HNS Reviews - February 2008
THE CONFESSION OF PIERS GAVESTON
by Brandy Purdy, iUniverse, 9780595455232
Yorkshire, England, 1312. Piers Gaveston sits in Scarborough Castle, waiting for the rescue he knows will never come. Sensing his end is near, he sits down to write the story of his life, a story he knows no one will believe since he is certain to be as reviled in death as he was in life. The story he tells is as different from the histories as night and day: the story of a traumatized and molested child, taught to live by the motto "sex is survival" and use his beauty to keep himself alive; a young man seduced by the Prince, not the reverse, who spends his life in a whirlwind romance he cannot control, caught between Edward's deluge of affection and England's flames of hate.
It is a daring undertaking to humanize one of English history's most despised figures, even within the realm of fiction. Purdy's Gaveston is so opposite from the historical record as to be too perfect--her Piers is a sensitive, philosophical soul, noble and artistic, who laments the honors the king thrusts upon him and chides him to pay attention to his queen. Likewise, her Edward II is an effusive and silly man, often approaching caricature. Nevertheless, her story is engaging and well told, and it accomplishes its goal of setting the imagination to work. History is written by the victor, not the defeated, and different perspectives are fertile ground for storytelling. The story told here is a tragic, theatrical romance, one that entertains as well as posing the central question of fictional biography: what if? How that question is answered is up to the reader.
FRANKENSTEIN'S BRIDE
by Hilary Bailey, Sourcebooks Landmark, 9781402208706
London, 1826. Jonathan Goodall, a young linguist, befriends a brilliant but pensive scientist named Victor Frankenstein. Together they attempt to restore the speech of a mute opera singer, but Frankenstein's strange attachment to the girl at first puzzles and then disturbs his new assistant. Friends and family warn Jonathan not to get too involved with the doctor's work, but no one will explain why. Adding to his disquiet, Jonathan encounters a weird stranger lurking near Frankenstein's home. Soon tragic events occur, and as Jonathan watches his mentor slide into despair and insanity he begins to wonder if the lurking stranger and the seductive singer are connected, and what key they hold to Frankenstein's past. Obsessed with solving the mystery, Jonathan becomes entangled in a web of dark confessions, terrible secrets, and retribution for a great wrong committed not once, but twice.
Interpretive fiction is a controversial genre; unlike other works, FRANKENSTEIN'S BRIDE presents its take on a classic while both respecting the original and retaining its own author's individuality. Bailey takes liberties with characterization and the suspension of disbelief, but the overall result is an intriguing page-turner rather than a watery knockoff. Unlike Mary Shelley's novel there is little philosophy, romance, or gothic terror -- Bailey's sequel is not so much a horror story as a mystery with a creepy climax. This is hindered somewhat since the reader already knows the secret, but our attention is held nonetheless. It's not the original, but it's no pallid exploitation either.
One last note: FRANKENSTEIN'S BRIDE is a short book; the size of the volume is padded by including Mary Shelley's original. Frankly, this is unnecessary. Including the original with a speculative work only magnifies their differences, perhaps doing more harm than good. It would serve the reader best to enjoy both novels separately, which is exactly what this reviewer has done.
NAJILA: A NOVEL
by C.J. Illinik, Kregel Publications, 9780825429071
Najila is the daughter of a Persian Muslim princess and a Byzantine Orthodox diplomat in 11th-century Baghdad. Orphaned at the age of 17, she leaves her childhood home to inherit her father's estate in Constantinople. In this new world many obstacles confront her: the struggles of a female landowner; the integration of two cultures; an unexpected romance; and the decision of which spiritual path to embrace. What follows is a tale of discovery, love, adventure, and faith.
The prose is so ornate as to be flowery; this serves the novel's exotic locales, but at times it weighs down the flow and makes dialogue feel somewhat stilted. Muslim characters are not portrayed in the most flattering light; but then, neither are many of the Christians. However, the historical research is meticulous and the descriptions rich and vibrant; the writer is clearly passionate about her time period and settings, while keeping her plot within genre traditions. For fans of inspirational romance, Najila will be a captivating choice.
A PERFECT TEMPEST
by Susan F. Craft, iUniverse, 9780595377404
Columbia, South Carolina. During the height of Civil War, Deborah Winguard assists her father as a nurse in his lunatic asylum, which also houses patients from the adjacent POW camp. The prison camp is run by a Confederate commander of Scottish birth, Capt. Stephen McPherson, a brash figure who piques Deborah's curiosity. Unable to properly care for so many new patients, Deborah's father enlists the help of a Union doctor incarcerated in the camp. Aided by a racially and economically diverse group, Deborah soon becomes entangled in a scheme to free the officer -- a dangerous plot that tests her loyalties to her family, her country, and her growing feelings for Captain McPherson.
The heroine is described as a Confederate, but throughout the story she behaves more like a Union loyalist, and other characters suffer the same muddled motivations. Nobody owns slaves, nobody resents the enemy (to whom they refer as "Union officers," not "Yankees"), and everyone exhibits a progressive mindset in regard to race, gender, etc. that feels out of place in the context. Stereotypes about any time period are to be avoided, but here the reverse is stretched beyond the suspension of disbelief. The plot wanders in the beginning, leaving the central conflict unclear until nearly the halfway point. Historical information is given through dialogue rather than long passages of exposition, but the dialogue often feels awkward and unrealistic. Readers particularly interested in the time period and setting may enjoy the author's detailed descriptions and information, but those seeking a strong romance or gritty historical thriller may be left unsatisfied.
TI MARIE
by Valerie Belgrave, iUniverse, 9780595440429
Growing up on a plantation in Trinidad, Eléna is sheltered from the war-torn Caribbean of the 1790s, as well as from atrocities against Africans, Indians, and those of mixed race like herself. Still, no matter how liberal Trinidad may be, Eléna is dismayed when she falls in love with a white British aristocrat, Barry Wingate, knowing such a love could never survive outside the protective bubble of her island. As revolution and war suddenly plunge that island into chaos, she realizes that that love – and she herself – may not survive at all.
The melting-pot of races and cultures and the progressive thinking of the characters feels appropriate to the setting, where diversity was vital for survival in an area of radical upheaval. Race issues are not minimalized but instead used to illustrate the times and highlight the conflict. Historical information is given in abundance, but not heavily enough to drown the prose. The plot and subplots are well-developed and interwoven at a steady, exciting pace. Eléna is a little too perfect, a true romance heroine, while Barry is brooding yet sensitive, a true romance hero; but each has enough foibles to make them come alive. The supporting characters are complex and appealing with stories of their own, and the reader roots for them as much as for the protagonists.
Ti Marie was commercially published in the UK and Trinidad and is now published by the author for a US audience. Romance fans will enjoy the exotic setting and the refreshing prominence of characters of color, as well as the passionate love. The romance does not overwhelm the book, however, and readers of Caribbean or military history will find much to pique their interest. This author loves her setting, and it shows.
TUTANKHAMUN'S ARMIES: BATTLE AND CONQUEST DURING ANCIENT EGYPT'S LATE 18TH DYNASTY
by John Coleman Darnell and Colleen Manassa, Wiley & Sons, 9780471743583
Despite the specific title, this book covers more than the short reign of the boy-king Tutankhamun; it is a complete overview of Egyptian political and military history from the ascension of Akhenaten to the rule of Horemhab at the end of the 18th dynasty. Beginning with a lengthy background on the area's history and culture, including those of Egypt's enemies, each chapter focuses on topics ranging from religion to politics to weapons technology, painting a vivid picture of the Egyptian war machine from the proclamations of Pharoahs to the testimonies of common soldiers.
The book is written in a straightforward, accessible style, neither too dry nor too flowery, engaging and personal while still concise and scholarly. The illustrations are well-placed and helpful, never filler, and the structure is suitable for both spot reference and cover-to-cover reading. There is an extensive footnote and reference section for further study. Tutankhamun's Armies is an excellent primer for readers not intimately familiar with the period (like this reviewer), while still offering detailed analysis and insight for the more experienced Egyptologist. A valuable addition to any military history library.
WARRIOR'S BRIDE
by Gerri Russell, Leisure Books, 2007, pb, 325pp, 9780843959840
Douglas "Wolf" Stewart, bastard son of Scotland's king, lives as his father's pawn. The latest command: marry an orphan girl for reasons unrevealed. Wolf intends to disobey, but when he sees the girl he is determined to protect her -- from what, he is not sure. Isobel Grange, abused and abandoned, has been a victim all her life. She carries memories of her mother's madness and her father's cruelty, and a deep fear of her destiny. That destiny is tied to the Stone she carries, a Stone that shows the future -- not only her own, but Wolf's, and perhaps that of the entire kingdom.
Fourteenth-century Scotland is a dark place in WARRIOR'S BRIDE, a place of supernatural powers and bloody betrayals as well as deep passions. The writer tells rather than shows, which is distracting, but the characters are sympathetic and alive, and the plot mixes romance, fantasy, and intrigue. Isobel, spiritless at first, matures into a strong heroine by the end; Wolf, with his checkered past, hides a deeper side of his own. The result is a page-turning historical romance, holding the reader's attention until the unconventional conclusion.