Fourth and final discussion thread.

WARNING:  The discussions in the threads have gotten pretty detailed already and there are spoilers!  I caution you not to read a discussion thread until you've finished with the section of the book that it pertains to! 

I knew it!!  Loved the ending of this book.

Okay, I am soooo not coming back to this thread until I finish the last part (I'm about halfway through).  Just one guess here for the record.  I just read the part where Devorax tells Campion and Toby to be ready to travel in a few days and where Mason goes to see Ebenezer.  I'm dying to know WHO Devorax is going to screw over (pardon my coarse language, LOL!) - Campion and Toby or Ebenezer and Cony - to further his "secret" plans for the seals.  One thought has occurred to me - is Devorax perhaps very much a friend?  Perhaps a brother of Kit Aretine or maybe Kit Aretine himself?????  Can't wait to see if I'm right!!

Okay, no more peeking here!!!

The confrontation scene between all the concerned parties is the best!!  I will say no more!

Cheryl - No need to say more.  I just finished!!!!  Wow, awesome, awesome ending!  I just loved it!! And I'm so happy to be right for once.  Will be back tomorrow to discuss.  Right now I have children who have been somewhat neglected tonight while I plowed my way through to the end of the book.  LOL!  Better go get them ready for bed and spend some time reading to them! 

I will say that at the beginning of this book I was a bit "eh" on it, but I got steadily more intrigued.  Mid-way through the book, I would say I was enjoying it, but not loving it.  Vavasour Devorax apperas on the scene though, and suddenly I was loving it!  Sigh. I'm a sucker for a rough, tough, dirty (and I mean that in the sense of actually being physically dirty, unwashed, etc.) rogue!  Not surprising given my love for Uhtred!

Felicia - Are you done yet??

I've finished! Whew. What a great ending. Cheryl, I bow to your deduction skills! I'm not sure I would have figured out before the end that Devorax WAS Aretine if you hadn't put the idea in my head. The closer I got to the end, the more I thought, "You know, Cheryl could be right!"

He put poor Campion and Toby through the wringer there at the end, but imagine knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt your lover would be willing to die for you! Sigh.

Wow, I really loved this book! I wasn't sure what to expect, but I'm so glad I read it! It won't be long before I read more Cornwell, for sure. (I'm longing to make the acquaintance of your Uhtred, Shelley!)

I posted a review of A Crowning Mercy on my blog: http://scalingmounttbr.blogspot.com/2009/02/crowning-mercy-by-bernard-cornwell.html  Now I hope some other readers catch up with us so we can have new details of the book to discuss!

Felicia - Yes, you simply must meet Uhtred!  He's like a good looking Devorax!  LOL!  Yes, hopefully the others will catch up soon!

BTW, what did you guys think of Devorax/Aretine's decision not to grant Campion's request that he spare Ebenezer's life.  I, for one, was grateful that he chose to kill Ebenezer and Cony.  I would've liked the gory details though.  LOL!  Hate to be barbaric, but I waited the whole book for those two to get what they had coming to them (like Hervey)! I think it speaks to Campion, though, that she requested that Ebenezer live.  Too bad he couldn't redeem himself (at least a little) and thank her for that. 

Also, I was kind of hoping to read about Toby and Campion getting Lazen Castle back and all of them living there (including Lady Margaret and the Colonel - I think it's hinted that the Lady M. fancied him, LOL!) happily ever after!  I guess we can assume that's what happened!

Well, Devorax/Aretine was a bit crazy after all, so I figured there was no way he would let Ebenezer or Cony go.  I was a little surprised at the restraint given the detail of other events like Campion's torture and trial and the murder of Scammell.  Devorax was just too good of a character not to be more significant in the story line than just a "hired mercenary".  I think that was why I thought he was Aretine.  Also, he displayed those same flashes of brilliance, temper and ability that I kept hearing  were part of Kit Aretine's makeup.  Therein lies my detective ability!

Don't you love the scene where Campion and Toby want to die to save each other?  Ah romance... 

I too thought that lady Margaret had a fancy for the colonel!

It popped into my head this morning: How is Aretine going to get away with killing Sir Grenville? This was a well-known, powerful man. Surely someone will be out for Aretine's head! (Or maybe Parliament will be so relieved they don't have to pay back Grenville's loans, they won't look into the matter - LOL!)

Maybe Aretine will be getting on the next ship back to Maryland.

Also, I cannot figure out what the title of the book has to do with the story. Anyone have any ideas?

Felicia - Funny you should mention that.  Just yesterday I was wondering about the title myself.  Forgot to post the question.  I'm clueless.  There wasn't much mercy in this book.  LOL!  Also, personally I don't think there was a person in England who liked Cony.  Although his absence will be noted, I doubt anyone is going to pursue the matter of looking into his death. Especially with all that wealth.  People will be too busy trying to figure out what to do with it.  Granted the funds from the Covenant will have dried up, but Cony still has plenty of land, furniture, "plate," etc.,  and you can bet he invested his money well.  The book said he made Ebenezer his heir, and since Ebenezer is also dead, the whole pile will be up for grabs!  You can also be that even if there was an inquiry, I don't think Devorax/Aretine is going to hang around England long.

Another thing, was it just his long, hard life (not to metion the batlle scar on his face) that made Aretine so completely unrecognizable and so far from his former, apparently gloriously attractive, self?  The story of Aretine's Swedish woman and his accidental killing of her was very moving.  What might be more interesting than a sequel (see below) might be a pre-quel that goes details the adventures of Kit Aretine prior to his coming back to save Campion.

With these loose ends, I wonder if BC didn't envision writing a sequel but never got around to it.  LOL!  Lady M and her "plate" hidden at Lazen Castle and the hinting that there was possibly something romatic going on between her and the Colonel are just a couple of things I'd like to see through to the end! Oh, and what becomes of Goodwife Baggerlie?? 

Another thing, was it just his long, hard life (not to metion the batlle scar on his face) that made Aretine so completely unrecognizable and so far from his former, apparently gloriously attractive, self? 

I wondered about that myself. However, heavy drinking can also ravage a person's face. I would bet money the heavy drinking started after he accidentally shot his Swedish lover.

I did discover the Cornwells wrote a couple other books together, but I don't think any of them is a prequel or sequel to this one.

BTW, do you think Goodwife Baggerlie was "warming the bed" first of Matthew Slythe, then of Faithful Unto Death Hervey? Some of these Puritans sure didn't practice what they preached.

I did not know before of the custom of Puritans renaming themselves after Bible verses. What was Toby's supposed name when he was traveling dressed as a minister at the end? (I don't have the book handy.) It was quite funny!

I wondered about the title too after I finished reading; couldn't figure out where it tied in to the story.  The only person who showed any mercy at all was Campion pleading for her brother's life at the end.  I also thought there might have been a sequel planned and then it didn't happen.  It did seem like there were a lot of loose story line threads that could have been picked up in a future book.

I absolutely wondered the same thing about Goodwife Baggerlie and exactly what she was doing!  Hypocrisy was rampant in this book.

I finished this up last night.  Like everyone here, I also really enjoyed it.  Shelley - very good on realizing that Devorax was really Kit Aretine.  I had figured out pretty early that Kit was Aretine's father, but didn't make that connection until I got through Part 3 and read your posting there.  Then, the more I read, I thought - yes, I think she's right!

I was also a little surprised that Kit didn't take out more revenge on Crony and Ebenezer, but I think that by that point he was completely defeated / exhausted himself.  He obviously loved Campion and seeing her, I'm sure, caused so many memories of her mother to come flooding back.

And, yes.....knowing for sure that the one you love would absolutely die for you has to be an amazing feeling!

I was also curious about the title, so I tried googling it, but no luck on finding anything out there.  BUT I did find what appears to be a Crowning Mercy series with the next book being The Fallen Angels, followed by Coat of Arms.  The last book in the series seems to be out of print, but I found a copy here.  From what it says on Amazon, The Fallen Angels is not quite a sequel.  The main character is Campion Lazender, but I think it is one of her namesakes as it's set during the French Revolution.  I've got them both on order.

Michelle - Let us know about the books you have on order.  Interesting.  I'm glad you enjoyed the book!

Thanks for the heads up about the other two books, Michelle! I just ordered both of them.

Thanks Michelle...I think!  Now I am going to have to order them too.

I finished it, it reminded me a lot of the Victoria Holt novels I read in my early twenties - similar setting, plot lines, etc.

I was surprised that Devorax was Aretine, but touched at the way that Toby and Campion would each die for the other. sigh. So sweet.

I also knew it was  a series, but I probably won't finish reading them.

I think the title ties in with the Civil War.

Mimi- Is the title from some kind of a speech or writing from the English Civil War?  That would make more sense then.

I don't know, it just strikes me as the mercy as being part of the civil war - wouldn't it tie in with the Bible and the Psalms? It sure seems like it should.

Ok , so the more I think about it, I'm amending my comment. I think that a Crowning Mercy does tie in with the Bible, and means Christ's Mercy which was shown on Campion - her rescue from her "family", her change of faith as she learned about a more loving God through Lady Margaret, her love for Toby, and her father and fortune.

What do you think?

That seems to make total sense Mimi- good observation.  I had asked my husband who is something of a bible scholar if he could remember the phrase "a crowning mercy" anywhere and what it referred to.  He said that it could totally depend on the version of the bible the author was using i.e. King James, New American Standard etc as a single concept can be expressed with different words.  He said he would do a little research for me and see what he could come up with.  If he finds anything I will let you all know.

Cool, thanks Cheryl.  I am sure it'd have been the King James version, due to the historical era.

Just wanted to say that although we haven't had a huge number of participants this month, the discussion of those of us here as been excellent!  I really enjoyed it!  Thank you to all of you!

Still hoping some more are still reading and will chime in with their thoughts! 

I thought the same thing Mimi, that it would come from the King James version if anything because of the time period.

I agree Shelley, the discussions this month have been a blast!