Very Pleased Indeed!

http://www.amazon.com/review/R1R05CMKELT2GU/ref=cm_cr_pr_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=034095115X&linkCode=&nodeID=&tag=

Terror of Constantinople

There are some great reviews on these pages that provide enough insight to the
historical settings and general plot of the book, so I will restrict myself to
more particular observations.

First and foremost for me was the hugely entertaining narrative that Blake presents. The book is written in the first person so we hear all of the events through the commentaries of the acerbic, witty & cynical Aelric. He has a refreshingly blunt view of life and describes his circumstances and adventures accordingly. For the most part his comments and conversations are pricelessly funny. I do wish though that the author had been a little more careful to keep his descriptions in 7th. Century speak. His references to pregnancy as “putting her up the duff”, going to sleep as “crashing out” and, perhaps most heinous to me, Aelric asks his attendants on a couple of occasions to “bring a takeaway”. Hope it wasn’t Pizza Hutt!

This is a who-dun-it and I have to say that for the most part I was even more
confused about what was going on than the hapless Aelric. Sadly, as he cleverly
gets to the bottom of affairs and ties up loose ends at the end of the book, he
wasn’t quite clever enough to make things clear to me. I remain equally confused
now. Not Mr Blake’s or Aelric’s fault, I am probably too dumb to keep up. I did
feel that the whole conspiracy concept for the book, concerning Aelric’s
assignment, was a little on the weak side.

Also have a sleight beef that our principle hero is a little too larger than life. He is quickly transformed from minor clerk, to Acting Permanent Legate (#2 in the Constantinople catholic church hierachy) and then to Commander in Chief of the defence of the entire city. Really! He is unbeatable in a sword fight, or a brawl, and I half expected him on a couple of occasions to whip off his tunic to reveal his Superman outfit!

However, I really do like this book. It is highly entertaing and I
recommend it and look forward to the final book in the trilogy.