deutlicher, dass zwischen diesen Ereignissen ein Zusammenhang besteht. Aber stimmt das wirklich? Und wenn ja, wie? Der Friedensstifter kommt wieder ins Bild. Er plant, den Krieg schnell zu beenden und die ganze Welt umzugestalten. Dazu gehört auch, dass die britische Öffentlichkeit zumindest einen Blick auf die Schrecken dieses Krieges werfen muss. Kein Heldentum und keine Ehre. Dann gibt es keine Freiwilligen mehr, der Krieg ist bald vorbei, denn die Deutschen werden gewinnen.
Joseph spricht sich entschieden dagegen aus und verhindert schließlich auch die Veröffentlichung von Artikeln darüber. Ich habe mehr Verständnis für den Kriegskorrespondenten. Wie kannst du so ein Gemetzel gehen lassen? Auch in Deutschland und Österreich zu veröffentlichen, dann endet alles bald!
Spannend und gut geschrieben, die Handlung etwas unbeholfen.
Ich habe gerade herausgefunden, dass dieser Teil 2 von 4 war.
October 4, 2019
My rating 3.4
By April of 1915, as chaplain Joseph Reavley tends to the soldiers in his care, the nightmare of trench warfare is impartially cutting down England’s youth. On one of his rescue forays into no-man’s-land, Joseph finds the body of an arrogant war correspondent, Eldon Prentice. A nephew of the respected General Owen Cullingford, Prentice was despised for his prying attempts to elicit facts that would turn public opinion against the war. Most troublesome to Joseph, Prentice has been killed not by German fire but, apparently, by one of his own compatriots. What Englishman hated Prentice enough to kill him? Joseph is afraid he may know, and his sister, Judith, who is General Cullingford’s driver and translator, harbors her own fearful suspicions.
Meanwhile, Joseph and Judith’s brother, Matthew, an intelligence officer in London, continues his quiet search for the sinister figure they call the Peacemaker, who, like Eldon Prentice, is trying to undermine the public support for the struggle–and, as the Reavley family has good reason to believe, is in fact at the heart of a fantastic plot to reshape the entire world. An intimate of kings, the Peacemaker kills with impunity, and his dark shadow stretches from the peaceful country lanes of Cambridgeshire to the twin hells of Ypres and Gallipoli.
Reading the history of WWI is interesting and informative. Sometimes the descriptive aspects of the novel drag a little. I like the character development and how the war affects the lives of people involved in it. Will read the rest of the books in this series after taking a break.
By April of 1915, as chaplain Joseph Reavley tends to the soldiers in his care, the nightmare of trench warfare is impartially cutting down England’s youth. On one of his rescue forays into no-man’s-land, Joseph finds the body of an arrogant war correspondent, Eldon Prentice. A nephew of the respected General Owen Cullingford, Prentice was despised for his prying attempts to elicit facts that would turn public opinion against the war. Most troublesome to Joseph, Prentice has been killed not by German fire but, apparently, by one of his own compatriots. What Englishman hated Prentice enough to kill him? Joseph is afraid he may know, and his sister, Judith, who is General Cullingford’s driver and translator, harbors her own fearful suspicions.
Meanwhile, Joseph and Judith’s brother, Matthew, an intelligence officer in London, continues his quiet search for the sinister figure they call the Peacemaker, who, like Eldon Prentice, is trying to undermine the public support for the struggle–and, as the Reavley family has good reason to believe, is in fact at the heart of a fantastic plot to reshape the entire world. An intimate of kings, the Peacemaker kills with impunity, and his dark shadow stretches from the peaceful country lanes of Cambridgeshire to the twin hells of Ypres and Gallipoli.
Reading the history of WWI is interesting and informative. Sometimes the descriptive aspects of the novel drag a little. I like the character development and how the war affects the lives of people involved in it. Will read the rest of the books in this series after taking a break.
December 1, 2019
My review comments from reading the 1st novel in Anne Perry's World War I series have even greater meaning after reading the 2nd novel in the series.
I remember the special camaraderie that I witnessed when my father was together with his two (2) Army buddies when the three (3) families visited together each year. Somehow I always knew that it was an unparalleled bond of friendship, trust, and love. Meeting these characters has given me almost an insider's look and understanding of how their friendship developed during their time of service during WWII as my father never talked about the war unless he was with his friends and when women and children entered the room the topic immediately changed.
My generation seems to be more aware of the history of WWII than WWI so this series became of particular interest to me. Having discovered Anne Perry's writing through her Christmas mysteries, I am very appreciative of the way she is able to craft her stories with descriptive language that truly pulls the reader into the feelings of each character. In this novel, I found her poignant writing in expressing grief to be very meaningful.The story reveals the next steps in the lives of the adult Reavley children (2 brothers and 1 sister) following the loss of their parents in an automobile accident. As a reader I couldn't ignore the stark contrast from the living conditions in war time to the trenches to me as I was ensconced with my favorite reading comforts. The author's writing is descriptive to the point that to comment that it is riveting is almost too mild a term.
I remember the special camaraderie that I witnessed when my father was together with his two (2) Army buddies when the three (3) families visited together each year. Somehow I always knew that it was an unparalleled bond of friendship, trust, and love. Meeting these characters has given me almost an insider's look and understanding of how their friendship developed during their time of service during WWII as my father never talked about the war unless he was with his friends and when women and children entered the room the topic immediately changed.
September 6, 2019
Rated 3.69
By April of 1915, as chaplain Joseph Reavley tends to the soldiers in his care, the nightmare of trench warfare is impartially cutting down England’s youth. On one of his rescue forays into no-man’s-land, Joseph finds the body of an arrogant war correspondent, Eldon Prentice. A nephew of the respected General Owen Cullingford, Prentice was despised for his prying attempts to elicit facts that would turn public opinion against the war. Most troublesome to Joseph, Prentice has been killed not by German fire but, apparently, by one of his own compatriots. What Englishman hated Prentice enough to kill him? Joseph is afraid he may know, and his sister, Judith, who is General Cullingford’s driver and translator, harbors her own fearful suspicions.
Meanwhile, Joseph and Judith’s brother, Matthew, an intelligence officer in London, continues his quiet search for the sinister figure they call the Peacemaker, who, like Eldon Prentice, is trying to undermine the public support for the struggle–and, as the Reavley family has good reason to believe, is in fact at the heart of a fantastic plot to reshape the entire world. An intimate of kings, the Peacemaker kills with impunity, and his dark shadow stretches from the peaceful country lanes of Cambridgeshire to the twin hells of Ypres and Gallipoli.
The ongoing story of trying to find the Peacemaker is intriguing. Learning more about WWI in Ypres and Gallipoli along with the role of reporters has taught me alot that I didn't know. I am enjoying this series.
By April of 1915, as chaplain Joseph Reavley tends to the soldiers in his care, the nightmare of trench warfare is impartially cutting down England’s youth. On one of his rescue forays into no-man’s-land, Joseph finds the body of an arrogant war correspondent, Eldon Prentice. A nephew of the respected General Owen Cullingford, Prentice was despised for his prying attempts to elicit facts that would turn public opinion against the war. Most troublesome to Joseph, Prentice has been killed not by German fire but, apparently, by one of his own compatriots. What Englishman hated Prentice enough to kill him? Joseph is afraid he may know, and his sister, Judith, who is General Cullingford’s driver and translator, harbors her own fearful suspicions.
Meanwhile, Joseph and Judith’s brother, Matthew, an intelligence officer in London, continues his quiet search for the sinister figure they call the Peacemaker, who, like Eldon Prentice, is trying to undermine the public support for the struggle–and, as the Reavley family has good reason to believe, is in fact at the heart of a fantastic plot to reshape the entire world. An intimate of kings, the Peacemaker kills with impunity, and his dark shadow stretches from the peaceful country lanes of Cambridgeshire to the twin hells of Ypres and Gallipoli.
The ongoing story of trying to find the Peacemaker is intriguing. Learning more about WWI in Ypres and Gallipoli along with the role of reporters has taught me alot that I didn't know. I am enjoying this series.
March 30, 2018
I am a sucker for historical fiction so I am naturally predisposed to like this book. Luckily for me I found the book lived up to the buildup I created in my mind. Set during the horrors of World War One it continues from the first book in the series, "No Graves As Yet". There are elements from that book that continue into this book and further continue into the remaining books in the series. So while you can read this book in isolation it is recommended to read the complete series so you can get the full story.
The author does a good job in explaining the conditions at both the Ypres salient, Gallipoli, and the U-Boat menace (can't go into details on how she incorporates all those theatres into the book as it would be a massive spoiler). Anne Perry also made the characters likeable, not an easy feat as the main character is a Priest who could have easy turned an sanctimonious, self-righteous unlikable character but she made him more relatable to the reader. In addition to the main character you have his sister Judith, a volunteer driver, helping out at the front. She is an inspirational character that you end up rooting for.
Some readers might find this to be a slow read and could be put off by the fact that when the book ends it still has a major plot point to be resolved and that is the driving force behind the series. If you know and accept that this book is almost like the second act in a five act story it will make more sense.
The author does a good job in explaining the conditions at both the Ypres salient, Gallipoli, and the U-Boat menace (can't go into details on how she incorporates all those theatres into the book as it would be a massive spoiler). Anne Perry also made the characters likeable, not an easy feat as the main character is a Priest who could have easy turned an sanctimonious, self-righteous unlikable character but she made him more relatable to the reader. In addition to the main character you have his sister Judith, a volunteer driver, helping out at the front. She is an inspirational character that you end up rooting for.
Some readers might find this to be a slow read and could be put off by the fact that when the book ends it still has a major plot point to be resolved and that is the driving force behind the series. If you know and accept that this book is almost like the second act in a five act story it will make more sense.
March 28, 2020
I was pretty disappointed in this novel. Anne Perry's stuff is usually pretty good. Part of the problem was that I am coming in right in the middle, for this is not a stand alone mystery. The flavor of both the home front and the war is presented quite well. The feelings of those fighting as well as those at home are clearly delineated by the author.
The problem is that the mystery is never fully developed as there is a mystery conspiracy from the first book of the story. There is a conspiracy to end the war that threatens to unite Europe under German power. Sadly, it is placed highly in the government and part of this story is trying to advance the unmasking of that official and revelation of the conspiracy.
Because of that, despite its powerful flavor, this book suffers from multiple personality disorder. The author tries to cover too much ground and really doesn't manage to cover any of it in a satisfactory manner. We get the impact of the war and the novel shines at demonstrating the horror and despair of life in the trenches. The story creeps along at a snail's pace while the characters muse and worry about the murders. Sadly, the murder in the trenches is resolved in a very unsatisfactory manner.
I won't try any more of this series, that probably should have been one long boring novel. This boring and slow-moving installment was enough punishment for me.
The problem is that the mystery is never fully developed as there is a mystery conspiracy from the first book of the story. There is a conspiracy to end the war that threatens to unite Europe under German power. Sadly, it is placed highly in the government and part of this story is trying to advance the unmasking of that official and revelation of the conspiracy.
Because of that, despite its powerful flavor, this book suffers from multiple personality disorder. The author tries to cover too much ground and really doesn't manage to cover any of it in a satisfactory manner. We get the impact of the war and the novel shines at demonstrating the horror and despair of life in the trenches. The story creeps along at a snail's pace while the characters muse and worry about the murders. Sadly, the murder in the trenches is resolved in a very unsatisfactory manner.
I won't try any more of this series, that probably should have been one long boring novel. This boring and slow-moving installment was enough punishment for me.
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