Why We Love the Tudors by C W Gortner

Today we welcome author CW Gortner to talk about why we love the Tudors!

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It’s been more than four hundred years since Elizabeth I’s death, yet for many of us she—and the rest of her dysfunctional, electrifying family—remain as fascinating as ever. Compare this, with, say, the ten minutes of rapt attention we’d allocate to the latest antic by the latest film actor in need of rehab and you can see that Elizabeth and her clan have lasting star power.

But, why? Why are we so fascinated by them? What is about their drama and upheaval that so entrance us? While impossible to pinpoint for certain, or even to generalize, it’s safe to assume that our obsession with the Tudors reflects the fact that they were, to a certain extent, the 16^th century’s equivalent of our modern-day celebrities— physically beautiful; wealthy and powerful, jettisoning from palace to palace, bedecked in jewels and velvet, they strode across the stage of their Renaissance world wreaking havoc in their wake, enthralling, repelling, and entertaining their contemporary audience much as they entertain us today, hundreds of years later.

Few dynasties boast such larger-than-life characters: Henry VII, parsimonious, sour-faced patriarch of the clan, who leapt out of exile to literally snatch the crown from the last Plantagenet king’s head; his golden heir, Henry VIII, the Adonis of his age, who transformed into a grotesque parody of himself and killed two of his six wives, or three, if you count the one whose heart he broke; and his children, tight-lipped and short-lived Edward VI; the Catholic fire-brand, Mary, whose reign of terror earned her the sobriquet of ‘Bloody’; and finally, the enigmatic Elizabeth, whose triumphant accession after years of danger ushered in an era of unparalleled glory, when Shakespeare composed his famous verses and England became a beacon of refuge for those fleeing religious excesses.

And it is Elizabeth, of all of them, who most intrigues. We who live in an era bombarded by commercialized sexual innuendo find it almost impossible to believe that anyone save a nun could live without carnal intimacy yet Elizabeth claimed lifelong virginity. Paradoxically, she surrounded herself with exquisite men who went bankrupt vying for her affections;  not given to female confidences, she terrorized her ladies; she dressed to impress and evaded years of intrigue against her person— she was glamorous, intelligent, and contrary, the perfect amalgam of her father’s might and her mother’s allure. She was, in many ways, the Angelina Jolie of her age: the most coveted and idealized icon of her time. Captured in a hundred portraits from every angle, usually looking far less realistic than a fantasy, styled for our imagination, Elizabeth epitomizes our enduring fascination with the Tudors. She stares at us through those narrow sloe eyes from her confection of pearls and platter-sized ruff and cornucopia wig, and she dares us to pigeonhole her, to reduce her with the banal ease of our modern age. She is the past that evades and entices; she is the muse of our most romantic flights.

This is why we love her and why we love the Tudors. Because despite our culture of facile celebrity, or perhaps because of it, England’s most famous family has earned its time-honored distinction. Luminaries across centuries, they remind us in their own inimitable ways that while movie stars and reality-TV may come or go, kings and queens live forever.  

CW Gortner is the author of The Last Queen and The Confessions of Catherine de Medici. His latest release is a historical mystery set in the court of Elizabeth I, The Tudor Secret, the first book in the Elizabeth I Spymaster Chronicles. The Tudor Secret is available  

Don't forget that we are currently giving away a signed, personalised copy of this book along with a gorgeous Elizabeth I hand mirror. For all the details see our giveaway post here.

The Oak Apple by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles

When civil war destroys the long years of peace in England, the clash between King and Parliament is echoed at Morland Place. Richard, the heir, brings home a Puritan bride, while his dashing brother Kit joins the Royalist cavalry under prince Rupert, leaving their father, Edmund, desperately trying to steer a middle course. As the war grinds on, bitterness replaces early fervour and divisions grow deeper, and through it all Edmund struggles grimly to protect his inheritance and keep Morland Place intact.

The Oak Apple starts a few years after the Princeling ends. The characters that ended the last book as children are now adults with children of their own. The master of Morland Place is Edmund Morland and the historical setting is the reign of Charles I and the fights between Parliament and King. A significant part of the book is devoted to the description of battles, although they are not usually my favourite reading subject Harrod-Eagles does a very good job with it and I was actually interested and horrified by what I was reading. There are no heroes or villains in this, just men who believe in different things and defending their ideas.

As in previous books the gap between generations widens due to different political sides. While Edmund is mostly worried with protecting his birthplace his son Richard marries a puritan and his second son and several cousins join the King's army. The political situation will take its toll on Edmund's marriage and the war effort will affect the whole family. I thought it interesting that there was the introduction of a puritan character but I think that sadly we only get to know the basics about Puritanism. I at least was curious to know more.

I liked it that, as in previous books, the author included a female character that stands out. Here it is Ruth Morland. In love with her cousin Kit she sees him marry another cousin - Hero - and ends up having to give Hero and their son shelter when the war reaches their doorsteps. She manages her brother's home and after his death manages to live alone and independent. Ruth eventually bears a daughter out of wedlock, Annunciata, and doesn't seem to worry about the scandal. Another thing I liked was that a branch of the family sets out to America. Since Edmund doesn't have enough land to divide for all his sons, Ambrose Morland and his wife Nell sail to Maryland where they hope to claim lands and build their lives.

I have mentioned Ruth as the strong character in this story but I have to say that Edmund's wife Mary Esther is the one that does everything to keep the family together no matter what. Despite the war there are still a household to organise, marriages to plan and funerals to arrange. And I really did enjoy reading about all of it, not everyone is nice or easy to understand but that's what life is made of...

Grade: 4.5/5

The Princeling by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles

Protestantism is sweeping the land and threatens the position of the Catholic Morlands, so they must seek new spheres of influence. John, the heir, rides north to the untamed Borderlands to wed the daughter of Black Will Percy, Northumberland cattle lord. But he finds he must first prove himself, and win her heart through blood and battle. John’s gentle sister Lettice is given in marriage to the ruthless Scottish baron, Lord Robert Hamilton, and in the treacherous court of Mary, Queen of Scots, she learns the fierce lessons of survival.

The third book in the Morland saga brings back Nanette, Paul and their respective families. Their children are now adults and marriages have to be arranged to consolidate their wealth and power during Queen Elizabeth's reign. Although Nanette and Paul still yield considerable power in the Morland house hold, despite Nanette being mostly away at court, this is the time that sees the generation of Jan, John, Lettice and their siblings and cousins reach adulthood and while some obey the patriarch´s wishes, others decide to follow their own path. The breach between the generations goes further as the older still follow the old religion and the young ones adopts the new one.

The historical background brings forth Queen Elizabeth's most important political events, the reign and fall of Queen Mary of Scotland and the problems in the border. While I did not feel that this time the characters were in the middle of the political intrigue, they are used to tell us those realities. Jan, Nanette's adoptive son, finally finds the truth about his parentage and that seems to widen the gulf between him and his mother. I have to say that I thought it interesting that Harrod-Eagles should have included in her story Mary Seymour, the daughter of Katherine Parr, that here becomes Jan's wife, and of which nothing is known after her second birthday.

While Jan and his wife want to fight to become masters of Morland Place, John is sent away to marry Mary Percy. I quite liked this Mary, totally unlike the other female Morlands, she is a warrior and a leader that fascinates John who feels he must woo her carefully and quite differently from what he was used to. Through Lettice we see the events in the Scottish court, a dangerous place where the lords had to change allegiance each time someone controlled the queen. I can't say I much liked Lettice's husband, he seemed the consummate political courtier who sacrificed everything for his political goal. Through others of the young generation we get to know the theater world or Sir Francis Drake's expedition.

While I did enjoy the historical background I think it was the characters that stand out to me in this story. There are moments of doubt, fear, pain but also happiness. Some feelings are timeless and it is easy to feel with these characters. It did strike me reading this story that nowadays we almost take for granted that we will have long lives or at least good health care. For these Morlands death was something that came often and fast taking away their loved ones.

Grade: 4/5

Bellfield Hall by Anna Dean

1805. An engagement party is taking place for Mr Richard Montague, son of wealthy landowner Sir Edgar Montague, and his fiancee Catherine. During a dance with his beloved, a strange thing happens: a man appears at Richard's shoulder and appears to communicate something to him without saying a word. Instantly breaking off the engagement, he rushes off to speak to his father, never to be seen again. Distraught with worry, Catherine sends for her spinster aunt, Miss Dido Kent, who has a penchant for solving mysteries. Catherine pleads with her to find her fiance and to discover the truth behind his disappearance. It's going to take a lot of logical thinking to untangle the complex threads of this multi-layered mystery, and Miss Dido Kent is just the woman to do it.

Miss Dido Kent is a spinster, she never married but she comes from a big family and her brothers occasionally ask for her help when dealing with their children. She has a special fondness for her niece Catherine who lived with her for a while when she was a young child and when she asks for her help Dido runs to her side.

Catherine had just become engaged when, during the celebratory ball at his parent’s estate, Bellfield Hall, the fiancé is approached by a mysterious man who, without a word being spoken, makes him break the betrothal and run away. On the next day the body of a young woman in found murdered in the shrubbery. Although Catherine is more concerned with being reunited with her beau, Dido can't help but think that the two events may well be connected. Is the unwavering faith that Catherine has in Richard well deserved?

I really enjoyed the world that Anna Dean has created; Miss Dido Kent is a very believable maiden aunt, with a great deal of curiosity and a keen eye to observe the world around her. I thought it interesting that part of the story is told through the letters that Dido is writing to her sister relating what happens and how she sees the events. Garnering knowledge not only from the other guests but also from the servants of the house Dido soon realises that all is not as it should be with the family and that some of the guests are not what they appear.

Set in the Regency period Bellfield Hall is a wonderful cosy mystery where an amateur detective has to uncover the truth and find the villain before the house party is over. Dean created a suspenseful plot where the danger increases with each chapter and where the clues are cleverly inserted in the plot in the form of little details... I look forward to revisit Miss Dido Kent and her world in future books of the series.

Grade: 4/5

I would like to thank Karyn Marcus at Thomas Dunne Books for sending me a copy of this book.

The Poison Maiden by Paul Doherty

It's 1308 and England hovers on the brink of civil war. Edward II, his wife Isabella and the royal favourite Peter Gaveston Earl of Cornwall, have been forced to retreat to the King's folly. Just an arrowshot away lie the Great Lords and Philip IV of France, who are demanding that the Earl of Cornwall be charged with high treason. Edward is trapped, and worse, he has learnt that Philip has the 'Poison Maiden' on his side, a formidable spy who did untold damage during his father's reign. As Edward tries in vain to unmask the identity of the spy, Mathilde, handmaiden to the Queen, also attempts to identify the source of this threat. Soon the crisis spills over into violence. The Lords attempt to take Gaveston by force and the King and his Court, including Mathilde, are forced to flee. As the enemy closes in, Mathilde finds herself embroiled in a life and death struggle for the English crown.

The Poison Maiden is the 2nd book in the Mathilde of Westminster series where Paul Doherty tells the story of Richard II and Isabella's first years of marriage. I was intrigued by the first book and last week I "found" this one at the bottom of the TBR pile and decided to pick it up.

I have now read some reviews mentioning some historical errors. I must say I didn't notice them while reading as this is a period I'm not too familiar with, but on principle errors annoy me!

Like the first book there is a mystery to solve in this story and it starts with the old Mathilde remisniscing on past events while being interrogated by the king's men. The King is now Edward III, Isabella's son, and it is suggested that the queen took some secrets to her grave that Mathilde is decided to keep.

The story then jumps to the past and the year 1309. First it is a man who is found dead and then a woman. While there are not many clues about why they have been murdered, in the first death the murdered even tried to make it look like a suicide, there is talk about The Poison Maiden, a supposedly powerful spy working for Phillip of France who emerged under the old King and now is once again trying to do the same and destroy Isabella’s husband.

I’m afraid I don't think Mathilde is a very sympathetic character, she seems rather cold and not even her doomed love affair with Demontaigu helped me seeing her on a more favourable light. I must confess that I had less trouble warming up to Isabella who may well be on her way to be the She-Wolf of France but at least has good reasons to complain. Manipulation and deceit are very useful weapons when there's no alternative and considering Isabella's dislike of most people that surround her and how dangerous some of them may be we can easily feel some empathy. I also felt Mathilde moved about a bit too freely for one who should be attending the queen.

I was surprised by the identity of the Poison Maiden and I must admit Doherty did really well with that final twist. However, although I did like the setting and the political information regarding Gaveston, the Templars and the historical context in general,  I’m not sure it captivated me enough to continue with the series…

Grade: 4/5

Ethel and Ernest by Raymond Briggs

The story of Raymond Briggs's parents' marriage, from their first, chance encounter to their deaths. Told in Briggs's familiar strip-cartoon format, with nothing embroidered or altered, the book is also a social history of a kind, embracing such events as World War II and the advent of television.

Title and author of book: Ethel and Ernest by Raymond Briggs

Fiction or non-fiction? Genre? Graphic Novel. Historical Non-fiction. Biography.

What led you to pick up this book? Nymeth reviewed it and made it sound interesting.

Summarize the plot, but don’t give away the ending! See above...

What did you like most about the book? Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live before television? Or, to live through the events of World War II? I am sure some people that read this post will have experienced these things, but others will be like me and can only imagine. Raymond Briggs, by telling his parents story, shows what it was like to live through some of these things. It so reminded me of my grandparents. Every time something new came out they would claim they were never going to get one. When they replaced the phone in the kitchen with a key pad type, it was a joyful occasion. Now that they are both gone, though, I almost wish I had their old phone. Anyway, this book is essentially a social commentary on what it was like for the working class to adjust to all the changes in the world. By telling what it was like for his own parents, he was telling what it was like for many families. I found that very interesting!

What did you like least? You know, to be truthful, I wish this wasn't a graphic novel. It wasn't that I didn't like the format, but I guess I would have liked more detail. I was connecting with Ethel and Ernest and was sad when the story was over. I think they had a lot more to say and I would have liked to have heard more. I think that was mainly because they reminded me of my fathers' parents who are both deceased and have been for several years now.

Have you read any other books by this author? What did you think of those books? Nope. This is my first book.

What did you think of the main character? Like I said above, the main characters really reminded me of my grandparents. It made them likable. My grandparents would resist change at first, but next thing you knew they would have one of those new-fangled contraptions. It's hard to believe they just barely lived to see computers in mainstream use and cellphones were still just gaining popularity. I often wonder what they would think about all the things that we have started to take for granted just in the years since they passed. It was really interesting to see events that we take as just everyday through the eyes of people that were just experiencing them for the first time. I have never known a world without a television, while they were living when they first came out. I have heard countless stories about what life was like during the World Wars, but they actually were living through. It was really quite fascinating.

What about the ending? I think my only real problem with the ending is that it came too soon. I wish the book was longer. I can't really say anymore about the ending because it is a true story, so it's not like the author could change his parents life to make it different. It was the story that was meant to be and I didn't have a problem with it.

The Longest Journey by Diana Patterson and Rita Turner

An Amazing Journey and Amazing Historical Fiction!

As a young child, Elspeth lived with her father, the groundskeeper of the estate of Lord Reginald Westerna. When her father died, Lord Westerna took her in and bought her up as a Lady. She was the daughter he never had.

As a young woman, Elspeth’s wealthy English gentry’ world collapses when Lord Reginald Westerna dies and leaves her alone with her cruel stepbrother, Warwick. His jealousy and hatred of her brings him to accuse her of a crime she didn’t commit and she is sentenced to deportation to Australia.

There, the Governor of the Colony, Sir Rossmore, employs her. He is widowed and once he learns Elspeth’s story, she rises in station and a romance between the two begins.

This is a beautifully written story, that really captures the time and place of both England’s and Australia’s rich gentry. We also get a glimpse at the dark "underbelly" of the two countries. It is a story of love, courage, adversity, and romance. It has a fine cast of characters and a well thought out plot. A lot of research must have gone into writing this story and describing the costuming of the day.

I highly recommend this wonderful book.

5/5

Thanks to Diana Patterson and Rita Turner for an advance reading copy!

The Six Wives of Henry VIII - Alison Weir

The tempestuous, bloody, and splendid reign of Henry VIII of England (1509-1547) is one of the most fascinating in all history, not least for his marriage to six extraordinary women. In this accessible work of brilliant scholarship, Alison Weir draws on early biographies, letters, memoirs, account books, and diplomatic reports to bring these women to life. Catherine of Aragon emerges as a staunch though misguided woman of principle; Anne Boleyn, an ambitious adventuress with a penchant for vengeance; Jane Seymour, a strong-minded matriarch in the making; Anne of Cleves, a good-natured and innocent woman naively unaware of the court intrigues that determined her fate; Catherine Howard, an empty-headed wanton; and Catherine Parr, a warm-blooded bluestocking who survived King Henry to marry a fourth time.

I did enjoy reading Weir's The Six Wives of Henry VIII, she has a simple style and it's really easy to read. It's not written as separate biographies, in fact we could almost say that the women were only important after their path crosses with the king and so their early life is just slightly mentioned. And it's as much about Henry as about his wives, if not more, because it reads like his story and his transition from wife to wife. I was left with the feeling that had he not died when he did and we might have had more Queens. It seems the more he got rid of them the easier it became.

The book is uneven in its treatment of the women; most of the book is devoted to Katharine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn (with Katharine getting the most pages) and then the other 4 queens being treated with less detail. That was unfortunate for me because I was more interested in the less known women than in the first two wives.

I had some problems right from the beginning though as in the introduction she immediately states her views of Henry's Queens. I was left with the feeling that what was to come was the confirmation of those particular views and not some neutral material that would allow me to make my own mind. In a way I felt that through the whole book. Like facts being related and in the middle of them a personal opinion here and there.

It seemed to me like a good beginning to approach the era and Henry's marital and succession problems but I was left with the feeling that maybe not all was as black and white as Weir paints it. I was left with an appetite for more.

Grade: B

The Cup of Ghosts by Paul Doherty

By 1322, Mathilde of Westminster was considered the finest physician in London. But in her years as lady-in-waiting to Princess Isabella, she was drawn into the murky politics of the English court, where sudden, mysterious death was part of the tapestry of life. Many years later, Mathilde looks back and chronicles her turbulent life. With her sharp, suspicious intellect ready to distinguish between a fatality and an unnatural death, Mathilde is confronted by a host of chilling murders. The source of these horrors is the fierce political rivalry between Philip of France and Edward of England. This manifests itself in a series of gruesome killings, one of which actually took place during Edward II's Coronation, when a knight of the Royal Household, Sir John Baquelle was crushed to death.

Paul Doherty's book was nothing like I imagined. I think in end it read more like an historical fiction story than a murder mystery. I think the most interesting part is how well Doherty knows the period he is writing about and how he makes the day's political machinations very much a part of his story. Sometimes you have a feel of the period but here you really are in the period with it's main characters, political decisions, templar's persecution and arranged marriages. And all this is an integral part of the plot. I liked how he gave plausible explanations for Isabella and Edward's behaviour in the beginning of their wedding.

I found the murder part in itself a bit confusing, there are a lot of characters, a lot of deaths and there's some lack of urgency for it's resolution. I was unprepared for how young Mathilde was going to be in the beginning and it seemed a bit unbelievable that she would know so much and understand the political intrincacies so well. Isabella, who in the beginning seems to be the stronger personality ends up dependent from Mathilde as her only friend. However the set of the period is so well done that I want to continue reading almost for it alone, I want to know more about that period in history and more about Isabella and how Doherty explains what went wrong with her wedding. There's also a portuguese character that has already been introduced as a villain so the lure to continue is irresistible.

Grade: B


Posted also at Aneca's World

The First Princess of Wales - Karen Harper

I was fortunate enough to receive a copy of this book from the author. I've been very curious about the Fair Maid of Kent after reading bits about her in other books and was quite happy to find a book where she is the main character.

The daughter of a disgraced earl, she matched wits with a prince.

It is the fourteenth century, the height of the Medieval Age, and at the court of King Edward III of England, chivalry is loudly praised while treachery runs rampant. When the lovely and high-spirited Joan of Kent is sent to this politically charged court, she is woefully unprepared for the underhanded maneuverings of her peers.

Determined to increase the breadth of his rule, the king will use any means necessary to gain control of France—including manipulating his own son, Edward, Prince of Wales. Joan plots to become involved with the prince to scandalize the royal family, for she has learned they engineered her father's downfall and death. But what begins as a calculated strategy soon—to Joan's surprise—grows into love. When Joan learns that Edward returns her feelings, she is soon fighting her own, for how can she love the man that ruined her family? And, if she does, what will be the cost?

It tells the story of Joan, starting as a young girl preparing to go to court, till her marriage to Edward, the Black Prince at 33 and covering her two previous marriages.

I found this Joan an interesting character even if a bit too lively at times, too self assured for someone so young. As soon as she reaches Kind Edward II's court she becomes a favourite with Princess Isabella and Queen Philippa and she immediately catches the eye of Edward, The Black Prince. Joan's mother tells her on her deathbed that the king is responsible for the death of her father and Joan decides then and there that she will have her revenge.

Despite that her attraction to the Prince grows and soon they are being noticed by others which leads the Queen to arrange a marriage for Joan. First she is betrothed to Thomas Holland. As that doesn’t seems to stop her and the prince the Queen in desperation marries her to another man. That will make for an interesting tangle and the Pope must be consulted to decide to which of them is she really married. We follow Joan's marriage to Thomas Holland and exile in France and her subsequent reunion with Edward that leads to their marriage after her husband dies.

I did like reading the story but I have to confess that I regretted some lack of historical detail to really make me feel like I was visiting the medieval world. I wanted to know more of Joan besides her attraction to Edward. I never thought Joan's first marriage to be of royal initiative but I'm sure things could have happened as described. The age of the characters also seems a bit off in the beginning but as they grow up it it's not noticeable anymore. It reads very well as a romantic story even if Edward is at times a bit too aggressive in his pursuit of Joan, there's a lot of melodrama going on with these two before they reach their happy ending.


Posted also at Aneca's World

The Founding by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles

Seeking power and prestige, grim, ambitious Yorkshireman Edward Morland arranges a marriage between his meek son Robert and spirited Eleanor, young ward of the influential Beaufort family. Eleanor is appalled at being forced to marry a mere ‘sheep farmer’; she is, besides, secretly in love with Richard, Duke of York. Yet in time this apparently ill-matched union becomes both passionate and tender, the foundation of the Morland ‘dynasty’, and sustains them through bloody civil war which so often divides families, sets neighbour against neighbour, and brings tragedy close to home.

I've heard so many times people rave about these books that I finally couldn't resist and bought the first one.

It is a superbly well written story, full of historical detail but I felt the people lacked a bit of charisma. The main character is a strong woman, so strong in fact that she comes across as cold and unfeeling at times. In a way I felt you could tell this is the beginning of a great saga which is reinforced by the fact that the main characters themselves mention they are starting a dynasty.

It begins with Eleanor's marriage to Robert Morland, a man she considers beneath her, and follows them through the birth of their many children, a rise in their fortunes, moving to a new house and entertaining illustrious guests as the Duke of York. Everything Eleanor Morland does is with the goal of strengthening the power and the fortune of the family and there are times in which she doesn't hesitate to sacrifice her children. Her devotion to York leads the family to be involved in the politics of the day and to suffer during the Wars of the Roses and the downfall of Richard III.

I was a bit afraid in the beginning of starting a series that already has 30 titles but after reading this one I'm sure they will provide an interesting outlook on english history and I can't wait to start the next one.

Grade: B


Posted also at Aneca's World

The Conqueror by Georgette Heyer

Georgette Heyer is better known for her regency novels. However she did write some medievals including this biography of William, The Conqueror.

Base-born son of Richard, Duke of Normandy, William the Bastard had to fight for his crumbling heritage, then to subjugate in battle his feudal lord, the King of France.

Spurned in love he horse-whipped the lovely Princess Matilda, then made her his bride.

Thwarted by the Saxon Earl Harold of a solemn promise of the throne of England, he sailed with his armies to a moment of destiny at Hastings.

A complex character, William had to fight for his life and his rights from early on. Born the bastard son of the Duke of Normandy it was by pure strength of will that he became one of the most powerful and respected men of his time.

The book is very detailed and follows William's life pretty closely, from battle to battle till he reaches the English crown thus giving us a rich and complex view of the day's politics and interests. To better show her views Heyer uses the character of Raoul, one of William's knights, who is fiercely loyal to him and is even entrusted with negotiating William's wedding to Matilda of Flanders (after a pretty unusual courtship).

William succeeded to his father very early in life. The Duke Robert had made his men swear his son would be his heir before going on pilgrimage and when news of his death arrived William was 8. Not willing to stand by their oath the Barons started fighting amongst themselves and tried to use the child as a pawn for their interests. Many of his guardians and presumably friends were killed trying to protect him.

At fifteen he was knighted and he was ready and determined to fight for his inheritance. Known as William the bastard he became ruthless in his pursuit of what he believed was rightfully his, first the Duchy of Normandy and then the kingdom of England.

We never get the feeling that we do know William very well, he always seems a bit cold emotionally, but she is great at describing the battle scenes and showing the charisma that made him a leader of men.

It doesn't really seem fair to compare this book to Heyer's other works as it's very different in tone and in subject matter. There's very little romance in this story unlike her other books. Although William and Matilda seem to have been happy in their marriage the books doesn't focus much on their relationship. I really enjoyed this story and I must confess that it made me want to go and look for her other medievals.

Grade: B

The Sunne In Splendour - Sharon Kay Penman

Sharon Kay Penman's biography of Richard III is one of my favorite books of all time. I have hesitated in writing this review for quite a while because I'm not sure I can do it justice.

There are many things to enjoy. Her construction of the characters, how we slowly get to know them, their motivations and fears. Her description of the political backgroung of that complicated period that was 15th century England. And how she brings Richard III to life in a way that is totally convincing and very human.

The book follows Richard from a young age when he is still in the shadow of his brother till the powerful Earl he becomes under Edward IV reign and finally his rise to throne and his death. Her writing is full of historical detail, she gives us the historical background but also those little everyday happenings that make the story and the characters come alive.

It is inevitable that what stands out more when speaking of this book is her defense of Richard regarding the death of his nephews. She makes a compelling and believable case presenting other suspects and exonerating Richard from the dark legend Shakespeare made known.

Highly recommended!!

Dreaming the Hound by Manda Scott

AD 57: Caradoc is lost for ever, betrayed to Rome and exiled in Gaul, leaving Boudica bereft, to lead the tribes of the west in an increasingly bloody resistance against Roman occupation.

Only if she can drive Rome from the land will she find the peace she needs and to do that she must once again raise the tribes of the east. But her people, the Eceni, languish in the shadow of the Legions, led by a man who proclaims himself king and yet allows slavers to trade freely in his lands.

Across the sea, Boudica's half-brother has been named traitor by both sides. He, too, seeks peace, on a journey that takes him from the dreaming tombs of the ancestors to the cave of a god he no longer serves.

Only if these two meet can their people - and all of Britannia - be saved. But the new Governor has been ordered to subdue the tribes or die in the attempt, and he has twenty thousand legionnaires ready to stop anyone, however determined, from bringing Britain to the edge of revolt...

Breaca, also known as the Boudica, has been living a kind of half life. She maintains her warfare against the hated Roman occupiers, but she keeps herself somewhat distant from her friends and her family. Her children do all they can to win her attention and love but can't seem to quite capture her attention, and her son in particular is beginning to resent her for it. She has been in the east for a number of years, but fate has something different in mind for her, and so she begins a journey back to her homeland in the west, back to face her destiny as one of the royal family of the Eceni tribe. When she returns to the Eceni it is with the intention of raising a war host against the Romans, but she finds that the current 'king' of the Eceni is a client king of the Romans. 'Tagos himself walks a fine line - he needs to tow the Roman line, but only in order to ensure as much as possible that his people aren't destroyed. Breaca agrees to be 'Tagos queen, which will allow her to continue her quest without drawing too much attention to herself, for if the Romans' realise that Breaca is the Boudica both she and her people would be completely destroyed in no time at all.

As Breaca tries to covertly arm and train an army, she begins to know her children a bit better, particularly her daughter Graine who is an exceptional dreamer. Her relationship with her son, Cunomar, is still somewhat distant, and becomes more so when his friend is captured by the Romans and sentenced to death. He runs to one of the other tribes, but when he returns, Breaca recognises that her son has become a man and a warrior and they can begin to work together.

When 'Tagos dies, he leaves behind a very unusual will, one which draws Breaca into a fight for life for both herself and her family, with potentially devastating results.

One of the things that I said in my review of Dreaming the Bull was that Boudica really wasn't the focus of the book. That definitely was not the case in this book - she was front and centre, along with her children and Julius Valerius. I have to confess that the journey of Julius Valerius is the one that I find most interesting in this series. He has undergone such transformations throughout the three books in this series, from a tribesman to a slave to a Roman centurion, and in this book he seems to find who he really is meant to be. Valerius has been isolated in Hibernia, branded a traitor by Rome, and hated by the tribes for everything he did. Luckily, there is one man, Luain mac Calma, the dreamer of Mona, who still believes in him, and prompted in many ways by him, Valerius begins yet another transformation. Whereas when he was a centurion, Valerius did everything he could to forget his former identity, this transformation seems to recognise both parts of who he has been and finally Valerius can gain some peace and can open himself up to those around him.

In reality, this book is one of the middle books in a series of four, so in many ways this book was really moving all the main characters into their places so that everything is in readiness for the grand finale that is to come in the next book. Where some authors might struggle with that, this was not one of those books that you consciously think of as a middle book and therefore not as strong as the opening and closing books. In fact, of the three Boudica novels I have read so far, this was the strongest in my opinion!

I am very much looking forward to reading the fourth book in the series.

Rating 4.5/5


The books in this series are:


Dreaming the Eagle
Dreaming the Bull
Dreaming the Hound
Dreaming the Serpent-Spear

The Boar Stone by Jules Watson

Roman England, 366 AD: Minna, a Roman serving girl, is flung out into the brutal world to fend for herself. Desperate to reach her soldier brother at the northern frontier, she falls in with acrobat Cian, a tribeless youth with no loyalty to anyone but himself. A terrible mistake sees them thrust into the wilds of barbarian Scotland, a land in chaos. The Romans have sent scouts north from their frontier, seeking to subdue Scotland by any means possible. The dark Picts retaliate, raiding and pillaging Roman farms.

Caught in the middle is Cahir, King of the Dalriadans in Scotland. Year by year he has watched his people fall under the Roman yoke, and wounded by shame, his power dwindles.

At Cahir's fort, Cian and Minna must struggle to survive. Cian retreats into the pain of his hidden past, while Minna has an entirely unexpected path open before her. What are these visions and dreams of Scotland that plague her, full of battles and bloodshed? Minna's visions reveal a destiny that she shares with the wounded king Cahir, as seer and lover. Yet her journey to heal them both has far-reaching consequences, even she cannot see.

When I first read the description of this book after I had finished the first two books in the trilogy, I wasn't sure that I could see how the three books were going to feel like a complete trilogy. The first two books were set in AD79 and AD81, but this one is set nearly 300 years later! And yet the author has done a great job of melding the stories of the three books together, merging the stories of the beginning of the resistance to the attempted Roman occupation of Alba to the stories of the beginning of the end of the Roman occupation of northern England.

Our main character is Minna, a young Roman girl who has a tribal background. She is working as a tutor to a Roman family, when her beloved grandmother dies, leaving her alone, and about to be married off to a man that she can't stand. Determined to avoid that fate, she travels north, heading for Hadrian's Wall where her soldier brother is stationed. Along the way she meets up with Cian, a young acrobat who agrees to help her make her way, but instead they are captured and sold off to be slaves to the Dalriadans in Alba. Minna is employed by the Queen of the Dalriadans to become the tutor to her own children, to teach them the way of the Romans. However, the more time that she spends in Alba, the more she feels the pull of the ancient lands, and the call of the spiritual realm of the land. She begins to learn more of the healing arts, supplementing the knowledge that she had already been given by her grandmother, but in time it turns out that she is a seer, destined to provide the prophecies of the future of the King, Cahir. Cahir in turn is destined to be a major figure in the fight against the Romans which gained renewed impetus in the late 300s, eventually leading to the Romans withdrawing completely from Hadrian's Wall, and all of Britain in the late 300s and early 400s.

When I read the second book in the trilogy I noted that there seemed to be more focus on the mystical elements, and that is still true of this book, but I do think that in this one it is better balanced with the rest of the story, perhaps because it is all new to Minna, and therefore we are learning along with her.

One of the most interesting dynamics was the tenuous partnerships that are built between tribes to help fight against the hated Romans, that won't necessarily stand the tests of time, friendship and trust.

Cian is an interesting character, although, in some ways he was too convenient, drifting in and out of the narrative, at very convenient moments. The glimpses into his past were very interesting, and I would have like to have seen that explored a little more.

At the end of the day though, this was a more than satisfactory conclusion to a well-written and entertaining trilogy.

It appears as though this book is going to be released in the US in January with the title Song of the North. I was also interested to note that Jules Watson is working on a new book which will be a retelling of an Irish myth this time, and that she has a new agent, the same one who already represents authors like Diana Gabaldon and Juliet Marillier, which has to be a huge boost to her confidence as a writer. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for her next book!

Rating 4.5/5

The books in this trilogy in order are:

The White Mare
The Dawn Stag
The Boar Stone

North & South Mini series

I really enjoy the BBC Tv series based on famous novels. I was recently introduced to a new one (to me) and spent quite a few enjoyable hours curled up on the couch watching this series that A. sent me! It was very good!

The story it's about the contrast between the living in the south and the north of England, the south is more about landed gentry and the north about the industrialization. The clash between the two occurs when Margaret Hale moves to Milton, in the North, and discovers a way of life and priorities very different from the ones she is used to. She is shocked when she visits a cotton mill and finds the owner, Mr Thornton, beating one of his employees who had been caught smocking in the weaving room and also later when she tries to befriend a mill worker and his daughter. This friendship will make her aware of the workers's difficulties and will lead her to a strained relationship with Thornton, Margaret's feelings will only change after he has proposed and she has refused him and as she slowly gets to know him better. It was a beautiful series, a wonderful BBC adaptation with some very good actors, I can't resist mentioning Sinead Cusack. And of course now I have a new author to discover - Elizabeth Gaskell who wrote the book the series was based upon.

So for all of the above I highly recommend it! Not to mention the eye candy that is Richard Armitage! I totally agree that all that intensity makes him a worthy rival of Colin Firth's Mr Darcy!

The Dawn Stag by Jules Watson

This is the second book in the Dalriada trilogy that started with The White Mare. This was posted on my personal blog but I have posted it here in anticipation of finishing my review of the third book in the trilogy.

AD 81. Agricola, the ruthless governor of Roman Britain is intent on capturing the last unconquered territory in Britain - Alba, Scotland.

Rhiann is an Alban priestess and princess who submitted to a political marriage to Eremon, an exiled Irish prince. Out of duty, grew love - a powerful and desperate love that will bind them together through conflict and betrayal. Now in them lies the hope of a nation. For Agricola's army is formidable - brilliantly armed and heavily supported. To the people of Alba it is a wall of steel and fire advancing across their homeland, bringing with it desolation.

The predestined day draws near: the armies of Alba and Rome will meet in an epic battle to decide the fate of a country. Rhiann searches for guidance in the spirit world, little realizing how big a part she will play in this endgame. Eremon knows only that he must risk - and sacrifice - many lives, perhaps even his own.

I read The Dawn Stag a couple of months ago and was quite surprised at how much I enjoyed it. Whilst I like the idea of reading about Rome, I haven't actually read that many! But combine Scotland (or Alba as it is known in this book) and Rome and I am definitely interested.

This book takes up where The Dawn Stag left off and covers a period of approximately three years. In the summer months there are battles to be fought against the increasingly frustrated Romans, and in the winter time to recover and to be together, focussing on what it is that they are fighting for - a free Alba.

Whilst the story of Rhiann and Eremon is definitely interesting, and one that I wanted to follow, the author does not forget about the secondary characters. There is love and there is loss, happiness and heartache. The other interesting character was Agricola, the leader of the Romans. He is facing a huge loss of prestige and reputation if he cannot defeat these uncivilized warriors and soon, yet he gets drawn into losing battle after losing battle, and becomes increasingly frustrated.

I have to say that to me it felt like there was a greater focus on the mystical in this novel. Rheann is Ban Cre - not only the carrier of Royal blood, and possibly mother to one of the next leaders of her people, but also their spiritual leader. It is Rheann who must reconcile herself with the events of her past and find her way back to the Goddess, who must draw the other tribes together to fight in unison with the forces led by her husband to give them any chance to defeat the enemy, who must fight to save lives, including some of those that she loves.

The relationships are well written, and the events, about which is really known, feel real and compelling. The only thing about this book that concerned me was really the ending. There is a third book out in this trilogy in May next year called The Boar Stone, but it really felt as though the story was all wrapped up in this book. Having read the synopsis I guess I have an idea of how the third book will tie in with the first two books, but I suspect that for the most part we have seen the last of Rhiann and Eremon, and the other's that we have come to know and love from Dunadd. If not for the ending, this book probably would have ended up with the same rating as the first book, which was 4.5 out 5.

Instead, I am giving it a rating of 4/5


The books in this trilogy in order are:

The White Mare
The Dawn Stag
The Boar Stone

The White Mare by Jules Watson

I have just finished reading the third book in this trilogy now, so thought I would post my reviews that were originally posted on my blog of the first two books in the trilogy.

AD 79. Agricola, the ruthless governor of Roman Britain has just subdued the Welsh. Now he has turned to the last unconquered territory in Britain - Alba, Scotland.

For Rhiann, an Alban priestess and princess, the thread of invasion changes her life irrevocably. The king, her uncle, has no heir, and it is her duty to submit to a political marriage. But she is emotionally scarred from a terrible trauma, and can imagine nothing worse than matrimony. Desperately, she looks for a way out, but sees only the Romans closing in.

Into this volatile situation sails an Irish prince, Eremon, exiled from his home by familial treachery. His aim is to win renown and regain his throne, but first he has to deal with an unexpected alliance, prove himself a military leader, and unite the feuding tribes of his adopted country.

Against this backdrop of looming war Rhiann finds herself embarking on an unexpected journey of love and loss that will the true purpose of her life.

The White Mare is the first novel in the Dalriada Trilogy and marks the arrival of an exciting new talent in historical fiction. In the grand tradition of the saga, it is a tale of heroic deeds, of kinship and kingship, and the struggle for power, honour, freedom, and love.

One of the things I love about reading is the way that you can travel to other places and/or times, without actually leaving modern comforts behind!! This book transported me to Scotland (Alba) in AD 79. The Roman forces are massing in the south of Alba waiting for the order to be given to conquer the wild tribes of the north once and for all, given Rome control over the whole of the mainland Britain.

With the prospect of war looming, Eremon arrives. He is fleeing from a usurper that has taken his rightful place as King from one of the tribes of Ireland, and is looking for a place to spend time regrouping until he can go and take back what is rightfully his. His plan is to make a name for himself, and one way that can happen is if he becomes war leader of the tribes. However, that will take some doing, because the tribes of Alba are notorious for their ongoing feuds and battles. Eremon sees that the only way to defeat the Romans will be to be fighting as one cohesive unit, and works his way towards that girl.

Rhiann is a princess and also a priestess, and she has one pressing duty - to provide a royal heir. Quite interestingly, author chooses to have the crown pass through the females of the family, so that if Rhiann has a son, then he will become King, instead of the more traditional way of passing the crown from father to son. Rhiann is a leader of her people and a very strong woman, in all ways except one. She is traumatised from events that happened several years ago where her foster family was all killed, and she herself suffered terribly. These events have left her with a terrible distrust of men, and warriors in particular.

When it is agreed that a political match be made between Rhiann and Eremon, she is terrified of what is to come, and for a long time after the wedding she maintains a completely distant persona. Gradually though, Eremon and Rhiann begin to work together for the good of the people of Alba, although it is fair to say that there are setbacks along the way. They also work together towards healing of both their relationship and their minds.

The author doesn't back away from the faults of the characters, moving the story forward through the mistakes and errors in judgement that occur.

With a strong emphasis on the role of fate and on the role of religion during those times, there is almost a mystical feel to this book. It has to be said that I haven't read a lot about Roman times, or the tribes of the time, so I have no idea how feasible some of the ideas are that are presented in the book, but they seemed reasonable enough to me as I read it. What I look for in a book is readability, and for a story that hooks me in and makes me want to keep reading. Using these two as measurements, this sprawling sage is a winner!

I enjoyed it immensely and I will definitely be reading the sequel, The Dawn Stag, and the final book in the Dalriada trilogy, which is due out early next year.

Rating 4.5/5


The books in this trilogy in order are:

The White Mare
The Dawn Stag
The Boar Stone

Dreaming the Bull by Manda Scott

Among the tribes, none would believe that their most hated enemy, the bloodthirsty cavalry commander astride a pied war-horse - could be one of their own....or that he might hold their fate in his hands. But as the fires of the war between the tribes and the occupying armies of Rome rage on, dozens of lives will be drawn in to the conflict....Caradoc, the Eceni warrior who will come face-to-face with the emperor himself...Cunomar, son of a warrior queen, who will learn about war - and sacrifice - at his parents' side...Agrippina, the mesmerizing empress whose guile equals that of her husband...Claudius, the omnipotent yet terrified ruler mired in a war he must win at all costs. And then there is Valerius. Caught between worlds, he has the hardest task of all - coming to terms with this heritage and on a perilous journey back to a fateful confrontation with the most feared woman in Brittania...Boudica.

A novel that travels from the wilderness of the British Isles to the teeming streets of ancient Rome, from the remote barracks of frontier legions to the shores of Gaul, Dreaming the Bull is a historical sage of extraordinary power, rich with passion and courage and heroism pitched against overwhelming odds. Written with uncompromising mastery, this is fiction that captures the heart, challenges the mind, and offers us and utterly enthralling experience of history in the flesh and blood of its making.

This is the second book in the Boudica series by Manda Scott, following on from Dreaming the Eagle. In some ways it seems a bit strange that this series of four books is called the Boudica series, because the focus of this book really did seem to be Julius Valerius and Caradoc, with Boudica being more of a cameo player, but then again I suspect that a book labelled as being about Boudica will bring a ready made audience!

This book opens a number of years after the end of Dreaming the Bull. The Romans are still in Britain, and Boudica and her warrior husband Caradoc still maintain their almost guerilla like warfare against the Romans. Whilst the warriors are generally confident there is one Roman soldier they fear - Julius Valerius - a man who seems to be something more than a man, a man who seems to be without fears of his own. What they can't know, is that Julius Valerius is struggling to come to terms with his own identity, both his current one, and the one from his past that he has carefully locked away. As with many secrets from the past, they are not as locked away as they need to be, and as Julius continues with his warfare the ghosts begin to visit him, and to bring back memories of his true identity.

When Caradoc and some of his family are captured and taken to Rome, the narrative leaves Scotland and Boudica behind, and instead we are taken to the world of Imperial Rome. Caradoc and his people must firstly survive the punishment that the Emperor wants to give them for being the biggest problem that he had in the whole empire, and then survive living in the built up world of Rome where they are free to live in the city, but if they make any attempt to leave they will be killed. It is only after several years, and with the help of an old enemy that there may be any hope at all of getting home, but that will be an exhilarating adventure in and of itself.

Whilst this is not the kind of book that you are instantly drawn into and captivated by, to the point of exclusion of all else, ultimately it is a rewarding read, and the ending is definitely interesting enough to make you want to read the next book in the series sooner rather than later!

Rating 4/5

The books in this series in order are:

Dreaming the Eagle
Dreaming the Bull
Dreaming the Hound
Dreaming the Serpent Spear

Dreaming the Eagle by Manda Scott

I am about to write up my review for the second book in this series, so I thought I would repost this review which was originally put up on my blog earlier this year!

With a novelist's grace and a historian's power, critically acclaimed author Manda Scott brings her immense storytelling gifts to an epic work of historical fiction. Dreaming the Eagle breathes life into history, creating a vibrant portrait of the early years of the Celtic queen, Boudica. With haunting images and unforgettable characters, Scott draws us into a completely different world...a world of myth and heroism, beauty and brutality...where a young woman journeys to greatness at the crossroads of history...

She is Breaca nic Graine, born to the Eceni, a tribe of dreamers and hunters, storytellers and artisans. While fierce in battle, they are a peaceful people, men and women of pride and mystery, in whose lives the real and the fantastical exist side by side. But theirs is not a peaceful world; it is a world of bloody conflict, where neighboring tribes war among themselves while a greater enemy gathers strength across the ocean.. Against this seething backdrop, Breaca will come of age and prove her brilliance in battle, catapulting her to the forefront of her tribesmen, who will rename the copper-haired warrior: Boudica:"She Who Brings Victory."

Many will share in Breaca's extraordinary destiny... Eburovic, the beloved father who always knew that his impetuous firstborn was destined for greatness... Caradoc, the legendary warrior whose love for Breaca is rivaled only by his hatred of Rome... Corvus, the Roman soldier who will become a powerful - and unlikely - ally. Soon as violence and treachery threaten a fragile peace, as an emperor named Caligula rises to power in a distant land, Breaca will once again be called to battle. And this time, the future of a people will rest in her hands as she faces a near-impossible task: to rally the splintered Celtic tribes against the encroaching might of Rome.

Filled with breathtaking sights and sounds - from the beauty of an ancient tribal ritual to the blood lust of a gladiator's arena, from the deafening roar of battle to the quiet passion of lovers - and brimming with raw adventure and vivid historical detail, this magnificent novel has it all: mystery, passion, hatred, lust, war, romance, miracles. It is a work of masterful storytelling by one of the most exciting and original new voices in historical fiction.

Wow...that is an extensive inside cover flap copy, and to be honest I am not going to regurgitate any of the story because this covers it mostly adequately.

The book is broken into four parts. I found the first part quite slow going, where the author was setting up all the meaning of the dreaming, the way that the tribes interacted with each other, and with their animals, and the basis of the warrior training that Breaca received. Once the story moved into the 2nd part and beyond, the story picked up pace and it was easier to get sucked into the story.

There are a couple of things that I think that were misleading in the blurb above. The first is from the final paragraph, where it talks about the "quiet passion of lovers". If you go into this book expecting to read a balance between the history, and the romantic attachments of the main characters then you will be disappointed. The romantic outcome is telegraphed from very early in the book. By the time I was getting towards the end of the book I was actually expecting that this part of the story would be carried into the next book, instead of the inevitable happening in this book.

It is also interesting that there is no direct mention of Breaca's brother Ban in the blurb either, because in many ways his story is the counter balance to Breaca's own. He is a major character, and there were significant chunks of the narrative where the focus was on Ban, and not on Breaca.

There were many, many characters, and at times I really had to struggle to keep track of some of them, and to be honest I think the author did too. There was one fairly major protagonist who was dealt with, but there was absolutely no reaction whatsoever from any of the other characters, which given his role in things was very, very surprising at least to me.

This is no light and fluffy account of what have may have happened - it is in turns gruesome and harsh, mystical and reverent and very believable.

For me there is an inevitable comparison to be made to the Jules Watson books I have read, The White Mare and The Dawn Stag. The settings are not identical but I would think it is fair to say that the tone and intentions of the books are very similar, even though there are several distinctions between them. I think that Jules Watson's books are better able to sustain an emotional involvement on the part of the reader, but there is less reliance of the fantasy elements in this book. It is not that the fantastical, mythical parts of the story aren't there, but I do think there is less reliance on them to move the plot forward.

The hook at the end of the story for the next book is definitely well and truly there, and I for one have been caught on it! The next book has already been picked up from the library!


The books in this series in order are:

Dreaming the Eagle
Dreaming the Bull
Dreaming the Hound
Dreaming the Serpent Spear