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Searching for name of book about Englishwoman in harem of Sultan

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parthianbow
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Searching for name of book about Englishwoman in harem of Sultan

Post by parthianbow » Sat May 2nd, 2009, 7:47 pm

Hi everyone
About a year ago or so, I heard a review on Radio 4 here in the UK about a book which sounded fascinating. As I was in the car, I didn't manage to write down the title, but I thought that all you rich sources of HF novels might be able to help.
I'm pretty sure that it was a dramatisation of a true story. The plotline concerned a British woman in the 16th or 17th century (perhaps earlier, but I don't think so) who gets taken prisoner by pirates and is sold into the harem of a powerful sultan. It's not an Angelique type bodice ripper, but a take on life in the harem, and was well reviewed on the show I heard.
Any ideas anyone?
Many thanks in advance.
Ben Kane
Bestselling author of Roman military fiction.
Spartacus - UK release 19 Jan. 2012. US release June 2012.

http://www.benkane.net
Twitter: @benkaneauthor

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Margaret
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Post by Margaret » Sat May 2nd, 2009, 8:54 pm

Would that be Katie Hickman's 2008 novel The Aviary Gate? You might want to check the description at http://www.HistoricalNovels.info/Renaissance.html. It's set in 1599, with a frame story about a modern researcher. I haven't read it, but it doesn't sound like a bodice-ripper at all.
Browse over 5000 historical novel listings (probably well over 5000 by now, but I haven't re-counted lately) and over 700 reviews at www.HistoricalNovels.info

annis
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Post by annis » Sun May 3rd, 2009, 2:12 am

Another possibility could be Debbie Taylor's novel, "The Fourth Queen"
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-enter ... 95641.html

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Lauryn
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Post by Lauryn » Sun May 3rd, 2009, 2:35 am

[quote=""annis""]Another possibility could be Debbie Taylor's novel, "The Fourth Queen"
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-enter ... 95641.html[/quote]

I second this one - worth a read, even if it's not the one you heard the review for.
Even the mighty oak was once just a nut that held its ground.

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Ariadne
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Post by Ariadne » Sun May 3rd, 2009, 3:22 am

This storyline recurs often in historical fiction, doesn't it? It also reminded me of Jane Johnson's Crossed Bones (aka The Tenth Gift), out last year, as it's also supposedly based on a true story. I'm guessing the novel is probably The Aviary Gate, though; I read it last year and enjoyed it, especially the portrait of the Valide Sultan.

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EC2
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Post by EC2 » Sun May 3rd, 2009, 5:08 pm

[quote=""Ariadne""]This storyline recurs often in historical fiction, doesn't it? It also reminded me of Jane Johnson's Crossed Bones (aka The Tenth Gift), out last year, as it's also supposedly based on a true story. I'm guessing the novel is probably The Aviary Gate, though; I read it last year and enjoyed it, especially the portrait of the Valide Sultan.[/quote]

I've just done two library gigs in London with Katie Hickman and recently read the Aviary Gate. There's a murder inside the harem of a black eunuch. A girl Celia Lamprey has been taken from a shipwreck and has become one of the Sultan's wives. Katie said she was particularly fascinated by the life of the Valide Sultan. It involves a modern day researcher going in search of Celia.
Crossed Bones is very similar in story line though, although you actually see the capture of her heroine in Cornwall.
Katie is working on a sequel to The Aviary Gate.
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

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parthianbow
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Wow!

Post by parthianbow » Mon May 4th, 2009, 7:01 am

I'm very impressed with all your replies - thank you! Trying to remember the name of the book and failing has been annoying me for months, and now I've been given it in a flash. I've had a look at the three titles mentioned and I'm pretty sure that it's The Aviary Gate that I heard reviewed. I'm going to get that one to start with anyway. Looks like a rich seam of HF though...
Thanks again.
Ben Kane
Bestselling author of Roman military fiction.
Spartacus - UK release 19 Jan. 2012. US release June 2012.

http://www.benkane.net
Twitter: @benkaneauthor

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