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sashahc's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I’ve just reread “The Armor of Light” by Melissa Scott and Lisa Barnett. It’s a what-if Kit Marlowe and Philip Sydney hadn’t died early deaths and were instead sent to Scotland to protect King James against the Earl of Bothwell and his witches. It’s chock full of Elizabethan court intrigue, wrestling with temptation, and descriptions of clothing. Will Shakespeare, John Dee, and Walter Raleigh all make appearances. It’s queer and magical and I like to reread it every few years.
ginabbina's review against another edition
1.0
I didn't finish this book. Victorian royalty is boring to me; adding wizards didn't help
djrmelvin's review against another edition
3.0
This was a re-read from several years ago. The plot is only slightly less convoluted on the second try (I still attribute that to the book having two authors- each had plot twists they refused to surrender), but knowing what was coming allowed me to see the characters in a little more detail. As a fan of Christopher Marlowe's works, I'm a sucker for a story where he lived a longer life, especially one so full of intrigue.
wealhtheow's review against another edition
2.0
In this alternate history tale, Sir Philip Sidney didn't die at the Battle of Zutphen, and is instead Queen Elizabeth's champion. He is sent to Scotland to defend King James from Bothwell's witchcraft. With him comes Kit Marlowe, whose life he saved in 1593 and who has continued to spy for Walsingham. Five hundred pages later, Sidney and Marlowe defeat Bothwell using some bible verses. The writing is so repetitive, the magic so deus ex machina, that I could barely finish this.
The authors clearly know the Elizabethan period very well, but this is not a good novel. The plot is very basic, the plot beats poorly paced, and the characters almost indistinguishable. The narration switches point-of-view frequently, with no signal and to no real purpose, since everyone has the same basic mindset. The only character who stands out at all is Marlowe, mostly because he can't look at a young man without thinking about fucking him. It's tiresome. Equally unnecessary are the side plots featuring Frances Sidney and the players. The players consume a good hundred pages at least, but their point in the novel is obscure. Frances does even less. She gets word that her husband will be attacked by witches, so she creates a convoluted plot to get Queen Elizabeth to speak with her in order to get permission to ride all the way to Scotland with Raleigh in tow (no reason this historical figure should be included either). I have no idea why she felt the need to do this, since the ENTIRE REASON Sidney is in Scotland in the first place is to defend against witches' attacks. He already knows he'll be a target; Frances's hundred-odd pages of plot to warn him are completely superfluous. But then, this book in general feels like it's made entirely out of padding, like the writers really just wanted to play dolls with their favorite historical personages (the descriptions of their clothes are seemingly endless) and they inserted a bare little plot at odd intervals to maintain the illusion that this is an actual story.
The authors clearly know the Elizabethan period very well, but this is not a good novel. The plot is very basic, the plot beats poorly paced, and the characters almost indistinguishable. The narration switches point-of-view frequently, with no signal and to no real purpose, since everyone has the same basic mindset. The only character who stands out at all is Marlowe, mostly because he can't look at a young man without thinking about fucking him. It's tiresome. Equally unnecessary are the side plots featuring Frances Sidney and the players. The players consume a good hundred pages at least, but their point in the novel is obscure. Frances does even less. She gets word that her husband will be attacked by witches, so she creates a convoluted plot to get Queen Elizabeth to speak with her in order to get permission to ride all the way to Scotland with Raleigh in tow (no reason this historical figure should be included either). I have no idea why she felt the need to do this, since the ENTIRE REASON Sidney is in Scotland in the first place is to defend against witches' attacks. He already knows he'll be a target; Frances's hundred-odd pages of plot to warn him are completely superfluous. But then, this book in general feels like it's made entirely out of padding, like the writers really just wanted to play dolls with their favorite historical personages (the descriptions of their clothes are seemingly endless) and they inserted a bare little plot at odd intervals to maintain the illusion that this is an actual story.
lauraellis's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars. I read this book partly to fulfill the “alternative history” slot in the 2019 Book Riot’s Read Harder Challenge.
This tells how Sir Phillip Sidney, with the aid of Christopher Marlowe, is sent by an older Queen Elizabeth to save young King James of Scotland from the Wizard Earl of Bothwell. Magic is alive and well and rooted in folk beliefs and Catholic rites and beliefs, and Virgil as well. It is very dense and the first third or so of the book was rather slogging for me. I’d not have predicted i would end up giving it 4 stars.
I found myself rooting hard for Marlowe.
I wish that the authors would go back and write the alternate history of Sidney’s and Marlowe’s younger years, which are so frequently referenced here.
The cover does not do this book justice. It makes it look like a light-hearted romp, which it is not at all.
This tells how Sir Phillip Sidney, with the aid of Christopher Marlowe, is sent by an older Queen Elizabeth to save young King James of Scotland from the Wizard Earl of Bothwell. Magic is alive and well and rooted in folk beliefs and Catholic rites and beliefs, and Virgil as well. It is very dense and the first third or so of the book was rather slogging for me. I’d not have predicted i would end up giving it 4 stars.
I found myself rooting hard for Marlowe.
I wish that the authors would go back and write the alternate history of Sidney’s and Marlowe’s younger years, which are so frequently referenced here.
The cover does not do this book justice. It makes it look like a light-hearted romp, which it is not at all.
tigerb99's review against another edition
5.0
One of my very favorite historical fantasy books ever.
josephfinn's review against another edition
4.0
Fun alternate history of the end of Elizabeth I's reign with magic and religion intermingling.
klreeher's review against another edition
4.0
somewhat slow to start but hugely enjoyable by the end. loved the historical world building.
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