European Royalty discussion
European Royalty Discussions
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What have you read lately?
Misfit - R3, I love it! Where else could you use that and have people understand it (well, except the group devoted to him)?
Sara wrote: "Misfit - R3, I love it! Where else could you use that and have people understand it (well, except the group devoted to him)?"Sara, probably no where else except at the R3 society but I'm not a member so couldn't tell you for sure....
Oh my yes! This forum opened me up to Penman and her Welsh trilogy is the best! ;)Here be Dragons has offically replaced Gone with the Wind as my favorite! After finishing up the Welsh trilogy I read Katherine and it was wonderful! It took me a little bit to get into it and the type was annoying, but it was worth it! A true love story!
I wanted to start Penman's Eleanor trilogy, but I couldn't find it at Barnes and Noble so I ordered them online. I just got When Christ and His Saints Slept yesterday! I'm SO excited to start it!
While I was waiting to get that I started The Fool's Tale A Novel. It's about Maelgwyn ap Cadwallon (king of a small portion of Wales) and it's at the same time that Llewellyn (from Here be Dragons) was attempting to unite Wales against the English.
It's okay so far. I'm not sure how historically accurate it is because Penman's trilogy is the first I've read about Wales. I just loved Penman's Welsh characters so much that I can't stand anyone else's version! LOL! Isn't it funny how an awesome book ruins you in that way? ;)
Misfit, Susan Howatch sounds interesting! In what order did you read her books?
April wrote: "Misfit, Susan Howatch sounds interesting! In what order did you read her books?"Hi April - if you want to read them "in order" of the Plantagenets its Penmarric, Cashelmara and finally Wheel of Fortune. The main stories themselves are completely unrelated to each other so it doesn't matter what order you read them in. I'm just off the emotional high of the relationship in Cashelmara with her version of Edward II, Isabella, Piers Gaveston and Hugh Despenser.
Another thing I like about her is she breaks each book down in four or five "books" and each is told in the first person POV of one of the main characters - gives an interesting viewpoint on the other characters.
I understand Wheel of Fortune takes on Edward III through Henry Bolingbroke and I don't know for sure but one of the POV's is her "John of Gaunt" and his Katherine.
I bought Alison Weirs Eleanor and Isabella books
I enjoyed both of those, Nona.
well I fell in love with the Eleanor cover and Isabella was interesting.
April - Here Be Dragons replaced Gone With the Wind as my official favorite, too! The whole series was amazing. I need to write my review of The Reckoning.
I'm reading Katherine now. I'm only a chapter in, but I like it so far.
I have Plaidy's Catherine on my night stand - it's been there for months! I want to read it, but it keeps getting put aside. I need Sara to tell me how good it is, again!
The Sunne in Splendor should be here soon, I ordered it last week. I can't wait to read it.
April wrote: i>I just loved Penman's Welsh characters so much that I can't stand anyone else's version! LOL! Isn't it funny how an awesome book ruins you in that way? ;)
Oh yes, for eg Mary Renault's Alexnder is IT as far as Iam concerned........
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Mandy wrote: "April - Here Be Dragons replaced Gone With the Wind as my official favorite, too! The whole series was amazing. I need to write my review of The Reckoning.
I'm reading Katherine now. I'm only ..."
Plaidy's Catherine is WONDERFUL!!! Henry VIII seemed so gallant and handsome when he was young. *Sigh* Even I would have married him then! Catherine of Aragon is probably my favorite Jean Plaidy book (and, not sure if you know this, but I happen to be a Jean Plaidy fan). If you can get your hands on her Isabella and Ferdinand trilogy, all the books put together are a great little saga.
I currently reading The House of Medici Its Rise and Fall book and was just discussing it with a friend. Regardless how much European historical fiction I read, the role of Popes never fails to surprise me. Popes were politicians much more than they were messengers of God/Christ. Many had mistresses and illegitimate children; declared wars, and only worked for the gains of themselves and their families. Not even pretending that well to put religion first. Since the Church was a major political body of that time period, I guess it's expected.
This book reads very well for non-fiction and provides a great review or summary of the complete Medici family.
I just finished Pope Joan A Novel and I am almost finished with The Last Queen. Both books have a good bit about Popes/Cardinals/Bishops as politicians.
You remind me that I have a copy of that, Tisha. Have to bump it up the non-fiction pile - it sounds interesting.
I am a huge fan of Plaidy's Catherine, too. The trilogy was the second Plaidy book that I ever read, and it was awesome. Poor Catherine...I just started reading Dissolution (finally!), and even though I'm not a big fan of mysteries, I am really enjoying this book, particularly because of all the Tudor historical references.
I pick up Katherine tomorrow at the library. We are snowed in today, so it's Dissolution instead for the time being. I'm really looking forward to this book.
I really enjoyed all of Sansom's Tudor books that I've read, Sera. There are four of them so far, I think.
Susanna wrote: "You remind me that I have a copy of that, Tisha. Have to bump it up the non-fiction pile - it sounds interesting."Yes, Susanna, you really should!
I am in awe of how many great artists the Medici had first hand relationships with. Michaelangelo, Boticelli, Donatello etc. It's even more impressive they all lived around the same time.
I guess, however, when the Medici are so connected with the origin of the Renaissance and notorious Patrons of Art it's less surprising.
Sara,I DID remember that you're a Plaidy fan...
;)
You talked me into it. I loved Henry VIII at the beginning, too. I probably would have been a groupie, though I hope I would have been smart enough to avoid getting my head chopped off. If I were one of Henry's mistresses/wives, I think I would have been Elizabeth Blount. Seems like she did the best of them all.
Speaking of Henry...
I just read that Joss Stone joined the cast of The Tudors for season 3 - she'll play Anne of Cleves! I was so excited! i love Joss Stone, and Anne of Cleves...
Of course, it's still ridiculous that Johnathan Rhys Meyers is playing Henry when he married her...but I don't mind too much, because he's pretty dreamy...
Anyway -
When I finish Anya Setons Katherine I'll move on to Plaidy's Catherine :)
oh yeah! When does the new season of Tudors start?
Susanna, I'm not a big mystery fan, but I am enjoying Dissolution. It's a little slow, but that's ok. It reminds me of The Alienist. Have you ever read that one?I picked up Katherine at the library today - woot! I can't wait to start reading it.
No, I don't think I have read The Alienist. Sounds interesting, though.In the Sansom books, I'd say the mystery element was stronger in the first and fourth books, and the "atmosphere" in the second and third. But I like all of them a great deal.
Mandy, I didn't realize that Joss Stone acted as well as sang! I still need to finish watching Season 1 of the Tudors (I let my mom borrow it a while ago and she's not done yet). I can't wait to start it back up again though.
Hi Folks - Joss Stone! That should be interesting. Although how could Henry find her unattractive?!! I like Ann of Cleves too; I think she was the luckiest of Henry's wives. She didn't have to sleep with him and she got to stay in England and have her own household instead of being sent back to her seemingly onerous family in Cleves to be married off again. I agree that it's absurd that Jonathan Rhys-Meyers is still playing Henry as a gorgeous young hunk...but he's certainly easy on the eyes. :) Suffolk, to my mind, is even more attractive. So...it does make the mucking about with history easier to bear!
I recently read Innocent Traitor: A Novel of Lady Jane Grey by Alison Weir and I loved it. I had read bits and pieces about her in other books, but I really enjoyed hearing her story. I admire her as an historical figure because of her great conviction, even in the face of death. I also really enjoyed Alison Weir's writing style-- I've also read The Six Wives of Henry VIII and would like to pick up some of her other books.
got one of my Alison Weir books today, Queen Isabella, and can't wait to read it I love to cover art.
Yes, that book really does have a nice cover. Very inviting.
Not very often is the woman in the powerful position in medeival history, ecspecially holding a mans head!
Patricia wrote: "Hi Folks - Joss Stone! That should be interesting. Although how could Henry find her unattractive?!! I like Ann of Cleves too; I think she was the luckiest of Henry's wives. She didn't have to s..."Oh yeah, Suffolk in the Tudors is hot, lol! If I was Mary (or Margaret, whatever they call her in the show) I'd marry him too even if the King would be upset (well, I haven't hit that part in the show yet, so I'm just going off of what I've read).
I agree that Anne of Cleves was the lucky one! Much better to be his "sister" than his wife!
Hi, I'm Lauren. I am a huge historical fiction junkie. I just started When Christ and His Saints Slept yesterday. I am on a big Sharon Kay Penman kick. I have read four of her books since December - the Welsh Trilogy and Sunne in Splendour. My favorite period to read is the Plantagenet period. I am looking forward to meeting everybody!
Hi Lauren, nice to see another Penman fan. She is awesome.
hello Lauren, I think we can all agree that SKP is one of those all time favorite authors, come to think about it I have heard of anyone reading her works and not being impressed.
Count me as a Suffolk fan, too! I'm a sucker for a square jaw and beard stubble.But that's more about me than you wanted to know ;)
Welcome, Lauren!
I'm on an SKP kick, too! Just finished the Welsh trilogy and LOVED it so much I was caught hugging the books in my sleep several times.
Sunne in Splendor is up next for me - but I have a few others that I've been meaning to read for ages that are up first.
Welcome to the group Lauren! I'm so excited that SKP's Here Be Dragons is our next group read. It's been sitting on my shelf for months, so I'm happy to finally get to it.
I can't wait for the discussions to begin on Here by Dragons! I read it last month, but I would read it again with you guys if I wasn't at the end of When Christ and his Saints Slept!
April wrote: "I can't wait for the discussions to begin on Here by Dragons! I read it last month, but I would read it again with you guys if I wasn't at the end of When Christ and his Saints Slept!"Me too! I read Here Be Dragons not too long ago (maybe in December?) and finished the trilogy about 6 weeks ago. It's too soon for me to read it again. Right now I'm reading When Christ and his Saints Slept too. Had I known about the Katherine discussion before starting that one, I would have reread Katherine. I've been wanting to pick it up again!
I'm about half-way through The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory. Loved the book so far.
Susanna, let me know how you like it. I have it sitting on my TBR shelf. I think that this group read it as a group read last year and that the reviews were mixed. Even so, I'm interested to see what you think about it.
I'm about 4-5 chapters into it currently, and much enjoying it.Great cover, too.
Edited to add: I didn't see it on the "books read as a group list," though we did read one of Weir's novels.
I just started Kate Emerson's Secrets of the Tudor Court, The Pleasure Palace. About 50 pages in and pleasantly surprised so far.
Misfit, which book is the better for the two princes that disappeared in the tower. Robin Maxwells or Alison Weir? I just ordered The Kings Grey mare and would like to follow up with her sons, it was hers that were sent to the tower right?
I finished Norah Lofts "The King's Pleasure" about a week ago and I'm now reading her "The Concubine." I've also got Jean Plaidy's "Kathering of Aragon," Suzanne Dunn's "The Queen of Subtleties," and Laurien Gardner's "The Spanish Bride" here to start on next. Can't wait!
Nona wrote: "Misfit, which book is the better for the two princes that disappeared in the tower. Robin Maxwells or Alison Weir? I just ordered The Kings Grey mare and would like to follow up with her sons, it w..."I was slightly disappointed with Maxwell's version of the Little Princes story. It wasn't bad...but I didn't think it was great either.
Nona wrote: "Misfit, which book is the better for the two princes that disappeared in the tower. Robin Maxwells or Alison Weir? I just ordered The Kings Grey mare and would like to follow up with her sons, it w..."Nona, I haven't read Maxwell's book, but I hear its nothing but fluff and speculation. Its been years since I read Weir's book so I can't answer for that either. You might try posting the question over at the R3 group and look for suggestions.
I'm slowly whittling away on
Royal Blood Richard III and the Mystery of the Princes.
I, personally, liked Weir's Princes in the Tower. But it might make more sense read together with her War of the Roses, which I also enjoyed.
well I bought both, half.com had them both in hardcover for under $3 new so why not indulge a little.I've heard that both authors are very biased but I just don't want a story based on total myth, know what I mean? So I'll read Alison Weirs since her book seems to be the better choice, in a few months or years I'll read Maxwells and determine which I like better
Susanna wrote: "I'm about 4-5 chapters into it currently, and much enjoying it.Great cover, too.
Edited to add: I didn't see it on the "books read as a group list," though we did read one of Weir's novels."
Susanna, are you reading her non-fiction book on Elizabeth? We read her novel The Lady Elizabeth as a group, so that may be where some confusion may be coming from. It's hard when these authors change genres on us and write about the same people!
Susanna wrote: "I, personally, liked Weir's Princes in the Tower. But it might make more sense read together with her War of the Roses, which I also enjoyed. "I also liked her Princes in the Tower book. I'm easily led either way with Richard - I read Weir, I think one way, I read SKP and others, I think another.
European Royalty
Books mentioned in this topic
The Book of Royal Useless Information: A Funny and Irreverent Look at the British Royal Family Past and Present (other topics)Katherine (other topics)
Queen of the North (other topics)
Victoria and her daughters (other topics)
The Heir Apparent: A Life of Edward VII, the Playboy Prince (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Noel Botham, Bruce Montague (other topics)Alison Weir (other topics)
Alison Weir (other topics)
Alison Weir (other topics)
Jean Plaidy (other topics)
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Nona, I call that upsetting my reading apple cart. Susan Howatch being the latest author to do that to me. On top of an excellent multi-generational family saga, she adds the twist of paralleling her characters with those of the Plantagenets. Penmarric was great, but Cashelmara which parallels Edward II, Isabella and Despenser, oh my. Review coming this weekend after I've finished it, I'm dying to see how Howatch deals with Edward II's alleged demise.
Sera, Penman is fabulous. I know I've said it before somewhere, but one of her strong suits is taking the most difficult periods in medieval history and putting them into a novel that not only entertains, but turns that light bulb on in our brains so we understand it all. I never fully understood the Civil war between Stephen and Maude until I read When Christ and His Saints Slept and it has greatly enhanced my appreciation of other books set in that period.
Her book on R3, IMO I've not yet found one that comes close. Still waiting on Brian Wainwright to finish his though - he might do it.