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Oct 14, 2007

Mel rated it:

I'm only reading this because I haven't gone to the library recently and it was one of the few fiction books on the shelves that I hadn't read. It's terrible, but yet I keep reading. Morbid curiousity, I guess. It's supposed to take place in France during the Crusades, but the writing style is all wrong for historical fiction and is full of anachronisms and unconvincing slang. There's no emotional depth to any of the characters, and no intricacy to the plot. Patterson has clearly written way too More...

2 comments like (3 people liked it)

May 07, 2008

Melissa rated it:

I think the nicest thing I can say about this book--and possibly all of Patterson's books--is that it would be an excellent book for adult learners (especially male) to cut their reading teeth on. The chapters are short, the sentences are short, there's very few big words, and there's no complexities to the text whatsoever.

But for an adult reading at an adult level, this book is painful.

1 comment like (3 people liked it)

Sep 14, 2008

Cormacjosh added it

Without a doubt, this is the worst book I have ever read in my entire life. I mean that, and I’ve read a lot of books. This is worse than The Da Vinci Code in part because it pretends to have done research, while Dan Brown at least admits he writes fluff intentionally.

I saw Morris Bishop’s great book on the Middle Ages in the “Sources”....too bad Mr. Patterson didn’t use it. It would have at least solved his problem with improper titles.

Just for starters here are a few th More...

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Aug 29, 2008

Jeff rated it:

I just reviewed Sail, saying it was the first Patterson book I'd read. I was unaware that he had also written Jester. I stand corrected...and Patterson has been redeemed in my eyes. Jester was so great. I cared so much for the characters in that book - and felt as though I was right there with them. Set in the days of knights, kings, and of course, jesters...this was a great story of revenge! After realizing that a story I loved so much was written by James Patterson has now motivated me t More...

1 comment like (3 people liked it)

Feb 24, 2008

Janet rated it:

I'm not a fan of James Patterson. I'm sorry. Maybe I'm just too much of a skeptic. How can he write so many books in so little time? That's my problem with him. Okay? Sorry, JP fans, but there it is. Nonetheless, I absolutely LOVED The Jester and have recommended it to a lot of people. I enjoy reading books that are based around the time of the Crusades. This is also a moving love story as we follow the main character, Hugh, on his quest to get his wife back. The writing is so vivid t More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Jan 28, 2011

Vettius29 rated it:

I don't like the way established authors use their names on the titles of books when they have a co-author. Who is doing all of the work? Am I just suppose to buy or read anything with JAMES PATTERSON at the top just because I liked a lot of the Alex Cross novels? Same goes for Thomas Clancy. I suspect this is the publishers try to milk every last dollar out of the "franchise" they have going with famous authors. At least I have not seen Stephen King do this yet. He did co-author a cou More...

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Jul 23, 2010

Jerry rated it:

Unusual and violent medieval tale stretches belief...

Patterson and co-author Gross have certainly crafted an unexpected offering, set literally 1000 years before Alex Cross, Lindsay Boxer, and the gang come along. A French innkeeper, and our leading man, Hugh de Luc, leaves his wife Sophie and his hometown to seek ultimate freedom from his life of servitude. He joins the Crusades in 1096; then we wade through many chapters of violence and gore as men on both sides of the argument More...

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Jun 04, 2010

Johnny rated it:

At first, I regretted picking up The Jester. The very style of the book with its incredibly attenuated chapters made it tough for me to become involved with the characters. I had to restart the book three different times because the quick cuts were so annoying that I couldn't get any traction with the characters. I didn't care. But once the book was the only one I had on the train, I finally reached the 1/3 mark in the book and I was in for the long haul after that.

I have a theory ab More...

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May 15, 2010

Thee_ron_clark rated it:

Every so often, I pick up a book and have a difficult time putting it down. This was exactly that type of book. I swam through nearly 500 pages in less than two days, dying to see the outcome. From start to finish, I was more than impressed.

The basic premise is that an innkeeper joins the Crusades to gain freedom from his tyrannical liege. He becomes disheartened after the first major conflict he is involved in and deserts the Crusader army with a few trinkets picked up during their More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

May 11, 2010

Kate rated it:

Sometimes all you need is something to tide you over. Dinner is in an hour but your stomach is rumbling away so you nibble on a cookie, chow on a candy bar, suck on a ring-pop. The food might not be the greatest and a couple hours later you've probably forgotten you had it. But it did the trick. It took care of your hunger for the moment.
James Patterson and Andrew Cross's new book Jester is little more than the bag of nuts you get on an airplane to keep you going until your next layover or More...

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Apr 07, 2010

David rated it:

Hugh Le Duc is a peasant inkeeper who goes on the first crusade with a rag-tag army of peasants led by a Hermit Monk. After a number of battles and conflicts he becomes discouraged and homesick and makes his way home. However, when he arrives home he discovers that his home has been destroyed, his wife carried off, and his infant son murdered by a group of rogue knights wearing a black cross. He discovers that these knights are actually seeking him and some relic that he is supposed to have. E More...

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May 04, 2010

Kathy rated it:

The year, 1096... the place, France & middle east... the hero - Hugh deLuc & Sophie, innkeepers... and later Norbit & Emilie, a jester & the king's 5th daughter.

peasants are abused by the lords... Hugh leaves for the crusades in a bid to earn freedom from the lords, not knowing his wife is pregnant... after toils & tribulations, and disenchantment over the violence and cruelty the crusaders perpetrate on a Turkish village, he deserts... but first he tries to save a priest, fails, More...

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May 27, 2010

Andrew rated it:

i do not generally read mass produced literature (a la john grisham, stephen king, etc...), but patterson is one of my student's favorite authors. going into it i thought it would be a lot of dan brown-like false suspense created by short chapters and artificial feeling cliff hangers. the layout does make for an extremely quick read. it is almost 400 pages, but most of it is dead space as the chapters are usually not more than 3 pages leaving almost 3/4 of the page at the end of the chapter e More...

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Jan 31, 2012

Emsfreak rated it:

A few weeks ago I read a book called The Jester by James Patterson. It was published in March 2003 (first e-book edition) by Little Brown and Company, or James Patterson, I'm not sure. I absolutely adored this book, although I thought that it was a bit gory for my taste. There were so many battle scenes that the Patterson describes with such detail that they either A: make you want to throw up all over the book or B: make you want to cry. Here's an example: "A dark-skinned Saracen whirred b More...

3 comments like

Sep 01, 2010

Tarah rated it:

I grabbed this book off the shelf because it was by James Patterson first & foremost. When I started on the story I was surprised and a little hesitant to continue onward once I found out what time it was set in. I've never been a huge fan of historical novels but I am glad I gave it a chance. Mr. Patterson with the help of Andrew Gross really draw you into this setting and allow you to immerse yourself into the story. You hear the anger in Hugh's voice, you smell the fowl stench of the jail cel More...

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Nov 15, 2007

Jen rated it:

I am realizing that I am a James Patterson fan but I tend to not enjoy his collaborative books. This was immediately doused me with SO many details I just wanted to close it and take some ibuprofen. I toughed it out, but didn't enjoy it.

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jul 29, 2011

Tammy rated it:

When I first got this book I didn't really read the back very carefully. I knew it was written by James Patterson, who had also written Kiss the girls and Along Came a Spider so I figured it must be good! When I actually started reading it and realized it was in the 11th Century in France during the Crusades I kind of groaned and thought, oh yeah well this will be boring! It wasn't boring at all, in fact I flew through this book! Hugh, the main character, has such a strong personality that you j More...

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Aug 22, 2010

Lori rated it:

While every single Patterson book I've read has been transparent -- one knows the plot twist from nearly the very beginning -- this book kept my attention because I happen to love medieval history. Set in the 11th century, it covers the horrors of the crusades, despotic noblemen, and an unlikely hero in the guise of a innkeeper-turned-jester. It's a quick read, and unlike any Patterson I've read, which makes me think his co-writer Andrew Gross wrote the bulk of it.

Not bad!

More...

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Jun 06, 2011

Kaye rated it:

Big change from the typical NY or DC cop stories. This story is set during the Crusades. Hugh De Luc from a village in France joins the Crusades only to find on his return that his family is gone. He sets out to find them and avenge the horrible deeds that are being committed by the noblemen who are suppose to be protecting their village. To get close to the court he becomes "the Jester". The language seems modern and there is a lot of carnage. Patterson does tie it all up in the More...

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Nov 05, 2010

Tim rated it:

This was a wonderfully imaginitive historical thriller. I would say that the whole book is built around the premise "In times of trouble the only one who can speak the truth is the Jester." It's set in the times of the crusades when religious persecution and rule is widespread. The stripped down story is old and archetypal...the institution takes the protagonists family away from him and he goes on a journey for revenge to recover what he's lost. However the gem of this story is not th More...

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Oct 16, 2009

Joseph rated it:

Why hadn't I heard about this book before? I had to find it myself!

James Patterson's always doing these whodunnit murder mystery novels. Thank goodness he decided to stray from that for a moment to write this book!

This book takes place in Medieval Times, and deals with a man who went off to fight in the Crusades, and then, upon returning home, finds that his home's been destroyed and his wife taken away. He vowes revenge on the lord of the land. With some help, he dis More...

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Jun 23, 2011

Jon rated it:

The Jester is a story about a man who fights in the crusades. He comes back to find his son has been murdered and wife was kidnapped and eventually found dead. This guy hits rock bottom in life and vows to find and kill the person who has destroyed his life. The main character "Hugh" trains with an old man and becomes a Jester. It's his plan to sneak into the palace and kill the man who murdered his wife & son. There is a lot more to the story and the cast of characters Hugh meets alon More...

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Sep 24, 2010

Briansmom rated it:

I really enjoyed this book, even though there was A LOT of violence in it. I always like a well-written historical mystery/thriller, and this was certainly that. The characters were believable; and Hugh, the main character, was likeable. Even though I am a Christian and was hoping that Hugh would eventually become a believer, I could even understand why he didn't. While I wouldn't recommend it for everyone because it is so violent and so graphic, for those who love a good story who have time More...

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Sep 29, 2009

Amy rated it:

The BEST book I have ever read!!!!! its so exciting, and remember, this was pre- Da Vinci code, exciting in a new way. Its also very historical - I love the era of the Crusades, the characters are so interesting, the story is so unexpectd and refreshing - its a thinking person's book for sure. Its not a typical murder mystery like he usually writes. I have passed this book on to Julee and Jeff and they both were just engrossed and read it in like 2 days!!!!! MUST read (good beach reach, pla More...

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Feb 09, 2011

Danielle rated it:

The Jester was interesting to read but there wasn't much to take away from the story. Other than the idea that you should act with bravery and persistence in the face of adversity, there wasn't much to learn. I fell in love with the characters of the story; they are all unique and impressionable. This book kept me on the edge of my seat and is suitable for the less-inquiring minds, but as for the people who are looking for something to ponder, something to remember, I would recommend that the More...

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May 18, 2009

Jessica rated it:

Poor Hugh. How many bad mistakes can one man make? If you're Hugh...it's better not to count.

Love and revenge are the only two things that keep Hugh going. Leaving his wife and home behind, he joins the Crusade in an attempt to make the world around him a better place. That'd be mistake number one, which promptly led him straight to mistake number two, and the reason why his life was in peril during the remainder of the book.

I loved the historical references in this story More...

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Jun 18, 2008

Kevin rated it:

In an attempt to save his village from further plundering, Hugh de Luc leaves his wife and fellow villagers behind and joins one of the Crusades. He hopes that by fighting alongside the king in the Holy Land, he will win his independence from his Lord Baldwin. The Crusade turns out to be much more than de Luc ever expected and, nearly two years later, he returns home to find his wife and newborn son (whom he never knew existed) were taken from the village and his home as well as many other homes More...

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Apr 25, 2011

Mike rated it:

I read a lot of James Patterson. But, especially with his use of co-authors, you never know quite what to expect (beyond signature stuff, like short chapters.) This book was a great surprise. I normally won't read historical fiction - in fact, it's pretty much the only genre I consistently dislike. But I loved this book. A little graphic at times, enough so that I can't hand it to my daughter to read. I wish I could though, it's a great story. I gave it to my mom instead... she said also More...

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Aug 14, 2011

Colin rated it:

I can't say that i wasn't just a little worried when i read the story on the back of the book. I hadn't touched a James Patterson novel since Black Market which i didn't really enjoy. I thought that Patterson trying to write a historical type story just wouldn't work, but i was forced to put my fears to rest as i rifled through this fantastic book at an incredible pace.

Highly recommended to any fans of Patterson's usual work, and anyone who just wants a good read.

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Jun 08, 2009

Joy rated it:

Sue passed this on to me and it was an entertaining although it was a story from 1030 or so and not his usual current day thriller. The main character is an Inn keeper who runs it with his wife but goes off to fight a religious war leaving her alone. Of course, nothing good ever happens when the hero does this. When he comes home 2 or 3 years later, his baby is dead and his wife has been carried off by his protector's soldiers. The rest of the book revolves around him trying to find her and More...

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