Was sent this title, as well as two others, to download after receiving the latest title and have liked the series. It was fun to see a title about the very famous Queen Elizabeth I in a very different way which a few series have been done in a similar fashion on Queen Elizabeth II.

3.5 stars. Ah, yes...the old "middle of the road" read. And in this case, it truly was a mixed bag.

The historical premise for this first in a quartet is the story of the original secret agent 007. I found this quite intriguing. It also didn't hurt that this novel is based in Elizabethan England during the squabbles between Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots. Tudor/Plantaganet England is one of my favorite historical fiction genres.

In true English historical fashion, things get pretty turbulent pretty quickly. There are a lot of names thrown out at once and there really isn't a ton of explanation as to rank, position, or any other background. There were some main characters I recognized from my previous historical reads, but there were a fair amount of times that I had to stop and regroup to remember who was who...there just wasn't a lot of character development that gave the majority of the gentlemen in the story individualized personalities. The female characters were much easier to discern.

Speaking of female characters...this is mentioned in quite a number of other reviews, but the take on Mary Queen of Scots was particularly...creative, let's say. It was a bit of a stretch based on the historical takes of Mary's rather straight-laced nature. This was unfortunate since the creative liberties really put a damper on how much of the remainder of the narrative to take as based on fact. This is one my big pet peeves in historical fiction. I allow for some wandering for fictional development, but this particular endeavor went way off the mark. Readers be forewarned, there is some mildly spicy content in these sections.

Beyond my issues with Mary's portion of the storyline, I actually quite enjoyed the POV with John Dee. I found him an interesting and intriguing character...potentially the only one I really cared about during the narrative other than a small supporting character. I am actually highly likely to locate other books based on this character simply due to his interesting combination of skills and historical background.

But...back to this particular read. I did enjoy it and the plot was quite well paced and just convoluted enough to create good tension and a few red herrings. Had the Queen Mary portions been handled more realistically, this would easily have been a 4-star read. It is what it is.

I'm intrigued enough to keep going. This is the first of 4 in the series, so we'll see how the sequel holds up.

There is a huge promise for this book, and a rework may bring it to the justice it deserves. The book premise was fantastic, and I was excited to dive in, but many of the characters felt awkward, and there were many areas that just fell completely flat.


While I enjoyed the case aspects, for the most part, there is much more that needs to happen.

I've been kind of obsessed with Elizabeth I (and her father and his infamous six wives) since the very first time I picked up "Elizabeth: The Red Rose of the House of Tudor" from the Dear America spinoff series The Royal Diaries. So, chances are good that if I spot a novel that has anything at all to do with any of the Tudors, I'm in. Though this was more to do with the circle around her than the Queen herself, it was a breezy, mysterious read that was a lot of fun (although truthfully, some of the Mary, Queen of Scots stuff got a little...weird, unexpectedly) and a good choice for the week of Christmas. (It required just enough thought and attention to keep my brainwheels turning, but not so much that my already holiday-taxed head was overwhelmed.) I'll definitely read the next one in the series; I can't wait to see what intrigue this ragtag bunch of courtiers gets into next.

This book sounded promising from the get go, but ultimately fell flat for me. The character list was plentiful and admittedly, I had trouble knowing who was who. I needed to go back and remind myself at times of who some characters were and their affiliation. This detracted from my immersion into the story.

The Eyes of the Queen provides a foundation for the rest of the series.. Despite my misgivings from this book, I am interested in continuing on in the series and will report back with my thoughts!

Many thanks to Atria/Leopoldo & Co. and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this title. All thoughts in this review are honest and my own.

This was a great book. As I read it I felt like I was reading Tom Clancy set back in Elizabethan times. Francis Walsingham and John Dee could be characters like those in Tom Clancy’s books. The details and depth were great and the ending was a real shocker! Well done! Will have to read other books by this author in the series.

I was dazzled by the write up of book 4 and when offered the chance to download books 1-3 to read the whole series, I thought I was in for a treat.

Wish there was a warning. It was crude with an awful plot line that was difficult to follow. I found the actual “historical context” lacking and quickly learned this was not the series for me. Sadly, I will be DNF’ing the rest of the series.

I used to read nothing but Tudor/Elizabethan era historical fiction but it's been at least a decade. I knew enough of the politics of the time to not be completely confused about the beef between Mary, Queen of Scots and Queen Elizabeth but needed a quick internet search to be brought up to speed on the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre depicted in the opening pages.
I read this book solely for its entertainment value and not because I was hoping to be immersed in a historically accurate portrayal of the time period so while some of the dialogue did seem like it could have been a little too modern, it didnt' take me out of the story at all.
I got through this entire book without really knowing who the main character was. Dee? Walsingham? One of the Queens? Maybe that was the point?
This whole book sort of felt like a movie, which was fun. There's a little reveal right at the end that fans of another famous fictional character might get a kick out of. Im probably the only person who's never seen one of the films, but at least I understood the reference!

This was an interesting book which really starts with a jolt so you are definitely drawn in quickly. The historical context is excellent and inspired me to look up Walsingham and Dee to learn more. In this first book Walsingham is portrayed as not as clever as he thinks while Dee comes off as the hero. I enjoyed the storyline and look forward to reading the other books in the series.

The Eyes of the Queen is a novel that takes you through a period of history that has many queens claiming the throne. The allegiances and deals made within these households makes it hard to know who is in power and for how long.
England for years was dealing with Mary Queen of Scots and the house of Tudor. Both claiming the throne as rightfully theirs.
Getting messages and dictates from each respective Queen takes longer than it does today and immersing yourself in the times is necessary.
The Eyes of the Queen will have you twisted up wondering what will happen next.
Spain and England are locked in a battle to keep the Church out of the Age of Enlightenment and each of these queens is trying to use the connection with Spain for their own benefits. It really is a story that will keep you wondering.
An interesting read and something anyone who loves historical types of fiction will gladly read.

I loved the premise. The execution on the other hand left much to be desired. I felt lost in the historical minutiae of the book and found myself googling throughout just so I could sort out what exactly the author was talking about. Unfortunately it ultimately fell flat.

I apologize for taking so long to review this book.I struggled with what to say. As an undergraduate History major with a specialization in Tudor Stuart England, I was eager to read this book.

The focus on the beginning of an organized spy network in England was very interesting,That topic could attract readers, even those who are not particularly interested in the historical era.

However, I had a hard time sustaining interest. There were so many characters that I kept losing track of who people were and what side they were on. I had to constantly go back and reread. The author is introducing a series, so probably wanted to introduce all the characters readers would encounter in future volumes. However, for me, it was frustrating.

Second, the book read more like a screenplay than a novel.There was a good deal of dialogue and action, but not much else. 

Readers who want an action novel with intrigue but not much intellectual depth will possibly enjoy this book.
-

In the first book in a new, fascinating, and vividly detailed historical fiction series, Oliver Clements brings the chaos of sixteenth century European politics and the vibrancy of the English court under the capable Elizabeth I to life. Following the first modern spy and the birth of the English secret service, readers join John Dee, a scholar, soldier, and alchemist who happens to be old friends with Her Majesty, as he undertakes a mission to find a new weapon that England can use to fight a war of espionage against the rest of Europe. With high stakes and a fascinating insight into the origins of the British secret service, readers will get to experience the dangers of the sixteenth century and the early risks taken by spies in this amazing researched and detailed historical fiction novel. With a clever plot and a complex historical setting, Clements’ characters are realistic and lifelike, with complex personalities and backstories built into the narrative. The single protagonist of Dee allows for a straightforward experience of this novel and intricate plot, yet the other characters in this novel are fully developed and have their own backstories that come into play as Dee and the readers experience the dangers of Tudor espionage in this fascinating novel.

This is the first in the series, and it should be said that I am posting my reviews for all books of the series on the same day. As such, it has me reflecting on the series as a whole as well. This book is my second favorite in the series. It lays the ground work for the second book which is incredible. This book is a necessary book in the series though to give a baseline for everything else that happens in the subsequent books, but it is just not as much of a page turner. Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books | Atria/Leopoldo & Co. for a copy of this book for an honest review.

This work of historical fiction, set during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, quite cleverly depicts events that will give rise to the spy network known as His Majesty's Secret Service and agents of the Crown, such as the well-known fictional James Bond 007.

The story begins in Paris in 1572, the night of the Huguenot massacre. Francis Walsingham, working as an agent for the English queen, is desperate to get plans depicting a Northwest Passage safely back to England, which will help him thwart a plot to free Mary Queen of Scots from her captivity. He and his intelligencer, Oliver Fellowes, make a mad dash across the rooftops of Paris with Death breathing down their necks. If that sounds like an opening scene from a James Bond movie, you are right, complete with its shocking conclusion.

Back in London, Walsingham enlists Dr John Dee, a scholar, soldier and alchemist, as well as a great friend of the Queen, to undertake a mission to reclaim the stolen plans, which leads, of course, to another death-defying scene.

Obviously the author had a screenplay in mind as he wrote this novel so the plot is driven by several more exciting action scenes. We want to boo and hiss over Mary, Queen of Scots. When she's not plotting her moves to take over the crown, how does she spend her time in captivity? With some manic cringe-worthy self-pleasuring, all too often aided by a reluctant maid servant. Ugh! I could have lived without those scenes.

The fourth book in this series is publishing in August so the author and publisher made copies of all four books available via NetGalley. I jumped at the chance to try this series but as I started to read this first book, I regretted that I was so hasty to grab them up. But all in all, it's an interesting premise and I was a big fan of Ian Fleming's books, so we'll see how the others go--maybe they will get better and hopefully a bit deeper and meatier.

A interesting historical fiction book. Interesting plot and characters. Good beginning for the series

The Eyes of the Queen is the first in the Agents of the Crown series of books by Oliver Clements. It is a very interesting story of the spies who served Queen Elizabeth I of England. The story does take a bit to get into and it is hard at first to see how the characters fit together, but the writing style is great and the novel is rich with texture and history.

I was given a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley.com in return for a fair review. A while ago, I was given an advance reading copy (arc) of The Queen's Men by Oliver Clements. I loved every page! At that time, however, I didn't realize that it was the second in a series called Agents of the Crown. Then I was given another arc of the third book in the series, All the Queen's Spies. Both books were excellent. I have finally read the very first book and it begins the story of Dr. John Dee who has a close relationship with Queen Elizabeth I. With Mary Queen of Scots trying to steal the throne from her cousin, Elizabeth, John Dee comes to the aid of his queen, whom he always calls Bess. Mr. Clements is a fine author who has done an extraordinary amount of research and made the story fun with his many snarky (yet funny) remarks. John Dee is definitely a flawed character who is loyal to his queen as she puts him in charge of her newly formed secret service agency. Dee finds himself in all sorts of trouble, but always puts his queen first. A truly enjoyable series and I look forward to the fourth installment coming out in August 2024.

The writing style was great, and I look forward to continuing the series. The only fault I find with this title is that the story meanders through many characters who do not seem to have any connection to each other, until you get to the very end of the book.

This is a complex story of spying on behalf of Queen Elizabeth and on behalf of her rival, Mary (popularly known as Mary, Queen of Scots) in 1572. The story starts in France with the Huguenot massacre. Stolen plans are involved, a link to the fabled “Northwest Passage.” But what it all boils down to is intrigue and treachery surrounding Mary, Queen of Scots. And boy, what that lady gets up to in the course of the book, they didn’t teach us in our history books, let me tell you. Be advised that there’s some erotic content here that’s, interesting, that even puts a blush on Sir Francis’s face. John follows a dream. He does that a lot, and finds out things. There’s a lot of treachery and double-crossing going on, of course. The end, we learn that assassins are out to kill Elizabeth, but with John’s help, that doesn’t happen, of course. He’s quite the inventive guy. The story was hard to really dive into and is hard to follow.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and Atria Books