Susan Hated Literature

Author: John M. Ford
ISBN:9780575073784 DDC: 813
LibraryThing ; Other reviews

The road the Romans made traversed North Wales a little way inland, between the weather off the Irish Sea and the mountains of Gwynedd and Powys; past the copper and the lead that the travel-hungry Empire craved.

Where to start with this book’s plot summary? Cause there is a whole load going on. From Florence’s Lorenzo de Medici to England’s Richard III and a whole host in between. I suppose you could say it is a look at a Europe that might have been. An alternate Europe with wizards; one where the Byzantine Empire a threat and vampires rule Milan.

Actually that all sounds a bit trashy, but this isn’t a trashy novel at all, not in the least. It has plenty of action and the odd fantasy cliche, but it is very well-written and makes the reader work. I think that might be why it took me so long to get into it. In the beginning it just didn’t grab me and make me keep on reading. But it did more than enough to make me come back to it; so I’m going to complain there.

Course the reason i picked it up in the first place it because of the new cover. Not that one anobii are showing you, but the re-issued Ultimate Fantasy cover. Its got its dragon, but it also that that clean minimalist feel to it. I likes.

Back to the book.

I’m still not sure what to say. I’d recommend it, without a doubt, to any fantasy or historical fan. But there is just so much going on, it is a densely written book, that I think it really does need a reread. There are whole sections the book skips, letting the reader know what happened but never going into huge details. The characters don’t reveal all to us. We are left to speculate and wonder in many instances. That’s not a negative, by the way, it isn’t done in a lazy way, as if the author couldn’t be bothered, it is just that it serves the story better this way.

It probably works a lot better if you know a bit of history, having read Penman’s The Sunne In Splendour helped me a lot with the Richard III storyline. And it helps that, although influenced by Shakespeare, this book is more in Richard’s favour than interested in painting him the villain of the piece. What can I say, I’m loyal to my favourite literary characters, I don’t really care what the history *really* says.

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Author: Connie Willis
ISBN: 0450579875 DDC: 813.54
See also: LibraryThing ; SF Reviews ;
Read with Eclectic Circus

Mr. Dunworthy opened the door to the laboratory and his spectacles promptly steamed up.
“Am I too late?” he said, yanking them off and squinting at Mary.

In the year 2525, there are women… sorry, about that interruption from Cleopatra 2525, it was really out of place, considering that this book isn’t even set in 2525, but in the year 2054, when historians could travel back in time to really study their subjects. Kivrin is one such historian. But she doesn’t want to travel to the C20th, where most historians are sent, she wants to be the first to travel back to the Medieval period. And she succeeds in her aim, but something isn’t quite right. No one can ever be entirely certain as to where or when a historian will end up. A certain amount of slippage always occurs. But in Kivrin’s case her tech falls ill and so her fate is even more uncertain.

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Author: Georgette Heyer
ISBN: 0330258303 DDC: 823.912
See also: LibraryThing | Dusty Pages |

He came walking from Bedford into Cambridge one May morning when the sun was still young and the dew scarce gone from the grass

According to the introduction to this by Heyer’s son this novel was one of the 5 or 6 that Heyer wished never to be printed again. But her son didn’t think it was all that bad, so she republished it. It tells the story of Simon, the illegitimate son of Geoffrey of Malvallet, as he makes his way in the world. He enters the service of Malvallet’s enemy, Fulk of Montlice, as it is said that Montlice is the harder man. And Simon is never one to take the easy route.

Everything he sets out to do he accomplishes. Along the way coming to the king’s attention, gaining a title for himself, and making friends with his half-brother, Geoffrey. But he also gains the nickname, the Coldheart, as he is unfeeling and logical. Stern, but fair. Although children do manage to worm their way into his affections, but never a woman. Not until he goes to France and meets the Lady Margaret, “spitfire of Belremy”. The results are, of course, predictable. This is a romance after all.

It isn’t a terrible book, not by a long stretch, but in comparison to some of the other Heyer’s I’ve read I can see why the author wasn’t as fond of it. The characters are quite flat; there is little of the sparkle that other books have. But still, it is readable and entertaining, just not as good as her others.

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Author: Anya Seton
ISBN: 0340157011 DDC: 813.52
Read with HistoricalFavorites
See also: LibraryThing | Wikipedia on Katherine Swynford | Katherine Swynford society

In the tender green time of April, Katherine set forth at last upon her journey with the two nuns and the royal messenger.

The Katherine of the title starts out this book as an orphan, raised by nuns, but heading off to the royal court at the whim of the queen. There she becomes betrothed to Hugh Swynford; she also meets the Duke of Lancaster, John of Gaunt. And it is John that she falls in love with, although at first he seems to dislike her.

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Author: Sharon K. Penman
ISBN: 0140067647 DDC: 813.54
Read with HistoricalFavorites
See also: Library Thing ; Wikipedia ; The Richard III Society ;

Richard did not become frightened until darkness began to settle over the woods. In the fading light, the trees began to take on unfamiliar and menacing shapes.

We all know the myth of the “princes in the tower” and their evil uncle, Richard, who murdered them. Mainly because of Shakespeare’s play. This novel attempts to recreate the life of Richard of Gloucester, and the times in which he lived and died. And it does a great job of bringing the era to life. It also does an excellent job in dispelling many of the rumours about Richard and his rule. But more importantly than that Penman creates real characters that are entertaining and believable. The one huge problem with historical fiction, especially those novels written about real people is that you know how it the story is going to end.

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A history of power, love and greed in 11th-century England
Author Harriet O Brien
ISBN 0747574898
DDC: 942.018092
Read with Medieval Britain book group

She looks a little peevish, although this would not have been the intention of the artist

This is the story of Queen Emma, by birth a Norman, who married two kings of England. Her first marriage was as peacemaker between her family and England. Her second came about because Cnut defeated her first husband and came to power. She was, in effect, the spoils.

But Emma was not a woman to be taken lightly, nor was she one to sit back and let events unfold. This book attempts to show her as an active, manipulating Queen, one who held power in her own right.

The problem of course is that there really isn’t all that much evidence left to us today about the people of the 11th century. And what does remain may not be strictly true. Emma herself commissioned a book to be written about the times she lived through. But this cannot be believed as it is not merely a recording of events, but a piece of political propaganda. Despite the lack of evidence, O’Brien has created an interesting, readable book. I’m too sure if her method of interspersing speculation and motivation of character really ever worked for me. But overall it is an interesting account of a woman I’d never heard of before.

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dir. Antoine Fuqua
Starring:
* Clive Owen - Arthur
* Keira Knightly - Guinivere
* Ioan Gruffudd - Lancelot
* Ray Winstone - Bors

This film suffered from many poor reviews. Both from critics and, in my case, from friends who found it boring. Course I don’t read reviews before I go see films, I try to make up my own mind. Still I wasn’t expecting a lot from this film.
I’ve never really been a huge fan of Arthur films. First Knight was really really crap, imo, and Excaliber was a bit wierd. Plus there is the whole Monty Python thing

So why’d I go to see it? Continue Reading »

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