Blackmore's Treasure - Derek G. Rogers - Guest Book Review

Synopsis

Blackmore's Treasure is part of the history of Prospect Farm. Tobias Allinson acquired the farm in 1645 and each generation since then has attempted to find the fabled treasure. None have succeeded... His descendant ,a thirteen year old boy, suffers a serious accident whilst visiting the farm. During his time in hospital, he ‘dreams' about events experienced by theoriginal Tobias, that of taking part in the Battle of Naseby, meeting Oliver Cromwell as well as other famous people he has read about in his history books.  During his ‘dream' adventures, a Sergeant Blackmore bequeaths his treasure to him. The treasure was never found; so the legend was born. Can young Tobias is solve the mystery and find Blackmore's Treasure?

Guest review by Janice Lazell-Wood

Apparently the author was compelled to write this story because his granddaughter had told him that the "Civil War was boring..."  This is certainly not the case in this engaging debut novel (although you could be forgiven for thinking it was about pirate treasure due to the cover artwork! A slight gripe, but mine own).  Mr Rogers has written a captivating time-slip story of this turbulent time in England's history, one that can be enjoyed by adults and children alike. 

The characterisation is good, including those heavyweights of the Civil War, Cromwell and Fairfax, as well as minor characters who all play their part. Tobias of then and now is a likeable character and when we meet Blackmore, he is a man keeping himself safe by any means possible, be they morally right, or not! The Battle of Naseby, a turning point in the war, is well told, without being graphic. 

I was keen to find out what the treasure was, and wasn't disappointed when the ending was revealed, it even had a nice little twist.  I'd be happy toread more by this author and now want to know more about the Civil War, I hope Mr Roger's granddaughter does too!

My thanks goes to Lindsay for giving me the chance to review this novel.

Many thanks to Janice for reading and reviewing this novel for The Little Reader Library.

The Undertaking - Audrey Magee

In the midst of World War II, Peter Faber and Katherina Spinell embark on an usual marriage – they haven’t even met. Peter takes this step to get ‘honeymoon’ leave from the Eastern front, and he travels to Berlin and meets his wife and her family for the first time. For Katherina, it offers a war pension should he die. Before the war a schoolteacher in Darmstadt, now he is fighting in Russia, for his homeland Germany. Despite the unconventional manner of their union, the pair do find they like and indeed come to love one another, making it difficult for them both when Peter has to return to Russia.

The narration moves between Peter’s horrendous time in Russia as his division moves towards Stalingrad, and Katherina’s life in Berlin, where she enjoys a relatively comfortable existence for a time – this is thanks to her father’s close acquaintance with the powerful Nazi Dr. Weinart, who he almost slavishly complies with, even to the point of not defending his own war-damaged son Johannes in front of him. When the war starts to go against Germany, though, both of them find themselves still apart, and in dire circumstances.

The author writes with brutal honesty of the appalling conditions the soldiers endure, and conveys the different views amongst them about what they are actually fighting for, so that as a reader we can conceivably sympathise with Peter despite the outrage we feel at the regime he was fighting to protect. Audrey Magee also convincingly portrays the turbulent change in fortunes for Katherina and her family.

Throughout the novel, much of the narrative is written as dialogue; I quickly got used to this style and thought it worked very well here; the author lets the characters’ thoughts and decisions speak for themselves, directly, rendering their emotions and experiences vividly to the reader.

The Undertaking is a stark, intelligent and powerful debut novel that confronts harsh realities and depicts two ordinary people complicit in terrible actions.  I was impressed by it and I’d love to read more by this author. There is plenty here for reading groups to debate and get their teeth into – morality, greed, war, damage, and love.

Published by Atlantic Books - 6th February 2014

Originally reviewed for Newbooks magazine