Foto do autor

G.K. Holloway

Autor(a) de 1066: What Fates Impose

3 Works 38 Membros 10 Reviews

Obras de G.K. Holloway

Etiquetado

Conhecimento Comum

Membros

Resenhas

In the Shadows of Castles continues the story started in 1066: What Fates Impose. Harold Godwinson’s story has been told and now it is time for William the Conqueror to fully reign.

But William left a complicated legacy in England. The peoples he conquered did not go quietly and it was a time of nervousness and strife for all. Well, maybe not for William as he saw it all as his due and just went about things as as any King does.

But this is a book more about the people than the rules and that is what makes it so eminently readable and interesting. Mr. Holloway takes his readers deep into the everyday lives of his characters so that you are right there with them as they fight for their very souls.

It was a rough and tumble time and there was much blood, gore and swordplay and it is all written with enthusiasm by the author. It’s a compelling, fascinating read about a pivotal time in England’s history.
… (mais)
 
Marcado
BooksCooksLooks | Nov 2, 2022 |
Although it was never one of my favourite subjects at school, I've always had a keen interest in history. I love reading and learning about the kings and queens of England but unfortunately the history syllabus at school was more concerned with the industrial revolution. I've mainly read about post-Plantagenet kings and queens so an Anglo Saxon novel was something new for me.

We've all heard of the Battle of Hastings and I'm sure that many people will know this was in 1066. Equally, we have all heard of King Harold and the arrow in his eye. So I was really surprised, when reading this book, how little I actually knew about the Battle of Hastings and the events leading up to it. It can get confusing at times as to who is who, but the author has very kindly listed all of the main characters at the beginning of the book. This was an invaluable reference and I found that I frequently turned to it, mainly due to the Norse sounding names of this period.

The story begins in 1045 in the court of Edward the Confessor. Edward is married to Edith of Wessex, but when they fail to produce an heir, due to Edward's famous piety, Edward names Edith's brother Harold as his successor. This doesn't go down well with Edward's cousin's son, William (the Conqueror), and others who believe they have a claim to the English throne. The story obviously ends in 1066 where the Battle of Hastings is laid out in such glorious detail that I almost felt as if I was watching the battle myself. The strategies employed by each side and the sheer scale of the bloodiness gave us a 360 degree view of this famous battle.

The book feels so very well researched that I had no reason to doubt any of the facts therein. Of course, records dating from this time are sketchy but with so much historical treachery and political intrigue surrounding the English throne I have no doubt that 1066: What Fates Impose is more fact than fiction.

If you think King Harold was killed by an arrow in the eye, think the Battle of Stamford Bridge is a derby between Chelsea and Spurs, and think William the Conqueror was the only threat to King Harold's crown then you must read this book. G. K. Holloway brings Anglo Saxon history to life in 1066: What Fates Impose and my knowledge of this period is now so much richer for having read it. A tremendous 5 star read.

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
… (mais)
 
Marcado
Michelle.Ryles | outras 6 resenhas | Mar 9, 2020 |
In a novel that amply shows how the journey matters more than the destination, author E. K. Holloway retells the history of England around the time of the Norman invasion, keeping the reader glued to each turn of page and plot. The events appear fresh and new, despite history’s fame, and a huge cast of characters becomes manageable and relatable in the author’s hands. Richly detailed in its depiction of towns and ways of life, unflinching in its retelling of ancient cruelties, and refreshing in its portrayal of honest kindnesses, the novel brings the past to life and reveals surprising relevance to the present.

England, influenced by Viking, Saxon and Celt, proves to have been a surprisingly civilized place, with duty, honor and the rule of law, and an elected king who governs at the choice of leaders representing the whole of the land. It’s a sophisticated system, but human greed and folly are set to betray it. On the horizon a despotic ruler waits to take the reins, and the Battle of Hastings approaches.

The setting is later than Bernard Cornwell’s Saxon Chronicles, and it’s intriguing to see how the land has changed in between. History passes more quickly too, following a large cast through intersecting paths of fate, rather than one man through slowly turning years; so it’s a very different book from Cornwell's novels, but equally enthralling and enjoyable. Highly recommended.

Disclosure: I was given a copy and I offer my honest review.
… (mais)
 
Marcado
SheilaDeeth | outras 6 resenhas | Aug 15, 2019 |
This e-book is a series of short fictions, by various authors, each based on alternative history outcomes for the events of 1066. The stories were rather variable in quality (the 'Roman' one was particularly silly), and between them they only threw up one good idea (that Harold Godwinsson sent the fyrd home and stopped watching for the Normans because he believed that William's excursion to Dives in a storm had finished his invasion prospects).

I am keen on both alternative history and 1066, so snapped this up in a Kindle daily deal, but I wouldn't have wanted to pay more than the £1.99 I actually did for it. Disappointing.… (mais)
 
Marcado
sloopjonb | 1 outra resenha | Jan 30, 2017 |

Listas

Prêmios

You May Also Like

Associated Authors

Helen Hollick Contributor
Alison Morton Contributor
Anna Belfrage Contributor
Carol McGrath Contributor
Eliza Redgold Contributor
Annie Whitehead Contributor
Joanna Courtney Contributor

Estatísticas

Obras
3
Membros
38
Popularidade
#383,442
Avaliação
3.8
Resenhas
10
ISBNs
6