Rating: 
Summary: A Medieval, Romantic, Swashbuckling Adventure - Wonderful!!
Review: Filled with swashbuckling adventure, sweeping pageantry and the story of a passionate romance, Marsha Canham outdoes herself with this superb historical novel. "In the Shadow Of Midnight" is the sequel to Ms. Canham's "Through A Dark Mist." It is not necessary to read the first book, however, in order to thoroughly enjoy this one. The author gives a wonderful summary of her previous novel here, without being repetitious at all. The backdrop for this adventure-filled romance is medieval England, Wales and Brittany under the reign of King John
"Lackland."Eduard FitzRandulf, illegitimate son of Lord Lucien Wardieu, Baron de Gournay, (called the Black Wolf), is renowned in his own right as a skilled and noble knight. He is also the champion of the lovely Pearl of Brittany, Princess Eleanor Plantagenet, daughter of the deceased Duke Geoffrey of Brittany, son of Henry II and brother of King John. Princess Eleanor's brother Arthur was heir to the English throne after the death of King Richard the Lionhearted. John usurped the crown, and when Arthur sought to retake it, John had him imprisoned and killed - rumor had it by John's own hand. Eleanor was now the true heir and John's prisoner. As the story begins, William, Marshal of England is visiting his old friend Lucien Wardieu at his home, the Chateau D'Amboise in Tourane. The reason for the visit is to inform Wardieu and his warrior sons that John of England, through nefarious schemes, intrigue, robbery and murder is bankrupting the country. The Marshal also wants Princess Eleanor to be rescued and knows the best man to perform the task is Eduard. While this political reunion is taking place, William's niece, the beautiful and willful Ariel de Clare turns up with her brother and two friends/escorts. King John had sought to marry the young woman off to an unworthy suitor for his own profit, while her uncle was away. She crossed the English Channel to France seeking help and winds up accompanying Eduard to England as part of the plan to aid the princess. Needless to say sparks fly between Ariel and Eduard from the moment they set eyes on each other. The romance is extraordinary, as is Ms. Canham's research and the historical detail she includes in her writing. This is one wild adventure! England's troubled times and her evil king are woven into the storyline with great skill. Family sins and throne-rocking secrets are exposed, royal power is unleashed, some pretty unsavory, depraved characters murder, maim and threaten, love and passion sizzle, armored knights ride to battle and a royal princess is rescued. This novel has it all - from cliff-hanging escapades to steamy sensuality. The action doesn't stop until the last sentence on the last page. As usual Ms. Canham writes with elegance and flair. Her extraordinary characters just about leap off the page. This wonderful book is definitely a keeper!
JANA
Rating:
Summary: A Medieval, Romantic, Swashbuckling Adventure - Wonderful!!
Review: Filled with swashbuckling adventure, sweeping pageantry and the story of a passionate romance, Marsha Canham outdoes herself with this superb historical novel. "In the Shadow Of Midnight" is the sequel to Ms. Canham's "Through A Dark Mist." It is not necessary to read the first book, however, in order to thoroughly enjoy this one. The author gives a wonderful summary of her previous novel here, without being repetitious at all. The backdrop for this adventure-filled romance is medieval England, Wales and Brittany under the reign of King John
"Lackland." Eduard FitzRandulf, illegitimate son of Lord Lucien Wardieu, Baron de Gournay, (called the Black Wolf), is renowned in his own right as a skilled and noble knight. He is also the champion of the lovely Pearl of Brittany, Princess Eleanor Plantagenet, daughter of the deceased Duke Geoffrey of Brittany, son of Henry II and brother of King John. Princess Eleanor's brother Arthur was heir to the English throne after the death of King Richard the Lionhearted. John usurped the crown, and when Arthur sought to retake it, John had him imprisoned and killed - rumor had it by John's own hand. Eleanor was now the true heir and John's prisoner. As the story begins, William, Marshal of England is visiting his old friend Lucien Wardieu at his home, the Chateau D'Amboise in Tourane. The reason for the visit is to inform Wardieu and his warrior sons that John of England, through nefarious schemes, intrigue, robbery and murder is bankrupting the country. The Marshal also wants Princess Eleanor to be rescued and knows the best man to perform the task is Eduard. While this political reunion is taking place, William's niece, the beautiful and willful Ariel de Clare turns up with her brother and two friends/escorts. King John had sought to marry the young woman off to an unworthy suitor for his own profit, while her uncle was away. She crossed the English Channel to France seeking help and winds up accompanying Eduard to England as part of the plan to aid the princess. Needless to say sparks fly between Ariel and Eduard from the moment they set eyes on each other. The romance is extraordinary, as is Ms. Canham's research and the historical detail she includes in her writing. This is one wild adventure! England's troubled times and her evil king are woven into the storyline with great skill. Family sins and throne-rocking secrets are exposed, royal power is unleashed, some pretty unsavory, depraved characters murder, maim and threaten, love and passion sizzle, armored knights ride to battle and a royal princess is rescued. This novel has it all - from cliff-hanging escapades to steamy sensuality. The action doesn't stop until the last sentence on the last page. As usual Ms. Canham writes with elegance and flair. Her extraordinary characters just about leap off the page. This wonderful book is definitely a keeper!
JANA
Rating: 
Summary: Second In The Series. Great Story
Review: For those who read Through A Dark Mist, you know that the Black Wolf discovers that he has an illegitimate son named Eduard. Well this is his story, and while I thought this story wouldn't be as good as its prequel, I was wrong. In the Shadow Of Midnight is a great sequel and a must for Canham fans. Lady Ariel de Clare is appalled that King John plans on forcing her to marry one of his repulsive guards. She flees England with her Brother, Henry, to Brittany to seek the help of her uncle, the marshall of England. The resolution her uncle decides on finds Ariel escorted in disguise to Wales by Eduard FitzRandwulf. What Ariel doesn't know is that her journey to Wales is really a smokescreen for the real mission Eduard is planning which is to rescue Princess Eleanor of Brittany who has been taken prisoner by King John. Sparks fly between Eduard and Ariel. They are both tempermental and stubborn, and neither wants to be in the other's company but traveling for days in dangerous conditions brings them closer together and makes it harder for them to deny the attraction developing between them. I think some people need to beware: this story is more centered around the plot than the romance which is finding out what King John did to his neice, Princess Eleanor. I did not mind this because the book is so filled with adventure and cliffhanging moments that it was kind of nice to read a book that's not all about the romance. All in all, this is a great story for anyone. Even those who don't like romance novels.
Rating:
Summary: I Expected Better but.....
Review: I actually picked up this book on a whim but wasn’t sure what to expect. I thought it was good but not the type of book I’d like to read regularly. While being an acceptable book, it was not quite good enough to earn a full five stars. .... I really did enjoy the secondary characters, although there were so many that I had to work hard to keep the strait. The story involving the history was well written, but I thought that there was too much history and too little romance for my personal taste. However, parts were interesting, and I really felt for Eleanor. I could have become sick when I read what had happened to her, and the author really made you feel pain for this poor innocent woman who became embroiled in political intrigue and caught in the crossfire. I would read another book by this author because it could just have been the case of one book. ...
Rating:
Summary: I Expected Better but.....
Review: I actually picked up this book on a whim but wasn’t sure what to expect. I thought it was good but not the type of book I’d like to read regularly. While being an acceptable book, it was not quite good enough to earn a full five stars. .... I really did enjoy the secondary characters, although there were so many that I had to work hard to keep the strait. The story involving the history was well written, but I thought that there was too much history and too little romance for my personal taste. However, parts were interesting, and I really felt for Eleanor. I could have become sick when I read what had happened to her, and the author really made you feel pain for this poor innocent woman who became embroiled in political intrigue and caught in the crossfire. I would read another book by this author because it could just have been the case of one book. ...
Rating: 
Summary: A DIFFICULT, TEDIOUS READ
Review: I AM A CANHAM FAN AND HAVE ENJOYED MANY OF HER BOOKS. THIS ONE WAS TERRIBLY DIFFICULT TO FOLLOW. HISTORY BUFFS MAY LIKE IT. I TOSSED IT AFTER 2-3 CHAPTERS...WHEN U NEED A CHEAT SHEET TO KEEP THE CHARACTERS AND THEIR RELATIONSHIPS STRAIGHT IT JUST ISN'T WORTH THE BOTHER.
Rating: 
Summary: DISAPPOINTED!
Review: I can't believe I am actually disappointed in one of Ms. Canham's books. After reading Through a Dark Mist, that was so exciting and wonderful, I Was looking forward to this book. I spent more than half the book looking for the same excitement. I got a lot of history and learned to dislike King John even more plus again being reminded that Richard the Lionhearted was lacking a heart. But she seemed to throw in the love scenes as an after thought as though she felt the readers would be unhappy. They were silly and Ariel was worse than a child with her dialogue. I will persevere and read the third book in the trilogy and hope the story does reflect her usual excitement and intrigue.
Rating:
Summary: A Keeper
Review: I loved the book! It brought me into another time and place ... feels like you are there. Every scene/setting is enjoyable, one scene leads to another like stories within the story ... it is detailed and absorbing ... loved the supporting charcters and dialogue too. The love story is great, especially when they discover/acknowledge their feelings for each other. It's a keeper ... I've re-read it three times over the years! The other two books in the trilogy (Through the Dark Mist and The Last Arrow) are also great but this second of the trilogy is my favorite.
Rating:
Summary: Just could not force myself to finish it
Review: I made it about a third of the way through this book before I put it down and never felt the desire to pick it up again. There was next to no romance in the story, and it read more like a high school history lesson than a novel meant to entertain. There were also so many characters and subplots woven together that I just could not keep everything straight. I realized later that this was the second book in a series, so maybe if I had read them in order than all the characters and their relationship to each other would have made more sense.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent medieval flavor!
Review: I was totally immersed in the time period. The castles were dark and smelly, the people were real, the emotions gripping. I almost couldn't breathe when Eduard found the Princess and discovered her terrible secret! Excellent. Just like the other two books in the series.
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