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Title: King David by Allan Massie ISBN: 0-340-55603-X Publisher: Sceptre Pub. Date: 1995 Format: Unknown Binding

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Average Customer Rating: 3 (1 review)

Rating: 3
Summary: Rather flat Biblical themed novel
Comment: Massie has written solid well researched historical novels that throw a clear light on the era being written about and his trilogy about Rome -Augustus,Tiberius ,and Caesar -had me going back to the history of the period seeking more information.
Sadly ,his book about King David has not evoked such a reaction and to be truthful I found the whole thing rather dull.
The story it tells is a familiar one to anybody whose education covered the Bible.
It is told in flashback with an ailing David reminiscing about his life.We are taken back through events familiar from the Biblical story-his anointing at the hands of the prophet Samuel,his first visit to the court of the stricken Saul to whom he brings comfort with his music,the clash with Goliath ,the rupture with Saul and his guerilla campaign against him culminating in his seizure of the throne and the personal and dynastic tragedies that arise from his adulterous relationship with Bathsheba
The book will not please the overly pious for the David that emerges from the book is a politician not above placing a religious spin on actions motivated by political and personal self interest,and the book is candid about his bisexuality .This is not a likeable man abut one whose vision for his people rendered him an effective leader but whose libido got in the way rather too often to render him truly dedicated or great
The opening half of the book is fine but it got a bit bogged down in political manipulation and dynastic complications and the last section dragged, not helped by rather flat and functional writing that never took wing
The real value -in my view -of the historical novel-is that it can make us more aware of the people and events of remote eras and send us back to the sources .This did neither and for this reason I rate it as average-no more