The Tower of Fools

I really wanted to enjoy this but sadly for me it failed to deliver. I was intrigued by the Hussite Wars as a backdrop having little to no knowledge of them but I needed to keep Wikipedia open just to understand what was happening and where we were. The mash up of historic fiction and fantasy wasn't for me, nor the episodic nature of the novel, and I found the main character to be irritating in the extreme. A no from me.

I so loved this book; I was heartbroken to finish it. A glorious evocation of fifteenth century Europe, like the Canterbury Tales or the Pilgrim's Progress, or perhaps Hesse's Journey to the East; the characters are full of life, and I didn't want to leave them!In the midst of tragedy and war, there's humour too, and I can't wait to see what the future holds for Reynevan, Scharley and Samson in the next volume!Five stars!!!!!!!!

Loved The Witcher pc game. Not so much the tv series. And not so much this book, in fact I will be very glad to have finished it! I don’t really care what happens, too many coincidences, ‘hero’ is too stupid. I have probably suffered from not knowing the history of the setting, and not knowing how to pronounce the names of people and places, so I expect I am suffering from some ‘lost in translation’ moments. Not for me.

Have only just started this book and so far I can't put it down The characters are so real. The plot is complex. The Storyline is one that makes you turn over the page to find out what happens.

Set in the early 15th century, ‘The Tower of Fools’ follows Reinmar who finds himself in the run when he is caught in bed with a married woman. But he soon finds himself caught in the middle of a religious war between the Hussites and several religious countries.With nowhere else to run and hide, he finds himself in The Tower of Fools, an asylum where he now risks losing his mind unless he can get out and escape the the dangers drawing in around him.‘The Towel of Fools’ feature an array of brilliant characters, demons, magic and more in this packed read. It’s packed full of humour, some bloody moments through and dangerous goings on but it can be a bit slow paced at times.‘The Tower of Fools’ is a highly detailed, atmospheric and brilliantly described historical fantasy. I loved the mix of history and fantasy, getting to learn a bit about The Hussite Wars and following Reinmar as he fought his way to freedom. The author has also done a fabulous job of describing each place that Reinmar visits along his journey and of describing times during the wars in the 15th Century.The Hussite Wars was something unbeknownst to me before. The wars actually lasted over a span of fifteen years during the 15th century with many of the battles taking place in Bohemia and Prague.I’m looking forward to reading the next part in this brilliant trilogy. ‘The Tower of Fools’ is a fantastic, immersive and epic read. If you’re a fan of historical fantasies, this one is definitely worth a read.

Not part of the Witcher series. This story is based in medieval Europe.There are supernatural elements.Well written and enjoyable.

There is a really exciting, gripping story at the heart of The Tower of Fools, it's just hard work finding it.The story has all the dramatic elements of a great tragedy, as Reynevan falls in love with someone he shouldn't have fallen in love with, another man's wife. Getting caught in the middle of a bit of rough and tumble leads to a much rougher and more serious tumble, a dashing escape through the streets, and one of his pursuers lying dead.After that exciting start, it's a story about a pursuit across country, bounty hunters, mysterious allies and more than a little magic.The problem really is the setting, or more accurately it is the author's insistence at thrusting us so deep into the setting that it can be hard, at times, to see the narrative.There are pages and pages of discussion about the Hussite heresies, and the validity or otherwise of their complaints against the papal church. There are discussions of old wars and those that fought in them and the changing political landscapes across Europe. There were so many unfamiliar names and places being constantly thrown around that one would have to be a medieval scholar to follow it all, and much of it seems to have little impact on the core narrative as our hero and his pursuers don't feel passionately either way about the religious or political controversies.The Tower of Fools was tough going but ultimately rewarded perseverance