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A review by saareman
The Book of the Lion by Thomas Perry
4.0
Chasing the Chaucer - Bibliomysteries #22
Review of the Mysterious Press/Open Road eBook (May 2, 2017) of the Mysterious Press hardcover & paperback (June 1, 2016).
The Book of the Lion was listed by Geoffrey Chaucer (1343-1400) in the concluding section of [b:The Canterbury Tales|2696|The Canterbury Tales|Geoffrey Chaucer|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1261208589l/2696._SY75_.jpg|986234] (1400) where he renounces all of his works and asks forgiveness for a ribald life. No copy of the work has survived so there are various speculations as to its contents. Thomas Perry uses this rarity as the driving force in the plot to this short story.
A medieval scholar is teased by the appearance of a supposed surviving copy. The twist is that the current owner doesn't want to sell it, but instead holds it for ransom. Unless the ransom is paid, the book will be destroyed. The scholar tries to raise the ransom amount through his connections, but will their efforts succeed or are they being conned?
Trivia and Links
Thomas Perry (1947-) is a writer of mystery & crime novels, especially those in the Jane Whitefield (1995-2021) series. He is also the author of [b:The Old Man|30316148|The Old Man|Thomas Perry|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1470284811l/30316148._SY75_.jpg|50804776] (2017), which was recently adapted into the FX streaming series The Old Man (2022, 2024, ?) starring Jeff Bridges, which is currently running Season 2 episodes as of September 2024.
The Bibliomysteries series are short stories commissioned by Otto Penzler's The Mysterious Press to be written around the theme of deadly books. They are individually published in limited edition hardcovers, paperbacks and ebooks, and periodically collected in anthology editions such as [b:Bibliomysteries|32191848|Bibliomysteries|Otto Penzler|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1478278696l/32191848._SY75_.jpg|56893092] (2013, containing stories 1-15) and [b:Bibliomysteries: Volume Two|36327114|Bibliomysteries Volume Two|Otto Penzler|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1507842055l/36327114._SY75_.jpg|58003435] (2018, containing stories 16-30). There does not appear to be a Goodreads Listopia for them, but on Library Thing the current listing (as of mid-September 2024) includes 40 short stories.
Review of the Mysterious Press/Open Road eBook (May 2, 2017) of the Mysterious Press hardcover & paperback (June 1, 2016).
The Book of the Leoun; and many another book (if they were in my remembrance) and many a song and many a leccherous lay—that Crist for his grete mercy foryeve me the synne. - an excerpt from Chaucer's Retraction as quoted in 'The Book of the Lion.'
The Book of the Lion was listed by Geoffrey Chaucer (1343-1400) in the concluding section of [b:The Canterbury Tales|2696|The Canterbury Tales|Geoffrey Chaucer|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1261208589l/2696._SY75_.jpg|986234] (1400) where he renounces all of his works and asks forgiveness for a ribald life. No copy of the work has survived so there are various speculations as to its contents. Thomas Perry uses this rarity as the driving force in the plot to this short story.
A medieval scholar is teased by the appearance of a supposed surviving copy. The twist is that the current owner doesn't want to sell it, but instead holds it for ransom. Unless the ransom is paid, the book will be destroyed. The scholar tries to raise the ransom amount through his connections, but will their efforts succeed or are they being conned?
Trivia and Links
Thomas Perry (1947-) is a writer of mystery & crime novels, especially those in the Jane Whitefield (1995-2021) series. He is also the author of [b:The Old Man|30316148|The Old Man|Thomas Perry|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1470284811l/30316148._SY75_.jpg|50804776] (2017), which was recently adapted into the FX streaming series The Old Man (2022, 2024, ?) starring Jeff Bridges, which is currently running Season 2 episodes as of September 2024.
The Bibliomysteries series are short stories commissioned by Otto Penzler's The Mysterious Press to be written around the theme of deadly books. They are individually published in limited edition hardcovers, paperbacks and ebooks, and periodically collected in anthology editions such as [b:Bibliomysteries|32191848|Bibliomysteries|Otto Penzler|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1478278696l/32191848._SY75_.jpg|56893092] (2013, containing stories 1-15) and [b:Bibliomysteries: Volume Two|36327114|Bibliomysteries Volume Two|Otto Penzler|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1507842055l/36327114._SY75_.jpg|58003435] (2018, containing stories 16-30). There does not appear to be a Goodreads Listopia for them, but on Library Thing the current listing (as of mid-September 2024) includes 40 short stories.