The Spider of Sarajevo by Robert Wilton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The political intrigues of Europe in the immediate prelude to what would become known as The Great War has always held a particular fascination for me not least because of their complexity. This extract from the Archives of the Comptroller-General for Scrutiny and Survey covers that period and draws the reader into those same intrigues with thanks to the compelling narrative prepared by Wilton.

After Book 3 I remain dubious as to the claims by Wilton that the Comptrollerate-General was, in fact, a real organisation within the British establishment for centuries, but it also remains entirely feasible given the way in which Wilton has presented this particular narrative in a historical period with which I more familiar than in the first two books. The very nature of the Comptrollerate-General as portrayed in Wilton’s work means that the answer to its existence in reality will, I suspect, never be fully known.

That said, this book was a thoroughly enjoyable read combining a strong narrative with a superb rendition of the historical setting of the events that eventually culminated in the outbreak of war.

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Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The third volume in the unfolding story of one Harry Potter is as engaging as the first two in the series, as one might expect in a story such as the overarching narrative that Rowling has created. We are treated to the ongoing development of the primary characters, a particularly interesting perspective when it involves a world that revolves around magic.

We are interested, in particular, in the ‘back story’ that goes with Harry’s life. We learn in this volume more about the circumstances that surround the death of Harry’s parents, and the extent to which those who were aligned with Lord Voldemort have acted as the servants of the Dark Lord. Harry meets his godfather, Sirius Black, who we learn has been wrongly imprisoned in the Wizarding world’s prison for all of Harry’s life, who everyone believes was directly responsible for the Potter’s death. Harry also meets other friends of his father from their days at Hogwart’s, as well as hearing some stories from those days.

At the heart of this third volume is the battle between truth and evil, truth represented by Harry’s parents and cohorts, along with the Hogwart’s headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, and evil portrayed by Lord Voldemort and his cronies, those known and unknown. For those who have already read ahead, we have more of a sense of precisely who those cronies are. While one might argue about the simplicity of the binary juxtaposition of truth and evil, it is tough to ignore that both exist, that they conflict, and that there are times when it can be difficult to distinguish between the two. Like many themes to be found in Rowling’s series, this one can be interpreted at many different levels of complexity, and each time they are encountered can produce a different, perhaps more nuanced, understanding.

As I have previously mentioned in my reviews on this particular edition of the Harry Potter series, the narration of the story by Stephen Fry is particularly engaging. Perhaps it is solely the accent – which is quintessentially British, and therefore perfect for this particular story – or it could be the clean and crisp enunciation of what is a well crafted and constructed narrative. Either way, it has captured my attention to the point where I look forward to getting into my vehicle, ready to listen to the next little instalment in the unfolding story.

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Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

One of the great things about spending a lot of time in the car recently has been the opportunity to listen to Mr Stephen Fry read the unfolding story of Harry Potter to me. The combination of a rich narrative, which I haven’t indulged since the original book was released, with an authoritative voice that is quintessentially British, has held my attention captive.

Harry’s second year at Hogwart’s School is the subject matter of this particular volume, and we are reunited with the range of characters we were first introduced to in the first volume. We watch the ongoing development of the characters, masterfully undertaken by Rowling, together with an ever-deepening knowledge of the back story that is part of the grand narrative slowly being revealed to the reader.

Revisiting the story after so long – and putting aside the movie version of the book – I am once again amazed at the power of Rowling’s combination of timeless themes with a story-telling genius. There can be little doubt in my mind at least that the Harry Potter series of books will remain a timeless contribution not only the genre of ‘young adult fiction’ but to the broader range of brilliantly crafted stories.

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Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Returning to this book again was a wonderful adventure. There were memories of the great narrative, the incredible world that Rowling has created, and the introduction of the characters who we will come to know over the succeeding volumes in the series.

Having the story narrated by Stephen Fry, whose voice and command of the English language is beyond compare, was an added bonus. Fry, and the story of Harry Potter, kept me company during recent driving stints, and made the time fly.

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Traitor’s Field by Robert Wilton
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This entry from the Archives is set within the English Civil War, looking at the intelligence aspects of that conflict between Royalists and Parliamentarians. It is an interesting period of history and the development of the narrative in this particular novel is most interesting.

I didn’t find the novel as appealing as its predecessor, largely I suspect because this particular epoch of English history is not something that immediately grabs my attention. That being said, however, the novel remained an interesting read as well as an interesting insight into the intrigue that lays at the very heart of the abstruse organisation – the Comptrollerate-General for Scrutiny and Survey – on which it was based.

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