Welcome to the Historical Fiction Online forums: a friendly place to discuss, review and discover historical fiction.
If this is your first visit, please be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above.
You will have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed.
To start viewing posts, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

A few medieval novels

consterdine
Scribbler
Posts: 8
Joined: July 2009

Questions from a newbie and thanks for the tips

Post by consterdine » Sat August 8th, 2009, 11:31 am

Hi all,

I'm new to the forum and historical fiction. I'm seriously intrigued by the lives of common folk in the norman period and also the period of anarchy surrounding Stephen and Maude.

I loved Elizabeth's recommendations and others that have been listed in this thread.

I was drawn to the genre by 'The Pillars of the Earth', which I devoured as an audiobook. Then I read Cornwell's 'Azincourt' and now I'm loving SKP's 'The Queen's Man'. I'm building an Amazon Wishlist from all of your recommendations and I've got the first Cadfael Omnibus heading my way from eBay.

I found the Cornwell to be an excellent read but felt it was a bit bloodthirsty and 'macho' consequently I can't quite bring myself to pick up another of his just yet. (He reminded me of the Sven Hassell that I read in my youth

My questions when it comes to recommendations is how do I navigate writers like Jean Plaidy or Dorthy Dunnet? (I'm as cautious of 'bodice rippers' as I feel about the bloodthirsty Cornwell) and how do you decide to go about series of novels? I've collected the SKP Welsh trilogy ready to start but can you dip in to these series in general or does it pay to start at the beginning?

Also, I'd love to know where to start with Elizabeth Chadwick. I'm loving her posts and blog so can't wait to start.

Thanks again all of you for your advice and knowledge and sorry to ramble

Colin

PS why is Follet frowned upon here? He's no SKP but he got me in :-)

User avatar
Misfit
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 9581
Joined: August 2008
Location: Seattle, WA

Post by Misfit » Sat August 8th, 2009, 11:47 am

PS why is Follet frowned upon here? He's no SKP but he got me in :-)
Hi and welcome

:o :o :o
I think it's pretty much EC and I who are a bit strong minded about Follett. For me it was cardboard cut-out characters from the 20C, historical inaccuracies as well as the mind-numbing sex and violence. That said, EC and Penman have pretty much spoiled me in that genre.

As for EC books I'm on a limb here, but I'm assuming you are a male reader? If so I think the Marshal books and/or The Falcons of Montabard would be a good choice.

Valerie Anand wrote a series called Bridges Over Time and deals with the common folk, starting before the Conquest. Hard to find, but don't be afraid to try for ILL's, there are copies available. I have reviews on the first five in the six book series posted here in one thread.
At home with a good book and the cat...
...is the only place I want to be

User avatar
EC2
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 3661
Joined: August 2008
Location: Nottingham UK
Contact:

Post by EC2 » Sat August 8th, 2009, 12:10 pm

Welcome Consterdine!

If you are looking where to start with mine and you are into Stephen and Matilda, then I would Suggest A Place Beyond Courage - the story of John Marshal because it encompasses the civil war from the male viewpoint of someone caught up in the middle of the happenings and struggling to survive.

[quote=""Misfit""]

I think it's pretty much EC and I who are a bit strong minded about Follett. For me it was cardboard cut-out characters from the 20C, historical inaccuracies as well as the mind-numbing sex and violence.
Valerie Anand wrote a series called Bridges Over Time and deals with the common folk, starting before the Conquest. Hard to find, but don't be afraid to try for ILL's, there are copies available. I have reviews on the first five in the six book series posted here in one thread.[/quote]

Don't forget Ash, Misfit - LOL!
I enjoyed Follett the first time round and coming from a thriller background he certainly knows how to do pace and page turning quality. I had to re-read it for a group discussion about 3 years ago now and this time the modern mindset yelled at me. Many of the story lines couldn't have happened in the 12thc or are unlikely. (Philip's back story, Tom's wife buried in the forest without being shriven, Aliena knocking about in a castle on her own when said castle would have been garrisoned like a shot). They way the author told these parts makes for excellent story but bad history. My own perferences as a reader of historical fiction are for history and story to weave a seamless pattern. If POTE had been set in the Regency period or the Roman, the inaccuracies probably wouldn't have bothered me because I'm not as familiar with the history.
Sharon Kay Penman is defiintely on the money with When Christ and His Saints Slept as a novel covering the Stephen/Matilda conflict.
Les proz e les vassals
Souvent entre piez de chevals
Kar ja li coard n’I chasront

'The Brave and the valiant
Are always to be found between the hooves of horses
For never will cowards fall down there.'

Histoire de Guillaume le Mareschal

www.elizabethchadwick.com

Ash
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 2475
Joined: August 2008
Location: Arizona, USA

Post by Ash » Sat August 8th, 2009, 12:21 pm

Hee, yeah, no fan of Follet here; pretty much what misfit and EC said. I also really hated the gratuitious violence; yes it happened (still does), but the extensive detail really was unecessary.

Second Penman. WCSS was marvelous; I only knew the conflict via the Caedfael series (which if you haven't read it, is a must!), so this book was eye opening, and just marvelous. The rest of the trilogy, as is the Welsh trilogy, are wonderfully written, full of history and drama, books that you can't forget. I am not sure if you can read them out of order - I think you would really miss whats happening, esp in terms of character development. But YMMV. Enjoy!

User avatar
Misfit
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 9581
Joined: August 2008
Location: Seattle, WA

Post by Misfit » Sat August 8th, 2009, 12:34 pm

***smacks head against wall***

Sorry Ash, how could I forget ? :p :o

A Place Beyond Courage is excellent, as is Penman's WCAHSS, and it really gives you a good grounding on the period and makes others set in it much more enjoyable.
At home with a good book and the cat...
...is the only place I want to be

consterdine
Scribbler
Posts: 8
Joined: July 2009

Thanks

Post by consterdine » Sun August 9th, 2009, 10:30 am

Thanks all for your replies.

Yes, I am male - is it that obvious :-)

I have a feeling that my POTE audiobook was abridged, I wasn't exposed to any gratuitous sex or violence - with the exception of that odd meeting in the woods. I found Azincourt really quite gratuitous. SKP isn't afraid of the bawdy in The Queen's Man either :-)

I'll check my local library for the suggested titles.

Thanks again for being so encouraging and inclusive, I will read on in the forum with great interest.

Colin

User avatar
EC2
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 3661
Joined: August 2008
Location: Nottingham UK
Contact:

Post by EC2 » Sun August 9th, 2009, 10:41 am

[quote=""consterdine""]
I have a feeling that my POTE audiobook was abridged, I wasn't exposed to any gratuitous sex or violence - with the exception of that odd meeting in the woods.
Colin[/quote]

It probably was abridged for audio, Colin, because it is in there. It doesn't go on for ten pages at a time or anything like that - it's more short, sharp and brutal, but still pretty graphic. You'd not mistake it whether you heard it or read it!
I often go to the library armed with lists courtesy of this forum! :D
Les proz e les vassals
Souvent entre piez de chevals
Kar ja li coard n’I chasront

'The Brave and the valiant
Are always to be found between the hooves of horses
For never will cowards fall down there.'

Histoire de Guillaume le Mareschal

www.elizabethchadwick.com

User avatar
nona
Bibliophile
Posts: 1149
Joined: September 2008
Location: Oklahoma

Post by nona » Sun August 9th, 2009, 1:49 pm

EC, I've been over to your bog and have fattened by tbr pile some more but noticed you said it was basically a eclectic pick, can you suggest a few others maybe from your keeper shelf?

User avatar
EC2
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 3661
Joined: August 2008
Location: Nottingham UK
Contact:

Post by EC2 » Sun August 9th, 2009, 3:07 pm

[quote=""nona""]EC, I've been over to your bog and have fattened by tbr pile some more but noticed you said it was basically a eclectic pick, can you suggest a few others maybe from your keeper shelf?[/quote]

Well I think I mentioned I'd missed off Brian Wainwright's Adventures of Alianore Audeley because I'd mislaid it so couldn't scan the cover!
Bernard Cornwell's The Last Kingdom and also Harlequin (The Archer's Tale in the USA I guess)
Sharan Newman - Cursed in the Blood - Medieval mystery
Jorvik by Sheelagh Kelly - story of Viking York.
The Morning Gift - Diana Norman. Life in the Fens during the Stephen/Matilda crisis.
King of the Wood - Valerie Anand - story of William Rufus
Treason - Meredith Whitworth - Richard III
The Herb Gatherers - Elizabeth Harris - medieval timeslip. Elizabeth Harris went on to become Alys Clare.


Another time I'll do historicals from other eras from my keeper shelf and another time non historicals.
Les proz e les vassals
Souvent entre piez de chevals
Kar ja li coard n’I chasront

'The Brave and the valiant
Are always to be found between the hooves of horses
For never will cowards fall down there.'

Histoire de Guillaume le Mareschal

www.elizabethchadwick.com

User avatar
Susan
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 3746
Joined: August 2008
Location: New Jersey, USA

Post by Susan » Sun August 9th, 2009, 3:57 pm

[quote=""EC2""]Well I think I mentioned I'd missed off Brian Wainwright's Adventures of Alianore Audeley because I'd mislaid it so couldn't scan the cover! [/quote]

Is this Wainright's somewhat humorous book? Sharon Kay Penman mentioned a book of his in her talk.
~Susan~
~Unofficial Royalty~
Royal news updated daily, information and discussion about royalty past and present
http://www.unofficialroyalty.com/

Post Reply

Return to “Later Medieval”