Saturday, September 11, 2021

The Dragons of Archenfield - Edward Marston

I got lucky in The Works and found another 3 of Edward Marston's Domesday series and have been happily working through them this week. It's coincided with starting a new job at Waterstones so I'm properly immersed in books at the moment (fun) and Marston's light style is about right to come home to with a head stuffed full of till functions, and stock protocols. 

The Dragons of Archenfield is book 3 in the series, a bonus seeing as I'd started with book 2, and follows similar lines - the Domesday book commissioners set off to Hereford this time, where there's trouble with the Welsh, a colourful Archdeacon in a very smelly cloak to deal with, and Ralph Delchard meets a woman he really likes. 


I'm not sure that there's much more to say - the mystery was satisfying with a couple of likely suspects to keep me sort of guessing a good way into the book, although I think the how and why are more important here than the who. 

Marston is good at keeping the period detail to a minimum too, just enough to give a bit of atmosphere, not enough to get bogged down in or to start picking holes in either which would be an unwelcome distraction. 

Altogether I can only repeat what I said about The Ravens of Blackwater - that this is a well crafted book that's solidly entertaining without demanding very much of a tired reader. It's quite formulaic, but the formula works - like when you follow a recipe and get an excellent cake so there's no criticism implied in that, and this series really is proving a good find to me. 

8 comments:

  1. Good luck with the new job. Working in a bookshop sounds ideal and Waterstones are lucky to get someone so knowledgeable. For the last year, I've been volunteering at my local Oxfam bookshop - when we're not in lockdown - and really enjoyed meeting people who want to know about books and helping them find what they're looking for. Only problem is that my TBR pile grows more quickly, as I spot books I want to read. I've a rule that I can only buy a book straight away if it's on my reading list, otherwise I wait until my next shift. That wouldn't work in Waterstones!!

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    1. There is an ever growing list of books I want - and the people I'm working with are lovely so I'm having an absolute ball!

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  2. Good luck with the new job! I'm glad you're enjoying being immersed in books, and Watersone's is so very lucky to have you.

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    1. Thank you, I hope they reach the same conclusion after Christmas as I'm liking it a lot!

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  3. Just catching up and many congratulations on the new job!

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  4. Congratulations on the new job - sounds perfect for you!

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  5. I am very late to catch up with you but wish to add my congratulations on your new job! I hope that you are settling in and enjoying it.

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