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3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
Similar to the first, a good book the was longer than needed. I was also annoyed at the constant heated jealousy between the love interests. This is why it only gets two stars.
I love how historical and fantastic this is even as a fiction novel. Potzsch really knows how to grab you and keep you interested. The world of Middle Ages Bavaria is a gorgeous backdrop to this fantastic series. Looking forward to the next book!
I’m a huge fan of Oliver Pötzsch, I loved the first book of this series and his novel The Ludwig Conspiracy is one of my all time favorite books. I had high expectations for this book and it did not disappoint. My favorite characters hadn’t changed a bit and the crazy mystery only more unbelievable this time around.
This time around the gang is drawn into a crazy goose chase when a priest in a neighboring town is found dead in his church. It doesn’t take the hangman, Jakob Kuisl, and his physician friend, Simon, long to discover he was murdered. But, before he died he was able to write a cryptic message, which leads Jakob, Simon, and Magdalena (the Hangman’s daughter and Simon’s love interest) on a trail of riddles leading to a centuries old treasure. However, this isn’t any ordinary treasure, this is treasure left behind by the Knights Templar.
And this time around it’s not just the three of them. A beautiful woman named Benedikta , the priest’s sister, arrives and wants to help look for the reason her brother was killed. But, they soon discover they are not the only ones looking for treasure. There are a group of Latin speaking monks following their every move and will do anything to get their hands on the treasure first. They even make sure to create a diversion of thieves in the country side to distract them. Also, all the while a fever is killing people throughout their sleepy village and threatens to take someone very special.
First, I have to talk about the world building. My favorite part of this book and the first in the series is the setting. He manages to bring 1600s Bavaria to life. He did extensive research and actually visited the real places in the book and the reader can tell that he put a lot of effort and love into creating this world. I felt like I really was being transported somewhere else, which makes this book so special. And as a fun extra he gives a guide of a tour of the places in the book at the end, as well as commentary about his experiences there. He also talks about his family who are the real people the characters of this book are based on.
The story itself is fantastic and a lot of fun. At first, I just wanted know who killed the priest and why. But, as the adventure turned to looking for Templar treasure, I was immediately hooked. The characters go to many different places and towns. I liked that the clues were very clever and difficult to figure out. I don’t like it when authors make it too easy to figure out clues in books. It makes it less fun. This was a mystery that I felt you got to unravel slowly, which made it better paced. Also, the ending wasn’t predictable, I thought I had it all figured out about the middle of book, but I was completely surprised by a lot at the end.
Simon is the local physician of Schongau and the main character of this book. He’s a man before his time and doesn’t quite fit into the small town. He’s well educated and loves reading books. He also dresses in the latest French fashions, unlike most of the men in town. He’s a bit of an outsider, but so are his friends. Jakob Kuisl is the local hangman and therefore shunned by the towns people. It’s bad luck to so much as look at the Kuisls’, let alone talk them. But, he and Simon become friends over the love of medicine and books. And in the meantime, Simon fell in love with his daughter Magdalena. She’s strong willed and speaks her mind, but that’s what he loves about her, which was not usually the case back then. Overall, the characters were as great as in the first book in the series. Simon and Magdalena’s romance takes a bit of a down turn and is put more on the back burner for this book, but they still work well together. And the new comer is a mysterious woman, and she has a few secrets up her sleeve. But, I thought the best characters were the mysterious monks that followed them in the shadows. They were very creepy and really helped darken the story and make it more intense.
I give this book 4 stars, the only reason I didn’t give 5 is because I felt that the book was a bit long winded and bit too long. However, the plot and characters were amazing! This book was great and I would recommend it to everyone who is interested in historical fiction and thrillers. And as of when I write this the book is free on the kindle lending library as are the others in this series.
Check out more book reviews similar to this on my blog Brains and Beauty.
This time around the gang is drawn into a crazy goose chase when a priest in a neighboring town is found dead in his church. It doesn’t take the hangman, Jakob Kuisl, and his physician friend, Simon, long to discover he was murdered. But, before he died he was able to write a cryptic message, which leads Jakob, Simon, and Magdalena (the Hangman’s daughter and Simon’s love interest) on a trail of riddles leading to a centuries old treasure. However, this isn’t any ordinary treasure, this is treasure left behind by the Knights Templar.
And this time around it’s not just the three of them. A beautiful woman named Benedikta , the priest’s sister, arrives and wants to help look for the reason her brother was killed. But, they soon discover they are not the only ones looking for treasure. There are a group of Latin speaking monks following their every move and will do anything to get their hands on the treasure first. They even make sure to create a diversion of thieves in the country side to distract them. Also, all the while a fever is killing people throughout their sleepy village and threatens to take someone very special.
First, I have to talk about the world building. My favorite part of this book and the first in the series is the setting. He manages to bring 1600s Bavaria to life. He did extensive research and actually visited the real places in the book and the reader can tell that he put a lot of effort and love into creating this world. I felt like I really was being transported somewhere else, which makes this book so special. And as a fun extra he gives a guide of a tour of the places in the book at the end, as well as commentary about his experiences there. He also talks about his family who are the real people the characters of this book are based on.
The story itself is fantastic and a lot of fun. At first, I just wanted know who killed the priest and why. But, as the adventure turned to looking for Templar treasure, I was immediately hooked. The characters go to many different places and towns. I liked that the clues were very clever and difficult to figure out. I don’t like it when authors make it too easy to figure out clues in books. It makes it less fun. This was a mystery that I felt you got to unravel slowly, which made it better paced. Also, the ending wasn’t predictable, I thought I had it all figured out about the middle of book, but I was completely surprised by a lot at the end.
Simon is the local physician of Schongau and the main character of this book. He’s a man before his time and doesn’t quite fit into the small town. He’s well educated and loves reading books. He also dresses in the latest French fashions, unlike most of the men in town. He’s a bit of an outsider, but so are his friends. Jakob Kuisl is the local hangman and therefore shunned by the towns people. It’s bad luck to so much as look at the Kuisls’, let alone talk them. But, he and Simon become friends over the love of medicine and books. And in the meantime, Simon fell in love with his daughter Magdalena. She’s strong willed and speaks her mind, but that’s what he loves about her, which was not usually the case back then. Overall, the characters were as great as in the first book in the series. Simon and Magdalena’s romance takes a bit of a down turn and is put more on the back burner for this book, but they still work well together. And the new comer is a mysterious woman, and she has a few secrets up her sleeve. But, I thought the best characters were the mysterious monks that followed them in the shadows. They were very creepy and really helped darken the story and make it more intense.
I give this book 4 stars, the only reason I didn’t give 5 is because I felt that the book was a bit long winded and bit too long. However, the plot and characters were amazing! This book was great and I would recommend it to everyone who is interested in historical fiction and thrillers. And as of when I write this the book is free on the kindle lending library as are the others in this series.
Check out more book reviews similar to this on my blog Brains and Beauty.
Since I so thoroughly enjoyed the first book in this series, I jumped at the chance to read the second. It was an enjoyable read, although, I didn't like it quite as much as the first one. (That one, I had trouble putting down!)
One thing I really enjoy about Pötzsch's writing is the obvious amount of research that goes into it. This isn't a hastily thrown together story, it is carefully crafted with attention to detail. From the intricacies of an execution, to the intelligent stringing together of Latin words, to the mixing of herbs for cure or poison... the detail is there.
What I liked a bit less about this book in comparison to the series' first, was that it at times felt a bit too absurd, too unrealistic. But perhaps I am just not often enough immersed in religious fanaticism to see the extremes it can be taken to. At any rate, it wasn't so much so that it spoiled my enjoyment of the book. I liked this one enough that I fully intend to move on to the third!
One thing I really enjoy about Pötzsch's writing is the obvious amount of research that goes into it. This isn't a hastily thrown together story, it is carefully crafted with attention to detail. From the intricacies of an execution, to the intelligent stringing together of Latin words, to the mixing of herbs for cure or poison... the detail is there.
What I liked a bit less about this book in comparison to the series' first, was that it at times felt a bit too absurd, too unrealistic. But perhaps I am just not often enough immersed in religious fanaticism to see the extremes it can be taken to. At any rate, it wasn't so much so that it spoiled my enjoyment of the book. I liked this one enough that I fully intend to move on to the third!
After a local priest has been found murdered, hangman Jakob Kusil and physician Simon are at it again trying to solve the crime. This time, the mysterious death leads them down a trail of riddles and clues, all pointing towards the discovery of the long-lost treasure of the Knight’s Templar. However, they aren’t the only ones on the hunt— a group of monks clothed in black robes are also searching for the holy prize. Along for the ride are Magdalena, Kusil’s daughter and Simon’s love-interest, and a new woman in town named Benedicta, the sister of the dead priest here to solve her brother’s murder. As the group uncovers clue after clue, they quickly realize this is a treasure they might just die for.
Much like the first one, this book was perfectly fine. There were a lot of issues with translation/ general editing that were hard to ignore. For example, Simon carries around a stiletto that he uses for minor medical procedures that he also uses in make tricky spots they find themselves in. Literally ever time he pulls it out (which is close to five or six times), it is described as “Simon pulled out his stiletto, which he often carried with him to perform minor operations.” We understood the first time, you don’t have to describe the it every time it come out. There were also lots of issues with phrases/words being repeated over and over.
The characters are just as interesting as they were in the first book, but they don’t really have any growth between this book and the first one (this book takes place about a year after). The Jakob/Simon/Magdalena from the end of the first is basically the same at the end of this one, save for maaaaybe a little more religious faith, but even that is thin.
The series is called The Hangman’s Daughter, but Magdalena is still only a minor character (she appears more in this one that the last, but not by much). It honestly focuses the most on Simon and Benedicta, which is fine... except there is a forced love triangle which feels cliche and well... forced.
All around, I had fun reading it, but it wasn’t a new favorite of mine. I will probably read the next one, but not for a while.
Much like the first one, this book was perfectly fine. There were a lot of issues with translation/ general editing that were hard to ignore. For example, Simon carries around a stiletto that he uses for minor medical procedures that he also uses in make tricky spots they find themselves in. Literally ever time he pulls it out (which is close to five or six times), it is described as “Simon pulled out his stiletto, which he often carried with him to perform minor operations.” We understood the first time, you don’t have to describe the it every time it come out. There were also lots of issues with phrases/words being repeated over and over.
The characters are just as interesting as they were in the first book, but they don’t really have any growth between this book and the first one (this book takes place about a year after). The Jakob/Simon/Magdalena from the end of the first is basically the same at the end of this one, save for maaaaybe a little more religious faith, but even that is thin.
The series is called The Hangman’s Daughter, but Magdalena is still only a minor character (she appears more in this one that the last, but not by much). It honestly focuses the most on Simon and Benedicta, which is fine... except there is a forced love triangle which feels cliche and well... forced.
All around, I had fun reading it, but it wasn’t a new favorite of mine. I will probably read the next one, but not for a while.
The second book in The Hangman's Daughter follows the mystery behind the death of a 17th century priest. Jacob the hangman, his daughter Magdalena, and the young physician Simon follow riddles through the Priest's Corner area of Bavarian searching for the killer(s) and the motive behind the the killing of the priest and various merchants. The story follows the history of the Knights of the Templar and their possible hidden cache of treasure.
If you like the first book, you'll likely enjoy the second. I felt like we got to know the character more and I love Jacob's humor and the growing romance, tumultuous as it may be, between Simon and Magdalena. In this story, the priest's aristocratic sister comes to town and drives a wedge between Simon and Magdalena and complications ensue. I'm very much looking forward to the next book.
If you like the first book, you'll likely enjoy the second. I felt like we got to know the character more and I love Jacob's humor and the growing romance, tumultuous as it may be, between Simon and Magdalena. In this story, the priest's aristocratic sister comes to town and drives a wedge between Simon and Magdalena and complications ensue. I'm very much looking forward to the next book.
Still enjoying this series. A little predictable, a little outlandish, but entertaining and cute.
adventurous
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Indiana Jones in the 17th Century. Entertaining and densely plotted. At times predictable what will happen next, and of course the protagonists bear charmed lives, but good fun.