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King Alfred according to Bernard Cornwell

annis
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Post by annis » Sat September 20th, 2008, 4:08 am

That's interesting, Anne, thanks. Richard the inventive historian-monk could well have been from the abbey of Crowland/Croyland, which is closely connected with the Hereward story-- I had only seen him mentioned as being from Ely, but that might have been a loose geographical description.

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rex icelingas
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Post by rex icelingas » Mon April 6th, 2009, 1:16 pm

I love Cornwall`s take on King Alfred
Our greatest Kings and Heroes dont have to be super goody goody`s or particuarly nice,Arthur himself may not have been, but effective yes!

Cornwall turned Alfred different,yes hes still a great King but not universally loved! he did a similar job with Lancelot in the grail series and made it far more interesting for it.

Theres certainly a huge interest in Anglo-Saxon and seems to be a hole for those writing of the 8-9th Centuries,cant think of many books on Offa offhand?

annis
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Post by annis » Mon April 6th, 2009, 9:03 pm

I can't think of anything which focuses directly on Offa, but Susan Mayse's "Awen" is a story of the conflict between the Welsh and the Mercians, based on the 8th century Canu Heledd. It's a great read if you haven't already come across it.

Synopsis:
Awen is a tightly woven novel of suspense, intrigue, love, and warfare set on the border between the Welsh kingdom of Powys and the English kingdom of Mercia at the end of the eighth century. Battles and kidnappings, blood feuds and political murders entangle the poet Cynfarch, as Brochfael of Powys struggles to protect his people's culture and sovereignty from the growing might of Offa of Mercia. From the harsh mountains valleys of North Wales to the quiet streams of western England, from the vanished court of Mathrafal to Charlemagne's throne, a bloody apocalypse looms as Cynfarch pursues both Meirwen's heart and his own quest for reinstatement as bard to the king of Powys.

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EC2
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Post by EC2 » Tue April 7th, 2009, 12:12 pm

[
QUOTE=annis;24708]I can't think of anything which focuses directly on Offa, but Susan Mayse's "Awen" is a story of the conflict between the Welsh and the Mercians, based on the 8th century Canu Heledd. It's a great read if you haven't already come across it.
I have that one on my shelf but it was a DNF for me. It's well written but I found it just so slow. It was recommended to me on another reading list by someone who had really enjoyed it. I think you need time and space to read and digest it.
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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rex icelingas
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Post by rex icelingas » Tue April 7th, 2009, 1:13 pm

Ive a great interest in the 8th Century Disputes between Powys and Mercia
However I do have a huge problem with the usual interpretation of the Canu Heledd and people and Geographical locations used in it so it`ll probably put me off reading it

If you can recommend any more early Anglo-Saxon novels though they`d be greatly appreciated! :)

annis
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Post by annis » Wed April 8th, 2009, 10:26 pm

Posted by Ec
I have that one on my shelf but it was a DNF for me. It's well written but I found it just so slow.
Id have to agrre that "Awen" is quite convoluted and meandering You do have to be in the mood for it.

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Ariadne
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Post by Ariadne » Wed April 8th, 2009, 11:39 pm

[quote=""annis""]I'd have to agrre that "Awen" is quite convoluted and meandering You do have to be in the mood for it.[/quote]

It took me about three weeks to read Awen. I enjoyed it a lot, but fast-paced it wasn't!

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