Historical fiction reviews by Sarah L. Nesbeitt - originally published in the Historical Novels Review (Issue 19).  
All reviews on this page ©2002 Sarah L. Nesbeitt.  All rights reserved.

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MOTHER OF KINGS
Poul Anderson, Tor, 2001, $27.95 (£17.47), 444pp, hb, ISBN 0-312-87448-0
Gunnhild, the daughter of a Norse chieftain, learns the ways of power early in life.  Taught the art of spellcasting from a Finnish witch, she fuels her ambitions by marrying Eirik Blood-Axe, the favored son of Norway’s king, a lusty man who lives up to his nickname. She bears Eirik nine children, all equally ambitious, though not equally clever. Eirik and Gunnhild briefly become King and Queen of England, but in this cruel and dangerous era, rivalries abound, and no one who seizes power can ever hope to hold it for long.
             Anderson’s depiction of the brutal Viking Age rings true. But the story is also poetic, stark, and saga-like, with names and relationships rolling off the page as if from a scroll, and at these times one can easily become lost. Comparisons have been made with The Mists of Avalon, but Gunnhild is too ruthless to be another Morgaine, and Mother of Kings is more historical than mystical (or fantastical).  In addition, Gunnhild’s role is almost obscured in favor of that of her sons and their bloodthirsty exploits.  Still, this is a dense but fulfilling story worth the read for those interested in the Viking era.

AN UNCOMMON ENEMY
Michelle Black, Forge, 2001, $26.95/C$37.95 (£16.85), 398pp, hb, ISBN 0-765-30103-2
In November 1868, General Custer penned a letter to his wife in which he mentioned the arrival of a white woman, presumably an Indian captive, in his camp.  In Black’s version, the woman is Eden Murdoch, forcibly taken into custody when Custer’s frontier army attacks a Cheyenne village. But Eden, who had found happiness with her Cheyenne family, did not want to be rescued. To white society, where all natives are deemed savages, Eden is an embarrassment.
            Among the few willing to hear Eden’s story is Brad Randall, Custer’s young aide-de-camp.  Although Custer wants to use her as an example to justify violence against the Indians, she will do anything to prevent this from happening. Captain Randall, sworn to Custer but fascinated by Eden, finds his loyalties torn.
            This is a fast-moving, ambitious western that successfully takes on a number of complex issues. Its characters refuse to be pigeonholed into stereotypes, and good and evil are found in equal measure on both sides. There is romance, too, but in this as in all else, the novel is anything but predictable. The author’s message is presented with both strength and compassion. Why haven’t I heard of Michelle Black before now? After finishing An Uncommon Enemy, I went out and purchased her earlier novels.

THE GOOD MEN: A Novel of Heresy
Charmaine Craig, Riverhead, 2002, $24.95/C$35.99 (£15.60), 389pp, hb, ISBN 1-57322-197-X
In 1320, the Inquisition asked Grazida Lizier, a young widow from Montaillou, France, to testify as to her views of God and Satan, as well as her adulterous, incestuous relationship with the village priest. From her testimony, as well as other primary and secondary sources, the author -- fascinated by Grazida’s disarmingly honest approach to life and sin -- has crafted a thoughtful, impressively detailed story.
            Montaillou was the last stronghold of the Cathar heresy, a perversion of Catholicism in which the soul is considered pure, but the physical world inherently evil. The village’s spiritual leader, Pierre Clergue, himself has Cathar sympathies, and his religious ambivalence and sexual proclivities cause the Inquisition to focus on Montaillou.  Pierre’s first love is for his brother’s discarded mistress, but his unrequited passion for her is later fulfilled through his relationship with Grazida, her illegitimate granddaughter.
            Craig concentrates on the villagers’ interpersonal relationships and spiritual lives rather than their trials by the Inquisition, as if she cares too much about her characters to see them suffer unduly.  The novel is simply and directly told, for its subject needs no melodrama to carry its message further.  I recommend it highly.

SCHEHERAZADE
Anthony O’Neill, Hodder Headline, 2002, £10.99, 608pp, pb, ISBN0747268681
Baghdad, 806 AD.  Twenty years ago, the young Scheherazade saved her life by regaling the cruel King Shahriyar with her fantastic, exotic tales for a thousand and one nights.  Now the ruling pair of the Indian kingdom of Astrifahn, Scheherazade and her ageing husband are invited by the Caliph of Baghdad to pay a long-awaited visit to the land she had celebrated through her stories. However, an ancient poem has prophesied Scheherazade’s abduction from the city, as well as her eventual return by seven rescuers -- only one of whom is predicted to survive.
            The prophecy holds true. The group sent by the Caliph to free the storyteller is a motley band comprised of seven unlikely heroes. Unused to the harsh conditions of the desert and its hidden dangers, one by one they lose their lives.  As in the Agatha Christie classic, we begin to wonder who the final survivor will be.  In the meantime, suspense builds as the still-beautiful Scheherazade holds her captors at bay, with ever-increasing difficulty.
            The characters are wonderfully drawn, particularly the rescuers, among whom are several sailors, a former slave, and a mysterious ascetic. Their language is coarse, bawdy, and completely true to form. For the historical setting alone, the author deserves points for uniqueness and creativity. Two minor complaints, however. Despite the title, the main focus of the story is on the rescue and not on Scheherazade herself, who remains an enigma throughout. I also found part of the ending to be a cop-out, for it is not completely believable.  Still, the novel moves quickly despite its length and, in all, is well worth the read.

TIME AND CHANCE
Sharon Kay Penman, Putnam, 2002, $27.95/$39.99 (£17.99*), 528pp, hb, ISBN 0-399-14785-3
A new Penman novel is always cause for celebration. To many, her story will be familiar, but Penman has the gift of presenting it as if we had never read it before.
            Here in full color are the trio who brought life to the early medieval world. Henry Plantagenet, the vigorous young king, whose political and religious differences with Thomas Becket cause insurmountable problems.  Eleanor of Aquitaine, the beautiful, strong-willed heiress whose transformation from Henry’s beloved queen to his bitter former confidante progresses in an entirely believable manner. And Becket, the king’s chancellor and boon companion turned man of God, whose inexplicable and sudden devotion to the church sets him against many, Henry most of all. 
            Another fine creation is Ranulf, half-brother to the Empress Maude, who finds his loyalties torn between England and Wales. Ranulf’s fictional nature is almost disappointing, so clearly does he leap from the page. My sympathy for both Eleanor and her rival Rosamund Clifford speaks to Penman’s mastery of character development.  She also eschews the traditional “turbulent priest” scene in favor of one that is more historically plausible.
            So well does Penman integrate her assiduous research into her tale that we have no doubt that this is the way it must have been. I was left waiting impatiently for the next volume in the trilogy, The Devil’s Brood, which hopefully will not be long in coming.

FRENCH LEAVE
Sheri Cobb South, PrinnyWorld, 2001, $14.95 (£9.34), 229pp, tpb, ISBN 0-9668005-4-0
Lisette Colling, escaping from a French convent to avoid a forced marriage, literally runs into an unexpected savior: the dissolute sixth earl of Waverly.  In exchange for his returning her to her English grandfather’s estate, she will reward him sufficiently to pay off his numerous gambling debts. Lisette’s grandfather has passed away, however, and a coach accident forces them into the company of the happily married Brundys, a couple whom Waverly unfortunately knows all too well.  To save Lisette’s reputation, Waverly offers her a marriage of convenience.
            The historical atmosphere of 1820s England is beautifully rendered, and the characters’ language and mannerisms are witty and charming.  However, the plot relies heavily on coincidental meetings, and the growing attraction between the too naïve Lisette and the experienced Lord Waverly seems forced. Several scenes of great potential, which could have shown their developing romance firsthand, are related only in retrospect. Instead, I found myself wanting to read more about the Brundys. The subplots featuring this couple, whose romance was detailed in the author’s earlier novels, sparkle with humor and the true affection they feel for each other.

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Questions or comments?  E-mail me at cfsln@eiu.edu.

Last updated: March 17, 2002