Rating: 
Summary: an echo of Eco
Review: I was given Ex-Libris as a present and took it up yesterday... I read it in one (very long) sitting. This book is a masterpiece, combining the author's erudite mastery of English history with a thoroughly well-written, complex mystery. The syntax was not nearly as ornate or as concerned with preserving the 17th century idiom as I had anticipated. Having been favorably impressed with my recent reading of the Name of the Rose, I hadn't expected to find such a worthy successor to it in this--or any other-- book, but I have, and Ex-Libris is it.
Rating: 
Summary: Wow! I wasn't impressed at all.
Review: I was intrigued by the premise of this book. And then I read it. The story would become too laden with facts about Hermes Trismegistus or Cromwell that my eyelids would droop. Alethea was never fully fleshed out to me and even Inchbold, I am not sure, if I were in his shoes, if I would have even become involved. What did he see in her anyway? She seemed kind of like a lunatic or at least eccentric. And the ending-- anyone ever read The Fall of the House of Usher... just too fantastic!
Rating:
Summary: A fine literary historical mystery
Review: In 1660, Lady Marchamont petitions London bookseller Isaac Inchbold proprietor of Nonsuch Books to visit her in Dorsetshire. Since Isaac never leaves London and is such a creature of habit, anyone who knows him is stunned when he decides to travel to the countryside. Yet the strange note sends an intrigued Isaac journeying to Pontifex Hall.Lady Marchamont hires Isaac to restore her library to its former glory before looters ransacked it during the civil war. In particular, she wants the bookworm to locate an antiquated heretical tome, "The Labyrinth of the World" identified by her murdered father in his EX-LIBRIS. Intrigued not only by the immense fee, Isaac begins a quest that places his life in danger. EX-LIBRIS is a superb historical thriller that grips the readers with its in depth look at seventeenth century Europe. Even more interesting is the clever historiographical look by the 1660 Isaac back to the Civil War. The story line is fast-paced as Isaac tells his tale in the first person so that the audience completely understands him as a likable chap whose simple existence turns frustrating with troubles. More novels like this one will lead to Ross King ruling the genre. Harriet Klausner
Rating: 
Summary: A mad mysterious book journey
Review: In an age of new inventions from the mundane to the celestial, Europe in 1660 was presaging the modern world. However, the battle between Protestant and Catholic dominion was still waging, and whoever could win that fight would have control of a European empire. In the balance, hung the fate of the libraries of Constantinople, Prague, the Vatican, and Spain, some still on the Inquisition's hit list called The Index. Whoever controlled these books controlled the flow of knowledge as the battleground really evolved as science versus religion. Into the foray steps Isaac Inchbold, mild-mannered London bookseller, widower, and homebody. His quiet life is disrupted when Alethea Plessington, also known as Lady Marchamont, calls upon him to retrieve a missing rare book called "The Labyrinth of the World" from her father's library and ruined estate. Thus begins a wild journey and wild goose chase for Inchbold and a course of events that flip flops between 1660 England and 1620 Prague. Along the way are robberies and ransackings, lots of hair raising chases, a book auction, and several book rescues from the Thirty Years War, from Cromwell's England, as well as the world's waterways. The book overall has something for everyone and is generally well-crafted. Bibliophiles will relish the details on old libraries containing works from Aristotle to the occult, on mapmaking, on bookbinding and palimpsets (hidden texts). History and military buffs will enjoy the battle descriptions, the detailed description of 1660 London, and the historical tidbits about Sir Walter Raleigh's expeditions. However, I do agree with other reviewers that this reading requires patience and that the plot tends to become overly convoluted and bogged down in too much detail at times (the richness of detail is conversely also a strength of the book). Neverthess, I would recommend take what you can, enjoy the ride, and leave the rest. The story is ultimately great fun.
Rating: 
Summary: mediocre medieval thriller
Review: Isaac Inchbold, a London bookseller in 1660, leads a sedate and predictable life until he is summoned to Pontifex Hall by the enigmatic Lady Marchamont, who asks him to restore to her possession a unique and possibly dangerous manuscript that belonged to her father. While other reviewers consistently liken this novel to Eco's The Name of the Rose or Pears' Instance of the Fingerpost -- two of my favorite novels -- I found this literary journey was much less satisfying. King is a good writer in some ways. His descriptions of characters fills them out quickly and renders them interesting, and this was an interesting historical period. But King often resorts to interminable lists of objects and books as his narrator describes his surroundings or carries on internal monologues about rare books he's heard of. It's obvious that King has done his homework, but then he seems to willing to tell us every little thing he's learned rather than letting the demands of the story determine what's included. Other problems: divided into two storylines separated by several decades, the secondary plot was more interesting and dynamic; a cypher discovered early in the work is decoded but never adequately explained; and, most disturbing, the ending is decidedly loopy. I thought the premise was great and some aspects of the story were very good, but ultimately I was just anxious to get through the book and disappointed at the outlandish ending. Obviously some people really liked this book, so it might be a good idea to read some of the sample pages.
Rating:
Summary: Grisham in the 17th century
Review: Narrated by a physically handicapped bibliophile. Enters a lady in a non-conformist dress, living in a crumbling castle. We meet nefarious servants with wooden teeth. The three riders of the apocalypse, all in black with gold trimming. An elusive nobleman who has been everywhere at the same time. A scoundrel prince of the church. Royalty fleeing their domain. A generous cast of scurmudgeon lower people. A whorehouse mother with a heart of gold and low rentals. Derring-do everywhere and in all directions. And, of course, books. Books on every page. Whole libraries that have been burned or are now fought over. Every book unique and furthering the aspirations of mankind (it helps to remember your Latin). Well written, fairly well researched. A rousing saga that is fun to read.
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Summary: Ex-libris
Review: Set in 1660 England Ex-Libris is the ultimate bibliomystery. Quiet, reclusive Mr.Inchbold, a London Bridge bookseller, is contacted by a mysterious client to find an even more mysterious book. The mysterious client turns out to be an attractive woman, the mysterious book turns out to be - well simply mysterious. Ross King treats his reader to a romp through the politics leading to the Thirty Years War, the politcal realities of 17th century Europe, the implications of Spanish and English exploration all of which is found in contemporary writings and the judicious diggings of unprepossessing Mr.Inchbold. Like all booksellers, Mr. Inchbold cannot resist the challenge of searching for a specific edition, despite ever encroaching danger, for of course others are also searching for the mysterious palimpset. An erudite, engaging and very informative book. This is more than a bibliomystery, this is thinly disguised history of 17th century Europe. Although a trifle melodramatic the ending nonetheless is appropriate for this very interesting historical novel.
Rating: 
Summary: Boring
Review: Slow paced. Mind numbing. Wooden characters. Virtually no plot. Almost nothing happens. You can skip the ending. You can skip this book.
Rating:
Summary: Wish I'd paid more attention to the reviews
Review: Tedious going in alot of places. More conversation would have made a better book for those not as knowledgeable about ancient texts as Mr King. The ending is really hard to get through. I found the dialogue there unbelievable. Maybe I missed something, but whatever happened to Emilia, who thought she was pregnant? That certainly looked promising. You really can't compare it to "The Instance of the Fingerpost" and "Club Dumas"'which I think are much better books. I've bought "Michelangelo and the Pope's Ceiling" and hope it is better.
Rating:
Summary: I Finished It!
Review: Tedious going in alot of places. More conversation would have made a better book for those not as knowledgeable about ancient texts as Mr King. The ending is really hard to get through. I found the dialogue there unbelievable. Maybe I missed something, but whatever happened to Emilia, who thought she was pregnant? That certainly looked promising. You really can't compare it to "The Instance of the Fingerpost" and "Club Dumas"'which I think are much better books. I've bought "Michelangelo and the Pope's Ceiling" and hope it is better.
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