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Title: Regency Buck
ISBN: 1402213492
Author:
Georgette Heyer
Publicate Date: 2008-08-01
Publish: 2008-08-01
List Price: $13.95
Average Customer Rating: 4.5
Format: Paperback
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Amazon Lowest New Price: $9.06
Amazon Lowest Used Price: $7.00
Amazon Merchant Price: $11.16
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| Customer Review: |
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1: One of the best EVER...
I have had this book on my bookshelf (maybe the original copy) since it's original publication. Having re-read it recently confirms my earlier opinion - Heyer's charachters are amazingly deep and fleshed out, the plots interesting, and the meticulious attention to detail gives this and all her books a gloss which few contemporary imitators can come close to.
Ok..there is no sex. Get over that. However, the detailed plot, the rich primary and secondary charachters, all add up to a yummy read.
If you can't get enough of them, they are seen again in "An Infamous Army" a more truly 'historical' novel.
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2: Definitely not Heyer's best
This book is nowhere near as good as the other Heyer regency romances I've read. Part of Heyer's charm and strength lies in her characters, but in this novel the characters were entirely lacking in sympathetic characteristics. Lord Worth is irritating and completely without humility to the very end, despite the fact that his overbearing and arrogant behavior throughout the novel seems to demand some sort of conciliation on his part in order to endear him to the reader. Judith, who I liked at first, also quickly grated on my nerves (mainly because the novel provided no clear reason for her growing affection for Lord Worth, who is -- as I've already stated -- a toerag). The romance between the two quickly became tiresome and even aggravating. The mystery aspect of the book was also lacking; by the time Lord Worth (who was annoyingly styled as the detective-figure in the mystery of who was targeting Judith's brother Perry) figured it out, I was two steps ahead of him, and I hated him too much to be impressed in any case. Don't bother to pick this one up -- go for "The Grand Sophy," "Cotillion," or "Friday's Child" instead.
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3: One of the more memorable Heyers
Having gone through a list of Heyer books recently (I can't seem to get enough of them, and I thank Arrow publishing for those nice covers so I can read them in public without people eye-rolling at me), this is definitely one of them that had me thinking for a while. I usually jump from one heyer to the next as soon as I finish the last line. But for Regency Buck, I actually went back to reread some of my favorite paragraphs. Love this one!
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4: Interesting
Although I didn't particularly like this book, I'm giving it five stars, just because giving Georgette Heyer anything less would be sacrilege. That said, this was not a very fun book to read. The mood throughout was quite somber, though there were delightful moments, such as Judith's first meeting with Beau Brummell. His presence in this book was one of the saving graces for me, because I really had to force myself to finish it. I just never warmed up to any of the characters at all. The adventure was interesting enough, but when all is said and done, I just found myself not caring who Judith ended up with, and still not liking Lord Worth very much. Oh well. Heyer is still incomparable!
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5: Dashing story with great characters
Regency Buck has one of Heyer's fantastic heroes - The Earl of Worth - with his sardonic humour, clever conversation and social position. The romance between him and Judith Taverner, his ward, is not necessarily the major thrust of the book. Although the slow-burn romance between them is there in the pages, there is a great deal more to keep your attention. In fact, if I had any criticism of the book it is that we are not there when Judith's sentiments change towards her guardian; presumably it's when she spends Christmas at his house with a group of people, but it's left to our imagination; most of the scenes between the two of them are arguments.
The setting of the book, in London and Brighton, is of course flawless historically. It's fascinating reading of travel in Regency times - the journey from London to Brighton by curricle taking 4?? hours and listing all the posting houses and towns that they travel through. I loved reading the detail of the Royal Palace at Brighton and the Royal Dukes and their behaviour. Many of the characters are historical ones and it set me off reading up on their history - not many novels can get me doing that.
The threat to the life of Peregrine Taverner is a side-plot which works reasonably well but it was always clear to me that Lord Worth wasn't trying to kill his ward, and therefore that his cousin had to be responsible. However, it was fun reading the scrapes that Perry gets into, and his enthusiasm over sailing at the end is great fun.
It has also been interesting to read An Infamous Army, a sort-of sequel to both this book and Devil's Cub as it contains characters from both. Captain Charles Audley who features in Regency Buck is the hero of An Infamous Army, but it is good to see Lord Worth and Judith after three years of marriage - that the spice to their relationship is still there, and the witticisms of Lord Worth haven't been dimmed. However, Peregrine and Harriet do less well in that book; whether that is a background comment about marrying too young from Heyer I don't know.
Regency Buck is certainly worth adding to your Heyer library. It's perhaps not as immediately engaging as some of the other books but it's detail and the strength of the characters are well worth the time spent with them through these pages.
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