Helen Hollick

Misfit · Post by **Misfit** » Fri November 7th, 2008, 2:56 am

Another author we don't have a thread on yet. I loved Harold the King, and I've also read A Hollow Crown (a good, but one time only read) both books on England prior to and leading up to the Norman Conquest.

I see she's also written a trilogy on King Arthur, along with the Sea Witch Chronicles that I don't know much about, but I'm interested in hearing more.

annis · Post by **annis** » Fri November 7th, 2008, 5:44 am

I loved "Harold the King" as well- a lucky find in a bargain book bin. I haven't read any others, but have heard people rave about the "Pendragon" trilogy.

I've read a few takes on the Harold story now, all good but different--like Hope Muntz's "Golden Warrior" and Parke Goodwin's "Lord of Sunset".

I'm still hanging out for EC's novel about the love story between Harold and Edith Swanneck, though

diamondlil · Post by **diamondlil** » Fri November 7th, 2008, 8:18 am

I have this author on my TBR list but I still haven't managed to get to her yet. I really would like to read The Sea Witch but i am not sure that it was released here.

sweetpotatoboy · Post by **sweetpotatoboy** » Fri November 7th, 2008, 8:30 am

I definitely recommend Helen's books. I loved the Pendragon trilogy and Harold The King. The Hollow Crown was less good but also worth reading. Not read the Sea Witch books yet.

Vanessa · Post by **Vanessa** » Fri November 7th, 2008, 11:43 am

I have the Sea Witch books on my TBR pile. They look good fun.

Misfit · Post by **Misfit** » Fri November 7th, 2008, 12:34 pm

[quote=""annis""]I'm still hanging out for EC's novel about the love story between Harold and Edith Swanneck, though

[/quote]

Oh yes, that would be a keeper, although Hollick did quite a good job with it also, let alone the Battle at Hastings. I was sniveling quite a bit at the end.

Carla · Post by **Carla** » Sat November 8th, 2008, 5:22 pm

I read the first one, Sea Witch, and it was good fun. Review here with more details (http://www.carlanayland.org/reviews/sea_witch.htm).

Harold the King is my favourite of hers. The Pendragon trilogy is pretty good; I liked the first book best and thought the story perhaps lost its way a little in the second and third books, though it was still a good read. (This might be because I don't buy Geoffrey Ashe's Riothamus=King Arthur theory, which she used). I thought A Hollow Crown was on the slow and wordy side; that's my least favourite.

EC2 · Post by **EC2** » Sat November 8th, 2008, 7:58 pm

Source Books are going to be releasing the Arthurian trilogy in the USA next year as part of their historical fiction drive. I was talking to Helen about it the other week when we did an event together. If the Arthur books take off then Helen will enter into discussions with Source re her Harold books, but, like me, she wants to see how Source perform first before she lets them have Harold and The Hollow Crown.
The Sea Witch books starring Jessemiah Acorne are good fun. They have fantastical elements in them and are romps, but you can tell that Helen had a great time writing them and she has plans for more. The pity is that she's had to self-publish these.

nona · Post by **nona** » Fri December 26th, 2008, 7:48 pm

She sounds like an interesting author I might have to search Harold out to buy.

enelya · Post by **enelya** » Mon February 9th, 2009, 3:58 pm

I am currently reading her Arthur books. I am in the second one know and so far I am enjoying myself. I picked up one in a second hand shop and had to order the other ones on Amazon, but so far it certainly has been worth the trouble. I will put her other books on my wish list, lol