Historical Fiction with Witches

[Divia]

The Wise Woman
The Witch's Trinity
Susannah Morrow
The Burning Times
The Burning Time
Confessions of a Pagan Nun
Calligraphy of the Witch
Dark Queen series by Susan Carroll
YA: Witch of Blackbird Pond
YA:Witch Child by Celia Rees
YA: Devil on the Road by Rovert Westall
The Last Witchfinder by James Morrow
The White Witch Elizabeth Goudge
The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent
Witchfinder General by Ronald Basset

[Rowan]

I need to find my list - it's at home I think - and I can add a few more to your list, Divia. Mine were taken from the old HF.org.

[Divia]

Excellent! :) Please do. I found these titles looking on the old HF.org site but I couldnt get all of them. There were two pages and for some reason I couldnt find page two.

[Rowan]

Okay I combined the list of witch and pagan HF in one list. Maybe you or someone else can redirect some of these titles.


The Mists of Avalon, Marion Zimmer Bradley
Daughters of the Shining Isle, Elizabeth Cunningham
Passion of Mary Mags, (can't find author)
Speaks the Nightbird, Roger McCammon
Witch, Jennifer M. Wilson
Gallows Wedding and Unicorn Summer, Rhona Martin
The Witch of Cologne, Tobsha Learner

[tsjmom]

I'm not too familiar with books about witches, but there was a blurb in the WSJ today mentioning two that may be of interest: The Lace Reader, and another brand new one (sorry, the name escapes me). I do know it's written by a female author whose last name is Kent, and it's actually about one of her ancestors who was labeled a witch in the Salem trials. HTH.

[Divia]

oh, what is it about?

[Lady of the Forest]

The Arthurian Books by Mary Stewart
The Book of Shadows ~ James Reese

[Margaret]

I absolutely love Mary Stewart's Arthurian novels, but it would never have occurred to me that they had witches in them. Hmmm. Granted, there are characters (including the protagonist of the first three novels) who have occult power. And come to think of it, Morgause is quite witchy in The Wicked Day.

So this brings up a question: What characteristics make a character a witch?

[Lady of the Forest]

I thought Morgause was acutally refered to as a witch within the books. Though it had been a while sense I read them, I recall her being called a witch

[Margaret]

It's been awhile since I read them, too. Have to admit I don't remember.

[nona]

what about HF on Salem Witch trials?

[annis]

This is one I put on the old HFF , so i'll add it back here:

Ann Victoria Roberts
"Dagger Lane"

It's about seventeenth century English witch hunts. It's set in the present. Natasha, a young author estranged from her husband is staying in a rather isolated old house while she writes her novel. However it appears that another woman altogether is telling the story--

I saw an article not long ago about "The Lace Reader" (http://www.wickedlocal.com/salem/archive/x1768849273/Salem-authors-The-Lace-Reader-puts-the-city-in-the-center-of-its-msytery), which has had good reviews, and sounds a bit different. The author has the unusual name of Brunonia Barry.

[Ariadne]

The Lace Reader is very different, and well worth reading if you like quirky characters and a multi-layered storyline with a puzzle at its center. But although it gave me an excellent picture of contemporary Salem and how the town is dealing with its own sort of witch craze, it really isn't about lace, and it's not historical fiction at all. There are witches in it, of the modern sort.

As a former resident of the Boston area, I had to laugh when I read the author's blog - she wrote a posting about New Englanders' sarcasm and self-effacing humor, and how her foreign translators are having a hard time getting those sentiments across in other languages.

[Madeleine]

Barbara Erskine wrote a book a few years ago called "Hiding from the Light", which is set partly in the present and partly back in the 17th century at the time of the Witchfinder General, Matthew Hopkin, and combines his story with the tale of someone in the present day who is descended from those witches, plus a few ghosts as well!

there's also Anne Rice's Mayfair Witches Trilogy, comprising "The Witching Hour", "Lasher" and "Taltos". It tells of the Mayfair family in New Orleans, who can trace their family right back to Celtic times, and how each generation has a designated witch, who has a demonic spirit, Lasher, who watches over her (and in one case, him). It starts in the present day with the 13th witch, who has moved to San Francisco to try to escape her background, but realises that she can't avoid who she really is, as well as her family legacy. It's a bit more in the horror genre really, and it's quite spooky too!

[nona]

yes I agree Mayfair witches are good reads, isn;t there a third book?

[Madeleine]

yes I agree Mayfair witches are good reads, isn;t there a third book?

Yes Taltos is the 3rd book, set in the present day and I think it fizzled out a bit towards the end so possibly the weakest of the three, but still worth reading. I remember there's a wonderful description of a flooded house which was absolutely mesmerising.

[Leyland]

This is one I put on the old HFF , so i'll add it back here: Ann Victoria Roberts "Dagger Lane"
Looks good! Thanks for adding it back - I've just put in an order through Amazon from a vendor in London and will add it to the TBR warehouse when received.

[Leyland]

Barbara Erskine wrote a book a few years ago called "Hiding from the Light", which is set partly in the present and partly back in the 17th century at the time of the Witchfinder General, Matthew Hopkin, and combines his story with the tale of someone in the present day who is descended from those witches, plus a few ghosts as well!

I really enjoyed this story and have it on my re-read shelf. I liked Erskine's characterization more than usual in this book, for some odd reason.

there's also Anne Rice's Mayfair Witches Trilogy, comprising "The Witching Hour", "Lasher" and "Taltos".

I read The Witching Hour in 1993 and was fascinated and really into it. I read the next two and didn't care for them all that much. Rice gets really really strange to me at times!

[Divia]

I tried to read the witching hour but couldnt get into it. Iw onder if I should try now that I am older

[nona]

I've read taltos years ago I must not have realized it was a series though, is the Myfair Witches and Lasher set in current times or is it back and forth?

[Madeleine]

I've read taltos years ago I must not have realized it was a series though, is the Myfair Witches and Lasher set in current times or is it back and forth?

It's a bit of both! The Witching Hour and Taltos are set mostly in the present, although you get the history of the family in TWH so it does go back in time a bit, and the middle book, Lasher, tells you the story of how Lasher was formed and of all the generations of witches so although some of that is in the present there's also quite a lot in the past too, if that makes sense.

I agree that Anne Rice can be a bit erratic, I have all the Vampire Chronicles as well but some of them (especially around the middle of the series) do go off a bit and are quite boring, but the first few and last few are great, I love Lestat!:eek:

[nona]

I have all of the Vampire chronicles except Blood Canticle, but is it finished with the Blood Canticle?

[Madeleine]

I have all of the Vampire chronicles except Blood Canticle, but is it finished with the Blood Canticle?

Yes that's the last one:(

[nona]

I've read some reviews and the public overall sound disgusted, whats up with that? is it that bad?

[Madeleine]

I've read some reviews and the public overall sound disgusted, whats up with that? is it that bad?

Which book are you referring to, Blood Canticle?

[nona]

yes, Blood Canticle.

[Madeleine]

yes, Blood Canticle.

I didn't think it was that bad; I quite enjoyed it although I must admit that if it is the last in the series then perhaps it could have been better; I was always hoping that there would be a big battle between Lestat and Lasher (as the vampires sort of join up with the Mayfairs in this book) but Lasher has of course already been dealt with but I always thought that would have been a good way to finish both sagas, still never mind:p

I think the ninth book, Blackwood Farm, is better, and it also works well as a stand-alone novel. It's quite creepy too!:eek:

[nona]

I haven't read Blackwood Farm yet but plan to. I just recieved The Witching Hour, after I finish Shadows & Strongholds I'm going to read it, give history a bit of a break.

[Madeleine]

I haven't read Blackwood Farm yet but plan to. I just recieved The Witching Hour, after I finish Shadows & Strongholds I'm going to read it, give history a bit of a break.

This is the best book of the Mayfair Witches trilogy, also quite creepy!:eek:

[diamondlil]

I just saw The Shape of Mercy by Susan Meissner (http://www.amazon.com/Shape-Mercy-Novel-Susan-Meissner/dp/1400074568/ref=pd_bbs_sr_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1223079789&sr=8-4) mentioned on a blog and thought it might fit what you are looking for Divia.

[Divia]

oohhh That does look good. Thanks for the heads up :) Went on the wishlist!

[Rowan]

You know, I tried reading The Witching Hour and just couldn't get into it. This was in the last year or so. It was too... I dunno... oppressive.

[Divia]

Oppressive, yes thats a good word. I agree with that.

There just seemed to be a whole lot of information crammed into the pages and it made my head spin. Thats me though. I dunno about everyone else!

[Vanessa]

It's not HF, but the Stonewylde (http://www.stonewylde.com/) series by Kit Berry is probably a good one for this thread, it sort of relates to it. I've heard great things about it - I haven't read them but guess where they are!! On my TBR pile!:rolleyes:

[nona]

thanks for the info they both look really good and now on my tbr stack.

[diamondlil]

Erika Mailman, author of The Witches Trinity has just done a guest post for us at Historical Tapestry (http://historicaltapestry.blogspot.com/2008/10/author-erika-mailman-on-why-i-love.html) about why she loves writing about all things witchy.

[Leyland]

Okay I combined the list of witch and pagan HF in one list. Maybe you or someone else can redirect some of these titles.


Speaks the Nightbird, Roger McCammon



Speaks the Nightbird was written by Robert McCammon and has a sequel titled The Queen of Bedlam. I've read Nightbird just once but will most definitely read it again. It's set in South Carolina in 1699 which, of course, is what first grabbed my attention. It's an excellent tale and I encourage you all to check it out. It's rather like a mystery woven within intense psychological elements.

Here's a link to the novel on his website:

http://www.robertmccammon.com/novels/speaks_the_nightbird.html

[Hunter]

Speaks the Nightbird was written by Robert McCammon and has a sequel titled The Queen of Bedlam. I've read Nightbird just once but will most definitely read it again. It's set in South Carolina in 1699 which, of course, is what first grabbed my attention. It's an excellent tale and I encourage you all to check it out. It's rather like a mystery woven within intense psychological elements.

Here's a link to the novel on his website:

http://www.robertmccammon.com/novels/speaks_the_nightbird.html

You can find copies of both Speaks the Nightbird (http://www.robertmccammon.com/novels/speaks_the_nightbird.html) and The Queen of Bedlam (http://www.robertmccammon.com/novels/the_queen_of_bedlam.html) for only $4.99 and $5.99 from BookCloseouts.com (http://www.bookcloseouts.com/default.asp?N=0&Nty=1&D=robert+mccammon&Ntk=Default&Ntx=mode%2Bmatchallpartial&Dx=mode%2Bmatchallpartial&Ntt=robert+mccammon&submit.x=18&submit.y=11). A great price for those of you who've never read McCammon before.

Hunter
http://www.robertmccammon.com/images/bedlam-banner.jpg (http://www.robertmccammon.com/)

[aessea1001]

I'm not too familiar with books about witches, but there was a blurb in the WSJ today mentioning two that may be of interest: The Lace Reader, and another brand new one (sorry, the name escapes me). I do know it's written by a female author whose last name is Kent, and it's actually about one of her ancestors who was labeled a witch in the Salem trials. HTH.

I think you're thinking of Kathleen Kent's "The Heretic's Daughter". I've read it and it was excellent. :cool:

[pixiedust]

I think you're thinking of Kathleen Kent's "The Heretic's Daughter". I've read it and it was excellent. :cool:

I put in a request for The Heretic's Daughter with my library. Glad to see it's an excellent book. It was reviewed in a local publication called Bluffs and Bayous.

My husband's ancestors are part of the Salem Witch Trials. Interesting genealogy!

[Margaret]

I recently read Erika Mailman's The Witch's Trinity and found it quite good. It's a serious novel about how a witch persecution might have begun in a small rural village. I've reviewed it at http://www.HistoricalNovels.info/Witchs-Trinity.html. It seems to me one of the big challenges in writing novels about the witch persecutions that are not fantasy novels is the very strange beliefs people had about what witches could and would do - The Witch's Trinity manages to bring in these ideas in a very plausible way.

[Divia]

I read it and liked it. She seems to be very witch oriented, which is cool. I am waiting for her to write something else.

[Margaret]

Here's a new one: Daughters of the Witching Hill by Mary Sharratt. It's based on an actual witchcraft trial in England in 1612. It's on the literary side and portrays the lives of rural people in Lancashire County, England, with great realism - the unusual twist is that the stories of animal familiars and folk blessings and curses from the accounts of the trial are portrayed in a serious way, not explained away as imagined or invented. I've just posted a review at HistoricalNovels.info (http://www.HistoricalNovels.info/Daughters-of-the-Witching-Hill.html)