The Eyes of the Queen (Agents of the Crown #1)

I don’t like most mysteries, but I’m a huge fan of historical fiction, so I gave this one a spin. Mr. Clements is a good and clever writer, and I enjoyed most of this book. It’s a somewhat light-hearted romp through a plot to assassinate Queen Elizabeth I, with Sir Francis Walsingham portrayed as something less than the perfect spy we think of today. I particularly enjoyed some of the dialogue, which was witty. And I also enjoyed the fact that the author eschews lots of explanations and allows the reader to figure things out as he/she goes along.

Those and a few other things earn the book a four-star rating. However, it’s hanging on to that by a thread due to a disappointing ending. Plot-wise, the end just sort of happens, with a new character introduced to wrap things up in a way that doesn’t work well for me. Second, the cleverness of the book gets a bit too arch at the very end, for reasons I won’t disclose.

Still, it’s a very quick, easy, and fun read, and a good break from the heavy non-fiction I’ve been reading.

Adequately written “historical” thriller centering on the intelligence staff for Queen Elizabeth I. But tale descends into a many years prior “prequel” to the James Bond adventures, with the formation of “her Majesty’s secret services” and “007”. Obviously meant to be the beginning of a series, but he’s lost me….

Oliver Clements has created a fanciful James Bond for the Elizabethan period. The new James Bond is an eccentric Renaissance man who stumbles into a 16th century espionage tangle to help save England from Spain when it was vulnerable. This is an entertaining, light read.

Good storytelling, drama, intrigue during a period rife with good stories. This is one.

I loved the book. But Im partial to the Elizabethan Era. I thought the pace was good.

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