Started reading this book a year ago.

At that time, I was quite interested in its theme and the initial content seemed promising. However, as I delved deeper into it, I found that I could only get through 2 chapters.

The reason was that it just couldn't hold my attention firmly. Maybe the writing style didn't suit my taste, or the plot development wasn't engaging enough for me at that moment.

But I haven't given up on this book completely. I still believe that there might be some hidden gems within its pages that I haven't discovered yet.

So, I have decided to try reading it again in the future. I hope that with a different mindset and more patience, I will be able to appreciate its true value and enjoy the story it has to offer.

Who knows, maybe the second time around will be a completely different experience and I will finally be able to finish this book and be glad that I gave it another chance.

While every Patterson book I've read has been rather transparent, with the plot twist often being evident almost from the very start, this particular one managed to hold my attention. The reason? I have a deep love for medieval history. Set in the 11th century, it delves into the horrors of the crusades,描绘了专制的贵族们, and presents an unlikely hero in the form of an innkeeper-turned-jester. It's a relatively quick read, and it stands out from any other Patterson book I've encountered. This leads me to believe that his co-writer, Andrew Gross, might have been responsible for the bulk of its creation.

Not bad at all!

Lori Anderson

Web Site: http://www.lorianderson.net

Blog: http://www.lorianderson.blogspot.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1152557235&ref=profile

After being thoroughly disappointed in Andrew Gross' contributions to the "Women's Murder Club" series, I decided to pick up The Jester, thinking maybe Mr. Gross was out of his element with those novels and this one would be better. However, I was mistaken.

This story follows Hugh De Luc in 1096 France as he fights in the Crusades. Once he returns home, he discovers that his wife is gone and his young son, whom he'd never seen, had been murdered.

Contrary to what the back of the book claims, his quest is NOT "one of the most pulse-pounding adventures, mysteries, and unforgettable love stories in all thriller fiction." Firstly, the story starts out painfully slow, and I found it difficult to get into. The majority of the characters lack any remarkable or sympathetic qualities. They have no real depth, making it hard to care about them at all.

Hugh, the main "hero" and poor innkeeper, upsets a ruthless knight protected by his Lord, who has no qualms about killing innocent children. He promises to pay increased taxes to the knight and thereby the Lord, but almost immediately runs away to join the Crusades, promising to come back to his wife but showing no real consideration for her. He wants freedom from the oppressive Lord, yet running off to join the Crusades without believing in the cause doesn't seem likely to bring him that freedom. He deserts the Crusades when he realizes he doesn't want to die for a cause he doesn't believe in and heads back home, only to find his wife abducted and child murdered.

The whole plot regarding the search for the "relic" (a lance with Christ's blood on it) is full of holes. Why would they think Hugh had the relic in the first place? He deserted, a crime, and didn't tell anyone he was leaving. How would anyone know he had survived and left the chaos of the battle? And why wouldn't anyone know what the lance looked like? The search for the lance, which makes up a large portion of the story, is mostly nonsense.

Emilie, as the daughter of the King, is another element that doesn't work. The way she is treated by Stephen and the King is completely unrealistic. It is also unrealistic that the King would allow her to marry a commoner who led a rebellion against noblemen.

I could go on and on about the countless problems with this book, but I feel I've wasted enough time and energy. In short, this is an uninteresting, unrealistic narrative with flat, unsympathetic characters. The time period is used as an excuse to insert excessive amounts of unnecessary sex and brutality that add nothing to the story but shock value. It is clear that Andrew Gross is an author who should be avoided.

This is one of the best books I have ever read!

The story and the characters are truly amazing. From the very first page, I was completely hooked and could not put this book down. It has this unique ability to keep your attention throughout the entire book.

I never once got bored during any of it. The setting of the book is in the Middle Ages during the Crusades, which adds an extra layer of excitement and authenticity.

It's about a nobody who endures hell at the hands of a couple of corrupt Dukes but somehow manages to do the impossible.

If you have a passion for historical fiction, especially with the Middle Ages and the Crusades as a backdrop, then you will definitely love this book.

This is a book that I will never forget, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a great read.

It's a captivating story that will transport you to a different time and place and leave you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

I grabbed this book off the shelf primarily because it was written by James Patterson.

When I began reading the story, I was initially surprised and a bit hesitant to continue when I learned the time period in which it was set. I've never been a huge enthusiast of historical novels. However, I'm truly glad I gave it a chance.

Mr. Patterson, with the assistance of Andrew Gross, effectively draws you into this setting and enables you to fully immerse yourself in the story. You can hear the anger in Hugh's voice, smell the foul odor of the jail cells, taste the food served in the great halls, and feel the silks worn by the nobles.

I found myself rooting for Hugh, gasping when swords clashed, and experiencing a mix of emotions when Hugh discovers Sophie. I consider his character to be a true hero, a leader, and someone that people today would follow. Hugh stands for justice, freedom, and what is right.

This book may seem long, but you quickly realize that it ends all too soon when you reach the conclusion. I would highly recommend this book to any James Patterson fan or any fiction reader who enjoys a historical novel. The research they've conducted for this book truly enriches the storyline.

This was indeed a rather significant departure for Patterson, and to be honest, I'm really not certain if it was a favorable one.

The story commences in the current day with the discovery of an artifact. This part lasts approximately two pages and then is never mentioned again, not even once.

Subsequently, the narrative of the artifact begins, and it is inundated with such an abundance of gore, depravity, cruelty, and violence that I very nearly gave up on reading. I was left wondering where the title fit in!

Thankfully, things improved a little and it started to become somewhat interesting. However, the book had several glaring anachronisms. For instance, referring to their clothing as "duds" - a term that wouldn't be used for several hundred years more.

Most of the so-called "surprises" were anything but. Any astute reader should have been able to anticipate them from numerous previous chapters.

Now, having said all that, I did manage to finish the book. And I must admit that throughout the last hundred or so pages, I couldn't help but constantly think of Robin Hood - Prince of Thieves.

All in all, Patterson should have delivered a better performance.

I did not expect this to be such a banger, but it truly was great.

There was an abundance of violence and gore, along with absolute chaos, and an actually engaging protagonist. However, there were some repetitive descriptions here and there. It was also a little odd how quickly Hugh fell for Emilie after discovering the passing of his wife.

Sometimes the writing style got a bit boring, simply describing things as they happened without much flavor. Nevertheless, the events themselves were wild enough for it to be passable. One thing I really enjoy is when the main character gets injured, and in this hook, Hugh gets absolutely battered, which is just great.

I wasn't sure what to expect from this, but I was thoroughly entertained. In fact, I was thinking about it a lot when I had to put it down. It had a certain allure that kept me coming back for more, despite its few flaws. The combination of the exciting plot and the engaging protagonist made it a worthwhile read.

I look forward to seeing where the story goes from here and what other adventures Hugh will embark on.

The only Patterson books that I have read are those in the Alex Cross series. However, even those do not manage to grip me tightly.

We are all familiar with the author's trademarks - short sentences, short chapters, and a lack of literary style. This book is no exception, despite being set in the 12th century.

I was not overly impressed by the accuracy of the research presented. Nevertheless, I was somewhat carried along by the story.

All in all, this particular work is not really to my taste. It may have its own charm for some readers, but for me, it falls short in several aspects. I prefer books that offer more depth in terms of language and research, and that can truly engage me from start to finish.

Perhaps I will give Patterson another try in the future, but for now, I will be looking for other authors to satisfy my reading cravings.

The Jester

The Jester by James Patterson, which was published in 2003, 20 years ago, remains one of the outstanding works by this author that I have had the pleasure of reading. Set in 11th-century France during the crusades, the story begins with inn-keeper Hugh de Luc returning home from the crusades only to find his village ravaged by unknown riders who attacked in the dead of night. His son, whom he never knew, is killed, and his wife, Sophie, is abducted. Hugh then embarks on a crusade to find and free his wife and regain his freedom.

His freedom crusade almost comes to a premature end when he is attacked by a wild boar. Fortunately, Lady Emilie comes to his rescue and suggests that he become a court jester to infiltrate the castle where he believes Sophie is being held captive. With some assistance, Hugh becomes an excellent jester and discovers that Sophie is still alive. He is also surprised by the number of supporters who have rallied around him.

Co-authored by Andrew Gross, The Jester has a distinct feel to the storyline and reads like a classic Patterson book. I rated it as a five-star read. At the time of writing this review, other Goodreads readers had given it an average of 3.81 stars based on 19,735 ratings and 1,124 reviews.

A great book and a distinct type of novel within James Patterson's brand.

I found this book to be so captivating that I immediately desired to explore more of Andrew Gross's literary output.

It serves as yet another example of the outstanding writing prowess of author Andrew Gross. Since then, I have delved into numerous of Andrew Gross's remarkable historical novels and would unreservedly recommend them.

His ability to craft engaging stories and bring historical periods to life is truly remarkable. The characters are well-developed, and the plots are filled with twists and turns that keep the reader on the edge of their seat.

Whether you are a fan of historical fiction or simply enjoy a well-written novel, Andrew Gross's works are definitely worth checking out.

You won't be disappointed.

Terrible book! It is truly a disappointment. If you have a reading level equivalent to that of an 8th grader and find such simplicity enjoyable, then perhaps I might grudgingly recommend it to you. However, for those with more refined literary tastes and a desire for more substantial and thought-provoking reading material, I highly recommend spending your precious time on more worthy pursuits.

This happens to be the only James Patterson book I've had the misfortune to read. Therefore, I can't make a sweeping generalization about him as a writer based on just this one experience. But I must say, this particular book was more than enough to completely discourage me from ever picking up any further books written by him.

I expected so much more from a well-known author like James Patterson, but this book failed to deliver on almost every front. The plot was predictable, the characters were one-dimensional, and the writing style lacked depth and sophistication. It was a real waste of my time and money.

The story I just read was truly captivating from start to finish.

The plot was filled with twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat.

The characters were well-developed and I found myself really invested in their fates.

As I reached the final pages, I had no idea what to expect.

And then, the ending blew me away.

It was completely unexpected and yet, it made perfect sense within the context of the story.

It left me with a sense of awe and wonder, and I couldn't help but think about it long after I had finished reading.

This is the kind of ending that makes a great story even greater, and it's one that I will surely remember for a long time to come.