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The Cathars

(see under "By Era" for French Revolution fiction)
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Margaret
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The Cathars

Post by Margaret » Fri April 9th, 2010, 2:35 am

I've just posted a review of Watermark, a debut novel by Vanitha Sankaran, at HistoricalNovels.info. It's set in fourteenth-century Narbonne, France, during a time when the Inquisition was still sniffing about for Cathars.

It reminds me that the troubadours and the Cathars were both major influences in southern France during medieval times. A number of novels about troubadours and/or Cathars are listed in the Crusades/Inquisition section of the website. I've read Charmaine Craig's The Good Men, and was a bit underwhelmed, though the writing was very graceful. Can anyone recommend a favorite?
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 » Fri April 9th, 2010, 4:30 am

Robert Shea's "All Things Are Lights". I read this years ago and was very taken by it, but had lost the author and title (as you do) until EC reminded me of it on this forum. EC's own novel, "Daughters of the Grail" aka "Children of Destiny" is another favourite.

Some time ago I came across a very useful website relating to the Cathars and the Albigensian Crusades - I'll add it here in case it's of interest.
http://www.cathar.info

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Margaret
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Posts: 2440
Joined: August 2008
Interest in HF: I can't answer this in 100 characters. Sorry.
Favourite HF book: Checkmate, the final novel in the Lymond series
Preferred HF: Literary novels. Late medieval and Renaissance.
Location: Catskill, New York, USA
Contact:

Post by Margaret » Sat April 10th, 2010, 1:58 am

Cool website - not many are both as informative as this and as clearly written.

Will put All Things Are Lights on my TBR!
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 April 11th, 2010, 3:04 am

I have to confess taht I haven't re-read "All Things Are Lights" since the '80s, so I can't tell if it's one that would stand the test of time :)

Pip Vaughan-Hughes' third Petroc book, Painted in Blood is partly set at Monségur during the siege, and is quite powerful stuff.

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Misfit
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Post by Misfit » Sun April 11th, 2010, 1:24 pm

Annis, I came across that site a couple of years ago whilst googling. I try to stay away - it's major time suck.
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flicka
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Re: The Cathars

Post by flicka » Sat July 13th, 2019, 8:25 am

I love horses. So I know what a dun horse looks like. In case you don't it's a kind of yellowy light brown in colour generally with a black mane and tail and possibly with a dark dorsal stripe down its back.
My french friend Izzie told me (I used to live in France) that this colour is called Isabel in France because during the Cathar crusade a queen called Isabel shut herself up in a besieged city and as there was so little water didn't wash (nor did her people) and she got so dirty she went this kind of yellowy brown colour all over. I know, gross, but that's why they call dun horses Isabel in France.
Flicka

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