Last Master, The: Passion and Anger - Volume 1 (Last Master)

Rating:
Summary: A plausible and captivating novel about Beethoven.
Review: Finally an accurate and plausible novel on Beethoven. I can't wait for the next volumes. The musicological approach is captivating.

Rating:
Summary: A delightful and historically accurate novel of Beethoven
Review: I was overjoyed to find a book such as the one written by John Suchet. I commend the author for writing a book about Beethoven in a way that I don't think was accomplished before. I hope that John Suchet may provide future "historical novels" about other famous composers. I am a pianist myself, and I love reading about the lives of the great composers. I recommend this book for anyone who wants to learn about Ludwig van Beethoven from the point of view of a story.

Rating:
Summary: A disappointment
Review: This book, although a very good idea, and well researched, was so poorly written I could have shredded it in frustration. In the hands of a more skilled author, this book would have been great. As it is, it's dreadful.

If he had not been a famous British newsreader, I doubt if John Suchet would have managed to get this book published. Again, its a classic example of 'it's not what you know, but who you know'.