Crusaders: A Novel
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Product Description
Sunday Times
'An ambitious and absorbing state-of-the-nation novel.'
Sunday Telegraph
'An absorbing state-of-the-nation novel, peopled by sympathetic, well-drawn characters.'
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review
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This is a big book; perhaps too big. I live in Tyneside and so began reading with enthusiasm, able to recognise and visualise the places that are described and easily understand the dialect. I wasn't surprised to read that although this is his first novel, Kelly has previously written biographies. The story is structured around what seemed sometimes overly detailed descriptions of the lives of the three main characters. I struggled through the book from about a quarter of the way in. I just wasn't gripped and his writing style made for slow reading. I confess that I skimmed through the section about the Labour MP through lack of interest that was making reading a chore. It turned out that the MP bore little relevance in the conclusion and overall thread of the story in any case.
I did enjoy parts of the book, although I feel it was unnecessarily long and would have benefitted from further editing. For me it was a bit like watching a film and spotting all the places I know, they were what kept me plodding through the book until the end, which suddenly built to a thrilling climax.
I would recommend this book to anyone familiar with the North East, who also has interests in religion and politics.
I did enjoy parts of the book, although I feel it was unnecessarily long and would have benefitted from further editing. For me it was a bit like watching a film and spotting all the places I know, they were what kept me plodding through the book until the end, which suddenly built to a thrilling climax.
I would recommend this book to anyone familiar with the North East, who also has interests in religion and politics.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review
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I enjoyed this book, I really did. And the fact that it's mostly set in my native city of Newcastle upon Tyne (although in a fictional suburb) was a bonus.
But, I'm afraid it requires a good editing. This is ironic as the writer is actually an editor for Faber and Faber. Was someone too shy to advise him it needed cutting down?
David Peace claims it is 'The Great British Novel of this Decade', which is sheer hyperbole; it's nothing of the sort. What it is though is an old-fashioned thumping good read.
You'll know by now that it's main protagonist (Reverend John Gore) is a priest aiming to establish (or 'plant') a new church in a deprived area of Newcastle.
Kelly develops the three other main characters, Lindy, the local unmarried mother Gore falls for, a minor league, hard as nails gangster named Steve Coulson, and Martin Pallister, a lecturer turned Labour MP. He weaves their stories into Gore's life, however, and this is a big failing, he sets up Martin Pallister, spending no small number of pages establishing his back story, to very little effect.
However, I particularly enjoyed the character of local heavy Steve Coulson and his hard upbringing, although someone else has remarked that they found this to be set at soap opera level.
The writing is good throughout and even the young Tony Blair gets to make a cameo performance. And although it's a big book it didn't feel like a chore reading it.
So, I'd recommend this to everyone who likes something meaty. But be aware that the book doesn't have the gravitas to be the epic, profound novel about modern Britain (it's largely set in 1996) that the publishers desperately want it to be.
But, I'm afraid it requires a good editing. This is ironic as the writer is actually an editor for Faber and Faber. Was someone too shy to advise him it needed cutting down?
David Peace claims it is 'The Great British Novel of this Decade', which is sheer hyperbole; it's nothing of the sort. What it is though is an old-fashioned thumping good read.
You'll know by now that it's main protagonist (Reverend John Gore) is a priest aiming to establish (or 'plant') a new church in a deprived area of Newcastle.
Kelly develops the three other main characters, Lindy, the local unmarried mother Gore falls for, a minor league, hard as nails gangster named Steve Coulson, and Martin Pallister, a lecturer turned Labour MP. He weaves their stories into Gore's life, however, and this is a big failing, he sets up Martin Pallister, spending no small number of pages establishing his back story, to very little effect.
However, I particularly enjoyed the character of local heavy Steve Coulson and his hard upbringing, although someone else has remarked that they found this to be set at soap opera level.
The writing is good throughout and even the young Tony Blair gets to make a cameo performance. And although it's a big book it didn't feel like a chore reading it.
So, I'd recommend this to everyone who likes something meaty. But be aware that the book doesn't have the gravitas to be the epic, profound novel about modern Britain (it's largely set in 1996) that the publishers desperately want it to be.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
This is a story of the Newcastle I lived in during the 90s, the characters and places spring out of the page and I feel sure I know the characters.
The story is that of an a political idealist who becomes called to the church and who moves from a comfortable life in the south to a changing Newcastle in the 90s. His life there becomes intertwined with those of his parishioners and he is exposed to violence and finds himself on the periphery as a gang war runs under the surface.
This is a great book and is worth the read.
The story is that of an a political idealist who becomes called to the church and who moves from a comfortable life in the south to a changing Newcastle in the 90s. His life there becomes intertwined with those of his parishioners and he is exposed to violence and finds himself on the periphery as a gang war runs under the surface.
This is a great book and is worth the read.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
A GOOD NORTHERN NOVEL
This was a very good read. It gave a very good picture of life in the North East of England during the 90's. Read more
Published 21 months ago by bibliophile
Flawed but a rewarding read
The central figure in this quest is John Gore, a young naive clergyman, who, after an brief but unsatisfactory visit to the West Country returns north in the autumn of 1996 to... Read more
Published 22 months ago by L. Hutchinson
Crusaders
A very substantial novel (almost Dickensian in feel and scope) about the North of England at the end of the twentieth century. It is well-written and pretty convincing. Read more
Published on 12 Oct 2009 by Rev. D. W. Elliott
The difficulties in founding a church
This is a sprawling novel about the founding of a church in Newcastle in the 1990s. As a first novel, it is perhaps overly ambitious, and in the end comes across as a flawed... Read more
Published on 24 July 2009 by Neil Lewis
A weighty read
Mighty tome in large format paperback, but raced through it. Key theme is regeneration and renewal (in both people, places and region - the North East). Read more
Published on 13 May 2009 by Big Al
Interesting Read
The book is very vivid and detailed about the surrounding. The Descriptive writing was excellent and enabled me to picture the squalor the priest lived in. Read more
Published on 16 April 2009 by David A. Nash
Interesting view of the North East in 1996
This book focuses on political, religious and criminal events in the North East in 1996, using the 70s and 80s as historical backup. Read more
Published on 15 Jan 2009 by Janie U
It's OK, Nothing Special Though.
Being the debut novel of Richard T. Kelly I suppose I shouldn't have really expected much from the book. Read more
Published on 23 Dec 2008 by Steven Stewart
Ambitious and interesting - but a bit too long!
A sprawling "state of the nation" novel that takes a great sweep over two decades up to the election of New Labour. Read more
Published on 22 Dec 2008 by Wynne Kelly
Deeply disappointing
Crusaders' concept is great: set Newcastle in 1996, in the 'dog days of a corrupt government', its cast of characters include a New Labour MP on the make, a naive Anglican Vicar... Read more
Published on 14 Oct 2008 by Mr Sifter
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