The Saxons

[The Idle Woman]

Dawn wrote: "That is a very new book. My library has it on order so I think it will add it."

It's actually published today. I was lucky enough to get my avaricious little hands on an ARC and have been reading like mad the last few days. ;-)

[Dawn]

I am surprised my library has it ordered already, they are usually only this fast with the bestsellers. It will still take a couple months to get but I'm first on the hold list now. :)

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

I have heard it was fantasy. Is it not? Is the seer element able to be rationalised?

[Dawn]

According to Leanders review, the seer element is really just common sense, not magical.
I am hoping that is true and the summary seems to back that assertion up as well.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

And hopefully it is not YA. :\ Which I also thought it was. Fingers crossed the feel is adult and the writing clever.

[Dawn]

I will find out in a couple months. :)

[The Idle Woman]

Terri wrote: "And hopefully it is not YA. :\ Which I also thought it was. Fingers crossed the feel is adult and the writing clever."

Oh no: not fantasy and not young adult. I guess I should warn Terri that there are some very brief sex scenes but they are important in character formation and (except for one perhaps) not remotely gratuitous - well, in my opinion anyway.

I can understand why you might think it's young adult. The cover is a little misleading in that respect and that was actually part of the feedback I gave on my ARC. It's such an elegant, dignified book that I think it could do even better with a slightly different design. When I picked it up, I was a bit wary about the possibility of YA, but although it's about a child growing up it isn't aimed at children.

And the seer element is rationalised. It definitely isn't fantasy. There are no appearances by the gods and although people speak of spirits and demons this just ties in with what they believe rather than what we are shown to be fact. Hild's prophecies are based entirely on common sense and tracing the patterns between people and in nature - so they grow from her understanding of politics, or where she notices that birds or animals are behaving oddly. Especially as she grows up she finds herself turning events into omens so that the king will listen to her advice.

You can trust me on this. :-D I'm not a big fan of YA and, while I like the odd bit of alternate-universe historical fantasy, I'm generally not keen on fantasy thrown into straight historical fiction. This is neither. Plus, the writing is some of the most lyrical and beautiful I've read in ages.

[Dawn]

Basically that's what I got from your review and the reason I decided to give it a try.

[Mark]

http://archaeology.org/issues/109-131... this was on my facebook feed, fascinating reading.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Leander wrote: "
Oh no: not fantasy and not young adult. I guess I should warn T..."

You are so right. It is that cover. Surely they can only have been trying to lure the adult YA reader as well as the young reader because that cover..well..it actually looks even more children's book than Young Adult.
It is one of those cases where the cover may catch the eye, but it may also lose potential readers. Those readers being the adult reader that it, perhaps, is meant to be written for.

I think the fantasy suspicion that people have also stems from the combination of the seer element and the fact the author won awards for fantasy.

It sure sends off mixed messages. :)

[Mark]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-...

possible saxon kings grave.

[Darcy]

Thanks for that Mark. I read Maureen Ash and while not Saxon, it's set in Lincoln and the Castle features heavily. To think that all the while (many of the characters are real historical figures) there was this unknown corpse under the floorboards.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Not sure if anybody has added these to the thread already. Tim posted this in the What Are You Reading Now thread and I thought we should double it up here.

Tim wrote:
For those interested in Sutton Hoo, the British History Podcast just spent a couple of excellent episodes covering the dig:
http://thebritishhistorypodcast.com/?...
http://thebritishhistorypodcast.com/?...

He also covered the Staffordshire hoard in other fascinating programs.

[Dawn]

I finished Hild and agree with Leander. Wonderful book, not YA and no fantasy.
I get why a few people have shelved it YA, the entire book is Hild's childhood. But it was not a childish story.
I'm thrilled that the author is working on the next part of her story right now. I'm hoping for at least a trilogy.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Maybe I could consider it for a group read poll in the future...if they give a grown up cover. ;)

[Dawn]

7th century Britain would be about perfect for a group read. :)

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

I struggle to find books for the Ancient group read poll - non romance/non fantasy - that are not Viking books that are set in England pre Norman Conquest that our members will be able to source around the world.

Happy to have one to add to the list. :)

[Tim]

Terri wrote: "I struggle to find books for the Ancient group read poll - non romance/non fantasy - that are not Viking books that are set in England pre Norman Conquest that our members will be able to source ar..."

The Sister Fidelma books are set in the 7th century, but mostly in Ireland. There is this one set in Whitby though:
Absolution by Murder

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Yep. I know that series. A series I have long wanted to try, but my library has none and I don't want to buy the series.

[Lia]

An article about Ælfwynn of Mercia.

http://www.medievalists.net/2013/12/0...

[Dawn]

It usually takes me so long to get around to writing reviews that I forget to post a link to the more popular ones.
I finally got around to a review for Hild though: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I highly recommend it, it's in my top 5 books read this year!

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

I really am taken by surprise with this book. It just does not look like the book you are describing. :)
Maybe looks are deceiving in the case of Hild.

[Dawn]

The cover really has nothing to do with the story. It's just pretty and blue. :)

[Lia]

Anglo-Saxon Game Piece Fount at Royal Complex;
http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archive...

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Oh that is so cool. Personal finds always inspire the imagination, but something about game pieces..they are even more inspiring because they are connected to the personal history of every game played and every person who played with them.
They have more stories to tell about the people who sat down and moved it with their finger. talked, drank, ate, discussed politics of the times, marriages, births, deaths etc etc etc...

truly cool find.

[Lia]

It even cooler if scientist will able to find DNA(s). :)

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Hell yes!

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

A quiz from the BBC History Extra website on Alfred the Great.

I'm not sure how I will do in a quiz just on him. I am more 'of the people' than 'of the nobility'.

http://www.historyextra.com/quiz/hist...

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Strike that. That is not a quiz on Alfred the Great. It only has a question on him. They tricked me. :D

[Andy]

Did the Jesse Owens question give it away :)

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

:( It was an instant giveaway.

[happy]

Just what did that quiz have to do with Alfred?

got 7 of 7 with two good guesses

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Some of these quizes are misleading. They make you think they are going to be about a topic, then they only include one or two questions on the topic.
I just did the one on Kings...only two bloody King questions???

[Jane]

How the heck do they come up with the titles for these quizzes?

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

During Friday afternoon drinks at the pub I'd say.

[Darcy]

Probably the pub's name. ;)

[Jane]

Or after they've tossed back a few! :)

[Geoff]

Terri wrote: "Strike that. That is not a quiz on Alfred the Great. It only has a question on him. They tricked me. :D"

A question about a play dealing with Alfred is not really a question about Alfred.

The quiz tricked me as well (and probably everyone else who thought it may have had some connection to Alfred).

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

The Lesson. Don't trust the BBC. ;)

[happy]

:D

[Andy]

Terri wrote: "The Lesson. Don't trust the BBC. ;)"

Been saying that for yearssssssss ;) welcome to our world!

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

hahaha. ;D

[Dawn]

Decided we couldn't loose this quiz in the comment onslaught that is the Random Thought thread:

So if you wanna see how much you know about the origins of english words?? Try it out.

http://www.medievalists.net/2014/07/1...

[Shomeret]

I only got one wrong. My knowledge of French usually allowed me to eliminate the Norman French term.

[Dawn]

I managed 16 right with no knowledge of other languages. :)

[Sceadugenga]

I got 20/20 but I wasn't sure about question #18, but I probably have an unfair advantage being fluent in Italian, having a working knowledge of French, and having dabbled in Old English. It was better than the last few quizzes we've seen though. Thanks Dawn!!

[Dawn]

Very welcome, I believe it was Mark that found and posted the quiz originally. :)

[C.P.]

Medieval historian with some training in linguistics. 20/20. :-D

Fun quiz, but then I would say that, wouldn't I?

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Damn, only 13 right, but should have been 15. I went against my instinct on a couple.

[Simona]

17/20, without thinking too much. I believe it's actually easier if nor english nor french are your mother tongue.