{"id":12417,"date":"2020-01-23T20:45:03","date_gmt":"2020-01-24T01:45:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/?p=12417"},"modified":"2026-01-23T18:38:30","modified_gmt":"2026-01-23T23:38:30","slug":"the-kings-bishop-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/12417","title":{"rendered":"The King’s Bishop"},"content":{"rendered":"

The King’s Bishop<\/a><\/em> (1996) Candace Robb<\/a><\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>Set in England in 1367.<\/p>\n

We see that Owen still struggles with his allegiance to Thoresby.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy did you accept the posts if you meant to go into a rage whenever he called upon you?\u201d <\/p>\n

Owen met Lucie\u2019s eye and said simply, \u201cIt seemed an honour at the time.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Lucie is more pragmatic, but that doesn’t mean things are easier for her.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe says he cannot leave me with a babe in arms and an apprentice who is but eleven years old. Who will protect us?\u201d Lucie tucked the now sleeping baby into her cradle. \u201cWe have gone round and round about it. I cannot make him see reason. We live in a walled city surrounded by friends, under the protection of a powerful guild, and surely God will watch over Owen\u2019s family while he is serving the Archbishop.\u201d Lucie settled back in the chair, pressing her fingers to her temples. \u201cHe hovers over us, Bess. He will drive me mad.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

But to be honest, this story is as much about Archbishop Thoresby as it is about Owen and Lucie (and Ned). <\/p>\n

Owen grew serious again. \u201cDo you ever regret serving under Archbishop Thoresby?\u201d <\/p>\n

Jehannes looked surprised. \u201cNever. He is a good man.\u201d <\/p>\n

When Owen\u2019s eyebrow rose, the Archdeacon shrugged. \u201cAs good as the circumstances allow him to be.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cThat smacks of cynicism.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cIt is not meant that way, truly. You are a fortunate man to serve His Grace.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Because Thoresby has reached the point where he no longer believes he can in good conscience serve as Chancellor. He is looking back upon his life, and looking forward to the few years he has left, and doubting that he has served God in the manner he was meant to, and he knows that he continues to lose favor with the king, over Alive Perriers.<\/p>\n

Fortunate man to be able to confine himself to what he excelled in. Thoresby should try that. But it was too late to change. Too late.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

However, the mystery resolves around King Edward trying to get William of Wykeham appointed to the see of Winchester, so he can then be made the King’s Chancellor (replacing Thoresby).<\/p>\n

Instead, the King pushes his favourite at His Holiness, a favourite on whom the King has already lavished an array of benefices that bring him indecent wealth, a favourite who has attracted enemies. Naturally His Holiness sees this as a dangerous situation; such a prominent, wealthy, political man, a man so important to the King, will not suddenly change his allegiance and withdraw his attention from the court to focus on the see of Winchester. His diocese will become a pawn in the King\u2019s hands.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The politics get a bit deep in this story, but I think they’re undesrtandable. What was a bit confusing about this story are the reasons for the murders. There are secrets, except they aren’t secrets from the King, so it’s never really clear to me just why the murders happened.<\/p>\n

But then again, one of the things I love about this books are the little glimpses into how people acted and believed at that time (as much as we can know that from this far out).<\/p>\n

Gwen Thorpe believed that to complain of pain was to criticise God\u2019s judgement.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Owen shook his head. \u201cWe shall not speak of such things while Gwenllian is suckling.\u201d Men had the oddest sense of order, Lucie thought.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The other thing I especially like is the slow redemption of Michaelo. <\/p>\n

Owen had noticed the subtle changes in the secretary. It was difficult to believe he had once been the toady of Archdeacon Anselm.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I’m always a sucker for a good redemption arc.<\/p>\n

So, the mystery was somewhat confusion, but I did enjoy the characters and the history.<\/p>\n

Publisher: Diversion Books<\/p>\n

Rating: 7\/10<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The King’s Bishop (1996) Candace Robb Set in England in 1367. We see that Owen still struggles with his allegiance to Thoresby. \u201cWhy did you accept the posts if you meant to go into a rage whenever he called upon you?\u201d Owen met Lucie\u2019s eye and said simply, \u201cIt seemed an honour at the time.\u201d […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[193,30,33,8,41],"tags":[159,549,186],"class_list":["post-12417","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-7-10","category-british","category-historical","category-mystery","category-reread","tag-candace-robb","tag-high-middle-ages","tag-owen-archer"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/piQkW-3eh","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":6038,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/6038","url_meta":{"origin":12417,"position":0},"title":"The King’s Bishop","author":"Michelle","date":"September 4, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"The King's Bishop (1996) Candace Robb Set in England in 1367 Sir William of Wyndesore\u2019s page is found in the icy moat of Windsor Castle, and although the death doesn't look natural, the page is hurriedly buried, even though many blame Ned Townley, Lancaster's spy, who fought with him the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "8\/10"","block_context":{"text":"8\/10","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/8-10"},"img":{"alt_text":"The-Kings-Bishop","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/The-Kings-Bishop.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":12649,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/12649","url_meta":{"origin":12417,"position":1},"title":"The Cross-Legged Knight","author":"Michelle","date":"March 23, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"The Cross-Legged Knight (2003) Candace Robb (Owen Archer) Set in York, England in 1371. The Bishop of Winchester, William of Wykeham, failed to bring home Sir Ranulf Pagnell from France, so how he has to bring home the knight's heart--and deal with the family accusing him of stealing part of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "7.5\/10"","block_context":{"text":"7.5\/10","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/7-5-10"},"img":{"alt_text":"The Cross Legged Knight","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/The-Cross-Legged-Knight.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":6063,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/6063","url_meta":{"origin":12417,"position":2},"title":"The Cross-Legged Knight","author":"Michelle","date":"September 11, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"The Cross-Legged Knight (2002) Candace Robb Set in England in 1371. Lucie has been recovering from a fall that caused her to lose the baby she was carrying, and as she recovers she struggles not only with a darkness that has fallen upon her, as well as Owen's protectiveness, which\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "8\/10"","block_context":{"text":"8\/10","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/8-10"},"img":{"alt_text":"the-cross-legged-knight","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/The-Cross-Legged-Knight.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":12612,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/12612","url_meta":{"origin":12417,"position":3},"title":"A Spy for the Redeemer","author":"Michelle","date":"March 12, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"A Spy for the Redeemer (2002) Candace Robb (Owen Archer) Set in Wales and York in 1371 Owen is still in Wales seeing over the tomb of his father-in-law. But when the sculptor is killed, Archdeacon Rokelyn all but demands that Owen look into the death, which leads Owen to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "7.5\/10"","block_context":{"text":"7.5\/10","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/7-5-10"},"img":{"alt_text":"Spy for the Redeemer","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Spy-for-the-Redeemer.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":6034,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/6034","url_meta":{"origin":12417,"position":4},"title":"The Nun’s Tale","author":"Michelle","date":"August 31, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"The Nun's Tale (1995) Candace Robb Set in England in 1366. This is the first Owen Archer book I read, many years ago, and I have forgotten how very unlikable the nun of the title was. (T)here is yet something else\u2014 something that frightens her. She was given the last\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "7.5\/10"","block_context":{"text":"7.5\/10","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/7-5-10"},"img":{"alt_text":"The-Nuns-Tale","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/The-Nuns-Tale.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":6031,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/6031","url_meta":{"origin":12417,"position":5},"title":"The Lady Chapel","author":"Michelle","date":"August 31, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"The Lady Chapel (1994) Candace Robb Set England in 1365. The second Owen Archer mystery finds Owen and Lucie married--her now the Apothecary and him her apprentice. When a mercer (a trader in textiles) is murdered and his had left in the room of his business partner, Archbishop Thoresby sends\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "8\/10"","block_context":{"text":"8\/10","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/8-10"},"img":{"alt_text":"The-Lady-Chapel","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/The-Lady-Chapel.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12417","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12417"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12417\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12417"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12417"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12417"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}