A racking tale - Rated 
This is every bit as good as the previous two Shardlake novels. I've no idea if it's historically accurate, because I don't much care for history. But it certainly felt authentic, and the sense of abiding terror is palpable and rather appropriate for our age, as we move towards a police state similar to that of Henry VIII.
Nen - Rated
Having read the first two of the Trilogy, I was hooked. The plot is excellent and the novel makes one feel that one is living in the times. I was quite sad when it was finished. I hope that the author can bring himself to write more of Matthew Shardlake and Barak. I felt these stories are as good as Cadfael.
Thoroughly enjoyable.
Sovereign - C J Sansom - Rated 
This is the first book I have read in the Shardlake series and found the book to be OK, but nothing special. The descriptions are very detailed and believable, Sansom has obviously researched Tudor England well and is knowledgeable of the period. However, the descriptions are too detailed, slowing the plot down to a snail's pace and making the book far lengthier than it should have been. As a result I found the book interesting but hardly compelling. Too often the author spent too long on the minutiae of Shardlake's daily movements, a blow-by-blow account of what he did when he got up, during the day and when he went to bed. I lost count the number of times he mentioned he was hungry or moaned about his back. At one point I was expecting Sansom to give details of Shardlake's bowel movements, although we came close with him urinating up a well!
The protagonist Matthew Shardlake did not appeal to me either. He appeared obnoxious, to self-preoccupied and not a man of the times, that is of sixteenth century England.
The plot itself was OK but anybody with an interest in the history of Yorkist England would know what the "secret" was about as soon as the name of Blaybourne is mentioned. There is a whodunnit as well running as another plot-line and this too was a bit easy to work out. To me it seemed obvious that I wondered how a supposedly bright man such as Shardlake could have been so gullible and slow in working it out.
In summary, I would recommend the book, as it is very atmospheric and the closest you'll get to being in Tudor England. It gets bogged down though!
OUTSTANDING.............................. - Rated
My edition is not 400 pages as described in the overview, but is in fact 658 - a long book indeed.
This is the third volume in the Matthew Shardlake series. A lengthy novel, it can be repetitive at times, but nevertheless is does not disappoint. I never thought I would see the day that I would willingly sit during the day pouring over such a thick book as usually I cast them aside and go for a slimmer model.
Matthew is once again up to his neck in political intrigue and comes face to face with Henry VIII himself - poor Matthew. In this volume he really takes a battering but staggers back. With him is his collegue Barak, and he picks up another few admirers along the way and more than his fair share of enemies. I do not want to go into the story and spoil it for readers, but he is on the tail of conspirators who are searching for missing documents.
It is a super book and a worthy successor to "Dissolution" and "Dark Fire". I really look forward to Mr Sansom's next novel and hope it is not the last of the series. Mr Sansom is indeed a great scholar and his knowledge of this period in history is remarkable. He makes it come alive.
Rumour has it that the books are to be televised with Kenneth Brannagh in the role of Matthew!
BRING IT ON..........................
The Best - Rated
I can say without doubt that the Shardlake series of books are some of the very, very best historical fiction out there - not many books can rate as highly.
The characters and situations are woven into the fabric of history with a expertise that makes you stand back and simply admire.
Can't wait for the next book to come out - now, who would be a good Matthew Shardlake in the film versions?????
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