Each detail is worked out in symbolic and professional fashion. A university class could easily make a study of symbolism the nightbird, for example and human nature exg. Overall this is a book that I am glad I read. View all 4 comments. Dec 18, Richard rated it really liked it Shelves: This book is where it all begins, originally conceived as a historical mystery standalone in two parts. It takes place in , and introduces one of my favorite book characters, Matthew Corbett, who begins the book as a young clerk traveling with and assisting Magistrate Woodward, who has traveled to the small town of Fount Royal in the Carolina colony and is overseeing the trial of a local young woman accused of witchcraft.
As well as being an historical fiction mystery, it's even more rewarding as a coming of age story, as it's a pleasure to witness the character not only fall in love for the first time, but also stand up for what he believes is right, and come out from under the shadow of the magistrate. Matthew Corbett is a great creation.
He's smart, dedicated, but also sensitive and has a knack for reading people and situations. Unless you have a heart of steel, it's impossible to read this and not want to root for him as he stands up to an entire town for what is right and just. And one of the great things in this series are the baddies, and in this novel, fire-and-brimstone preacher Exodus Jerusalem is a great example.
Definitely read this series. The rest of the books are even better than this one! But read the series in order and start with this! It has romance, adventure, mystery, as well as history about American colonial life. View all 11 comments. Oct 31, Zoeytron rated it it was amazing Recommended to Zoeytron by: The year is and something wicked is afoot in the town of Fount Royal, a cunning evil with Satan's fingermarks all over it.
We journey back to the days of witch trials, rat catchers, bloodletting, heated blister cups, and crude colonics. Only three books into Robert McCammon's repertoire, I am amazed at his versatility. This foray into historical fiction with a dark mystery brewing is fantastic. Top 10 shelf material. Jun 08, Emma rated it it was amazing Shelves: Some one should have warned me I would get nothing else done in the 5 days I've been reading this. It was so good I didn't even commit my worst personal reading crime of book hopping well- mostly. Now I've read some others' reviews I realise the warnings were there all along This was a long book.
Normally when some one notices this it means there were passages in the story that might not have been missed. There was not one word here I could have done without. I've ordered the second in the series already; I normally read e books but for some reason the Queen of Bedlam is only in paperback. When it arrived I was amazed at what a door stopper it was, only then realising how longs Speaks the Nightbird is, so engrossing, absorbing and immersive is the experience. We are treated to a large cast of well drawn characters, including an insane preacher, a rat catcher, a medical quack, pirates.
We have dark and gritty descriptions, humour, superstition and an absolutely cracking plot. I really can't recommend this one highly enough. But make sure you don't have much to do for a few days- no urgent work deadlines, no lengthy to- do lists, because this book will grab you and won't put you down until the last page. View all 7 comments. I normally do not venture into the historical fiction genre. I normally find giant novels tedious and difficult to finish.
I do not read much mystery. I do however worship Robert McCammon.
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That being said, this book is a testament to the writing genius that is McCammon that I not only loved this book, I could not put it down. McCammon who normally writes humanized horror novels wrote this histo 5 Stars Speaks the Nightbird is another near masterpiece from one of today's greatest authors. McCammon who normally writes humanized horror novels wrote this historical fiction as the start to a much larger series. I have read a great deal of his older horror novels, a few are on my all time favorite books list.
He is an author that should be read by all readers of any taste. Speaks the Nightbird is a mystery set in the colonial times that is a marvelous piece of fiction. Matthew is a fantastic lead protagonist. The setting is amazing. The writing puts you in their shoes. The writing makes you feel like you are there. The writing makes it impossible to put down. Robert McCammon should be read by everyone. I can't wait to read more about Matthew Corbett and I can't wait until you read it too.
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Jun 23, Algernon rated it really liked it Shelves: It had been a joyful day for frogs and mudhens. For the human breed, however, the low gray clouds and chill rain coiled chains around the soul.
SPEAKS THE NIGHTBIRD
By the calendar the month of May should by all rights and predictions be charitable if not merry, but this May had entered like a grim-lipped miser pinching out candles in church. I know I still do it, and passages like the one above tell me I am in the hand of a good storyteller, and there is going to be danger and adventure waiting just around the next bend in the road. Ok, so I cheated a little: I know he should be at least as famous as Stephen King or Dean Koontz, or any of the other writers who are often looked down upon because they write popular horror thrillers.
It's a crying shame that McCammon is still considered a second tier commercial writer, and this first Matthew Corbett novel is an excellent example of how he can turn a mystery plot into one of the best historical adventures I've read and one of the most passionate pleas for truth, justice and integrity that echoes well beyond the time frame he has chosen for his story. The year is , seven years after the Salem incident, and the Puritans that colonized the new world are at it again: The founder and mayor of Fount Royal wants to proceed according to the law of the land, so he invites magistrate Woodward to judge the case, even as his neighbors are other fleeing scared from the town or are clamouring for a quick lynching of the suspect.
Anybody who tries to speak in defense of the accused woman is considered to be possessed in their turn by the devil or enchanted by the witch. The chances of a fair trial are slim to non-existent, yet Magistrate Woodward and his clerk Matthew Corbett do their best to uphold the law, despite the grave illnes of the older man and resentment over the inquisitiveness and the stubborness of the younger one.
You have a theory for everything under the sun. And the evidence against Rachel Howarth is overwhelming. Witness after witness comes forward to describe her nefarious activities, her sexual dallying in the night with monstrous creatures, her arrogant refusal to bow down and confess her crimes. Two murders are directly attributed to her - a priest and her own husband. Had to be Mistress Howarth, y'see. Had to be someone different - someone who was nae welcomed here. The fact that she's dark-skinned and near a Spaniard The troubles of the town are real enough: Houses are burning inexplicably in the night, crops are destroyed, rumours spread like wildfire, and now two people have died.
The exotic beauty and darker skin of Rachel have already provoked the jealousy and envy of the farmers wifes and the covetous stares of their husbands. It's always the stranger, the outsider, the person with the slightly different accent or manner that stands out and becomes the target of bigotry and intransigence. And in Fount Royal this hatred is out in the open, threatening revolt for any delay in the burning of the 'witch' The only person in Fount Royal who is ready to listen to reason is Matthew Corbett, but even his master and mentor woodward is questioning the young man's interest in Rachel and his refusal to recognize the strength of the witness testimonies.
How can three different people describe the same visions of the devil in congress with the woman? What other possible explanation can be found for the murders and the arson fires, for the turmoil of the town? Who will benefit if the colony is abandoned? Matthew saw the spring suddenly glow golden with a marvelously beautiful light.
Around the water, the green tops of the oak trees were cast with the same gilded lumination, and for a moment Matthew realized the power that Fount Royal held over its citizens: It was a dream and a damnation too, this desiring to control the wilderness, to shape it with axe-blade and shovel. Many had perished in the building of this town; many more would die before it was a harbor city.
But who could deny the temptation and challenge of the land. Follow Matthew Corbett in his investigations to find out the answers to these questions. McCammon does a splendid job at presenting the elements of the case, at sketching the characters of the town's inhabitants, at swinging the spotlight from one suspect to another, and back to the situation of the witch. For such a grim subject, he even finds a way for a humorous touch of two, either involving the use of hemp as a medical palliative or the secret games people play at night in the barns of the town.
Before I started the book seemed bulky, but the tension, the careful characterization and the twists of the plot make it a real page turner.
Speaks the Nightbird (Matthew Corbett, #1) by Robert R. McCammon
Matthew is a great lead as the early private investigator, and I'm glad to know there will be more books featuring him. The frontier setting is believable and well researched, not only in the buildngs and the climate, but especially in the mentalities and customs of the recently immigrant population that left behind persecution in old Europe, but brought to the new world a heavy baggage of hatred and superstitions. In this context, Matthew Corbett is a man well ahead of his times, a sceptic with a scientific method of searching for the truth, a humanist who sees the faults of his peers, yet remains true to the principles of fairness and integrity that give him strength and peace of mind.
Everyone goes on, he repeated with a taint of bitter mockery. With crippled spirits and broken ideals, they do go on. And with the passage of years they forget what crippled and broke them. They accept it grandly as they grow older, as if crippling and breaking were a gift from a king. Then those same hopeful spirits and large ideals in younger souls are viewed as stupid, and petty What is the point of life, if truth is not worth standing up for? If justice is a hollow shell? If beauty and grace are burnt to ashes, and evil rejoices in the flames? Shall I weep on that day, and lose my mind, or join the rejoicing and lose my soul?
Shall I sit in my room? Should I go for a long walk, but where might I go so as not to smell the smoke? Should I just go on, like everyone else? This last credo of our young hero serves also as a sort of explanation for the nightbird from the title? It serves a similar purpose as the mockingbird in Harper Lee's masterpiece, and Matthew is cut from the same cloth as Atticus Finch. Somebody needs to stand up to the bulies and the bigots and defend the innocents, despite the warnings of the conformists that such an action will bring them sorrow and pain.
For Matthew in the next novels this will translate in more confrontations with evil men, more adventures at the edges of civilization, and maybe more seductive songs from beautiful enchantresses.
Magistrate Isaac Woodward and his young charge and clerk our protagonist Matthew Corbett, are sent for from Charleston to preside over a witch trial in the fledgling frontier settlement of Fount Royal. Matthew, with an unusually keen mind, soon discerns that not all is as it seems as he asks questions nobody seems able or willing to answer. Driven by insatiable curiosity and tenacious inquisitiveness, coupled with an infatuation for the dark skinned Portuguese accused, Rachel Howarth, Matthew embarks on a quest to unknot a tangled web of an insidious conspiracy.
This book took me by surprise. I put him up there on the podium alongside or pretty close to Patrick Rothfuss and Guy Gavriel Kay, as authors I could read or listen to all day, not so much for what they write, but for how they write it. I say close because a lot of my enjoyment was undoubtedly accentuated by the exquisite audio narration by Eduardo Ballerini.
Eduardo is my new favourite narrator of all time. Even the name Eduardo , rolls on the tongue like a Ferrero slowly melting in my mouth. I think I love you Eduardo. From very early on, when Isaac Woodward and Matthew Corbett have their first misadventure at a roadside tavern, I felt like I was actually there with the lice and the rats and the human excrement so elegantly described.
I felt the tension of having to choose between dying in the storm outside or spending the night in the lowest bowels of hell. I felt the fear of being discovered as Matthew hides himself in a dimly lit stables while his potential killer drunkenly kicks at bales of straw. But the sex with a horse scene was just one step too far. The disadvantage of audio is being unable to skim read. Some pretty obvious ones and some depending on your knowledge of the history of that time.
I really did feel like I was there living at that time. But he obviously did zero research into witch trials in British America. McCammon could have told the same story with a hanging pending. Anyway, despite these quibbles as well as a few other caricature portrayals and a couple unlikely heroic physical feats — McCammon weaves a story that slowly and expertly builds the atmosphere and suspense of being in a dangerous place with some malevolent undercurrents.
It's the sort of writing I usually like in horror rather than historical fiction and it had me looking for excuses to plug in the earphones. His subsequent books in the series are quite a bit shorter. This book goes on my favourites list with a solid Eduardo gets 6 stars. Oh Eduardo, I love you. View all 32 comments.
Oct 03, J. Grice rated it it was amazing Shelves: I've devoured all the Corbett books since. IMO, there isn't a more engaging or thrilling series in print. Mar 30, Becky rated it really liked it Shelves: This is my second Robert McCammon book, and if comparing this to Swan Song, which was my first, then this book was leaps and bounds more enjoyable. Partly that could be because Nightbird was written about 15 years and 7 books after Swan Song, and McCammon had a lot more experience when Nightbird was written, and partly it could be that they are just very, very different stories.
Swan Song seemed to lack direction and purpose and plot, aside from the very generic "good vs evil" fight, and dragged This is my second Robert McCammon book, and if comparing this to Swan Song, which was my first, then this book was leaps and bounds more enjoyable. Swan Song seemed to lack direction and purpose and plot, aside from the very generic "good vs evil" fight, and dragged it out for far too long. Speaks the Nightbird, however, did actually have a story to tell woot! I finished Nightbird in 2 days, compared with the month it took me to get through Swan Song.
If anyone ever asks me for a Robert McCammon book recommendation, I can now make one. Enter Magistrate Woodward and his trusty clerk Matthew Corbett to hear the trial. Now, let me just interject here briefly to say that as a science and reality enthusiast, feminist, and empathetic human person, much of this book was frustrating to me to an almost physical degree.
This was a winning combination, if my goal was to spike my blood-pressure with every passing minute. Which was not my goal, FYI. Now, don't get me wrong. I know that this was pretty close to period accurate depictions of the attitudes and methods of the time. When it was convenient to the story or the character, anyway. The townspeople accusing Rachel Howarth of being a witch based on pretty shaky evidence?
Totally believable for a story set less than a decade after the Salem witch trials. The "doctor" trying to cure their patient by bleeding them and "circulating" their blood by pressing burning hot cups to their back to create a huge suction-induced blood blister? I guess, they didn't have any better theories to go on.
I could give a dozen more examples, but you get the point, right? That made me want to punch this story in the throat, simply because for all of the modernity and moving forward and women's rights and science and everything that we've gained in the course of knowledge and civilization and everything, I know how close to the surface that thinking still is in a lot of minds. That's not to say that everyone has to think or believe the same things I do, but it sure would be nice. Because of course that will save his town.
And burning his girlfriend totally will NOT piss Satan off more. I love the warped thinking in this book. Also, by "love" I mean "am totally fucking baffled by". Anyway, I did like the character of Matthew, though he was far ahead of his time, thinking-wise, in that he did any at all. I have known him for 3 hours and he told me his name himself!! You are just SUCH a barrel of fun. That's not a spoiler, this is the first book in a series. What else could he do? LOL Though, the last quarter of this book just kinda went off the rails for me.
Some might say that's unpredictable and thus a good thing, but it bothered me. I won't discuss the specifics because that would be spoilery, but considering the or so pages that preceded it, the last pages had me scratching my head and wondering how we ended up The ending felt rushed, given the buildup to it, and kinda came out of left field even though the whodunnit was obvious well before and it was wrapped up too neatly, and with too pretty a bow, considering the aforementioned attitudes and shit.
But oddly, the things that other people took issue with from some reviews I've scanned , like the vividly descriptive sexual depravities and such, and umm Those things weren't out of place in this story for me, honestly. Gross, yeah, but unsurprising. So, I'm left with mixed feelings. I really enjoyed the story, and even with the blood pressure meds that I'm now on, I'm not sorry I read it, and would likely read more of the series, but some things bugged me, and I would want I dunno, more realism from the plotting, I guess.
Because that's where things went wrong for me, at the end. Oh, and fuck Exodus Jerusalem. The most annoying character ever. Feb 07, Kevin rated it it was amazing Shelves: The citizens of Fount Royal believe a witch has cursed their town with inexplicable tragedies -- and they demand that beautiful widow Rachel Howarth be tried and executed for witchcraft.
A suspenseful mystery that really brings the tim "The Carolinas, A suspenseful mystery that really brings the time frame to life. I cannot say enough good about the writing and the story. After reading pages I drove to three bookstores to find the 2nd book featuring Matthew Corbett. After another pages I ordered the 3rd book in the series and I am hoping it gets here before I finish "The Queen of Bedlam. View all 12 comments. This is the first book in the series; of which, I have the first 4. I bought these books before I read even one book.
I say that to say this: McCammon is worth it. Stephen King is the only other author I have done that with, and that says a lot. It is not the subject matter or the book cover or someones recommendation. It is based upon prior work, that I could make that commitment. Matthew Corbett is a young law clerk working under a magistrate, who must pass judgement on an alleged witch. What ensues is tragedy, death, sickness, superstition, more death, guilt, prejudice, innocence and at the end This book is huge and full of those wonderful little things called letters.
Letters that form into words, words that form into sentences, then paragraphs and in the end; a story. A story on the heels of the Salem witch trials, and a young judicial system trying to right itself afterwards. Also, a young man coming to terms with being an adult with integrity and standing in and for the truth, no matter the hostile attention it draws.
Slaves are lesser creatures, and women are nothing but meat for man's pleasure and then judgement. Matthew gives us hope that these things do not ring true for all men and that there is hope for common ground, understanding and justice. View all 13 comments. Oct 12, Benjamin Thomas rated it it was amazing Shelves: I am new to the author, Robert McCammon, but he came highly recommended from another blog I follow so I thought it worthwhile to give him a shot. Speaks the Nightbird will be a very strong competitor for my best-of-the-year list and now that I think about it, will probably make my best-of-all time reading list.
Yes, it's that good. This is an historical novel set in the Carolina territory in Mathew Corbett is a clerk to a magestrate judge based in Charles Town and together the I am new to the author, Robert McCammon, but he came highly recommended from another blog I follow so I thought it worthwhile to give him a shot. Mathew Corbett is a clerk to a magestrate judge based in Charles Town and together they travel to the village of Fount Royal where the magistrate must have a trial for a reputed witch. Of course, the townspeople all firmly believe the witch is guilty and there is no need for a trial, and indeed, the evidence is damning.
In fact there are even eye witnesses to her devilish acts. What follows is a rather complicated and intriguing mystery in which we watch our protagonist uncover the truth of the matter, using his keen powers of observation and deductive reasoning much like Sherlock Holmes would do. But there is far more to this novel than the mystery for this author has mastered the arts of setting, pacing, characterization, and plot. The book is a rather large one, coming in at over-sized paperback pages, and yet it did not seem like a "long" book.
I kept wanting to read and then read some more, cutting short some of my other well-loved hobbies and sleep just to get more reading time in. And thankfully, there are two more novels featuring Mathew Corbett following this one. View all 5 comments. Jul 29, Manju rated it really liked it Shelves: This is my third book by Mr McCammon and again I am in awe of him.
Like the other two this one too is written beautifully. Magistrate Isaac Woodward and his clerk Matthew are called for to investigate the charges of witchcraft and murder against Rachel Howarth in small town of Fount Royal. And how Satan was commanding them not to hurt Rachel or there would be dir This is my third book by Mr McCammon and again I am in awe of him. And how Satan was commanding them not to hurt Rachel or there would be dire consequences, which was making people to leave Fount Royal. Woodward believed that witnesses were telling the truth but Matthew started suspecting as he knew there was something that was not right.
I love how Robert portrays human emotions in his books. He has described beautifully the everyday life of people of Fount Royal.
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How this whole witch thing is effecting them and how some people have their own hidden agendas surrounding this. As the story progressed we came to know how everyone has their own secrets to hide. As always Robert's writing is beautiful. In all enjoyed this blend of historical fiction and mystery. And if you've not read this author yet then go and start ASAP.
Nov 27, Wayne Barrett rated it it was amazing Shelves: Robert McCammon is a great story teller. This was a long novel, but it kept me entertained throughout. Spoiler Alert Book I in a historical series, this book had a little of everything; witches or supposed witches , devils or supposed devils , pirates treasure, Indians, a crazed, one-eyed bear, circus freaks, murder and even a jaw dropping dose of beastiality. I'm sure the horror genre will come to mind when anyone sees McCammons name attached to the novel, but this was actually a classic myster Robert McCammon is a great story teller.
I'm sure the horror genre will come to mind when anyone sees McCammons name attached to the novel, but this was actually a classic mystery novel at its best. And it was well done, if I might add. It took me awhile to decide who I thought was guilty. I was even beginning to think that maybe the accused witch, who I was convinced was innocent from the get go, was going to be a real witch after all.
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I think the darkest part of this story may not have been the depiction of the murders, but rather the misguided use and understanding of medicine during that period. The description of blood letting and heated blister cups is hard to fathom. I'm pretty sure I'm hooked now and will be reading further into this series. Feb 19, Veeral rated it it was amazing Recommends it for: Only Robert McCammon could have written such a wonderful tale.
McCammon portrays an extremely intriguing mystery involving a witch trial in Carolinas. It would infuriate you towards the superstition and ignorance of the times. Should I have been a time traveler, I doubt if I would have ventured into the 17th century world. Matthew Corbett the protagonist is the clerk of magistrate Woodward who is conducting the trial of Rachel Howarth accused of being a witch. Only Matthew believes that there is more to the story and Rachel might be wrongly accused of being a witch.
But the superstitions of the times and his ordinary position of a clerk does not help his position of trying to unveil the truth. He is young 20 years and his whole life is ahead of him. With the passage of time, his mind would come to terms with what happened and surely life would move on.
Speaks the Nightbird
And I think the reply that Matthew gave defines the true essence of this novel: They accept it grandly as they grow older, as if crippling and breaking were gifts from a king. People not bothered by bestiality and lots of crude sexual references. Ok I made it to p so I'm calling this read. At times I loved this book. It became obvious early on that the author is a man having a midlife crisis who clearly isn't getting his bedroom needs met. Sadly, I've seen this enough in books that wound up being salvageable that I'd decided to look past it, because the pages kept turning.
However, at some point, one has to draw a line. I'm very disappointed with this author's choice to include view spoiler [sex with a horse!!! Braunbeck , October 15, Click here to read the review by Gary A. Click here to read the "Grade: A" review by Mark Graham.
Click here to read the review by JC Patterson. Click here to read the review by Bev Vincent. Thanks to Bev Vincent for providing the scan. Bev now has a site, Onyx Reviews , collecting all of his book reviews, including his review of Speaks the Nightbird. From Shots eZine, September Click here to read the review by Ali Karim.
Thanks to Ali and Shots eZine for providing the review. McCammon deliberately chose a small press. The dark and atmospheric story is set along Carolina's Colonial seacoast where a pair of investigators is sent to a settlement to inquire into a young woman's arrest for witchcraft. If you think this is Salem revisited, guess again, it's a crime novel with the usual root of all evil, but doesn't spare us the grim realities of frontier life. A compulsively readable yarn. McCammon's loyal fans will find his resurfacing reason to rejoice. Those who enjoyed the author's last three novels MINE ; Boy's Life ; Gone South , studies of the human condition that transcended genre labeling, will snap this one up, too.
Twenty pages in, I forgot everything but the book itself. The week I spent listening to the nightbird every evening between eight and eleven was a very fine one. It's about superstition, prejudice, good and evil, hatred and love. Told with matchless insight into the human soul, this novel makes for a deeply satisfying read. From Library Journal , June 15, Starred review! Speaks the Nightbird River City Pub. In , legal clerk Matthew Corbett accompanies magistrate Isaac Woodward to Fount Royal, where he has been summoned to decide whether a witch is living in the newly established settlement.
The two are immediately thrown into danger, even before they reach the town. And once there, they must deal with the inhabitants, some of whom stand to gain if Rachel, the accused, is executed. Soon it becomes obvious to Matthew that everyone has secrets, even the magistrate. In the end, he alone must try to unravel the mysteries. While many of McCammon's prior novels dealt with the supernatural, his latest contains horrors that are more real.
McCammon also provides extensive historical detail, re-creating the legal procedures, medical practices, and everyday existence of the time. The language and situations are often disturbing, especially because many of the accusations against Rachel are sexual in nature, but McCammon tells a compelling story that should find a wide readership. Highly recommended for popular fiction collections. I finished Speaks the Nightbird this morning, and just wanted to say how much I enjoyed it. It's a splendid piece of work, with a marvelous plot, a setting that comes to total life, and thoroughly believable characters.
It's so good to see Rick McCammon back with a new novel, especially one as involving and entertaining as this. The pages seemed to fly by. Though not a horror novel, McCammon's taste for and talents at creating the horrific is well-served here, and horror fans won't be disappointed. In fact, I can't imagine anyone being disappointed in this wonderful story. Click here to read the review by Bill Sheehan.
From Publishers Weekly Online, August 5, The year is , poised on the brink of a new century. Settlements on the edge of the wilderness teeter between civilization and savagery. Into this cauldron marches Magistrate Woodward, a true judge, a fair and honest man. With his clerk, Matthew, Woodward traverses the territory between Charles Town and Fount Royal, through "a joyful day for frogs and mudhens," but for the two travelers, "chill rain coiled chains around the soul.
The trembling boundary of the eighteenth century comes alive, seen through the discerning eye of Matthew. Fount Royal customs, clothing, and beliefs are shown in every scene. For example, one townswoman intends to sell locks of the accused witch's hair as good fortune charms, and seeks to capitalize on the burning of the witch by selling cakes and pies at the event. In this woman's house, a nest of wasps hangs above her dining table to rid her home of the ever-present mosquitoes. The mayor's home offers colonial meals, from "coarse-grained jonakin bread that tasted of burnt corn" to "toss 'em boys," greasy roast chicken.
Still, in every corner of the town lies the shadow of Rachel Howarth. People are so afraid of the hooked claw of Satan that many have abandoned Fount Royal. However, is Rachel truly a witch, or is she a pawn in an elaborate and desperate game? Matthew sees pieces of the puzzle that don't fit, and asks questions that find no answers. Woodward frets about his clerk.