I’m a big fan of medieval romances and have enjoyed all of Kris Kennedy’s full-length stories. She has a great grasp of the medieval psyche and behaviors, and she backs it up with meticulous research. Her stories are fast-paced and peopled with alpha heroes in tender romances; and while there is rescuing of heroines, the…
Eleanor of Aquitaine happens to be one of my favorite historical figures. Bold as lightning, smart as copper penny and tough as rawhide, the legends about her sprawl numerously through European history. Elizabeth Chadwick has written three popular novels about Eleanor’s life, and this autumn sees the release of the last chapter, The Autumn Throne….
Imagine you’re watching the History Channel. They’ve got a lovely six-part miniseries about 12th century Northumbria just before the Battle of the Standard, and you decide, “Hey! I don’t know anything about that historical period, let’s check it out!” You’re enjoying the diverse cast of historical figures, and love the in-depth look into Scottish and…
A variety of reasons compelled me to buy Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin. One, I love the historical novels she has written as Diana Norman, with Shores of Darkness being by absolute favorite. Two, my sister lived in Cambridge for four years, and any novel set in Cambridge arouses my curiosity….
The year is 1120, and Sabin FitzSimon is in trouble again. The bastard son of a noble English family, Sabin is a wild and reckless young man whose latest escapade has resulted in the death of an innocent. Since his bad reputation is about to affect the fortunes of his legitimate half-siblings, his family hastily…
Kinley MacGregor’s latest offering, Born In Sin, is a redemption story, and quite a good one, as it happens. If there were a little more to it, it could have made the jump to DIK without much effort, but as it stands, it’s still a truly enjoyable read. Lord Sin, with his improbable (but well-explained)…
Uncommon Vows is my favorite among Mary Jo Putney’s books, more romantic to me than even the wonderful Shattered Rainbows. Putney’s only medieval begins under the omen of an eclipse of the moon whose light is devoured by shadow on the night of a Christmas tragedy. Fifteen year old Adrian de Lancey, a nobleman’s youngest…
The Irish Knight was a story that vacillated between being a compelling read and an overly dramatic one. There were whole sections that held my attention completely, and then, suddenly, I would lose interest in what was happening. This occurred throughout and made for a most uneven read. For Sinead DeClare it’s been thirteen years…
Everyone knows the legend of King Arthur, the once and future king, who will rise again to defend Britain. Here there is a twist. The Britain of the legend is Wales, and when Arthur returns he is reborn as a woman – or so the Welsh rebels think. Aidan de Brice, the Scourge of Wales,…
Lords of the White Castle is Elizabeth Chadwick’s eleventh book. Set in late twelfth and early thirteenth century England, it recounts the true tale of the outlaw Fulke FitzWarin, a proud man who dared to stand against King John in order to reclaim his family castle. It also follows the life of Maude le Vavasour,…