User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
It’s 20 years after Charles II’s Restoration and the old poleaxe is still seeking revenge against the surviving men who caused his pappy’s head to be separated from his shoulders (aka the fallout from the English Civil War). Two of the judges who found Charles I guilty of high treason have fled to the New World. Naval officer and future celebrated diarist Samuel Pepys decides that his annoying half-French brother-in-law, Baltasar “Balty” St. Michel, should be the man to bring the judges back, mostly as it gets him out of his hair! But Balty soon discovers that there’s more to his mission in the colonies than simply hunting down a couple of old men…
I used to quite like Christopher Buckley’s lightly humorous, satirical books but, in the 11/12 years since I read Florence of Arabia, it looks like either my tastes have moved on or he’s just written a dud because The Judge Hunter did nothing for me.
It starts alright with Buckley painting an amusing Blackadder-esque picture of 17th century England with Pepys getting wound up by Balty, Balty’s entrance into the New World after the harrowing Atlantic passage and Balty meeting the roguish Huncks, a compelling blend of Aragorn and James Bond. Then the narrative founders for much of the book as Balty and Huncks fruitlessly meander around New England. A fair amount happens but nothing that was especially entertaining, just a lot of visiting local authorities, asking them where the judges are, repeat, and so on. Their characters and story didn’t grab me as that unique or enthralling and the jokes were non-existent.
It doesn’t help that neither of our duo’s strivings have any consequence on the final outcome, whether or not they succeed! This is basically the story of how New Amsterdam became New York, a drearily bloodless change from Dutch to English power, and Buckley stays true to history with our two protagonists playing no part in what was an anticlimactic ending. Buckley’s fictional Pepys diary entries interspersing the chapters added nothing besides a bit of historical celebrity and could’ve easily been left out to no effect on the overall narrative.
The scene where Huncks takes on a New England proto-police patrol single-handed was exciting and Buckley is skilful in bringing to life the 17th century. On the whole though it isn’t a lot and I was bored and unimpressed most of the time. Unfortunately The Judge Hunter isn’t the fun historical comedy I hoped it’d be – definitely not among Buckley’s better books.
Rating: really liked it
This novel is set in England, New England, and New Amsterdam (a.k.a. New York) of 1664 with a cast of characters of whom a significant portion are historical personages. This book brings this era to life and instills believable personalities into these historical characters.
In addition to the aforementioned historical aspects, this novel carries the unique satire craft of Christopher Buckley as he accentuates the foibles of the time which when compared to modern values border on the absurd. For example, the punctiliousness of the Puritans of New England and novel means of protest used by Quaker women (i.e. entering naked into Puritan church service) are centered squarely within the novel's plot. It is my understanding that many of the extremes of seventeenth society as portrayed in this novel are based on actual events. However, the serial frequency and coincidental placement within a narrative as done here are clearly fictional.
Samuel Pepys is the historical character upon whom this novel is based. Snippets of his famous diary of sixteenth century everyday life are scattered throughout the book's narrative. The historical notes at the end of the book clarifies that the opening first quotation—about witnessing a public execution while on his way to work—is the only excerpt from his diary unchanged. The other excerpts from the diary are fictional to fit the book's story. However, they are all written in the style of seventeenth century English and has the sound of authenticity.
Early in the book we are introduced to Pepys' brother-in-law, Balthazar St Michel (a.k.a. Balty). He is portrayed as a hapless ne'er-do-well who begs Pepys for a "position" (i.e. government job). I assumed at first this character had to be fictional, but upon checking Wikipedia I learned that historians know of him through Pepys' diary and a letter written to Pepys. Buckley has taken this bit of information and developed Balty into a fully rounded character. In this book's story Pepys arranges to send Balty to New England in order to find two of the judges who signed off on the execution of the King's father (Charles I). The real reason Balty is being sent to New England is to move a nuisance (i.e. Balty) from England to the land of the Puritans.
The story progresses from that point and includes Pepys's lobbying Lord Downing and Duke of York to not start a war with the Dutch because the British Navy isn't properly prepared. Meanwhile Balty ends up in New Amsterdam just as Richard Nicolls sails into the harbor to take possession of the city and New Netherland, and the rest is history.
I included the following excerpt because the clever Christopher Buckley has worked in an allusion to current day wall politics. (For those who don't know the history, Peter Stuyvesant was the Dutch director-general of New Amsterdam located on Manhattan Island. Charles II was the English king at that time. The wall being referenced is located at present day Wall Street, NYC.)
Balty praised his host’s admirable wall and asked if it kept out the savages.
Stuyvesant smiled, “Oh the wall is not for keeping out Indians, it’s for keeping out English.”
“Oh,” Balti said unsure how to respond, “Has it worked?”
Stuyvesant chortled, “It seems not. After all, here are you.” Here he added diplomatically, “But you are welcome in New Amsterdam.”
“Too kind.”
“People are now saying we must have a bigger wall.”
“Not on our account I hope.”
Stuyvesant shrugged, “If this is to come maybe I’ll ask your King Charles to pay for it.”
“A most amusing idea …”
Rating: really liked it
Christopher Buckley's second venture into historical fiction, set in 1664 in England and her American colonies. A much more successful book than his last, which I didn't finish. It's a fast read, and the first 3/4 was five-star quality. As always, read the publisher's introduction in the header entry first.
The last quarter, and the ending, were less successful for me. Overall, a four star book. Recommended for Buckley and historical fiction fans. Be aware that, while there is humor, the laughs decrease as the book goes on. The writing is witty, but the real-life events are often grim indeed.
This is something of an alternate history, based on Samuel Pepys' diary, the bloodless conquest of New Amsterdam (New York), and the strange religions of 17th century America. Along with the unpleasant, violent and grubby details of life in the 17th century. Buckley has done his homework, and follows real history more closely than I'd thought while reading the book. He has extensive notes on the real-life characters he used, and on his sources for the era.
Rating: really liked it
[P. G. Wodehouse] will continue to release future generations from captivity that may be more irksome than our own. He has made a world for us to live in and delight in.
– Evelyn Waugh
I do not invoke the sainted name of the genius Wodehouse lightly. Yet I say to you that this book may be mentioned in the proximity of the name of the best comic writer in the English language. Although C. Buckley does not achieve the pinnacle of comic novel-ness (if that's the word I'm looking for), it is only because PGW is, and will forever remain, the yardstick against which all are measured. If C. Buckley fails to deliver laugh-out-loud lines with the frequency of The Master, it can only be answered that this novel is the best to come down the 'pike in our benighted age, and you
will laugh out loud. I urge you to take a break from the shambles that our world has become by irresponsibly neglecting your dreary duties and enjoying this book.
I don't think it is an accident that the dunderheaded hero's name, Balty, is close to Wodehouse's most memorable comic creation, Bertie Wooster. Furthermore, his reluctant sidekick Huncks resembles what Jeeves might have been like if he had lived in colonial New England and been better schooled in the art of homicide. It is icing on the cake to have the real-life literary/political figure Samuel Pepys assume the unlikely role usually played by one of Bertie Wooster's aunts in the original canon, i.e., the catalyst that gets the good-hearted but dopey and work-adverse hero into his hair-raising adventures.
Pepys gets a subplot of his own that allows Buckley to lay a well-deserved hatchet into the scheming English aristocracy of the 1660's. Meanwhile, on the other side of the Atlantic, the humorless and quarrelsome New England religious hypocrites (today styled as quaintly sainted Puritans) are deservedly pilloried as a group that mouthed the platitudes of tolerance when it suited their purposes but outdid their former oppressors as soon as they got the opportunity.
I hope it's not a spoiler to say that the heroes eventually get the best of their nemeses in an extremely satisfying manner for the reader.
If you have joined the legions who insist that all novels must have strong female and minority characters, preferably armed to the teeth, you may have to punish yourself unnecessarily by skipping this book. More's the pity for you. To be clear: there
are admirable female characters in the book, but they function as somebody's wife or heterosexual love interest. If that's a deal-breaker for you, move along.
Heartfelt thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for giving me a free electronic galley copy of the most enjoyable read I've had in a while.
Rating: really liked it
Christopher Buckley’s back to historical adventures with his newest story. The idea is that he’ll write one for every century, the last one, absolutely terrific Relic Master was set in 16th, so this one takes us to 1664, the year New Amsterdam became New York, among other things. I’ve always appreciated Buckley’s writing, but ever since he’s somehow read my mind and turned his pen (keyboard) to these humorous irreverent historical romps, he’s really become something of a delight. Didn’t even need to read the plot summary for this one when it appeared on Netgalley, instant download, one day read, instant appreciation. The thing with Buckley is that he’s genuinely clever and funny, so his perspectives and reimaginings of the actual events and actual personages of the past are incredibly witty, amusing and erudite. It’s like the most entertaining historical lesson you can imagine, a subject proverbially written by the victors now taken on by a satirist. The recipe being…select an actual person of proven documented existence, but just obscure enough that no life story survives the time (in this case Baltasar St. Michel, known as Balty, a ne’er do well brother in law of the prolific diarist Samuel Peppys, pronounced Peeps, oddly enough) and set him on a quixotic adventure (in this case all the way across the Atlantic to the colonies, to hunt down two judges responsible for the regicide of the King a few year prior). Of course, to make this a proper quest Balty’s going to need an able protector and a love interest and a bevy of lively, interesting (made all the more so by being actual historical figures) characters. Stir, throw in large amounts of political intrigue, some action, some suspense, season with jokes (at one instance the Dutch entertain the idea of building a wall to prevent the British from getting in and have the British pay for it…classic), simmer and serve. So good. Can’t wait to see what Buckley does next with the 1700s. Thanks Netgalley.
Rating: really liked it
Superb historical bringing to life New Amsterdam of the 1660's through the most wonderfully lively characters. This book portrays anything but dull characters seen through the lens of humour, liberally applied wherever possible.
Rating: really liked it
In the “About the Author”note it says “This novel, set in the seventeen century, is his second work of historical fiction, following The Relic Master, set in the sixteenth century. His aim, quixotic to be sure , is to write novels set in the eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth centuries and ——Grim Reaper permitting——twenty first. Good luck with that.”
Having read the Relic Master, which I thoroughly enjoyed and gave 4 stars to (see my review), I would give this one 3 and half stars. But it is still an imaginative take on history and a good story, this time Charles II, New Haven Colony, New Amsterdam, and Puritans, using as a basis The Diary of Samuel Pepys. Anyone interested in the real history will find plenty in his Sources section.
Since we are about the same age, I hope we both have good luck ——he to write and I to read the novels set in the remaining centuries.
Rating: really liked it
...'then they took New York!'
Another brilliant parody of history depicted by Christopher Buckley. This expose, the story of Stuvyesant and the English attainment of New York, within the context of the Dutch-English casts our eyes back in a refreshingly new way.
Samuel Pepys, his position and his diaries are the hook to begin with. His brother-in-law gives us the subtext. Baltasar “Balty” St. Michel is an annoying nincompoop whom Pepys manages to have dispatched to the new world to track down the judges who'd sentenced Charles 1. Charles II is still determined to see them pay.
To cut a funny story short Balty, fumbling in the best traditions of '1066 and all that', or a Mel Brooksian movie at the very least, manages to shape history, along with the taciturn spy Huncks, whom one can't help but feel sorry for, being saddled with this Rowan Atkinson type figure. The commentary on the practices by the 'godly' is illuminating bringing to the fore the stringent effects of religious laws on communities. The treatment of both the Indians and other religious groups like the Quakers by these puritanical pilgrims shows the disconnect between faith and grace. There really is much than can be unpacked in Buckley's work. The casual introduction of famed figures is wonderful, with hilarious added touches that only a fictionalized account can allow. Hence Stuyvesant's Brazilian parrot, who makes a nicely framed presence on the book cover, offers us a question right from the get go, did we but know it.
Slickly written, a comic, yet true look at history through jaded and not so jaded eyes. Hidden away is at least one nod to the current political contretemps when Stuyvesant muses that they need a bigger wall to keep the English out and perhaps he can persuade Charles II to build it.
Read the who's who at the end to see well known descendants of the various figures portrayed. Quite an eye opener.
I loved every minute of this witty foray into the early times of the 17th century New World.
A NetGalley ARC
Rating: really liked it
I have read seven novels by William F. Buckley Jr. and, until now, none by his son Christopher. Having just read
The Judge Hunter, I now look forward to reading several more of the younger Buckley's books. Christopher Buckley's vocabulary and literacy are impressive; one suspects that he inherited some sort of gene for these things from his father. It is a great pleasure to read something light by someone who brings such erudition to the process of writing it. This book is a story set in 17th century New England; many of the characters are historic persons. It is great fun to read the words and motives which the author ascribes to them. There is a bit about avoiding infection in cleaning a gunshot wound and about putting a well-used piece of wood in one's mouth as that might expose one to a communicable disease. These strike me as anachronisms in that Van Leeuwenhoek didn't lay eyes upon bacteria until 1676, Pasteur linked them to disease processes in the 1850s and Lister advocated antiseptic medical procedures in the 1870s. The whole work is comedic but in a subtle, amusing, pleasant sort of way. I have not yet decided which of the younger Buckley's novels to read next, but I ordered several.
Rating: really liked it
A glorious return to form from the funniest novelist we have. No one has a greater gift for somehow making grating characters endearing. Funny and exciting and wise; you will learn history in spite of yourself. This made me want to reread so many of his other books.
Rating: really liked it
It’s great to read the fiction intertwined with the non fiction. The author did a great job.
Rating: really liked it
Christopher Buckley is determined to write political satire for each century. His latest book The Judge Hunter places the reader in 1664, using Samuel Pepys as the mainstay and his foppish brother-in-law Balthasar (Balty) St. Michel as his tool as the story moves between London and the New England Colonies and New Amsterdam. Torys, Papists, Puritans, Quakers and numerous tribes of native Americans all find a place in this political romp.
Balty is our guide in the New World. He is a disaster who is repeatedly saved by Colonial Hiram Huncks. Together they defy any number of ambushes and questionable situations while on Balty’s quest to hunt down the Judges who were partially responsible for the death of King Charles I of England. This is but a part of the story and this is where the book hits a snag. Balty is on one mission and unbeknownst to Balty, Huncks is on a very different undertaking. The two adventures never seem to cohere and unify the plot.
Trying to reach back to my middle school American History education I found that my knowledge of this period was sketchy. Buckley gives a thorough description of the history, and geographical delineation of the various sects interspersed with his trademark humor. Unfortunately much of it fell flat when taken with the barbarity and intolerance of the times. Most of the players were self-serving and unsympathetic. A few compassionate Quakers were thrown into the mix as a ploy to keep the whole from being so badly tainted. The political intrigue was slowly parceled out and kept my attention but I always felt as if there should be more to the story.
I didn’t enjoy the story as much as his foray into the 16th century with The Relic Master. I appreciated the inclusion in the Historical Notes of the progeny between the 17th Century genealogy and the present. Imagine Princess Diana being the descendant of the King’s mistress who bore him 5 illegitimate children.
Thank you NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for an ARC.
Rating: really liked it
I enjoyed this. It’s a period piece with flowery language. I particularly enjoyed the last few pages where it discussed the characters descendants. Amusing.
Rating: really liked it
I loved a lot of things about this book. The story was light-hearted and fun (despite the grisly deaths of a few characters), and the writing reminded me at time of Wodehouse. I was fully prepared to give this book four stars, until...
Near the end Buckley slips into the head of Repent, a Native American character converted to Christianity by one of the colonists. We're only there for a couple of pages. The first few paragraphs are ok, but then the writing changes. It recaps the story to date from Repent's perspective in a very simple style that to me reads as if Buckley is trying to make us think that Regent is an idiot. And I am just not in the mood for that sort of stereotyping. Worse, those pages--the only ones we spent in Regent's head--weren't even needed. They gave us no new information. Buckley could have skipped those pages entirely, and the story would have been just fine.
Rating: really liked it
One of the best books I’ve read recently. Combines impeccably written and factually grounded historical fiction with action and humor. The interweaving of Pepys diary entries and the story of his brother in law searching New Haven and New York in the mid seventeenth century for fugitives from England is just plain fascinating and fun. Highly recommended. There are not enough books like this out ther.
