Still reading The Expected One, just got treated to mary Magdelene’s first book. It was an interesting read, John the Baptist isn’t the nicest bloke according to this theory. And then I got all confuse with the sotry presenting Mary Magdelene as Lazurus’ (the guy bought back from the dead) sister. And no where on the net (OK Wikipedia) is there even any theories that Mary Magdalene had that relation, but then I guess the Christian church has just covered up that aspect. I think my main concern at Mary’s Gospel is calling Jesus Easa. Apparently it’s a nickname but I feel the author is just using it to maybe avoid the wrath of God or fundamentalists or goats. And I know the author is writing ‘fiction’ to protect her sources but really if she wants me to take this view seriously I just can’t cause I just cannot accept that mary Magdalene hid the books and that they would only be discovered by the ‘true relative’ like magic and the wy the main character finds it, it seriously is like everybody walked straight past the books but since the main character is the Expected One she could see them. I just can’t see that occuring in real life, but strangely I’m happy to accept Jesus turning water into wine, crazy I know. I shall keep ploughing through, I’ve come this far I might as well finish it.

Duchess, I think Lucy Worsley really knows her stuff. She’s delightfully dotty and makes a wonderful presenter.
Catch the BBC adaptation of “Parade’s End” when it comes your way, it’s stunning and stays very true to the original source.

Finishing off Claire’s books this weekend. There was a couple of articles I hadn’t seen on the website yet in her first book, I must say I was fascinated to see the three versions of George Boleyn’s execution speech. Although I was not convinced by the Spanish Chronicle where he said something about his sister being bad. Doesn’t sound right to me. I’ll start book two tonight.
My partner also bought me an amazing book this week as a surprise gift Nugae Antiquae by Sir John Harrington published in 1804. There is an earlier printing from the 1700’s but this one has extra historical notes. Funnily enough I apparently mentioned it to him while I was browsing the internet but neither of us can remember what it is in particular I wanted to read in it I suspect it is some of George’s poems but they are in Volume Two, and the books is ridiculously rare. So it should be a long hunt for volume two.
This one came from Wrest House in England, and was owned by the second Earl. We’re wondering how he managed to leave the first volume in Scotland, or how it got there in any case. I have (gingerly) read the first couple of letters in it.

Olga, I don’t trust the Spanish Chronicle at all. It’s little more than gossip and fiction. I take it all with a pinch of salt. I agree that there is no way George would have said anything against his beloved sister on the scaffold. No eyewitness account has him saying any such thing.
Regarding George’s poetry, I wrote an article about it on the main site. But I read Nugae Antiquae online. You are very lucky to have a hard copy. Your partner’s a star!

D’Hoffryn always makes me order my own books since he can never be sure what is my current obession vis-a-vis with either fiction or non-fiction.

I’ve finished the Tudor Housewife by Alison Sim and just started Food and Feast in Tudor England by her. I really like her books, there is a lot of stuff in there I had no idea about, and they’re quite concise. The food of course I’ll be really interested in, having worked so many years as a chef, the amount they consumed was staggering. The idea of dogs running on a little treadmill to turn the spit tickled me. I’ve discovered a book by Peter Brears called All The King’s Cooks which I will buy soon, it goes into detail about the kitchens which I’m sure I’ll love.
I’m still working on a History of Court Fools and I got a new one Fools and Jesters in the English Court by John Southworth, should keep me busy.

Well I have finally finished The Expected One and even though it finsihed with the set up for a sequel I have no inclination to search it out and read it. There was a small section in the book that was thrilling, but the author decided that wasn’t the path she wanted to take and so dropped it as soon as it raised its head.

My main isssues with the book is that in hindsight the Da Vinci code like link to paintings really serves no purpose to the overall story at all. Or at least the author doesn’t fully link to how these artworks really do help prove her story. I think the big issue with the book is at no point does it fully explain why Mary Magdelene hid her Gosepels. All that is haped about is how the Catholic Church and the evil cult of John The Baptis don’t want anyone to find it cause it might mean….I have no idea.

The other aspect that drove me nuts is that the main character is discovered to be the one who is able to find Mary’s Gospels because apparently that’s what Mary wanted to do. But nowhere in the book are we presented with Mary hiding the books and making this claim to show them to a certain person when the world needs the books. For all I know the main character may be the reincarnated soul of Mary which would go against Church taching anyway, so it can’t be that. For a book that the author is asking me to treat as factual, its almost like she went out of the wya to make me doubt the whole story as I find the whole search for the book, the whole secret society thing so far fetched and a lame rip off of The Da Vinci Code it’s not even funny.

And when we are presented with Mary’s 2 books (even though we are told with 3) it reads like the author just had Jesus Christ Superstar playing in the background. I know they are covering the same story as what is in the bible, but I just couldn’t shake off the feeling that the real story is plagiarising from a popular musical.

She also wants us to be shocked to discover that Mary was married to Jesus and had kids. That honestly wouldn’t surprise me so no shock. And then she presented stuff about Jesus telling Judas to portray him so the God’s plan can be achieved. Apparently this is shocking, I’ve always believed that Jesus told Judas to ‘betray’ him maybe I’ve been visited by Judas as a kid and I need to tell his story.

Oh and there is this terrible romantic scene between the main character and another character where I accidently let out a giggle and groan at the same time with how Mills & Boon it got and to be honest came out of nowhere. It was borderline Twilight with it’s sappiness.

So after read a ‘true’ ficitional book, I’ve decided to dive head first into a fiction piece that claims to be fiction and hopefully a thrilling run read. The Maya Codex by Adrian d’Hage. Hopefully its a fun romp through the end of the world 2012 style. It’s part of a trilogy. Hopefully more Matthew Reilly than the crap I just finished reading.