The Dangerous Kingdom of Love by Neil Blackmore
How have I, Francis Bacon, well-known as the cleverest man in England, been caught in this trap? For years I survived the brutal games of the English court, driven by the whims of the idiot King James I – and finally, I was winning. But now, at the moment of my greatest success, a deadly alliance of my enemies has begun closing in on me. Led by the King’s beautiful and poisonous lover, Carr, this new alliance threatens to turn our foolish King against me. But I have concocted a brilliant new plan: I will find my own beguiling young man and supplant Carr in the King’s bed, and take power for myself. All I need to do is find him, my beautiful and mysterious creature, my perfect chess move.
I had some trepidation about this book at first. It’s written in such a unique, in-your-face voice that I think it’s going to be quite a love-it-or-hate-it thing. It took me a while to really get in board with it – particularly as it takes some time for the plot to get going – but by the halfway point, I was utterly engrossed.
The story plunges you headlong into the world of the Jacobean court. It’s a place of drama and debauchery, love and lust, intrigue and danger. Bacon – a foul-mouthed, amoral know-it-all – is our guide to this world. There’s a fair bit of info-dumping in the first few chapters before Blackmore seems to find his feet, but it’s a lot of fun once he lets his characters run loose.
Most of all, I loved the relationship between Bacon and his protege, George Villiers. It’s fascinating to watch as it develops, from two men wary and perhaps even afraid of each other, to something more intimate. Their clash of words and personalities at times left me breathless.
A thrilling, enjoyable read for any historical fiction fan.
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