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Jan 25, 2018USAF1969 rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
I too am a big Bernard Cornwell fan. FOOLS AND MORTALS is certainly different from his other books of historical fiction which often focus on wars in days gone by long ago. But only different in that it focuses on the early days of the development of static theaters and the rise of the great playwrights - we are talking 1595 as the setting for this story. It does not have the level of action of his war-related historical novels, but it does have an element of intrigue, some violence, religious persecution, class distinctions, and the harsh realities of being a actor in that era. While the central story is based in the theater of William Shakespeare as seen through the eyes of his brother Richard, an actor, the larger story is about the growth of a new industry focusing on the people coming to a static place (theater) to see a play rather than the older traditions of taking plays out to the people. If you like the theater scene and plays you will love this. If you are not much into those things, just be prepared once in awhile to skim through some the theater and plays descriptive material - still a great read either way.