The Chronicles of St. Mary's Book Eight - And the Rest Is History

Hard to believe that this 8th book in The Chronicles of St Mary's is just as suspenseful and enjoyable as book #1. I don't know how Jodi Taylor manages to keep us engrossed, entertained and wanting book #9 to be written as soon as possible, but she does! I am a huge fan of this whole series.

I absolutely loved this installment of the St. Mary's chronicles. There are bits that are hard to take and bits that will have you laughing to the point of tears, but as with everything these characters get into, they handle it all in their own marvelous style. The last three pages are the icing on the cake, and I can't wait for the next book!

I am finally caught up on everything in this series, and now I have to wait for the next installment! I picked up the first book just under a year ago, and I think that I'm thrilled to be up to book number 8 (plus all the short stories) in such a short period of time says a lot about the nature of this series.

Most of what stands out to me about the adventures is the sheer ridiculousness of them. The author uses the hashtag #disastermagnets to describe her books, and I couldn't agree more. That ridiculousness usually translates into laugh out loud hilarity, and my husband has given up on asking me to explain the joke. You definitely had to be there.

But this most recent installment reminded me how well Taylor also writes heartbreak. I've cried real tears for Max and her friends as much as I've laughed with (and at) them. Darker emotions are just as necessary for a fully fleshed out and three-dimensional world.

Some aspects are getting a little tiresome. I think I only have the patience for a major villain for about one more book or so. Some questions are still left to be answered. Jack the Ripper's true nature, anyone? But I've stuck it through this long and enjoyed every moment of the ride, so I'll be back for more. Even if I don't have a pod and have to wait like a normal person for the next book.

I agree 100% with Ann H about the formatting problems in the Kindle edition. Doesn't anyone at the store, or Ms Taylor know about editing? What a shame to allow such poor quality work. This said, the story lives up to her usual high writing abilities.

I loved the series until I got to this one. Not only is it darker, and gorier, she blamed the fall of Constantinople on Christians when students of History should know that it was the Ottoman Empire (Muslims) that sacked the place. Unfortunately, I have already purchased book 9 or this would be the end for me. If she wasn't willing to blame the correct people, she should have picked a different event to cover!

Another wonderful adventure and not the first time this series has made me cry. I fell in love with these characters in book 1 and have never stopped loving them...and I get a nice side of history to boot! If you have never read any of the St. Mary's books, start with the first one...you won't be able to stop until you finish this one. Then you will be like me anxiously awaiting the next one and hoping for a Matthew spin off!

Jodi Taylor does not disappoint! I won't include spoilers except to say this one has its heart-wrenching moments. These books get better and better. I read this one in record time and will again. I wished it had gone on and on, though I think it ended at the right time. And finally, I hope Jodi Taylor gives us more short stories to show some of the adventurers we hear about in this book but do not see. Write quickly, Jodi, write quickly!

Eagerly awaited Jodi Taylor's book and was very happy to see it makes others, to whom I have recommended it, also happy. A very unique brain going on here. I think it takes more than just breezing through Taylor's books to get the full implication of her thought's. Hooray for her.

I am going to be unhappy to give her just one star in the future, as I will to all the Kindle books I read. I just can't stand the interruption of "dictionary, X-ray, and all the other software manipulations the store insists on interjecting into our readings, with the result that we readers are thrown out of the story, if you will. I can't think of any way to get the writers on our side. I am just a totally disabled, old lady veteran, with not much left to do but read, so I have no influence with the the store I.T. division. They say that all the interruptions are written into the software, so they can't be changed. (Well, at least I'm younger than our president, injured in the line of duty, but with a veteran's pay that wouldn't cover the cost of his hairspray, and I'll probably be banned from the store after someone explains this sentence, because I don't believe he'd understand if he were to somehow read it himself. Really?)

It's just that reading means more to me than it used to. I have to live vicariously through it. It's hard for me to forget many unpleasant things, but if I'm going to, it's going to be through reading. Like many old, old people, my hands are jittery and keeping them from contacting the screen too much is difficult. That brings up the dictionary or whatever.

If the store wants to sell to the pre-literate ( I don't care if that's a word. With the drivel that passes for comment among the internet crowd, who refuse to proof their comments, to even try to make their words understandable to old cranks like me, it's good enough), then let them code software that targets "that" crowd. BUT, don't force "one-size-fits-all" software on Millennials, X-ers, and Boomers. Let us have the "yes" or "no" choice to be interrupted during our reading, just as we get asked if we want to be interrupted all during our movies, with explanations of who plays what character and what is the derivation of that actor's accent, and. . . .Oh, pardon me. We don't have to put up with that during a Jane Austen movie, BUT we do with a Jane Austen book.

I called the store today. I was told again that I have to put up with the software, as is.

I have read every single St. Mary's book, including this last one. And, I'm done!! ******SPOILER ALERT!!********* I read (a lot) and I've enjoyed the St.Mary's series. I've come to care for the characters a great deal thanks to the skill of the author. And perhaps that's why I so disliked this book. So many bad things happened that for the last half or more of the book I was just sad. When I finish a book I've usually been entertained and refreshed and have enjoyed the journey and the story. Not so, this time. Too many bad things, too much darkness. I don't think I can trust this author any longer... once an author starts killing off major characters it's not a fun read. So, even though I like the story line, the characters and the history lessons....sad to say, I'm done... .

I normaly don't write reviews but, this is it, the end sorry but you might as well had not even written this one, the others were great but this one was: there are really no words for it, you just wanted to end the series and you did in the worst way. This book accomplished nothing other then to make you some money from loyal readers expecting some closure and you just thru something together and said here it is. All I can say is you lost a loyal reader .

I confess to binge reading the whole series so far (apart from the shorts, which are not my cup of tea - a St Mary's metaphor if ever there was one) and I still want more. I love and am irritated by the main characters in equal measure. I can never predict what twists of time and relationship will be served up. I love witnessing key historical moments along with the St Mary's team and the mix of humour, trivia and real emotion is addictive.

I'm just back from listening to Jodi Taylor at the Llandeilo Festival and she said she doesn't want her readers to assume that any character was safe and I think this is part of what keeps me turning those pages. I really want to know what happens, dark or not!

If you love history as I do, you have to read this book for the Battle of Hastings - a tour-de-force! I really felt as if I was there with Max, witnessing this turning point of English history in all its gore and glory. Jodi Taylor makes history come alive and I can't wait for my next time trip in one of those pods that smell of cabbage and are well-stocked with tea.

A return trip to St Mary's! I class myself as a Jodi Taylor fan, she is one of a handful of authors that I consider to be 'auto-buy', so I was very excited for the release of the latest instalment in the 'disaster magnets' saga. Yet again Taylor blends historical fact with modern action and a pinch of humour. However, unlike most of the other books in the series, this one didn't pull at my heart strings. No tears for me, despite several incidents in the plot where I think this was expected. My one criticism is that, this far into the series, I think it's hard to keep things 'fresh' and whilst the book was certainly solid and enjoyable, it felt a little 'tired' in parts and almost - dare I say it - a little formulaic. That said, it's still worthy of four stars and I look forward to the next one.

Whew! I read this book with the same enthusiasm I've read the other seven in this series and all the books written by Jodi Taylor. I must say that they one had me feeling very lost midway through when Clive Roman showed up and then disappeared again. The Time Police are the ones who interfered in what was to be a mutually agreed upon surrender of Clive to Max. Instead they show up and Clive takes off in his pod but not until he threatens Max with 'I will kill everyone you love but you will live to suffer.' how awful is that? I worried all through the book that Leon was gone forever but learned a great deal about the Battle at Hastings and how William the Conqueror became King of England. It is always amazing to me how a historian like Jodi Taylor can write such books with such humor. What starts out as an unhappy set of circumstances turns out to be okay in the end. Read these books in order, you need to know the characters from the first book to understand the significance of things in each subsequent book. Book 8 wraps up some things left hanging in earlier books. It is a great read and a great listen. The narrator is terrific and is the voice of St. Mary's.

Taylor always includes so much detail when she describes historical events but she doesn't always give us as much on the characters' minds and hearts. This novel she brings the same vivid sense of reality to the people as she does to Hastings.

The novel has plenty of plot holes and because it moves a little slower we have time to notice the holes. For example, when is someone going to ask why the Time Police can bring people out of their own time when they shoot anyone else who tries it? How can Ronan escape time and again when the Time Police were all over Max for a gunshot in 1431 Rouen?

New character Dr. Stone has big shoes to fill and it looks like he will do that just fine. We have plenty of other people to worry about, most especially Tim Peterson, promoted here from trusty side kick to major character.
Overall an excellent novel, possibly showing a pivot to a more intense, less zany storytelling approach and characterization.

Things take a very dark turn at St Mary's when Clive Ronan reappears with a strange offer of a truce, but when the Time Police are their usual inefficient, interfering selves he vows a terrible revenge on Max.

The mood of this novel is very dark, even the time jumps the team undertake are to some of the bloodiest, most violent so far.

Watch with Max and the team as Harold (future short-lived King of England) is tricked into taking an oath to support William's (the Conqueror-to-be) claim to the throne of England, watch the massacre of the Vikings at the Battle of Stamford Bridge and then of the Saxons at Hastings.

This book tugs at the heartstrings like no other. First we're up, then we're down, then up, then down, It's an emotional roller-coaster from which I've not truly recovered yet. In fact the overall feel is so dark that I had to reread the last few chapters in order to confirm that the book ends on a positive note!

Warning, have tissues at the ready. Oh, and enjoy the Terry Pratchett reference.