World Tarot Magazine review of The Last Troubadour

Review in January 2008 issue World Tarot Magazine by Beth Owl’s Daughter

Derek Armstrong’s novel, The Last Troubadour, is an historical thriller that brings to life its main characters by assigning them the attributes of fifteen of the Major Arcana cards. Set during the rise of the Inquisition in southern France during the 13th century and loosely based on real events, we follow the fortunes of Ramon, the last of the Occitan’s famous (and recently declared heretical) troubadours. Ramon is also a jester and an acrobat, not to mention a formidable opponent when he wields his spear-staff, and is always accompanied by his little white dog, Mauri. Yes, you guessed it — Ramon is The Fool.

Likewise, we have characters like the Devilish and debauched Archbishop Peter Amiel of Narbonne and Dame Eslcarmonde de Foix — the High Lady of the Cathar Christians — known as “the Jewel,” whom the reader will recognize as the High Priestess.

In this mesmerizing tale of adventure and chivalry, Ramon and his friends of th Baug Balar “circus” have come to the great walled city of Carcassonne, to rescue the Silver Dame of the Cathars, whose brand of Christianity has been declared heresy. But she must be treated with some care, as she also possesses the holy relic of Montségur, upon which the selection of the next Pope may depend.

Filled with courtly intrigue and compelling characters, Derek’s outstanding style makes the complexity, accuracy and historical depth easily accessible and enjoyable. And while the novel’s events center on an extremely bleak period of the Inquisition, and there are grim details that will certainly haunt you, I will attest to the author’s promise that “Rather than spin a dark tale of glory and death, I fancifully retell thess momentous events with your reading pleasure as my goal…”

For anyone who enjoys fast-paced, intelligent fiction, reading pleasure is certainly what you will get. Even better, the role of the Tarot in the story is tantalizing. As Derek explains (in the foreword) “Many legends (and half-baked histories) associate the development of the Tarot cards with the Cathar heresies and this period of history. In The Last Troubadour, you will meet my ‘inventor’ of the first tart deck, Nevara of the Baug Balar… and the characters from history that inspired her deck.”

The only criticism I have is that I hated for this book to end. But wait! There’s more! The Last Troubadour is but the first of a trilogy, “The Song of Montségur Cycle.” Promised for autumn of 2008, “The Last Quest” will resume this tale of love, hate, revenge and hope. Meantime, I invite you to savor the stories of these characters that are as familiar, yet mysterious, as those who we see every day in our favorite cards.

  The Last Troubadour: Song of Montsegur 

From the Historical Novels Review
Issue 43 - February 2008

THE LAST TROUBADOUR
Derek Armstrong, Kunati, 2007, $24.95/C$26.95, hb, 375pp, 1601640102
    The year is 1240, and Ramon Troubadour has returned to his beloved Carcassonne. The once beautiful town, a cultural center of the Occitan, has been reduced to slums and ruins thanks to the Cathar crusades of the French and the fear and horror of the Inquisition. Ramon has returned to rescue The Jewel of the South, the key to the secret holy relic of Montségur – for which a dying pope will kill, and a king will go to war. Helped by a nameless one-eyed knight, a fighting damsel, a witch, and a circus of colorful entertainers on dancing horses, Ramon must use his famous voice and sense of humor to make new allies and rescue The Jewel – and prevent a new crusade.
     The plot is complex and the action, once it gets going, moves quickly. The conceit of associating characters with the Major Arcana of the Tarot is an interesting one. Armstrong does a good job of weaving character lines and points of view together well, and Ramon is a winning protagonist. The combination of historical thriller and fantasy elements is seamless and engaging, and the historical details of life in Carcassonne during the Inquisition realistic ... The story is engaging and the characters interesting and clearly drawn.
    This book is the first in a trilogy, Song of Montségur; the next book, The Last Quest, will be out in Fall 2008.

—Excerpted from Review by Julie K. Rose

Review by Gayla Uslu on Tarot Channel

The Tarot is often talked about as being a tool for creative writing.  It certainly has inspired many writers in many ways, but I must start by saying I have never been so enlightened by a novel inspired by Tarot as The Last Troubadour - Song of the Montsegur by Derek Armstrong.

The Last Troubadour is set in 13th century Europe with the Inquisition is full swing.  The southern city of Carcassone has fallen under the control of the crusading Christians and it is a dangerous time for anyone who does not subscribe to the doctrine of the Catholic Church.  The cast of characters are based on the Major Arcana, which doesn't seem extraordinary at first, but it is the way Derek Armstrong builds the characters persona's around the archetypes which makes it unique.

I have a personal technique for reading books.  I read a chapter or two so I can savor and contemplate the character and story line for a couple of days before moving forward.  The primary characters of this book had me enchanted immediately and my imagination soaring between chapters.  However, as I got closer to the end, I had grown so attached to some of the characters, I couldn't put it down.

The Fool, Ramon, is a jester by day and hero by night.  He and his motley crew of talented friends, most of which he brings to Carcassone with him and a few he picks up along the way, set out to rescue The Priestess of the story, know as the Dame, during the annual Mayday festival.  He uses his charm, whit, courage, and skills to weave a network of relationships and craft a plan to accomplish the impossible....steal back the most priced possession of the Cathar Christians.

This story is filled with passion, adeptness, intent, struggle, relationships challenges and pure, unconditional love.  It draws on the basic meaning of the archetypes, but delves deeper to encourage the reader to view their attributes from different perspectives.  Derek Armstrong finds a way to focus on the strengths, weakness, and sui generis of their personalities.

My favorite character of the book is Nevara, the albino pagan sorceress of the Baug Balar Circus.  She is the Magician of the story who consults her self made Tarot cards for guidance and performs many tricks and spells to help Ramon carry out his heroic rescue. 

The victorious, but turbulent and unsettling end to the story left me anxious to read the next books of the trilogy, The Last Quest and The Last Stand which is set to be published in 2008 and 2009.   I am anxious to learn the fate of each character and see how they find their way out of the Phanton Wood. Will Nevara and Ramon become lovers?  Will Perce remain loyal to Seigneur?  Will Adelais find the adventure to be more than she is able to handle and return home to her father, the Viscount?  What will become of Magba and the children of the Baug Balar?  Will Ramon avenge his mother by putting a end to the existence of the cruel Diableteur?  Will Nevara's magic stand up to the Diableteur again or was the first time pure luck? So many questions...too long to wait for the next installment of the story. :)  AND, I simply cannot wait to see the Troubadour Tarot scheduled for release next year.

I recommend this book to all, especially anyone who seeks a unique way to understand the infrastructure of the Major Arcana.  It's a excellent example of how the archetypes interface with each other.  There is a limited amount of sexuality, but in my opinion not enough to keep it from being suitable for teen readers.  However, parental discretion is advised.  This story is classic struggle between good and evil, but untypical because the author has consciously and methodically used all 22 archetypes in a meaningful, viable role.  Derek Armstrong has managed to weave the characters of the Major Arcana into an adventure for the mind, heart and soul.  I loved it!

Library Journal Review of The Last Troubadour
"A handsome troubadour with a beguiling voice leads an astonishing escape heist aided by a witch, a saint, and a couple of knights, monks, and other assorted characters both great and humble. The setting is southern France, the year, 1241. Tales about the Inquisition are not supposed to be amusing and entertaining, but Armstrong (The Game) manages to make them just that while keeping historical integrity mostly intact, if making free use of real and folkloric events alike. The fortified city of Carcassonne-also the location for Kate Mosse's Labyrinth-is held by bickering secular and religious authority much aggravated by the capture of The Jewel, a symbolic leader of the Cathar heresy. Readers will encounter a surprising amount of detail on medieval life that unfolds at a steady pace until the impossible rescue of the Silver Dame at a May Day festival. Two more volumes are on the way, ending at the siege of Montségur. Readers who enjoyed James Patterson and Andrew Gross's The Jester are bound to like this straightforward narrative, and, it should be mentioned, these historical events are a backstory in The Da Vinci Code. Recommended for all public libraries."-

Mary-Kay Bird-Guilliams, Wichita P.L., KS

Armstrong, Derek. The Last Troubadour. Kunati, dist. by Independent Publishers Group. (Song of Montségur, Bk. 1). Oct. 2007. c.384p. ISBN 978-1-60164-010-9. $24.95.

In his follow-up to the excellent The Game (2007), Armstrong takes on a whole new set of challenges. The story (which is set in the mid-thirteenth century) is intriguing: a motley trio of heroes—a troubadour, a Templar, and a beautiful woman—must find the world’s most important religious relic before the evil Diableteur, a disfigured witch hunter who is working for the Pope, gets to it. At stake: the future of the Catholic Church. The characters are amusing. The novel is thoroughly readable and has more than a few moments of brilliance in which Armstrong blends comedy, parody, and adventure in genuinely innovative ways. A writer of abundant talent."
— David Pitt
 

Aeclectic Tarot Book Review

"The Last Troubadour - Song of Montsegur" is the first book in a trilogy that was twenty years in the making. Set against the background of 13th century Europe, it combines humor, mystery and history in delightful proportions. Being in and of its time, it is also earthy, bawdy, and rowdy ... all of the things that real life can be.

Of note to Tarot aficionados is the use of Tarot as an important part of the story. Armstrong considered the ramifications of including the Tarot ... Was it a strong enough base to bring in significant readership? Would he lose readers because of it? In the end, it became an important tool in the telling of the story. Each major character is an archetype from the Tarot: Ramon Troubadour, the Fool who leads the quest to save the Silver Dame of Montsegur (the High Priestess) from the fires of the Inquisition (fires that took his own mother years before); Nevara, the albino pagan sorceress (Magus/Magician) who heals and plays tricks with equanimity; Hugh d'Arcis, conquering Viscount of Carcassonne (the Emperor); Seigneur, the one eyed "Cyclops" crusader (Strength/Lust); and the Diableteur, the feared witch-hunter (Death).

Armstong has a solid background in the Tarot, and his characterizations are perfect! We laugh, we cry, and we pray with his people. We meet the Templar who chose a solo path (although he does ride with Knights loyal to him), the monk who is suicidal, the Grand Duo who are not at all what they seem, and the Silver Dame who heals with unconditional love, and holds the key to it all.  

The story revolves around the Fool (Ramon Troubadour), and his quest to save the Silver Dame from the fires of the Inquisition. Along the way he partners with Nevara, the witch, and Arnot, the disenfranchised Templar. His sworn enemy becomes his greatest support, and a feared woods his escape and sanctuary.

Why is the Silver Dame so important to the Inquisition (and to the Pope)? What sacred religious relics does she hold knowledge of, and why are they important not only to the Pope, but to the two men who are vying to succeed him in office? Who is the Pope's man, the Diableteur, the witch-hunter that all fear, who is after the sacred relics in the name of the Pope?

It is quite interesting to see the archetypes of the Tarot come to life in this amazing setting! To see how important the Templers became not only as warriors but as bankers, and how the shadows in an individual's life can drive them harder and farther than anything visible. Here we see politics at it's finest (and deadliest), and how fear knows no boundaries.

There is such magic in this book, and more to come! With the second book in this trilogy (due out in 2008), we should be seeing an accompanying deck that is in the process of being created specifically for this series.

Kudos to Derek Armstrong ... this is a wonderful work of art, and I highly recommend it to all who are interested in the Tarot, in the history of the 13th century, and in a mystery that crosses many boundaries!
© September 2007

Review Sept 07:

"The Last Troubadour is a must read, a sizzling blend of satire, adventure, historical romance and comedy. This is as unique as novels come, and it seems Armstrong has found a remarkably distinctive style that crosses genres, a prose signature that is at once unique and approachable. The tarot-based characters are inspired. This is definitely an author to watch."
 Karen Moyers, Films and Books Magazine

"Derek Armstrong is good!"

Michael Korda
editor in chief emeritus,
Simon & Schuster, and author, Charmed Lives and Another Life

"The Last Troubadour" is most definitely a character driven story, the first in a trilogy. Set in the 13th century, against the backdrop of the Inquisition, the Knights Templar, the Catholic Church, Knights and Kings, we visit the devastated city of Carcassonne, former home to Ramon Troubadour ... Fool incarnate. We join him in his quest to save the holy Dame of the Cathars from the fires of the Inquisition ... whether she wants to be saved or not!

We meet a one-eyed Knight, who rides with his men under no colors (rather ... his color is the color white); a giant of a man who may or may not be a Templar; a witch with the ability to see into the future, to heal, and to "trick" when the need arises (and who may have designed her own Tarot deck!); and a Dandy, who holds more secrets than one might think.

Each of the major characters are plotted as one of the archetypes from the Tarot. The power of the Tarot is in the story that it tells, and through these characters the story grows to mythical proportions!

The story is in and of its time ... bawdy, humorous, mysterious and mystical, all at the same time. As an aficionado of the Tarot, and someone with a keen interest in the Knights Templar and the actions of the Catholic Church during this time period, I found this book to be fast paced, never dropping my interest, and providing great insight into the people and the culture that it reflects.

I hope that Derek Armstrong and his publishers do as has been indicated here on Amazon.com, and issue a Tarot deck with the second book in this series that reflects the background of the book.

By the way ... have I mentioned the evil Diableteur? An archetypal Devil (complete with scyth), he is working with the Pope to find the world's most important religious relic - an act that is keeping the current Pope alive by dint of his will. In the shadows, two other men vie for the bounty ... and the Pope's office once he passes on!

For anyone who enjoys mysteries, the Tarot, and the background of the 13th century, this is a must have book ... and no doubt will be a must have series!
~~~~~
Bonnie Cehovet, TE

Reviewer, The Chrystal Gate
tarot.thecrystalgate.com
BonnieCehovet.com
BonnieCehovet.blogspot.com
TarotConnection.net

“This novel is like a house on fire. This story moves!” Rory Metcalf, novelist

“The real and symbolic destruction of an entire people’s hope is very forcefully recreated. A totally believable picture of Carcassonne in the Middle Ages.” Mary Bird, novelist

“Very entertaining－a fascinating historical event with important issues presented through an immediate intrigue and varied characters.” M.J. Smart, novelist

“I like the whimsical manner with which you tell this story. It’s like reading a mystical tale rather than a history. I like the smells and sounds. I greatly admire the degree of research.” Diane Whitehouse, author