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.

Saddest moments in SKP novels

Post Reply
SCW
Avid Reader
Posts: 286
Joined: October 2010
Preferred HF: Lately World Two or the time immediately before and after this period
Location: Australia

Saddest moments in SKP novels

Post by SCW » Mon April 13th, 2015, 9:38 am

I don't know why I've started this thread, but as I approach that part of The Reckoning where Ellen De Montfort starts to give birth to Llewellyns child, the box of tissues is close at hand.

Does anyone else feel like this?

User avatar
Lisa
Bibliophile
Posts: 1153
Joined: August 2012
Favourite HF book: Here Be Dragons by Sharon Kay Penman
Preferred HF: Any time period/location. Timeslip, usually prefer female POV. Also love Gothic melodrama.
Location: Northeast Scotland

Post by Lisa » Mon April 13th, 2015, 10:25 am

It took me a while to recover after finishing The Reckoning!

I even started a thread here at the time, asking everyone to recommend something really cheerful to read.

I read one of Georgette Heyer's detective novels, which is light-hearted and meant to be funny, but one of the lead characters reminded me of Dafydd and that started me off again!

Then I went on to read The Traitor's Wife by Susan Higginbotham, thinking a completely different, absorbing story would take my mind off it. Well, it was a very good read, but that one didn't end well either... :( :( :(

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

Post by Misfit » Mon April 13th, 2015, 2:22 pm

Oh, The Reckoning, but I have to say she really got me at the end of A King's Ransom and not just Richard's death but
. I hadn't known about that, or if I did I'd forgotten it. I bawled.
At home with a good book and the cat...
...is the only place I want to be

User avatar
MLE (Emily Cotton)
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 3566
Joined: August 2008
Interest in HF: started in childhood with the classics, which, IMHO are HF even if they were contemporary when written.
Favourite HF book: Prince of Foxes, by Samuel Shellabarger
Preferred HF: Currently prefer 1600 and earlier, but I'll read anything that keeps me turning the page.
Location: California Bay Area

Post by MLE (Emily Cotton) » Mon April 13th, 2015, 8:34 pm

I still remember the bit in Falls the Shadow where the battle was lost. I should get those up for a re-read.

SCW
Avid Reader
Posts: 286
Joined: October 2010
Preferred HF: Lately World Two or the time immediately before and after this period
Location: Australia

Post by SCW » Tue April 14th, 2015, 9:51 am

I confess to getting teary over Eleanors words to her husbands grave at the end of 'A Kings Ransom'.
The only two SKP books that have semi happy endings are 'Here Be Dragons' and 'When Christ and his Saints slept'. (Not that I'm complaining- she has a gift of making you really care for the historical characters, which is something a lot of authors fail to do)

The Traitor's Wife gets a lot of mention on this website. Probably time I tried to obtain a copy for myself.

User avatar
Lisa
Bibliophile
Posts: 1153
Joined: August 2012
Favourite HF book: Here Be Dragons by Sharon Kay Penman
Preferred HF: Any time period/location. Timeslip, usually prefer female POV. Also love Gothic melodrama.
Location: Northeast Scotland

Post by Lisa » Tue April 14th, 2015, 1:42 pm

[quote=""SCW""]The Traitor's Wife gets a lot of mention on this website. Probably time I tried to obtain a copy for myself.[/quote]
It took me about 50 pages or so to get into (again, maybe because I read it right after The Reckoning) but then I really really enjoyed it, and its (sort of) sequel, Hugh and Bess.

But be prepared, they both have their very sad moments!

Post Reply

Return to “Sharon Penman”