Check out M J Porter's fabulous book — The Last King: England — The First Viking Age (The Ninth Century Book 1) @coloursofunison

 

The Last King: England

The First Viking Age

(The Ninth Century Book 1)

By M J Porter

They sent three hundred warriors to kill one man. It wasn’t enough.

Mercia lies broken but not beaten, her alliance with Wessex in tatters.

Coelwulf, a fierce and bloody warrior, hears whispers that Mercia has been betrayed from his home in the west. He fears no man, especially not the Vikings sent to hunt him down.

To discover the truth of the rumours he hears, Coelwulf must travel to the heart of Mercia, and what he finds there will determine the fate of Mercia, as well as his own.

 

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The Last King

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M J Porter

 I'm an author of fantasy (Viking age/dragon themed) and historical fiction (Early English, Vikings and the British Isles as a whole before the Norman Conquest), born in the old Mercian kingdom at some point since AD1066. I write A LOT. You've been warned!

 

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Book Review: Astrolabe by Jay S. Hipkins

 Astrolabe

By Jay S. Hipkins

Astrolabe is the story of a young man who came from a scholarly family. His mother and father were two of the most noted people in early twelfth-century Paris. This novel delves into his troubled youth and is a completely fictional account of a character we know very little about.

Anyone who has studied the middle ages is familiar with the story of Abelard and Heloise. For a couple that lived over nine hundred years ago, we know a surprising amount of information about this famous couple. However, what ever happened to Astrolabe, the child of their love – the cause of their “misfortunes?” The answer is – no one really knows.

Other than a few scant references to him, he disappeared completely in the annals of history. He may or may not have joined a religious order, according to one later account of him, but other than that, we know absolutely nothing about the mysterious child of Abelard and Heloise.

Before you now is his story as I have imagined it. The action within this novel takes place in and around Paris, France sometime in the mid-1130’s.

 

 

“It matters nothing to me whether or not you remember my name…”

 

Astrolabe had grown up in the shadow of his parents. Parents whom he could not remember and whom he only communicated with via letters – but everyone else had heard of them, for their love had been a scandal. They were sinners, noble ones, but sinners all the same.

 

Determined to find a purpose to his life, Astrolabe must decide what kind of man he wants to become. Does he want to become like his friend, Robert de Langton, who spends his nights in a house of ill repute, indulging in the pleasures of the flesh? Or perhaps he could become like his cousin, Vassadelle, who gave alms to the poor every Sunday but refused to see the poverty around her on any other day of the week.

 

But Astrolabe is neither his friend nor his cousin. As both Robert and Vassadelle lose their way, Astrolabe finds his in the most unexpected of places…

 

Astrolabe by Jay S. Hipkins is the story of one young man’s quest to find a place for himself in a world that is as beautifully confusing, as it is enlightening.

 

I found the portrayal of Astrolabe endlessly fascinating. Although Astrolabe often mocks the scholars, he is a man of understanding and a seeker of knowledge. He pursues answers the way Aristotle did – he at first observes and then applies abstract reasoning to back up his conclusion. Astrolabe sees every detail in the world that surrounds him, and unlike others of his class he sympathises with the poverty-stricken poor. However, he has no real understanding of them, and because of this, he sometimes blunders most embarrassingly as he tries to bring them comfort and charity. Nevertheless, his mistakes do not deter him from seeking what his soul demands of him. He cannot unsee what he has seen, and yet, he understands his limitations — Astrolabe is under no illusion that he can end poverty, but if he can help, even in the smallest of ways, he will do his very best. His empathetic nature is a direct contrast to his aristocratic upbringing and at times, the two conflict most dreadfully. However, Astrolabe is also no saint, especially at the beginning of this book, and his actions, or inactions when a response was required, demonstrates his youthful desire to be accepted by his peers. Hipkins has therefore presented his readers with a deeply flawed character, but yet a strangely virtuous one. By doing so, Hipkins reminds his readers there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to assessing one’s virtue because different behaviours are honourable in different situations. As one learns and grows, the things that one might have found acceptable are no longer tolerable, and this is undoubtedly true in Astrolabe’s case. I thought Astrolabe’s depiction was fabulous and incredibly real in the telling.

 

Philosophical debate has a significant role to play in this story, and many of the conversations, if not all, turn into a discussion about ethics, and religion. At times, this did slow the story down a little, but the conversations are fascinating, and they do have their roles to play in the development and growth of Astrolabe’s character. Likewise, they showed the deeply contrasting attitudes of the wealthy and their ideas of what it meant to be poor. Vassadelle looks upon the poor with disgust, and she cannot understand why Astrolabe finds them so incredibly fascinating. She fails to see them as fellow human beings. Their poverty is repugnant to her, and there is nothing that anyone could say that would change her mind. Likewise, Robert enjoys the position of power that his wealth means he has, and he delights in terrorising those whom he considers below him in all things. What Astrolabe sees and his friends do not, is there are no fundamental differences between the haves and the have-nots – they are the two faces of the same coin, which is why he feels so moved to help in any way he can. And it is also why, despite ample opportunities, he remains utterly incorruptible.

 

There are some disconcerting scenes in this book, but there are also lighter moments that youth, and all its opportunities for those with money, provided. One could say that this is a novel of both light and darkness. We are introduced to a sleazy house of pleasure and all of the corruption that such a place encourages, but Hipkins takes great pains in showing that even in such a place, goodness, innocence and beauty can still be found.

 

I thought this book was an utterly enthralling read, and the narrative was eloquently alluring. There are also some fabulous plot twists as well that help to keep the reader engaged. Astrolabe by Jay S. Hipkins is certainly a novel that deserves to be read again and again. 

 

I Highly Recommend.

 

 

 

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Astrolabe

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Jay S. Hipkins

 

Jay (1968-2018) was born in Worcester, Massachusetts. He published his first collection of stories, An Ocean of Stories: Tales & Sketches, in 2014. 

He published his first novel, Astrolabe, in 2018.

 

Book Review: Drake - Tudor Corsair (The Elizabethan Series Book 1) By Tony Riches

 

Drake - Tudor Corsair

(The Elizabethan Series Book 1)

By Tony Riches

 

1564

 

Devon sailor Francis Drake sets out on a journey of adventure.

 

Drake learns of routes used to transport Spanish silver and gold, and risks his life in an audacious plan to steal a fortune.

 

Queen Elizabeth is intrigued by Drake and secretly encourages his piracy. Her unlikely champion becomes a national hero, sailing around the world in the Golden Hind and attacking the Spanish fleet.

 

King Philip of Spain has enough of Drake’s plunder and orders an armada to threaten the future of England.

 

 

‘Do you have any idea, Captain Drake, of the difficulty your adventuring,’ he made the word sound disparaging, ‘causes your country?’

 

He may have had an inkling, but El Draque was not quite finished with his game of cat-and-mouse with the Spanish. And besides, he had the Queen’s favour, and there were still kingdoms to be discovered and treasures to be claimed, or taken, whichever came first was of no consequence.

Sir Francis Drake had salt running through his veins, and he never felt more alive as he did when he was sailing in uncharted waters. The money and the fame were an added incentive to leave the safety of the harbour and the woman he loved.

 

However, despite his success, despite his rise in station, Sir Francis would never quite be one of them. For the aristocracy had very little patience with this Devon nobody.

 

But when England’s sovereignty is threatened, it will take more than a stirring speech from the Queen, to deter Spain’s Great Armada. What England will need is her greatest Naval officer…

 

From a young man’s dream of adventure to the making of one of the most infamous naval officers of all time, Drake - Tudor Corsair (The Elizabethan Series Book 1) by Tony Riches is the utterly enthralling rags-to-riches story of Sir Francis Drake.

 

I was so looking forward to reading this book, not only because Tony Riches is one of my favourite Historical Fiction authors, but because I have never come across a book in which Sir Francis Drake does not take second place to the illustrious Virgin Queen, Elizabeth I. Drakes story is one that has been overlooked for far too long, and I am glad that Riches has decided to give his readers an insight into this man’s life, and also an insight into what life was like for sailors during this age of discovery.

 

With lavish attention to detail and a historical appreciation of the period, Riches has given his readers a book that is rich in historical detail. His understanding of the political landscape of the period is etched within the most exquisite sentences. We witness the taut relationship between England and Spain who spend the entirety of this novel, either trading with each other, stealing from each other, and finally, of course, going to war with each other. Likewise, Riches understands the workings of these greatly majestic sailing ships that paved the way for exploration, exploitation, and the expansion of an empire. No one could have written this book with more emotion, passion, excitement, and historical accuracy than Riches has.

 

The sweeping narrative, the poetic prose and the vivid sense of time and place made this story not only a gripping read, but it really did feel like I had been transported back in time. The setting was so vivid that I fancied I could feel the rolling deck under my feet. I could hear the splash of the waves as it crashed against the bow of the ship. This is a book that fooled my senses into believing that what I was reading was actually happening, and that is something that I always look for in a novel. I want to not only read a great story, but I also want to experience it, and Riches has delivered such a book, as he always delivers. I did not read this book — I lived it! 

 

Riches has given his readers a very insightful, sincere portrayal of Sir Francis Drake. In this story, Drake is astoundingly ambitious, and this ambition is what drives him to achieve the wealth and recognition that he so desires. In a period where breeding and bloodlines meant everything, Drake must have been like a breath of fresh air, or perhaps more a hurricane to the ordered court of Elizabeth I – how could she have not been drawn towards this charismatic figure who went where angels feared to tread? As history tells us, Drake came from nothing and died a celebrated hero. And yet, despite his success, and despite his fame, he still wanted to be admired by the aristocracy, even though he knew that he would always be looked down upon, and this Riches has explored in mesmerising detail.

 

However, Riches’ Drake is also something of a contradiction — despite his pirating tendencies, he does not agree with stealing lives and abhors slavery. Likewise, he is more than happy to blackmail and coerce his opponents into doing what he wants them to, but then there is an entirely different side to him that feels guilt, responsibility, compassion and love. Riches’ Drake may act a good game, but underneath the façade, he is, despite appearances, a man of integrity. I thought these contradictions made for some fascinating reading, and I really felt that I had gotten to know a little about the man behind the legend.

 

If you are looking for your next Tudor fix, then look no further. Drake - Tudor Corsair (The Elizabethan Series Book 1) by Tony Riches is a novel that will enthral you with its brilliance and leave you gasping for more. My only question now is – which historical character will Riches pick to shine a light on in The Elizabethan Series Book 2?

 

This novel is a definite must, not only for those who enjoy quality Historical Fiction set in the Tudor era but also for those who adored C. S. Forester's unforgettable Hornblower series.

 

I Highly Recommend.

 

 

Pick up your copy of

Drake - Tudor Corsair

Amazon UK • Amazon US • Amazon CA • Amazon AU

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Goodreads

 

 

Tony Riches

 

Tony Riches is a full-time UK author of best-selling historical fiction. He lives in Pembrokeshire, West Wales and is a specialist in the history of the Wars of the Roses and the lives of the early Tudors. Tony’s other published historical fiction novels include: Owen – Book One Of The Tudor Trilogy, Jasper – Book Two Of The Tudor Trilogy, Henry – Book Three Of The Tudor Trilogy, Mary – Tudor Princess, Brandon – Tudor Knight and The Secret Diary Of Eleanor Cobham. For more information about Tony’s books please visit his website tonyriches.com and his blog, The Writing Desk and find him on  Facebook and Twitter @tonyriches