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Company Of Liars

by Karen Maitland (Goodreads Author)

3.8 of 5 stars 3.80 · rating details · 3,936 ratings · 617 reviews

In this extraordinary novel, Karen Maitland delivers a dazzling reinterpretation of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales--an ingenious alchemy of history, mystery, and powerful human drama.
The year is 1348. The Black Plague grips the country. In a world ruled by faith and fear, nine desperate strangers, brought together by chance, attempt to outrun the certain death that is running...more

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Published (first published 2008)

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Nov 26, 2008 Kristen rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I imagine that it must be incredibly difficult to write an ending to a novel. Especially one that has been building a sense of mystery, suspense, and dread for a couple hundred pages. Up until the last handful of pages, Company of Liars is intriguing and illuminating. I have a soft spot for historical fiction, and an interest in medieval Europe, so I'm already naturally inclined toward this book. The author very deftly avoids the pitfall of writing a sort of Ye Olde Renaissance Faire kind of boo...more

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Nov 09, 2008 Carrie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2008

Company of Liars by Karen Maitland is a reinterpretation of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. Set in 14th century England, during a time of fear, religious power, and superstition, it is the story of nine travelers trying to escape the Plague. As they travel inland, it becomes apparent that each one carries a secret. One by one, the secrets are exposed, with deadly consequences.

There is Zophiel, the traveling magician whose wagon full of boxes is a constant source of worry. No one knows what is in the...more Company of Liars by Karen Maitland is a reinterpretation of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. Set in 14th century England, during a time of fear, religious power, and superstition, it is the story of nine travelers trying to escape the Plague. As they travel inland, it becomes apparent that each one carries a secret. One by one, the secrets are exposed, with deadly consequences.

There is Zophiel, the traveling magician whose wagon full of boxes is a constant source of worry. No one knows what is in them, but there seems to be someone following them who does.

Osmond and Adela, a young couple expecting their first child, also travel with the group. They seem to be of too high a class to be traveling with the wanderers.

Rodrigo and Jofre are musicians from Italy. Jofre has a hot head and a taste for wine, as he drinks to get away from his own secrets.

Pleasance is a midwife who hides her true identity, while helping to keep the travelers healthy and caring for Adela in her pregnancy.

Narigorm is a white-haired child who enchants everyone who meets her - but there is a darkness in her.

The story is narrated by Camelot, a traveling peddler who sells saints’ relics and artifacts. We see and experience the story through Camelot’s eyes and ony at the end do we realize that his secret is the biggest of all.

Karen Maitland is an amazing writer who digs into the faults and weaknesses of human nature, the things that people prefer to keep hidden. She uses the child Narigorm as a catalyst for the characters to confront their true natures, for better or for worst. The results are disturbing, mystical, and all too believable.

Even though I wasn’t completely crazy about this book, I kept reading because of the quality of Maitland’s writing, and because I wanted to see how it would end. She does an excellent job of slowly revealing the truths about the nine travelers, piece by piece. The religion and superstition that permeate the book create an eery atmosphere that becomes terrifying as the book progresses - culminating in an ending that made me shiver. Though the ending was clever in that way, I still didn’t care for the twist. But that’s just me - and I would still recommend this to any lovers of historical fiction.

3 out of 5 stars

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Mar 30, 2009 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adult-fiction, historical, british, magic-realism

I really enjoyed this novel of plague-era England. In a way, the premise kind of reminded me of McCarthy's The Road in that here we have characters who are struggling to endure and move forward with hope, even though it seems like there really shouldn't be any hope left.

Maitland deftly arranges a set of characters who are forced to travel together. This motley assortment of people adds a lot of excitement and intrigue to the overall puzzle of the book. I never felt like she was pandering to the...more

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Mar 26, 2009 Brooke rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2009, mystery

Although I gave it 4 stars, it's closer to a 3.5. Company of Liars has been advertised as a reinterpretation of The Canterbury Tales, but it's been so long since I read Chaucer (and it was only excerpts, if I'm remembering my freshman high school English class correctly) that I didn't have much to compare it to. Standing on its own, Company of Liars is a solid historical mystery. Nine people are traveling together across England to escape the plague, and each is hiding a secret from his companio...more

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Jan 14, 2009 Jo rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, historical-fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jan 16, 2012 Bettie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Bettie by: vivienne

Shelves: historical-fiction, mystery-thriller, plague-disease, books-with-a-passport

An enjoyable and mildly supernatural romp through superstitious and pestilent times; some of those story lines were easy to see through but that didn't seem to matter too much as the customs and traditions of the times were enthralling to learn about. Five star goodness.

NB not out in US until 30th Sepetember

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Mar 17, 2013 Brian rated it 3 of 5 stars

Set in the Middle Ages, Company of Liars is the story of a group of travellers, thrown together by chance, wandering across England at the time of the Great Plague. It's an apparently naturalistic story with fantastical elements sown into the plot.

The individuals who make up the company all guard their own secrets and each is escaping from something in his or her past. The development of the plot is principally generated by the unveiling of these secrets, revelations that are brought about by t...more

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Nov 19, 2009 Hilary rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I've read multiple novels about the Plague (Year of Wonders, Doomsday Book, probably others I can't think of right now). This was a completely different experience. The Plague is, in some ways, huge, and in other ways a minor character. A nod to the Canterbury Tales, this is the story of a motley group of travelers thrown together in their desperate attempt to escape the ravages of the pestilence.

I found this to be a total immersion experience. It doesn't wallow in medieval language, but the voc...more

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Nov 06, 2008 LJ rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 1300s, england, female_author, middle_ages_5th_cent-1558, historical, mystery, novel, suspense

COMPANY OF LIARS (Hist. Myst-Camelot-England-1348) – VG+
Maitland, Karen – Standalone
Penguin/Michael Joseph, 2008, UK Hardcover – ISBN: 9780718153229

First Sentence: ‘So that’s settled then, we bury her alive in the iron bridle. That’ll keep her tongue still.’

The plague has come to England and nine people have joined together in an attempt to outrun it and find safety. A very disparate group it is: a scarred trader of holy relics, a magician, a musician and his teacher, a storyteller with a deform...more COMPANY OF LIARS (Hist. Myst-Camelot-England-1348) – VG+
Maitland, Karen – Standalone
Penguin/Michael Joseph, 2008, UK Hardcover – ISBN: 9780718153229

First Sentence: ‘So that’s settled then, we bury her alive in the iron bridle. That’ll keep her tongue still.’

The plague has come to England and nine people have joined together in an attempt to outrun it and find safety. A very disparate group it is: a scarred trader of holy relics, a magician, a musician and his teacher, a storyteller with a deformity, a pregnant couple, a healer and a white-haired girl who reads runes. As they travel, they share stories, face danger and die--one-by-one.

This was a wonderful, unusual, engrossing, compelling book that was so well written, I couldn’t put it down. It has an intriguing cast of characters, about each of whom you learn through the story and through the stories they tell. Each has a secret that is revealed through the story. The narrator, Camelot the relic trader, has a wonderful voice and is the steady core of the group. I did like that the books characters aren’t the titled or wealthy, but neither are they farmers or peasants, but travelers without a constant base. The distinctive roles provide a real richness and tension to the story. The suspense is very well done. With each death the tension rises. But don’t expect this to be your usual murder mystery. It’s a story about secrets and lies, and we’re dealing with the Middle Ages here.

The sense of time, place and history created by Maitland is so much a part of the story. This was a brutal, ugly time in which to live with the elements so much a part of daily life. It was also a time of fear, superstition and bigotry. In reading the story, at the culmination of our 2008 Presidential election, I realized that not a lot has changed in almost 700 years, although our living conditions are much better and one certainly wouldn’t wanted to live back then. The history is well researched and well presented, including a map, historical notes and a glossary. The suspense is very well done all the way to the last sentence. With each death the tension rises. But don’t expect this to be your usual murder mystery. It’s a story about secrets and lies, and we’re dealing with the Middle Ages here.

Had it not had a prologue which set the mood but had not direct relationship to the story and had it not included portents, which I despise, I would have given it an “Excellent” rating. Don’t be put off by the size of the book. It was an absolutely great read and I’m off to find out what else Ms. Maitland has written.
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Feb 07, 2009 Suburbangardener rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This story of 9 travelers is filled with suspense and dread. It is also an exploration of the nature of good and evil, secrets and truth, hope and lies, hypocracy, scapegoating, trust and friendship, and religion and faith, all set against the backdrop of the plague sweeping its way through England in the 14th century. It ably demonstrates how the plague broke down the midieval social order, paving the way for the Renaissance and the Enlightenment. It is as much a psychological drama as a myster...more

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Jan 17, 2009 Roseann rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Just finishing up this one. Read it in four days. Truly great read for me, likeable characters that you could follow easily, even when reading before bed, half asleep. A unique perspective on the "pestilence" and that time in history for peasants .... would not want to be them!....and "the pardoner", the "healer" the "Rune Reader" and the "Musicians" are all here with their story. A re-telling of the Canterbury Tales with a twist...A good read, for sure.

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Dec 22, 2008 Amy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

There's not a better way to end the year of great reads in 2008 than to end it with Karen Maitland's first book, Company of Liars. This book has everything: love, death, friendship, witchcraft, deception...it's a little historical fiction mixed with a little fantasy rolled in to one yummy nugget of a novel.

The plot was excellent, the storytelling was just amazing and the characters are ones you are not soon to forget. This is one of those that stay with you a while. I find myself missing Camelot...more

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Nov 16, 2010 Hayes rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: bc-bookring, read-in-2010

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jul 05, 2010 Sophie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really liked this book, and loved that it was a new take on the Canterbury Tales (kinda the Canterbury Tales for those too weird or unconventional for Chaucer's Pilgrims.) The only thing that stops me loving this book entirely is the ending. It was so predictable and cliched, I found myself mentally pleading with the author for the last few chapters to not end it that way, let it all be a red herring. Alas, I was right. If it wasn't for that final 'revelation' this would probably be five start...more

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Mar 17, 2009 Ann rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have so many wishes. I wish I’d paid less attention to the “stunning reinterpretation of the Canterbury Tales!” part of the book jacket and noticed that all the blurbs were from people who write scary books. If you are like me – for whatever reason, I have read A Distant Mirror yet cannot sit through even the most banal mystery book without crapping my pants – then this is not for you. I wish I had the foresight to realize that even though I was rolling my eyes with every other page, I would g...more

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Feb 01, 2009 Deirdre rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

No, this book is not about the Bush administration or any other political formation. Yes, I needed some escape from reality and I got it with Maitland's worthy novel.

Set in the England in 1348, a year when it rained every day from Midsummer's Day to Christmas, a plague (or three) stalks a band of misfits as they try to move north to outrun the pestilence. They are a horribly scarred peddler of religious relics, a surly and overly righteous magician, two musicians recently "let go" from their cu...more

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Dec 29, 2008 Cathy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was a terrific book. I am so glad I live in the 21st century! This book's atmosphere seeps into your consciousness. I swear I felt cold, wet and hungry the whole time I read this book.

Each character is a mystery, and yet sympathetic in their own way. Despite the large cast of characters, the story moves along briskly. The interplay between the travelers is the heart of the book, but the author also vividly sketches the world they live in. Even her observational asides tend haunt you, as wh...more

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Dec 07, 2008 Vegantrav rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

historical novel set during the time of the Black Death - book is advertised as being similar to the Canterbury Tales; however, it is not remotely like Chaucer's masterpiece - the nine travelers who navigate the English countryside in an attempt to escape the pestilence (as they call the Black Death) do NOT pass the time by regaling themselves with tales - yes, there are a handful of tales within this story, but only about a half-dozen; only a few of the characters actually do tell a tale, but w...more

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May 18, 2013 Weaverannie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Engeland is in de ban van de pest. Die naam wordt trouwens door niemand uitgesproken, men noemt het hooguit de pestilentie.
Een groep mensen trekt langs de wegen, op de vlucht voor de ziekte. Ze sluiten zich bij elkaar aan, om veiliger te kunnen reizen.
Hoofdpersoon en ik-figuur is Camelot, een marskramer, verkoper van niet al te betrouwbare reliquiën.
Verder zijn er Zophiël, goochelaar en een knorrig persoon, die anderen graag in het harnas jaagt. Eigenaar van Xanthus, het paard en een wagen, waar...more

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Mar 28, 2013 Amber rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The book was fun to read and the author shows great promise. I read her book in two days. The background story of the people preparing and then experiencing the black plague was interesting. The characters were developed and deep each hiding a deep dark secret. Then about half way through the book turned into a Russell T. Davies show and the characters shifted into your basic 21st century tropes. There was the creepy child, prophetic waif, and bury your gays all back to back. As far as I know ho...more

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Mar 09, 2013 Katrina rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I'm a huge fan of Medieval and Renaissance historical fiction (as well as a history student), so I thought this book would be right up my alley. The product description I received said, "...nine desperate strangers, brought together by chance, attempt to outrun the certain death that is running inexorably toward them." I assumed the death mentioned would be possible death from the Plague (the Plague is another subject I am particularly interested in), instead, the death was from grisly and grues...more I'm a huge fan of Medieval and Renaissance historical fiction (as well as a history student), so I thought this book would be right up my alley. The product description I received said, "...nine desperate strangers, brought together by chance, attempt to outrun the certain death that is running inexorably toward them." I assumed the death mentioned would be possible death from the Plague (the Plague is another subject I am particularly interested in), instead, the death was from grisly and gruesome murders. Plague turns out to be something that the party is running from, but never actually encounters head-on. The comparison in the description to "Canterbury Tales" also intrigued me. This was more of a historical mystery than regular historic fiction, and the only way this compares to "Canterbury Tales" is that it is a group of people traveling across England, and in the beginning they tell the stories of how they got where they are now. If you are looking for great literature, this is NOT it.

Each of the nine people traveling together have a secret, and one by one the secrets are revealed as the travelers are picked off. Some of the murders are pretty gruesome, and one or two of the secrets are VERY disturbing. The albino girl's fondness for killing animals (more like torturous deaths for the poor creatures) and the fact that she takes pleasure in the deaths (since they prove her rune-readings to be correct) is also pretty dark and disturbing. It seems that some of the characters a pretty mentally unstable. There are also some paranormal elements that don't really mesh well with the rest of the story. When Camelot's secret, the final secret, is revealed, I felt that it was meant to be a huge "twist" or "shocking revelation" by the author, but in the end it has no impact on the story, nor on Camelot's reason for having been in the profession he was. Just sort of made me shrug my shoulders.

If you are looking for a good Plague book, skip this one and try "Year of Wonders" by Geraldine Brooks. This book was too disturbing and creepy (not in a good way) for me. (less)

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Feb 03, 2013 David Gullen rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A very nicely written story of a rag-tag bunch of travllers fleeing through England during the plague year of 1348. Karen Mailtland brings the era authentically to life as society descends into fear, superstition, despair and chaos as the pestilence spreads, crops fail, and society and faith disintegrate.
The Company of Liars in the title is this group of travellers, each has a secret, and those secrets bring about their own personal fates.
The mood of this book is one of doom, of unavoidable des...more

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Aug 19, 2012 Bronwyn Mcloughlin rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I "read" this book as an audiobook, and the reading was great, with wonderful accents and professionally done, so that it added to the experience. But the story itself was also strong. It is a vivid and gritty portrayal of medieval life, but with supernatural overtones. The Nine members of the company join together on a journey away from their fraught pasts, the plague and all manner of potential unpleasantness. Among their number are minstrels, a pregnant woman and her partner, an aged seller o...more

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Jul 05, 2012 Kat rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I loved the richly textured depiction of medieval life that Maitland evokes. It is very easy to shrug off bald factual statements about the bubonic plague when you read them in history books. Maitland shows you what it must have been like to have been there as the ‘Mort Bleu’ began its remorseless march across England.

Her characters too leap off the page. Like the sprawling cast of characters from the Name of the Rose, there is a touch of the grotesque about almost all of them, but that certainl...more I loved the richly textured depiction of medieval life that Maitland evokes. It is very easy to shrug off bald factual statements about the bubonic plague when you read them in history books. Maitland shows you what it must have been like to have been there as the ‘Mort Bleu’ began its remorseless march across England.

Her characters too leap off the page. Like the sprawling cast of characters from the Name of the Rose, there is a touch of the grotesque about almost all of them, but that certainly does not mean that they are flat or stereotyped.

The visceral realism of the setting is leavened by touches of what may or may not be real magic. To begin with the reader can dismiss these as medieval superstition. But as the novel progresses, doubts set in. Is the magic real – or is it the characters’ belief in it that is making things happen?

The book has echoes of Bocaccio’s Decameron or Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. Several characters recount their stories ‘spun’ into a classic fairy tales, and these form the basis of the ‘lies’ of which they will ultimately stand accused. This is perhaps where I would quarrel a little with the structure of the book. The first tale is told by a professional storyteller and he does it with beguiling skill. But when other characters follow suit, they seem to acquire a ‘storytelling voice’ that is alien to their own. I could have forgiven this if each character in turn did the same and it became a formal ‘punctuation’ to the overarching story. As it is, it felt a little artificial and inconsistent.

My other small niggle was that, to begin with, the story felt somewhat episodic. Did they really need to be chased away from each place of refuge after just ONE night? It was perhaps about half way through that story settled down and I began to feel pulled along by the strength of the plot.

But these are small grumbles in what was otherwise a thoroughly enjoyable and absorbing read.

Highly recommended.
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Jul 04, 2012 Billy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Exceptional. A tragedy in the marketing...,

Why a tragedy in marketing? Because this is being offered as a "retelling" of the Canterbury Tales; oh how far from the truth; not even the "Company of Liars", the nine pilgrims, could present a tale so bold and shocking as this. There are commonalities of travelers and tales and time period shared with Chaucer's work, but the rest is the making, nay, the genius of writer Karen Maitland. She has written a taut and suspensful read full of fear, lies, hal...more Exceptional. A tragedy in the marketing...,

Why a tragedy in marketing? Because this is being offered as a "retelling" of the Canterbury Tales; oh how far from the truth; not even the "Company of Liars", the nine pilgrims, could present a tale so bold and shocking as this. There are commonalities of travelers and tales and time period shared with Chaucer's work, but the rest is the making, nay, the genius of writer Karen Maitland. She has written a taut and suspensful read full of fear, lies, half-truths told and untold, mystery, mayhem, murder and witchcraft; a tale of suspense and unexpected twists that can only be lauded as genius.

The tale is told, with the exception of the Prologue, in first person past tense by a camelot, a seller of charms, "holy relics", and, as the camelot states it, "hope"; for hope is all that is left in the midst of the lawless times of the pestilence, the plague that ravaged Europe in the 14th century. We don't learn the camelot's name until the end of the book, one of the 'shockers' that make this book so exceptional. Our story teller is simply known as Camelot.

The tale told is that of a group of nine people who are running from the plague, attempting to move north and away from the sweeping curse of disease. Other forces push the pilgrims, fear of attack from a beast that haunts their path (I don't feel this is a spoiler as the wolf is clearly displayed on the cover of the book, to what extent the wolf affects the pilgrimage, and this tale, I shall leave to the reader), fear of revenge, fear of each of the nine pilgrims and the reasons for their life on the road. It is not just the plague that drives our 'company' and the lies they harbor are the meat of this brilliant tale of betrayal, lust, greed, heresy, witches, werewolves, hatred and love.

Join the pilgrimage and be prepared to be shocked as each story is told, each lie revealed. There are hidden truths, those that I would not consider lies, that are even more shocking. But the book is a glimpse in to the worst part of the dark ages and the sad truth of what people will do when faced with the frighfully bold lies that all tell; when faced with death, men will do almost anything to stay alive, and when faced with the fear of death, men will say almost anything to save their life for fear of death. All of this is so clearly intimated in Maitland's exceptional telling of life in the bitterest of times.
Our pilgrims are Camelot, the storyteller, Narigorm, a child, an albino diviner who reads runes, sees future, yet carries an even more menacing secret, Rodrigo and Jofre, musicians, master and pupil, who follow Camelot (the eventual unelected leader of the ragtag bunch) as they know not how to live life as travelers, Zophriel, a magician whose name means 'God's spy' (imagine the mystery that lies there), Osmond and Adela, young marrieds, pregnant and running, Cygnus, a man who has one arm and the wing of a swan where his other arm should be, and Pleasence, a nurse-maid who cares for young Narigorm upon their arrival in the group.

Each in the group, as the cover tells us, carries a secret (and we're not talking secrets like "I stole a dollar from my mother when I was young) that may very well cost them their life, their sanity or both. But, again, as the cover asks, "Who is the liar?"; this is the driving force behind this tale and what truly seperates this story from that of any "reinterpretation" of Chaucer's Tales. No, my friends, this is much more than a simple retelling of an old, stale, tale. This is an amazing story that shares a few common facts with Chaucer's. But, unlike Chaucer's (granted groundbreaking, but not spellbinding) work, this is a story that shook me to the core; from the first page to the final sentence, I was caught in one of the most gripping tales I have read in a long, long time. This is a book for the ages, may it remain a mainstay of readers for months and years to come; it is nothing short of astonishing.

Maitland also provides historical notes that are enlightening to any that know little about the horrific middle ages and the plague itself. These notes are concise and cover any topic that may be misunderstood by a passing reader that does not know their dark ages history (I study the middle ages for a novel that I am writing, and these notes are spot on). A brief, perhaps a bit lacking in volume, glossary of terms is provided also, but between the historical notes and the glossary, you will get the point. ***A suggestion: it may be a good idea for any reader that is not well-versed in the middle ages to read the notes and the glossary before reading the book as it provides ample detail and enlightening facts about the times in which this tale takes place.(less)

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Apr 22, 2012 Nikki rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction-alternatehistory, mystery, lgbt

I picked up Company of Liars as my fifth book of the readathon, last night, and read half of it in one go. Unfortunately, I couldn't stay up, but I can definitely say this for it: it could distract me from the pain of gallstones when high doses of anti-spasmodics and opiates could not. I think how much it entertains you will depend on how much you buy into the characters: I was prepared to fall for most of them, and to pity those I didn't adore, so I got swept up in their story. It's a relativel...more

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Apr 10, 2012 Teresa Raetz rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is advertised as a retelling of The Canterbury Tales. The resemblence to this literary classic is pretty superficial. Generally the story is interesting for its portrait of medieval English life during one of the plague times. It will certainly make you appreciate being born in the current era. The story is gritty and dark, with none of the normal comedic or lighter breaks that most authors often insert into darker works. That makes it a little depressing. Many of the secrets that are revea...more

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Feb 22, 2012 Monique rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: back-in-the-day-historical

Okay so I loved this book, found it so refreshing and intelligent and thought provoking and innovative but the ending LOST me..boo I hate that especially when the promise of a great book was right within her grasp..This novel set in the 1300s medieval England during the time of the Black Death had all the elements of an awesome story to me, there was the history, a mystery, suspense, betrayal, secrets, an element of fantasy and adventure and a main character you love and hate..The story is about...more

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Jan 17, 2012 Samantha Chavez rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Set during the Black Plaque, “Company of Liars” is a book that will be hard to put down. This novel takes you back to the 14th century when many beliefs were based upon superstitions and Christian beliefs. The conflicts between characters are intense and ultimately lead to the groups down fall because the stresses of having to travel with strangers in order to survive, while having secrets to protect catch up to them.
The story is told by a member of the company, Camelot, who embarks on a lone jo...more Set during the Black Plaque, “Company of Liars” is a book that will be hard to put down. This novel takes you back to the 14th century when many beliefs were based upon superstitions and Christian beliefs. The conflicts between characters are intense and ultimately lead to the groups down fall because the stresses of having to travel with strangers in order to survive, while having secrets to protect catch up to them.
The story is told by a member of the company, Camelot, who embarks on a lone journey to escape the pestilence and along the road is accompanied by an odd group. Camelot, although not without thinking twice, finds it in his heart to slow his pace in order to aid a pair of inexperienced travelers, even if this may lead to the dreaded pestilence taking his life. With time the trio grows into a group of nine. The group is made up of Camelot, a relic seller; Rodrigo and Jofre, minstrels; Zophiel, a magician; a young, expectant couple, Adela and Osmond; Cygnus, a storyteller; Narigorm, a rune reader; and a care giver Pleasance. The group must make stops along the way to earn money and buy food, with each new town and village you feel as if you are becoming part of the company. The jealousy of the church when the toys which Osmond had built were selling more than the things the local church was selling shows how much the church had an influence on society during the time. Jews were blamed for causing the pestilence and in one chapter an innocent glass blower was taken to be killed because a man with connections to the thrown believed he was a Jew in hiding causing the pestilence to spread to a nearby village. The power that people had to accuse someone at the time and have them killed without the opportunity to defend themselves properly in court was explained a few times in the book. Each companion has dark secrets which are discovered throughout the book, some are more obvious than others but they all are important to the book.
The suspense can cause the reader to skip pages however each page has some detail to figuring out someone’s secret. Some secrets affect the entire group creating tension between characters and the more tension that builds the harder it is to continue traveling without taking out the frustration on a fellow traveler. The author, Karen Maitland, added just enough twists to keep the reader engaged without losing them in confusion, overall a book worth reading.

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Jan 11, 2012 Angela Criswell rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was a book that I had a hard time finishing...I found it very easy to set aside. Perhaps the reason for that was the book's central refrain (in my opnion)--namely, that hope is in vain, evil will win out in the end, and the things we think are innocent (whether people or actions) can in truth be the most malevolent. So trust nothing.

This book is about deception and its costs. But where is the Truth? You can't have a lie without truth, and you can't perceive darkness without light.

While this...more

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About Karen Maitland

Karen Maitland lives in the beautiful medieval city of Lincoln and has a doctorate in psycholinguists. She is fascinated by the myth and magic of the Middle Ages, which she draws on for her novels. She experienced the medieval lifestyle for real, when she worked for eighteen months in a rural village in Nigeria, living without electricity, plumbing or sanitation.

Her first medieval thriller was 'C...more

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“You've heard tales of beauty and the beast. How a fair maid falls in love with a monster and sees the beauty of his soul beneath the hideous visage. But you've never heard the tale of the handsome man falling for the monstrous woman and finding joy in her love, because it doesn't happen, not even in a story-teller's tale.” — 27 people liked it

“Rain slips through your fingers as easily as words blow away in the wind, and yet it has the power to destroy your whole world.” — 10 people liked it

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