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The Castle of Kings
The Castle of Kings | Oliver Pötzsch
15 posts | 9 read | 1 reading | 27 to read
An epic tale of murder, treachery, bravery, and love In 1524, in what is now Germany, hundreds of thousands of peasants revolted against the harsh treatment of their aristocratic overlords. Agnes is the daughter of one of these overlords, but she is not a typical sixteenth-century girl, refusing to wear dresses and spending more time with her pet falcon than potential suitors. There is only one suitor she is interested in: Mathis, a childhood friend who she can never marry due to his low birth status. But when a rogue knight attacks Agnes and Mathis shoots the knight to save her, the two are forced to go on the run together, into the midst of the raging Peasants' War.     Over the next two years, as Agnes and Mathis travel the countryside, they are each captured by and escape from various factions of the war, participate in massive battles, make new friends both noble and peasant, and fall in love. Meanwhile, Agnes's falcon finds a mysterious ring, and Agnes begins having strange, but seemingly meaningful dreams. Dreams that lead the two lovers to revelations about their place in the world and in the emerging German states. With The Castle of Kings, Oliver Pötzsch has written a historical yarn that calls to mind Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth and Bernard Cornwell's Agincourt.
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Texreader
The Castle of Kings | Oliver Pötzsch
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Two of two

Day 9: I‘m following the idea to post a book from my tbr list from @StaceyKondla and @Cortg

No description or reason for wanting to read it is necessary if you want to join along. #tbrpile

StaceyKondla Love the cover!! 💕 4y
49 likes1 comment
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Texreader
The Castle of Kings | Oliver Pötzsch
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Non-#readingeurope2020 book haul from HPB. However the tagged book will work for #germany and Keeper appears to work for #England. I already have both countries with other books under way but I couldn‘t resist these brand new books for sale for half price.

Crazeedi Keeper was great!!⤠5y
Texreader @Crazeedi Glad to hear it! Unfortunately it doesn‘t fit any of my immediate challenges so I‘m not sure when I‘ll get to it. 🤨 5y
78 likes2 comments
review
shawnmooney
The Castle of Kings | Oliver Pötzsch
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Bailedbailed

Abandoned less than 10% of the way in due to the laughably stock characters, hackneyed prose, and the complete absence of any nuance in the story. It read like a bad children's novel. Not a bad young adult novel, a bad children's novel.

Sorry, #Castle buddy readers - I did warn you this might happen!

MrBook Oh, boy! I have the first two in the series on audio, which I got for free. 7y
shawnmooney @MrBook This one isn't part of a series, I don't think, but you might be thinking of his Hangman's Daughter series? 7y
MrBook Yeah, that's the series! Lol. Haven't listened to it yet though. Okay, well, looks like I'm still in the clear then for a decent experience with what I've got. 😆 7y
See All 7 Comments
saresmoore ? I had this before me in the library today, read a couple of pages, and said to myself, "No way Shawn is going to finish this!" Then I left it behind. ? 7y
shawnmooney @saresmoore Indeed, and now that I'm getting into the second Cromwell novel by Mantel, am I ever glad I bailed on this one! 7y
saresmoore @shawnmooney You're making me want to drop everything and read her books ASAP! 7y
Cinfhen Ha! Im soooo happy I left this chunkster in Philly 😜I bailed before I read page one 😉 7y
46 likes7 comments
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shawnmooney
The Castle of Kings | Oliver Pötzsch
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shawnmooney
The Castle of Kings | Oliver Pötzsch
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Oh dear, can you say "clunker" boys and girls? ?
#Castle #CoK

Sydsavvy Lol yes. 7y
30 likes1 comment
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shawnmooney
The Castle of Kings | Oliver Pötzsch
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#Castle
#CoK
(Buddy readers, please weigh in on my suggested change to #Castle for the hashtag - I certainly don't want to be the boss of y'all)

MamaGina I've enjoyed his Hangman's Daughter series🤓 7y
drokka I've no problem with #Castle as the tag. 7y
Annl I am fine with #Castle 7y
See All 13 Comments
saresmoore Ooh, this is so intriguing! 7y
drokka Will you join us @saresmoore ? 7y
shawnmooney @drokka I hope @saresmoore does! And this book is screaming to @LeahBergen too, 'Read me!' But I might be on those two ladies' shit list au moment. ðŸ˜ðŸ˜‚😘 7y
LeahBergen This one is tempting but ... I loathed his book, The Hangman's Daughter. 😬 Great premise, cool setting, snazzy beginning - and then it got bogged down in mediocre writing and far-fetched plot machinations. He reiterated what had occurred repeatedly and it could've been shaved down by at least a third. There ... my rudest book comment EVER. 😂 7y
shawnmooney @LeahBergen But....um....what did you really think? 😂😂 Well hopefully this one will turn out better! I'd hate to bail.... 😠7y
saresmoore @drokka @shawnmooney I will see what my library has and, in the meantime, remain shamelessly non-committal. 🙂 7y
shawnmooney @saresmoore Voyeur-reading-buddy? That sounds pretty hot, in a 16th century German castle sort of way… :-) 7y
shawnmooney @saresmoore I'd better be careful with my late night comments – you might be tabulating how many glasses of wine I've had! 😂😂🥂🥂🥂 7y
saresmoore @shawnmooney Ahahaha! No way. Especially since I always seem to be drinking when you're just waking up...and vice versa. It keeps things interesting! 😘 7y
30 likes13 comments
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shawnmooney
The Castle of Kings | Oliver Pötzsch
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saresmoore (Better hashtag.) Dirty minds think alike? 7y
shawnmooney @saresmoore My buddy readers are probably all sleeping now so I haven't obtained permission to change it - so perhaps temporarily unilateralistic of me! 7y
saresmoore Well, perhaps I should just get my mind out of the gutter and focus on the actual books! 7y
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LeahBergen I think #CoK has a nicer ... ring to it. Oh yes ... I just went there. 😂 @saresmoore 7y
shawnmooney @saresmoore Come on! If you did that I'd be all alone down here! 😂 7y
shawnmooney Oh never mind, @LeahBergen will keep me company! 😂😂 7y
saresmoore @LeahBergen @shawnmooney I'm so glad to have found my people! 😆😘 7y
readinginthedark 😯But coins are shiny! Babies like shiny things. 😂 7y
19 likes8 comments
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drokka
The Castle of Kings | Oliver Pötzsch
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I don't plan my reads too much as I eventually view them as a chore, but there is the odd one I get exited about. This will be my second attempt at a buddy read (I wasn't ready for Infinite Jest and ended bailing - but will read it eventually). I enjoy Pötzsch's writing, so aim to finish this one. #summerreads #riotgrams

shawnmooney @drokka @Cinfhen I can't wait to dive in! I will preview the audio soon and if I like the narrator I might do this as a text/audio combo! 7y
Cinfhen I need to buy my copy when I get to the states...are we starting July 1??? @drokka @shawnmooney 7y
shawnmooney @Cinfhen @drokka If possible, July 1st...ish. But no worries if you need a delay - just let us know! 😘 7y
drokka @shawnmooney @Cinfhen I can start anytime in July. But I'm on holiday the first week, so I'll probably start it then. 7y
Cinfhen I should be able to have my copy July 1...looking forward @drokka & Shawn! 7y
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MidnightBookGirl
The Castle of Kings | Oliver Pötzsch
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I have kicked some #audiobook ass the past few days! I have no idea why I decided to try to finish this huge audiobook before 2017, but it's almost done. I'll have listened to the last words before the New Year begins! #midnightbookgirl #CurrentlyReading #crazythingsivedoneinthenameofbooks

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shawnmooney
The Castle of Kings | Oliver Pötzsch
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Got this doorstopper of a 650-page hardcover for 30% off at a Boxing Day sale. I am planning to read it for the Litsy reading challenge - set over 150 years ago - this one's set in 16th century what-is-now-Germany.

drokka Ooooh. I did not know he had a new book out. Blast! My 2016 book budget has all but evaporated, and 2017 is seriously reduced and pretty much spoken for. How to make this happen *goes to ponder* 8y
shawnmooney @drokka If you're an Audible subscriber, I see they have it. If not, why not take advantage of their trial offer of a free audiobook? But I know audiobooks aren't for everyone... 8y
drokka I'm not an audible subscriber, but love audiobooks. I've not done any of his on audio, but will look into it. Thanks for he info. Turns out my library has the book. Who knew? (edited) 8y
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shawnmooney @Cinfhen This is the one! â¤ðŸ˜˜ 8y
Cinfhen @shawnmooney I am so in! Can we tackle this over the summer? 8y
shawnmooney @Cinfhen Yes! 😠8y
shawnmooney @Cinfhen Hey girlfriend, are we still on for this buddy read? I won't be at all offended if for any reason you don't want to – especially given my tendency to bail. I have a feeling this one will be a keeper, but who knows! :-) Is July good for you? Also, are you OK with reading it over a couple months or more? It's quite a hefty tome! ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ (edited) 7y
shawnmooney @drokka Would you be interested in joining our buddy read? 7y
drokka Oh yes please! I have a copy now, so I can do it over a couple/few months. July would work for me as a start time as well (or whenever really). Thanks for thinking of me 🙂 7y
Cinfhen Thanks for the reminder! 😘😘😘July sounds good because I'm tackling GWTW in June! Yes, I'm willing to give it a go and happy @drokka wants in! 7y
shawnmooney @drokka @Cinfhen I am excited to begin in July! â¤ï¸ 7y
shawnmooney @Annl Care to join our buddy read? We'll be starting July 1st 7y
Annl Yes I would love to! 7y
shawnmooney @Cinfhen @drokka We've got another buddy to read along with us, @Annl ! Great! 7y
drokka Welcome @Annl ! 7y
Annl Thanks @drokka 7y
Cinfhen Hi @Annl happy to have another reader along for the journey 😊 7y
Cinfhen @drokka @Annl and Shawn, we need a clever hashtag!!! 7y
Annl @shawnmooney @Cinfhen @drokka I checked out a cop of The Castle of Kings from the library today. Are we still starting tomorrow? 7y
drokka @shawnmooney @Cinfhen @Annl I'm going to try to start tomorrow. If not, Sunday for sure. Since I'm now packing for a move, I'll likely be spreading it out over both July and August as well. As for a tag I wonder how well #CoK would go over. I did think we could do @OPCoK, but I don't know if that's informative enough. It is about the Peasants Revolt so we could maybe use that? #PeasantsRevolt 7y
Cinfhen I'm away for the weekend and didn't bring my copy along, but plan on starting next week @Annl @shawnmooney @drokka 7y
Cinfhen I like #CoK short & sweet @drooka 7y
shawnmooney @Cinfhen @drokka @Annl Am I the only dirty-minded book geek who will always be pronouncing this hashtag in my mind and giggling? I don't care about that, but now that I've planted the impure thought in your pure minds, might I suggest #tcok instead? If nobody cares about that – I really do not - #cok is just fine! 😂 7y
Cinfhen Hahahaha 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 7y
Annl I am fine with either. 😉 7y
drokka I'm down with #CoK. And no, you are not alone @shawnmooney my inner 12 year old says it the same way. 😂 @Cinfhen @Annl 7y
shawnmooney @Cinfhen @drokka @Annl Guys, my very first post with #CoK got a guffawing comment about the hashtag. Can I suggest we just go with #Castle instead? 😂 (edited) 7y
Cinfhen Hi @shawnmooney @drokka @Annl please forgive me...I wasn't able to shlepp #castle to Florida- looks like I may not be joining the buddy read...I'm still trying to finish #gwtw 7y
shawnmooney @Cinfhen Oh that's too bad, but no worries! I'm not at all sure I'm going to finish it, but it's holding my interest enough to continue for now… 7y
drokka @Cinfhen That's poopy, but I totally get it. Do what you have to do for you. No point in resenting a book because you feel it's a chore. Enjoy your holiday ⛱🎢🎡ðŸ–🌊🌊 7y
Cinfhen Just seeing these comments now @drokka @shawnmooney Thanks for the good vacation wishes 😘😘😗and seeing that Shawn bailed.....I'm feeling less guilty about abandoning ship! 7y
39 likes3 stack adds31 comments
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MidnightBookGirl
The Castle of Kings | Oliver Pötzsch
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Not sure if I can get this finished by the New Year, but I'm gonna try! #midnightbookgirl #audiobooks

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MidnightBookGirl
The Castle of Kings | Oliver Pötzsch
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You're looking at the last audiobook I'm likely to listen to in 2016. I've had this on my #librofm tbr pile for a few months, but I'm ready to lose myself in 16th century Germany. I am hoping to do lots of listening this week so I can finish before 2017 starts. #midnightbookgirl #CurrentlyReading #audiobooks

19 likes1 stack add
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Sydsavvy
The Castle of Kings | Oliver Pötzsch
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Needed a change of venue and something dense, and this perfectly fits the bill. Reminds me of "Pillars of the Earth," but with castles and Germanic factions instead of cathedrals and the English ones. Thick but fast read. Plus, bonus of Kate Reading, love her Narrations! (I'm reading and listening).

Eugeniavb Sounds interesting! 8y
28 likes3 stack adds1 comment
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decaturmamaof2
The Castle of Kings | Oliver Pötzsch
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Currently reading... Not sure yet what I think. Usually not fond of #translations.

2 likes1 stack add
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shawnmooney
The Castle of Kings | Oliver Pötzsch
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A meaty new tome, 600+ pages, set in 16th-century what-is-now-Germany, about a teenaged noblewoman falconer who's in love with a lower-class guy, all of it unfolding against the backdrop of a peasant revolt? Count me in!

Kathrin I heard about the Hangman's Daughter... I think I am just a little burned out on historical fiction. 8y
SharonGoforth Just picked this up today! 8y
DreesReads I need to find the Hangman's Daughter series (I have read the first two)--but this looks good too! 8y
38 likes6 stack adds3 comments