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Julian Rathbone

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njslater
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Julian Rathbone

Post by njslater » Sat June 22nd, 2013, 9:33 am

Am I alone in enjoying Rathbone's unusual historical fiction? He covers periods as diverse as the Indian Mutiny and the Wars of the Roses but always from an unusual perspective.

For instance in the Kings of Albion, as England tears itself apart the tragedy is witnessed by a party of travellers from the Far East! In the Last English King a soldier who survives the Battle of Hastings embarks on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and tells the story of the Norman Conquest to his travelling companions

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EC2
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Post by EC2 » Sat June 22nd, 2013, 11:34 am

I wall-banged The Last English King. He's not for me. I think one of the reasons for my reaction to the latter was going to hear him speak where he said that actually on the contract for the above novel, he had really wanted to write about the 18thC but knew he wouldn't be able to do that novel justice in the time he had - too much research to do. However, for a 1066 novel, there were only about 5 research books in existence (oh really?) and he could bash that one out quickly to deadline. Yep.
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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sweetpotatoboy
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Post by sweetpotatoboy » Sat June 22nd, 2013, 3:37 pm

I enjoyed The Last English King and The Kings of Albion, but you're right they are unusual.

And, as EC2 says, he's not too serious about historical research and accuracy, as the author's note at the front of The Kings of Albion makes very clear. At least, he's open about it.

njslater
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Post by njslater » Sun July 27th, 2014, 9:27 am

He was an unusual man for sure but I like his irreverent attitude to history. So much of accepted historical fact is nothing of the sort and some HF writers are way to self-important about their recounting historical fact. It is a truism that history is written by the victor.
N.J. Slater writer of Napoleonic and Victorian era thrillers

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Nefret
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Favourite HF book: Welsh Princes trilogy
Preferred HF: The Middle Ages (England), New Kingdom Egypt, Medieval France
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Post by Nefret » Sun July 27th, 2014, 9:37 pm

I kept trying to read the Last English King, but just didn't get into it. There are other authors I like more for that time period.
Into battle we ride with Gods by our side
We are strong and not afraid to die
We have an urge to kill and our lust for blood has to be fulfilled
WE´LL FIGHT TILL THE END! And send our enemies straight to Hell!
- "Into Battle"
{Ensiferum}

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EC2
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Post by EC2 » Mon July 28th, 2014, 9:43 am

As a literary work it was interesting but as a work of historical fiction I didn't get on with it. I went to a talk of his where he said he had to fulfil a book contract and knew his deadline was looming. What he really wanted to write was a big book about the 18thc but he didn't have time to do the research this time round. He said that there was only a small handful of ref books around about 1066, so that made it the easy option as a filler in.
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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