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    Dark Fire
    Dark Fire
    Dark Fire
    Audiobook18 hours

    Dark Fire

    Written by C. J. Sansom

    Narrated by Steven Crossley

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Winner of the CWA Ellis Peters Historical Dagger Award, Dark Fire brings back acclaimed master of historical fiction C. J. Sansom’s colorful and rapier-witted lawyer Matthew Shardlake. This beguiling tale of murder and mayhem is set against the rich backdrop of 1540 London.

    In the employ of King Henry VIII’s vicar general Lord Thomas Cromwell, hunchbacked Matthew is called upon to investigate the peculiar case of a young woman accused of murder who, oddly, refuses to speak on her own behalf. She’s been threatened with torture, yet still she will not speak. The only
    course prescribed under law will see her slowly crushed to death for failing to enter a plea. After Cromwell grants her a 14-day reprieve, Matthew, desperate to help any way he can, undertakes a secret mission to investigate an apothecary rumored to possess an explosive new weapon called Greek Fire.

    “Sansom’s vivid portrayal of squalid, stinking, bustling London; the city’s wealth and poverty; the brutality and righteousness of religious persecution; and the complexities of English law make this a suspenseful, colorful and compelling tale.”—Publishers Weekly
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateJan 9, 2009
    ISBN9781436185608
    Dark Fire
    Author

    C. J. Sansom

    C. J. Sansom was educated at Birmingham University, where he took a BA and then a PhD in history. After working in a variety of jobs, he retrained as a solicitor and practised in Sussex, until becoming a full-time writer. Sansom is the bestselling author of the acclaimed Shardlake series, the Spanish Civil War thriller Winter in Madrid and the number one bestseller Dominion. in 2023, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Edinburgh. He lives in Sussex.

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    Reviews for Dark Fire

    4/5

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    • 5/5
      Absolutely great read. The second volume of the series more than holds what the first one promises, leading the reader on a gripping journey through Tudor London with all its gritty details and abysmal smells, giving a fascinating and often shocking glance into the period.
    • 4/5
      If you want the conclusions of this book to be a surprise, you'd be best not knowing anything about British history. Several things are obvious from the start if you are. For that reason, in one way it's not as strong as Dissolution; on the other hand, weaving the plot into the political climate does make for interesting reading. I am finding these books kind of addictive: they have their flaws, but Matthew is a character you can root for -- and so was Barak, as the story went on. There are some recurring characters from the previous books -- obvious ones, like Cromwell and Matthew, but also Guy. He was convenient plot wise but I think the subplot with his involvement helped add something, especially since the non-political mystery was obvious to me from early on.Lady Honour I wasn't keen on. I wonder when Matthew will meet a woman worthy of him -- if he will at all. I rather hope so: as a character he deserves romance or at a contented companionship, and as a disabled character it would be good to see. Don't spoiler me, though! Off to the library to pick up Sovereign tomorrow!
    • 5/5
      Dark Fire takes place in Tudor England in 1540. Thomas Cromwell's position is in trouble and Shardlake is given the task of a young girl accused of murder. She refuses to speak in her defense and is imprisoned. Cromwell gives Shardlake 2 weeks to prove her innocence. In the meanwhile Shardlake is also commissioned to find a lost cask of Dark Fire which is a weapon of mass destruction. This book takes up right after the events of Dissolution. The character of Shardlake grows on you as he is a good and honest man. He is commissioned once more to solve a murder mystery which has political repercussions to the success or failure of Thomas Cromwell's position. There is lots of adventure and period detail and history to be fascinated with once again. Samson's characters are complex and well-drawn. The plot is very believable and held my interest to the very end. I look forward to reading the next installment of the series and I would highly recommend this book to those who love historical mysteries.
    • 5/5
      From the acclaimed author of Dissolution comes a new sixteenth-century thriller featuring hunchback lawyer Matthew Shardlake. In 1540, during the reign of Henry VIII, Shardlake is asked to help a young girl accused of murder. She refuses to speak in her defense even when threatened with torture. But just when the case seems lost, Thomas Cromwell, the king’s feared vicar general, offers Shardlake two more weeks to prove his client’s innocence. In exchange, Shardlake must find a lost cache of "Dark Fire," a legendary weapon of mass destruction. What ensues is a page-turning adventure, filled with period detail and history.
    • 4/5
      There were two mysteries running in parallel, and the one I was less interested in got more attention. Shardlake also bungled that one a bit, which is never endearing in a mystery novel. However, Sansom is keeping up the good work with showing how the religious and political turmoil in England is affecting people in all ranks of life and the variety of religious experiences, including Shardlake's own doubts. Also, I still find Shardlake eminently likable, even crush-worthy. I found it hard to put down and stayed up late to finish it. I'm definitely eager to get my hands on the next volume.
    • 2/5
      501 pages: 300 pages too long...All the intrigue, double dealing & ignoring what was in front of their faces all along....The book deals with Cromwell's betrayal & his grasping to save himself with an ancient "Dark Fire" a most voluble substance & against Norfolk's machinations.There were other story lines, but they served as distractions... and the blindness of Shardlake & Cromwell's retainer inability to figure out who was the betrayer as well as who was behind the plot to discredit Cromwell was amazingly boring & over=written.Won't be reading another one of these mysteries again.
    • 4/5
      This is the second book in the series I have read. Incidentally, I haven't read the first, it was a later one. I enjoyed both and I intend to buy the others in the series. They are set in Tudor England. Lots of famous names are dropped in these stories. The stories are purely fiction but the historical background has been well researched.Good mysteries.
    • 5/5
      These are so beautifully written, with a deceptive amount of history crammed in.Can't recommend highly enough.
    • 4/5
      The second book in the Shardlake series was as good as the first. In this the story starts with him being asked to represent a girl accused of the murder of her cousin. She is refusing to speak, and the initial court case almost results with her being pressed, a horrible process of being squashed under weights, as she has refused to speak. All looks desperate, but she gets a two week reprieve from the judge.

      The reprieve is from Cromwell, and Shardlake is summonsed to his presence. Cromwell is trying to get hold of a substance called Dark or Greek Fire, an amazing substance that can set fire to any manner of things. Cromwell sees this as a powerful weapon for the Navy and is desperate to get hold of this for the King. But the people who have demonstrated this are reluctant to pass on the secret and others are aware of the substance. Shardlake is thrust into a swirling nest of vipers, with different figure in the court of Henry vying to power and influence. The plot twist and turns and Shardlake tries to find out who knows what, and who is a possible traitor. Interweaved with is is finding out the circumstances of his original case. It all concludes with a really good twist at the end.

      Really enjoyed this, and cannot wait to read the next one.
    • 4/5
      What a great story! Am now looking forward to the next one. Sansom really brings to life the dangerous times of this time.A tour de force!
    • 4/5
      Two cases are involved in this story. On the one hand, Shardlake has to find out the formula for the Greek fire, something that is always found in stories, and in the end all that is charlatanry. He also has to defend a young woman who allegedly threw her cousin into a well and he died.It was an exciting listening, although it took me a moment to immerse myself in the story.
    • 4/5
      An excellent Historical Fiction read. I enjoyed the book and look forward to the next in the series.
    • 4/5
      What happens in two weeks in London in 1539? Set around more tumultuous events, a lawyer is asked to defend a young woman accused of throwing her cousin down a well. It, however, escalates to a much bigger case which sees him working directly for Thomas Cromwell.A enjoyable book to read, steeped in history, but a few too many convenient twists and turns for me to come to a satisfactory conclusion. But that's fiction.
    • 5/5
      A hugely enjoyable historical mystery novel, sei in a vividly created London of 1540.The central characters of Shardlake, and the likeable rogue Barack, are believable and engaging. The two mysteries are both interesting and allow us to wander around a London that ismalmost a character in herself, so firmly imagined and described, with familiar places that can still be walked today jostling with buildings and streets that are no more.Highly recommended, and better than Dissolution, although you will appreciate the character of Shardlake more if you have read the first in the series, is not essential.
    • 4/5
      Historical fiction is my guilty pleasure - this one does not disappoint.
    • 4/5
      Didn't grab me quite as much as Dissolution, because the multiple plot strands didn't seem to be handled with quite as much control. Nevertheless, another engaging mystery, as Shardlake finds himself mixed up with a girl who refuses to plead guilty or not to the murder of her young cousin, and with a group of ne'er do wells who seem to have discovered the formula for Greek fire, the most lethal weapon of the Byzantine empire. Once again, pacy and well-written.
    • 3/5
      This is the second book in the Matthew Shardlake series, featuring a Tudor lawyer. Although, I didn't enjoy "Dark Fire" as much as "Dissolution", it was still a solid sequel. For some reason I didn't pick up the fact that Matthew was a hunchback in the first book, but it was mentioned a couple of times in this novel and it made me appreciate him even more.Shardlake was such a very believable and likeable protagonist. He was caring, intelligent, modest and incorruptible. I also enjoyed his humorous side-kick, Jack Barak. Barak brought some lightheartedness into the story which was lacking in the first. I just hope that Matthew finds a woman worthy of him. I didn't like Lady Honor; she was far too haughty and aristocratic to be a love-interest."Dark Fire" was full of history and suspense, and had me hooked from the start. Once again, I loved the picture of Tudor London Sansom painted with his wonderful descriptions and I look forward to the next book in the series.
    • 5/5
      Count another person hooked on this series. This is quite different from Dissolution but equally as good. I could feel the mugginess and smell the nauseating odours of London in the summer of 1540 which was quite a contrast from the cold and snow of Dissolution. And Shardlake's mission for Oliver Cromwell is certainly different as he is pursuing the formula for Greek Fire, a highly flammable substance which could change the course of warfare. Also, this time Shardlake has a sidekick, Jack Barak, an adherent of Cromwell's whose favourite descriptor for someone he doesn't like is "arsehole". Shardlake and Barak have only 10 days to find the formula and also to find out what really happened in the Wentworth household the day the young son, Ralph, died. Ralph's cousin, Elizabeth, has been charged with his murder and unless she pleads she will be pressed by heavy stones until she dies. The judge has ordered a stay (at the behest of Cromwell) but only for 10 days. Shardlake and Barak cover London in searching for clues to both mysteries and face at least two adversaries who are bent on killing them. I would not have wanted to live in Tudor England but it is fascinating to read about it.
    • 4/5
      Second in the Matthew Shardlake series, about a hunch-backed lawyer who finds himself serving Thomas Cromwell, more by necessity than by choice. In this book, Cromwell is attempting not to be deposed by Henry VIII and pretty desperately sends Shardlake and a young assistant, Barak, off to discover the truth behind 'dark fire' which in this case refers to Greek Fire, something that has been promised to King Henry. In short order, Shardlake's life is in danger and he and Barak are rushing across London to save themselves as well as Cromwell.Not bad for the most part except : Why, when you are confronting a family you KNOW to have enabled the death of one young boy and then blamed that death on an innocent young girl, why oh why would you be stupid enough to drink wine they offered you? Why do authors seem to have this need to make characters stupid to come up with a stupid plot point?I like Shardlake and I really enjoyed Barak and his development and change throughout the novel.
    • 4/5
      [Dark Fire] by C J Sansom[Sovereign] by C J SansomBeach reading - well from the balcony overlooking the beach which was far more comfortable. Two books in the Mathew Shardlake crime series and both of them kept me up reading well into the night. Shardlake is a lawyer in 16th century England whose services are used by the power makers in the Tudor Court. In Dark Fire he is Thomas Cromwell’s man who is tasked with solving the mystery of the re-discovery of Greek Fire: a combustable material that could burn on water and which had been lost for centuries. Shardlake is soon the target for assassination attempts and with his assistant the streetwise Barak he must solve the mystery to save Cromwell’s skin. Sovereign finds Shardlake after the fall of Cromwell when he is tasked by Archbishop Thomas Cranmer to ensure the safe passage of the man Broderick, who has important information as one of the leaders of the Revolt of the North - the so called Pilgrimage of Grace. Shardlake must meet King Henry VIII progress at York and escort the prisoner back to London. Shardlake and Barak again find themselves in far deeper waters that they anticipate as this time the fate of Catherine Howard: Henry’s Queen, is also involved.The world building, scene setting, historical reconstruction or whatever you like to call it is the main reason I have got hooked on this series. Sansom is careful not to stray too far from the known facts of the period and his murder mysteries enable him to bring his own interpretations to the characters that were the power brokers in Henry VIII court. The struggle between the catholic traditionalist and the protestant reformers who made up the factions containing the great families of the realm provide a stunning background to the stories. Shardlake was seen to be a reformer when working for Cromwell but with the rise of the Howard family at court following the execution of Ann Boleyn he must tread a more wary path when the traditionalists were gaining the upper hand. Sansom superbly captures the deadly intrigue surrounding the King and his coutiers in a world that was all too easily, likely to spill over into violence. Shardlake the crookbacked lawyer spends most of the books in fear of his life. Dark Fire is set in London and there are thrilling descriptions of Shardlake riding on horseback through the streets of Cheapside, Fleet street, Ludgate, St Pauls, and Newgate. There are horrific descriptions of Newgate goal and the poorer areas around Thames Street, but it is the bustle, the crowds, the sense of a city bursting at the seams that fires the imagination. Shardlake seems to be constantly battling through the hubbub, pursuing or being pursued by mysterious forces intent on stopping his investigations. Sovereign is set largely in York, perhaps the second city of Tudor England, but a much poorer place compared to London. The city seems to be going backwards despite its collection of marvellous buildings. Both London and York are suffering the effects of the dissolution of the monasteries and while London seems to be embracing the change York as a city is suffering. What is clear however in both cities is that there is money to be made from the sale of land belonging to the church and those is favour with the King will benefit. A feature of Sovereign is the descriptions of the Kings Progress. In Tudor times it was still customary for the government led by the king to tour the kingdom usually during the summer months. In the great progress to York in 1541 Henry was intent on displaying his power, his government and all its followers was literally on the road cutting a huge swathe across the country and the purpose of the York progress was for Henry to receive oaths of allegiance from the great Northern families. The stately progress hampered by an appalling English summer and fraught with tension is brilliantly conveyed as is Shardlake’s return to London where he is arrested thrown in the Tower and suffers at the hands of the torturers.Mathew Shardlake’s character has been set from the first novel in the series. His crookbacked deformity is mocked by many of the people with whom he has to deal, leading him to hide behind a gruff exterior. He is hard working and as honest as his predicaments allow him to be. He is trustworthy and together with his attention to detail and painstaking following through in his investigations makes him a useful tool to his paymasters, however it is these very characteristics that constantly get him into trouble. I was reading these two novels in conjunction with a history of the battle of Flodden 1513 and I had difficulty in telling apart the history from the historical novel. Looking over the balcony at the people on the Mediterranean beach, relaxing, perhaps escaping from the drama and intrigues of their daily lives, there could hardly have been a greater contrast than with Mathew Shardlake’s desperate attempts to save himself and his friends from death or worse in Tudor England - 4 stars.
    • 5/5
      This book was excellent for both its mystery and its historical elements. The descriptions of Tudor England and the political turmoil of the era were fascinating. Add to that two mysteries that are well-written. The plot moved forward at a steady pace and the characters were fun to read--even the political elements were interesting. Sansom was was able to twist the two mysteries together without losing his focus and the ending was both unexpected and exciting.
    • 4/5
      C.J. Sansom is an awesome writer. His control of language and the ease with which he weaves complex plots and sub-plots within a historical framework is extremely impressive. The reader becomes completely engaged in protagonist Matthew Shardlake doings and the the journey Sansom takes us on. Dissolution set an incredibly high standard. As a historical 'Who done it!' it has few equals. And so when I read Dark Fire my expectations were also set very high. However, the storyline was more convoluted than in Dissolution and the setting was less confined which brought its own difficulties for the writer in terms of plot and control. It still gets 4 stars from me as Sansom's vibrant story telling and prose draws us along toward a historically significant finish.
    • 5/5
      Dark Fire is C. J. Sansom's second novel after Dissolution and begins three years later. In this novel we find the hunchbacked lawyer Matthew Shardlake getting involved in a criminal case where Elizabeth Wentworth is accused of the murder of her cousin. The facts are vague but Matthew is convinced of her innocence. The only problem is Elizabeth refuses to speak. Unless she enters a plea, she will be pressed (cruelly crushed to death under a load of stone that is added to daily until she finally dies).

      Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII's vicar general, has offered a stay of execution if Shardlake will promise to investigate the existence of "Dark Fire", a mythical weapon from ancient Greek history that would make the British navy unbeatable. Cromwell's political future is on the line as he has promised this weapon to his Henry. Cromwell's hold on power grows shakier as the novel progresses, as powerful traditionalists with Catholic views plot against him. If Cromwell cannot find a sample of dark fire to placate the king, he will likely lose his head.

      With the help of one of Cromwell's trusted servants, Jack Barak, Shardlake finds himself traveling all over London tracking down clues and interviewing alchemists, aristocrats and lawyers. He also finds himself trying to avoid the assassins who seem intent on killing everyone who's ever heard of the elusive dark fire.

      The interaction between the characters is very compelling. Matthew Shardlake believes in an established class system necessary in the order of society which clashes with his reformist views. Barak, his assistant, is very mistrustful of the class system but loyal to Cromwell. Guy Malton, the former monk turned apothecary, shows us the bigotry of 16th century England.

      I love Sansom's mixture of culture, history, and mystery. Dark Fire, is set in the stagnant heat of a squalid and malodorous London summer. Sansom captures 16th century London in all its wretchedness. He also reveals the inequities of the classes. Petty thieves are hung for stealing anything worth more than a shilling. Women blackened their teeth on purpose to show that they mainly lived on fine sugar, which is a sign of high class and wealth.

      With historical accuracy and flair for both action and details, Sansom takes the time to develop his characters with sharp distinction. His blend of historical events and the characters playing them out, both real and fictional, is well crafted and exciting. I look forward to the next volume featuring this fascinating character and his cohorts.

    • 3/5
      Another pacy thriller from C J Sansom, set at the time of Henry VIII's marriage to Ann of Cleves and Thomas Cromwell's fall from grace. Matthew Shardlake is pulled back into Cromwell's service to try to secure the secret of Greek Fire. As he tries to unpick that mystery, he is faced with 8 murders. At the same time, he's trying to defend a young woman he believes falsely accused of another murder, survives four attempts on his own life, and tries to bring a corrupt colleague to justice. No wonder he starts to yearn for a quiet life in the country! It's an exciting story that maintains pace throughout all the twists and turns. Some twists I worked out, others I was fooled by. As with Master Shardlake, though, I tired pretty quickly of his assistant Barak's constant use of arsehole as an insult. I'm sure people of his nature would have had a broad range of expletives at the ready, even in Tudor times.
    • 4/5
      This is the second in the Matthew Shardlake series, set during the reign of Henry VIII. The first, Dissolution had Shardlake employed by Cromwell to investigate murders at a monastery, even as Cromwell was in the process of closing down the religious houses throughout England.It is now 1540. Shardlake, disillusioned with Cromwell's tactics, has disassociated himself from the Chancellor, who now faces the king's displeasure over his handling of the Anne of Cleves marriage.Shardlake has been hired to defend a young woman accused of murdering her cousin, but she faces a sentence of pressing to death because she refuses to plead guilty or not guilty at the adjudication hearing. All seems lost until the judge suddenly grants a reprieve of two weeks to find evidence -- but the reprieve comes at the order of Cromwell who needs Shardlake to investigate another mystery.I found the tale absorbing but a bit plodding. There's a lot of travelling throughout a cold and muddy London, the details of which get a bit tedious after awhile. If there is such a genre as Tudor London noir, this is it.
    • 5/5
      This is the first Shardlake mystery that I've read and I am now a fan. Sansom is a very good writer, conjuring up the feel of the Tudor age, bringing his characters to life, and keeping the reader off-balance in solving the mysteries. He does a good job of including historical characters as well as the fictional ones. I'll be reading more.
    • 5/5
      Another enjoyable read from the Shardlake series, am definitely going to keep going with them. Entertaining and fast paced without being silly. Love the interplay of the actual history of Cromwell's fall alongside the fictional quest for Dark Fire. Read this at the same time as watching Wolf Hall on BBC and enjoyed contrasting the different depictions of Cromwell.
    • 4/5
      Brilliant series. I have learnt so much history in the most enjoyable way ever.
    • 4/5
      "I had left my house in Chancery Lane early, to go to the Guildhall to discuss a case in which I was acting for the City Council." So begins this story, set in 1540, just three years after the events of the first book which saw the beginning of the dissolution of England's major monasteries. Our hunchbacked lawyer Matthew Shardlake has sworn off working on high profile political cases and asked Cromwell not to implicate him in his affairs any longer. Of course, we know in advance things won't go his way for long. The City Council case he is pursuing has to do with the site of a former monastery which has been turned into slum dwellings where the cesspits are leaking into the neighbouring houses. He's up against a crooked lawyer, Bealknap and is almost certain he will win the case, with justice on his side. However, with the spectacularly corrupt Sir Richard Rich somehow in the picture, nothing could be less certain. Another case is presented to him, with a friend's young niece accused of murdering her little cousin. The girl, Elizabeth Wentworth refuses to speak in her defence and is facing the torture and death by the press, a particularly punishing, lengthy and painful way to die for those who refuse to cooperate with the law. Just as she is about to be sentenced, someone intervenes with the case, and Matthew and Elizabeth are given a reprieve of two weeks in which time Matthew hopes to be able to find facts to disculpate her. The order has come directly from Thomas Cromwell, and in exchange, the King's minister is expecting Matthew to solve a top secret national security affair, which could incur the King Henry VIII's disfavour and lose Cromwell his head if the monarch were to find out about it. Two brothers who claim to know the secrets of alchemy have gotten their hands on a sample of Dark Fire, also known as Greek Fire, an incendiary weapon used by the Byzantine empire, the formula of which was thought to have disappeared long ago. The brothers have promised to find a way to produce it in large quantities and to put on a display for King Henry on June 10th of that summer, and this weapon could mean victory for England over the French, unless it falls into the hands of the enemy. Once again, rich in historically accurate details, the novel combines well-documented fact with fiction in a convincing manner, and has our lawyer involved with some issues that have the power to affect some of the most important people in the land. Those who know their history, or, who like me like to check on the facts as they are reading, know that a Council meeting held on 10 June 1540, resulted in Cromwell's arrest and imprisonment in the Tower of London, so we know how at least one of the main true-life characters will fare at the end, but what is interesting is the explanation for how he's fallen into disfavour that Samson presents here. Here, as in the first book, King Henry's personal life also comes into play. The King having married Anne of Cleves at Cromwell's urging, and is highly dissatisfied with this third wife, whom he refuses to bed (and consequently angry with Cromwell) and now openly courting the woman who is to become wife no. 4, the very young Catherine Howard, just one more reason for Cromwell to insist that the matter of the Greek Fire be resolved to everyone's satisfaction. Another taut historical suspense, as the protagonists have just two weeks during one of the hottest summers of the century to piece together a dangerous puzzle.
    • 3/5
      what is greek fire. this was confusing. the murder story was confusing. the characters were good. the tudor intrigues were interesting