LIFE'S BETTER IN THE MOUNTAINS

Monday, March 11, 2013

A Good Trilogy



Do you enjoy the series "Downton Abbey"?  If you do I can assure you that you will equally enjoy these three books by author Phillip Rock.

The first book of the trilogy was originally published in 1978 and the others soon after.  They were bestsellers at the time and are enjoying a revival thanks to the success of the PBS television series.  In fact, the cover of each of the re-released books contains the phrase, "Before there was Downton Abbey, there was Abingdon Pryory..."



The Passing Bells begins the trilogy.  Set in England in the summer of 1914 this book involves the complexity of the war and its effect on class barriers as both servants and family members of an English manor head out to serve.  The trilogy focuses on the lives of the Greville family of Abingdon Pryory.




Circles of Time follows the family in the post-WWI years and the re-building after the war.  This was my favorite and if I could read only one this is the one I would select.





The final book of the trilogy, A Future Arrived follows the family and its younger members in the 1930s.  At the end of that decade, war again threatens their futures.



My neighbor lent me Circles of Time and I was more than halfway through it before I realized it was the second book in a trilogy.  (Don't you just hate that?  But to his credit, he didn't know it was part of a trilogy either.)  Even before I finished the book I ordered the first book.  I enjoyed it although I already knew what lay ahead for the characters.  The writing is excellent and the plot lines held my interest throughout the books.


10 comments:

My Mind's Eye said...

Oh thank you my peeps are addicted to Downton Abbey!
I will have to tell mom to look for this series.
Hugs Madi and Mom

I'm gonna tell Mom! said...

I am going directly to my library's website to see if these books are on the shelves! If not there, then amazon or audible. Thank you!

Jayne said...

Going to find that RIGHT NOW on Amazon for my reading pleasure! Thanks my friend!

KGMom said...

And, might it be made into a tv series?
Thanks for the review. I am always looking for books to enjoy.

Busy Bee Suz said...

Sounds great! I think it is so funny how PBS came out with such a HIT by sharing DA. Lolo and I love it and can't wait for the next season.

Rudee said...

I love Downton Abbey. I'm definitely going to look for these and give the story a shot at entertaining me. Thanks for the recommendation. I'm on a reading binge right now.

troutbirder said...

I did that once with a Sharon Kay Penman series....Been there. Done that. When I really get worried though is when I'm forty page into a book before I realize I've read it before...;)

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

Thanks for the book recommendation as I am heading to the library today and will check out this author. I just read 2 new books by Jeffrey Archer before realizing these were the first 2 of a 5 book series...by the time the others are ready I may have forgotten the first 2. It's always better to find a completed series.

NCmountainwoman said...

Thanks for your comments, everyone.

Janet, The Queen of Seaford said...

Sounds like a great trilogy of books to read. Yes, love Downton Abbey! We have tried 'Monarch of the Glen' on Netflix as a poor substitute...quirky but not as well done.