Act of Oblivion: The Sunday Times Bestseller

Product Information

Harris, deft as ever, weaves a hefty amount of historical fact into the narrative, politics, religion, colonial life, family ties - as well as themes of forgiveness and reconciliation. Underneath it all though is the remorseless and building propulsion of hunter and prey New Statesman

Act of Oblivion: The Thrilling new novel from the no. 1 Act of Oblivion: The Thrilling new novel from the no. 1

In London, Richard Nayler, secretary of the regicide committee of the Privy Council, is charged with bringing the traitors to justice and he will stop at nothing to find them. A substantial bounty hangs over their heads for their capture—dead or alive... He took a while to reply. By the time he spoke the men had gone inside. He said quietly, “They killed the King.” Like in An Officer and a Spy, Robert Harris has taken a little known historical episode and written a lengthy novel about it - and, like that other novel, Act of Oblivion is unfortunately really boring. Following the restoration of the monarchy in 1660, Charles II wants revenge on the men who were responsible for the murder of his father, Charles I. Many of the men who signed the warrant for the King’s execution have already died in the normal course of things, or have been rounded up and imprisoned, to be executed in their turn. But several are still on the run, hiding out in England or in Protestant countries on the continent. And two, Ned Whalley and Will Goffe, have made it all the way to the New World, to hide out in the Puritan settlements there. Richard Nayler is the man appointed to hunt them down, a man whose loyalty to the new King is matched by a personal grievance he holds against Cromwell’s men. An absolutely stunning historical novel and a ripping crime thriller at the same time. I've been recommending it far and wide and buying it for people for Christmas! Dead GoodPacy and tense, and the pungently evoked past offers up some shrewd present-day parallels Mail on Sunday II, доволен се завръща на трона в Лондон. Цената е Законът за Забравата, даващ амнистия на републиканците. Но не и на 59-те подписали смъртната присъда на Чарлз I. Robert Harris's latest offering is a gripping piece of historical fiction, a blend of fact and fiction that imagines the turbulent period of history after the Restoration. It is 1660 and the monarchy in the form of Charles II has been returned to power, Colonel Edward Whalley and his son-in-law, Colonel William Goffe are wanted for the execution of King Charles I, a consequence of the English Civil War, followed by the rule of Oliver Cromwell. They board a ship to cross the Atlantic to America and the New England colonies, where many Puritans reside, sympathetic to their plight, landing in Boston. They are on the run, with the royalists demanding a savage retribution. Under the provisions of the Act of Oblivion, 59 men who signed Charles I's death warrant have been found guilty in absentia of regicide and high treason.

Act of Oblivion by Robert Harris review – regicides on the Act of Oblivion by Robert Harris review – regicides on the

I have been waiting for most of my life for Robert Harris to write a novel that is not gripping, insightful and entertaining. I am waiting still Ben Macintyre, The Times He has taken a truly extraordinary factual tale and turned it into a fun fictional version, with pace throughout, and a crowd-pleasing finale The Oldie Harris is a master of historical fiction, a compelling author who brings to life the recent and ancient past Justin Warshaw, TLS In this tense and beautifully written account of the ensuing manhunt, Harris brings sympathy to characters on either side of the civil war that divided a nation. Daily Mail

Select a format:

Harris displays an impressive grasp of the historical context without taxing his readers by showing his 'workings'. Church Times Put this on your list of books to curl up with on a dreary winter's day. There is something deeply comforting about historical fiction, particularly one so rich in detail and intelligent in design. The slow burning plot weaves the thrill of the chase with a precise rendering of colonial America and royalist Britain. But now, ten years after Charles' beheading, the royalists have returned to power. Under the provisions of the Act of Oblivion, the fifty-nine men who signed the king's death warrant and participated in his execution have been found guilty in absentia of high treason. Some of the Roundheads, including Oliver Cromwell, are already dead. Others have been captured, hung, drawn, and quartered. A few are imprisoned for life. But two have escaped to America by boat. Another fantastic piece of historical fiction from Robert Harris, immaculately researched and utterly believable IPU Review Colonel Edward Whalley and his son-in-law, Colonel William Goffe, cross the Atlantic. Having been found guilty of high treason for the murder of Charles the I, they are wanted and on the run. A reward hangs over their heads - for their capture, dead or alive.

Act of Oblivion by Robert Harris | Waterstones

The best historical fiction combines a gripping plot with meticulous research - leaving the reader inspired to learn more about the real-life protagonists. And the latest release from Robert Harris once more proves his mastery of the genre Soldier He’s done a marvelous job of this. Whalley, Goffe and Nayler are vividly drawn, their decisions and actions consistent with the worldviews he has created for them. The arc of the story is well designed, with the focus shifting between New England and London, where Goffe’s wife (Whalley’s daughter) is the primary focus. A fictional memoir drafted by Whalley is an excellent device for filling in details about Cromwell’s rise - and fall. Harris certainly seems to have done his research and he brings the time period to life convincingly enough with lots of detail. You know how sometimes people say they learn more about history through reading historical novels than actual history books? I can see people saying that about Harris’ historical novels like this one. America in the 1660s was sparsely settled. Two men on the run are housed initially by the Puritans (who sympathized with the anti-monarchists) but must flee when Nayler arrives in America to pursue them. The tale involves maritime travel from London to Massachusetts to the rugged terrain of the Connecticut wilderness.I почти никак не бяха засегнати, а малкото препратки бяха с размера и с вълнуващия стил на бележка под линия. Over half the Regicides have since died but, of the remaining survivors, two names are highest on the most wanted list: Edward Whalley and William Goffe, who are suspected to have fled to the New England colonies across the Atlantic. Richard Nayler is appointed by the Crown to hunt down these men and bring them the King’s justice. And so the chase begins - will Whalley and Goffe get away with it?

Act of Oblivion: A Novel by Robert Harris, Paperback | Barnes Act of Oblivion: A Novel by Robert Harris, Paperback | Barnes

Act Of Oblivion offers a resonant history of both England and America as they struggle to forge a myth of nationhood out of opposing ideologies Daily MailA disappointing one for me, then, though most people seem to be loving it, so as usual it clearly comes down to subjective taste.