Even though I'm French Canadian, it's thanks to George R. R. Martin that I recently discovered the excellent The Accursed Kings by French author Maurice Druon. Having enjoyed both The Iron King and The Strangled Queen, I was curious to see what the third installment would have in store for readers. But unlike its predecessors, The Poisoned Crown failed to live up to expectations, through no fault of the author. Indeed, it has more to do with the fact that the book focuses on Louis X's brief reign. A feeble and arrogant man, the Hutin is far from an engaging character and his many ineptitutes signal the beginning of the end of an era for the kingdom of France.Here's the blurb:No man is impervious to the poisons of the crown…Having murdered his wife and exiled his mistress, King Louis X of France becomes besotted with Princess Clemence of Hungary and makes her his new Queen.However, though the matter of the succession should be assured, it is far from so, as Louis embarks on an ill-fated war against Flanders.Where his father, Philip IV, was strong, Louis is weak, and the ambitions of his proud, profligate barons threaten his power and the future of a kingdom once ruled by an Iron King.Having had his wife murdered to pave the way for his marriage to Clemence of Hungary, King Louis X doesn't seem to realize that he needs more than secure the succession to restore order within the borders of his kingdom. Famine plunged France into chaos and his inability to hold in balance the infighting between the ambitious factions undermining his reign has brought France on the brink of collapse. As always, Maurice Druon demonstrates that he has an incredible eye for historical details and his narrative truly comes alive as you read along.Once more, I found the translation to be quite good. As was the case in the first two volumes, it is at times literal, creating occasional odd turns of phrase here and there. But other than that, nothing to complain about. As is usually his wont, instead of relying on info-dumps, Druon opted for footnotes sending you to the back of the novel for more historical background and clarification. This maintains a fluid pace throughout, and one reaches the end all too quickly. In a day and age when SFF and historical novels are veritable doorstopper works of fiction, these books are decidedly short. Too short, if you ask me. They are episodic in nature, and instead of a seven-book cycle the reissue of The Accursed Kings should probably have been released as a trilogy. Given the price of novels, this may have worked better with a few omnibus editions instead of going for the original seven installments.The structure of these works revolves around a number of disparate POVs which allow readers to witness events through the eyes of a variety of protagonists. This help generate more emotional impact, as you see the web of scandal and intrigue which weaves itself around the Louis X and his entourage from both sides of the conflict. The king's POV, though a necessary evil as the tale focuses on his short reign, is not as interesting as other points of view. Louis X is not the sharpest tool in the shed and he spends most of the book digging his own grave, so to speak. To give you an example, imagine being forced to wade through a Lancel Lannister POV in the ASOIAF books. Pious to a fault, the young Clemence of Hungary is another protagonist whose POV isn't as compelling as I thought it would be. As was the case with the previous volumes, the often amusing POV of Guccio Baglioni helps create a bit of a balance with the darker elements of the main story arc.All in all, The Poisoned Crown doesn't stand as well on its own as its predecessors. Still, Maurice Druon weaves many threads in what is undoubtedly a great tapestry and I have a feeling that this third volume is more of a transition book meant to bridge the storylines of the first two installments with what will come after. God knows that it opens the door for countless possibilities which will certainly be explored in The Royal Succession and subsequent installments.With family rivalries, politicking, betrayals and back-stabbings, ASOIAF fans will find a lot to love about Maurice Druon's The Accursed Kings. And considering that these books were first published in the 50s, I have to admit that they have aged well and are as easy to read as any contemporary novels on the market today.For more reviews: www.fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com
Druon spins new mystery in there third instalment of The Accursed Kings. With Louis X on the throne, France has started to see his own personal imprint. The reader will remember that Louis faced a marital and queenly dilemma, when his wife was jailed for her adulterous ways. Luckily, a deal could be brokered that saw Clémence of Hungary as a possible new wife, young enough to produce a male heir and not yet spoken for, but coming from a distant branch of Louis' own family. On her journey from Naples, the boat on which Clémence travels meets much naval distress, but she is safely deposited on French soil and excited by this opportunity to become the Queen of France. Soon after their first meeting, Clémence marries Louis and only then learns how his first wife met her end. By pushing for answers and seeing through the lies and deceit, Clémence confronts him and realises that their union is more than a means to mend relations between families. With no pregnancy after a few months, Louis worries that he may not get the heir he so badly needs. Entering into a pact with her, Louis succeeds in planting the seed of France's future and moves on to his territorial exploits. Louis, a tyrant like his father, seeks to lay the groundwork for his long reign by dealing blows to Flanders and Artois, all in an attempt to make France all the more powerful. While Clémence is not the only one who discovers that she is with child, others will soon see just how complicated following one's heart can be, especially when matters of class and rank become important. Trysts and secret marriages pepper the novel as France's future takes a major blow after plotting at court pays dividends for a select few.Druon lays out an interesting third novel to bridge the two major Kings of France. Using a great set of characters and wonderful plots, the story takes many interesting twists that can only serve to advance the larger narrative. Druon ensures that traps are laid throughout the novel, leaving no character safe from potential disaster, even while all eyes remain on the throne. With a futile Conclave yet to elect a pope, many begin to wonder if papal control in the world has passed its prime. The reader can revel in all the nuances Druon sets out for his characters and watch as their lives move closer to an ultimate clash.Kudos, M. Druon for all your wonderful storytelling and intrigue narrative, which only heightens the excitement as the series advances.
What do You think about Los Venenos De La Corona (2006)?
This one seems to take more liberties with history than the previous two entries. This tale continues the short reign of Louis X and how in ten short months undid a lot of the work of his predecessor. The questions around Louis' death is explored fully in this chapter. The side story continues with the Lombard banker Guccio's quest to marry the woman he is in love with. This story is almost more interesting than the main story line, since this one demonstrates the absurdity of the nobility to marry at their own level despite being flat broke and certainly never for love. Louis is desperate to get his wife pregnant in order to leave an heir since he does not believe he is destined to live long and the question of succession is where he live this entry.
—Lisa
La historia gira en torno a la segunda parte del reinado de Luis X y cómo con el matrimonio con Clemencia de Hungría cree poder gobernar en paz. Las intrigas por el control del territorio del norte de Francia (el Artois) hacen mella en la política de Luis X que está más preocupado por su sucesor que por esas intrigas e incluso más que por su permanencia en el poder al que incluso han buscado hechizar para matarlo.Finalmente muere Luis X (no es spoiler, porque incluso en la contraportada del libro y a mitad del mismo lo dice) y empieza la guerra por el control de Francia mientras esperan si el hijo de Luis X será niña o un futuro Rey.Muy buen libro y no espero para leer el cuarto de la saga.Nigger
—Superiu
After reading the Iron King (which I absolutely loved) and The Strangled Queen (which I thought was lacking in the qualities of the first) I headed into the third with unexpected expectations.However I enjoyed this one just as much as the first. The Poisoned Crown brings back all the political intrigue, and evolves the characters into deeper levels. Robert of Artois' quest to reclaim his land from his aunt is growing, and starts to turn into a civil war.The leaders of France are splitting apart as they take sides with either Charles of Valois or Philippe of Poitiers.Louis X is by far a better character then before, his recent marriage has changed him to an entirely different person. At the end of the second I hated him, and in this I loved him.The book (like the others) ends suddenly, and leaves the reader wanting more and I certainly will continue this epic tale in the sequels.
—Austin Guenther
