Sharon Penman Books

[Pirate Kate]

Just wondering if anyone had read any of her books, and if so, what did they think?

I loved 'When Christ and His Saints Slept','Time and Chance' and her Justin de Quincy books.

These books are set in the Medieval Period. The first two are about Stephen and Matilda's fight for the English Throne and then Henry I and Eleanor of Aquitaine.
The Justin de Quincy books are set in the reign of Richard I, when he is captured on his return from the Holy Land and a man named Justin de Quincy becomes involved in a murder Eleanor of Aquitaine wants solved. He therefore becomes 'The Queen's Man' (the title of the first book). These are historical novels, although the Justin ones are also about crime-solving, so really suitable for both genres, although one element doesn't ruin the other. I don't really like crime-solving books, but i loved these ones. :)

[bethanh]

I've been a fan of Sharon Penman's for years. Started with The Sunne in Splendour, then fell in love with her Welsh novels. Here be Dragons is superb and is a great way to learn about medieval Welsh history. :) Try also Falls the Shadow and The Reckoning about Simon de Montfort and Llywelyn ap Gruffydd. Gripping page-turners. I haven't been so keen on her more recent books - probably as I'm not so interested in the settings.

[Andrea]

I've just begun Falls the Shadow and I'm surprised that the prose is relatively dense; perhaps because it was written in 1988 and (I could be making this up, but it seems that way to me) more recent historical novels haven't tried to use the language of the times but have presented the characters and events in fairly modern language, in an attempt to be more accessible.

Whatever, I'm looking forward to it.

[Pirate Kate]

I like it when authors try to stick the kind of speech patterns and vocabulary of the time. It gives a better sense of the novel.

[Trish]

Loved all her books - except the crime/mystery ones as just don't like all those medieval crime novels about - although I love historical novels.

[jeans]

Loved all her books but especially "When Christ and His Saints Slept" Have read Time and Chance and I am waiting for the next one in this series. Helen Hollick's books are somewhat simialar but except for the Pendragon series they are not quite so good

[Pirate Kate]

I think I may well look into Helen Hollick, thankyou!