BOOK REVIEW: A King’s Ransom – Sharon Kay Penman
A King’s Ransom is the follow up to Lionheart and tells the story of King Richard I’s imprisonment in Germany at the hands of Duke Leopold of Austria and Emperor Heinrich VI and of his battle to win back his Kingdom from his rapacious brother John.
A Burnable Book – novel starring Chaucer and Gower gets strong reviews
A Burnable Book is the title of Bruce Holsinger’s new historical thriller, set in the 14th century, with Geoffrey Chaucer as one of the main characters
Abelard and Heloise’s Love Story from the Perspective of their Son Astrolabe: Luise Rinser’s Novel Abelard’s Love
Abelard and Heloise’s Love Story from the Perspective of their Son Astrolabe: Luise Rinser’s Novel Abelard’s Love By Albrecht Classen Rocky Mountain Review,…
Book Review: The Cross and the Dragon, by Kim Rendfeld
Rendfeld skillfully presents what might have been facts, and entertains the reader at the same time.
Book Review: The Walls of Byzantium, by James Heneage
To get through this maze, Heneage employs the time proven and very useful conceit of human interest at its most personal level – a love story, not merely triangular but quadrilateral, plus the ardent love of place…
Book Review: The Winter Warrior, by James Wilde
Do you like Anglo-Saxons and Vikings and a lot of gore? You’ll probably like this book. Are you French? You probably won’t.
Book Review: Dangerous Women, edited by George R.R. Martin and Gardner Dozois
The twenty-one story anthology features a wide array of modern and historical fiction, sci-fi and fantasy.
Book Review: The Donation Of Constantine: A Novel, by Simon LeVay
Love conquers all. Even the Donation of Constantine.
Great Medieval Fiction 2013!
For those of you who enjoy some fantasy or a historical novel – this list is for you!
Interview with Heather Day Gilbert, author of God’s Daughter
I want them to reach a large audience–in particular, an audience interested in Viking history. I guess I wanted to bring Viking history into people’s lives in a memorable way, sort of like Marian Zimmer Bradley brought King Arthur to life with The Mists of Avalon.
Viking Women: Not as Different as You Might Think
My novel, God’s Daughter, tells the story of Gudrid Thorbjarnardottir.
Game of Thrones and Machiavelli
Megan Cavell reports on the lecture ‘Power is a Curious Thing: Game of Thrones as a Machiavellian Mirror for Princes’ given by Janice Liedl
Templar (Graphic Novel)
Graphic novels that focus on the medieval period are getting more and more popular – and works like Templar are a good reason why. Set during the downfall of the Templar Order in 1307, it is a historical adventure story that combines action, humour and romance with some royal politics and a mysterious treasure.
INTERVIEW: Author Tinney Sue Heath
In late July, I posted a book review on, “A Thing Done”, by Tinney Sue Heath. The book explores the fantastic world of Italian medieval vendetta during the thirteenth century. Here is my interview with this talented and accomplished author.
Book Review: A Thing Done, by Tinney Sue Heath
I’ve read a lot of historical novels over the last few years but I have to say that hands down, this one is at the top of my list.
Interview with author Isolde Martyn
Isolde Martyn is best-selling author of historical fiction, much of it centred on the Wars of the Roses.
If the name fits: names in J. R. R. Tolkien’s fiction
The nomenclature within Tolkien’s novels is very carefully done, taking into consideration attributes such as etymology, symbolism, and onomatopoeia. In some instances the author has drawn from Anglo-Saxon and Old Norse, but most of his creations emerged from his own invented languages Quenya and Sindarin, the two main tongues spoken by elves.
Politics, Hidden Agendas and a Game of Thrones
The novel is analyzed from an intersectional perspective, and focuses on women’s positions in the power hierarchy, and in what ways they use their sexuality to access power.
The Fall of Arthur by J.R.R. Tolkien released today
The poem, using Old English alliterative meter and written in modern English recounts how Arthur was a British military leader fighting the Saxon invasion, and includes characters such as Guinevere, Lancelot and Mordred.
Book Review: Shadow on the Crown
A review of Patricia Bracewell’s book: Shadow on the Crown.
Down and Out in Westeros, or: Economy and Society in George R.R. Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire
So What’s a Dragon Worth, Anyway?
BOOK REVIEW: “Death Before Compline”
BOOK REVIEW: Death Before Compline Bagwyn Books (2012) Sharan Newman This short book, DEATH BEFORE COMPLINE is a great collection of murder-mystery stories…
Interview with Andrea Cefalo, author of The Fairytale Keeper
The Fairytale Keeper series answer the question: what if all Grimm’s fairy tales originated with one person?
Interview with Jeri Westerson, author
I took the tropes of your typical hard-boiled detective series—the lone detective with a chip on his shoulder–who is hard drinking, tough-talking, tough fighting character–the dark streets and dark doings of crime and subculture of criminals and intrigue, the femme fatale—and let them slide into the medieval era.
The Half-Hanged Man
I’ve wanted to write a novel set during the latter half of the 14th century for a long time. Even by medieval standards, this was a brutal and bloody era, with much of Europe plunged into dynastic wars.