This book is a monumental achievement. Unlike The Lord of the Rings an Game of Thrones, Which take place in realms that are not our own, this one takes place in our past. There are no supernatural beings, sorcery or witchcraft. Some of the animals herein have powers of communication with humans that we don't see nowadays.The legendary Kingdom of Broken existed in North Central Germany from the Fifth through the Eighth centuries. A large manuscript describing it was found in the papers of the eminent historian Edward Gibbon. This document was only mentioned in a few unpublished letters between Gibbon and Edmund Burke. Burke advised Gibbon that the Broken document should remain unpublished.The main text including the Gibbon-Burke letters encompasses 651 pages, the very detailed footnotes another 82 pages. I read the footnotes first because they are full of etymological, linguistic, historical and pseodu-historical information which help to set Broken into its proper milieu.Caleb Carr is primarily a military historian, but I didn't previously know about his linguistic interests, having previously read only his detective novels "The Alienist" and "Angel of Darkness" set in New York City in 1896 and 1897 respectively, when Teddy Roosevelt was police commissioner of New York.Like The Legend of Broken they are about the nature of evil. One of the most evil characters I've ever encountered is in here, Merchant Lord Rendulic Baster-kin. His is the worst kind of evil because he is 'a good man' doing what he thinks is the best for his city and kingdom. Of course he's got it all wrong. He's trying to perpetuate a regime which is one of the cruelest and most corrupt I've ever encountered in fact or fiction. In some respects Broken is in advance of the civilizations that surround it during the so-called Dark Ages. In others totally barbaric. I really enjoyed this book! I wouldn't recommend it to everyone because of the slow progression from time to time, but def. a good book! I completely disagree with all the hateful comments floating around about this book. It almost makes you think that it could very well be real fact, lol. Don't listen to the crud other people have said about this book and give it a try! You may enjoy it as I have.
What do You think about The Legend Of Broken (2012)?
not my favorite Caleb Carr book.... very drawn out
—batmanslave
