A Brother's Oath by Chris Thorndycroft

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Obtained from: Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours

Read: January 17, 2016

Denmark, 444 A.D. Two brothers – the cold and calculating Hengest and the intrepid but headstrong Horsa – find their separate worlds thrown into turmoil by royal treachery and an evil cult thought long dead. Reunited by an oath sworn in their youth, they set off on a journey that will define their destiny and set them upon the path to greatness. When Hengest’s family is kidnapped by an unknown enemy, Horsa knows his oath has become more than a thing of words and he infiltrates the crew of one of the most feared raiders in the northern world to find out who took them. Meanwhile, Hengest struggles to unite his rag-tag group of followers into a united people. His heart yearns for a safe haven for his family; a land that he and his followers can call their own for generations to come. This is the first part of the thrilling saga of the two warriors who spearheaded the Anglo-Saxon migrations to Britain and whose names became legendary as the founders of the land that would one day be called England.

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Hengist and Horsa Landing in England

It isn't often that I receive offers to review books I know absolutely nothing about, but when I do, curiosity usually overcomes inhibition. Something about not knowing sinks into my subconscious and I can't help wondering what new insight the story might afford. Chris Thorndycroft's A Brother's Oath was one such book and threw myself into the narrative as soon as it was made available.

Based on the traditional tales of Hengist and Horsa, Thorndycroft takes his readers back in time to carefully examine the intricacies of a relationship tested by time, distance, and deceit. Rich in detail, the narrative sheds light on an intriguing period of English history. The writing is a light and engaging and while I wish the telling had incorporated more in terms of atmospheric detail, I few complaints over the story's structure. It's a heavily masculine tale, but I think the tone highly appropriate to the subject matter.

I certainly enjoyed the time I spent reading A Brother's Oath and would definitely recommend Thorndycroft's work to fans of both Vikings and The Last Kingdom.

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Passion surged within him, a passion and a lust for life that had been dampened by the cold winter. The shimmer of gold from the ancient sword and the news of his brother - whom he had not seen in twelve years - had rekindled a flame within his soul that was determined to burn free, oath or no.

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Check Out All the Stops on Chris Thorndycroft's A Brother's Oath Virtual Book Tour

Monday, January 18

Review at Flashlight Commentary

Tuesday, January 19

Interview at Flashlight Commentary

Spotlight at A Literary Vacation

Wednesday, January 20

Guest Post at The Writing Desk

Friday, January 22

Character Interview at Boom Baby Reviews

Saturday, January 23

Excerpt & Giveaway at Teddy Rose Book Reviews

Monday, January 25

Spotlight at CelticLady’s Reviews

Tuesday, January 26

Review at Book Nerd

Wednesday, January 27

Excerpt at Let Them Read Books

Friday, January 29

Spotlight & Giveaway at Passages to the Past

The Queen's Physician by Edgar Maass

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Obtained from: Open Library Loan

Read: December 31, 2013

A story about the rise and fall of Count Johann Struensee and his love affair with Caroline Matilda, Queen of Denmark.

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Norah Lofts' The Lost Queen sparked my interest in Caroline Matilda, Queen consort of Christian VII, but the book itself was only mildly satisfying. A pleasant read, it left me wanting something more dynamic, something I could really sink my teeth into which is how I stumbled upon Edgar Maass' The Queen's Physician.

Centered on Johann and his political aspirations, Maass' work is decidedly heavy reading, but I personally think that a good thing. Chock full of bureaucratic intrigue, The Queen's Physician really delves into Struensee's visionary reforms and the enemies he made passing them into law. 

Maass' portrayal of Struensee was another highly appealing aspect of the book. I'll grant the author's interpretation isn't always easy to appreciate and/or admire, but his multifaceted characterization stood in stark contrast to the forgettably dull figure in Lofts' narrative. 

Regulated to supporting roles, the reader enjoys significantly less face time with Caroline Matilda and Christian VII. They aren't weak characters per say, but neither royal makes much of an impression, both paling in comparison to the physician and his revolutionary ideas. 

My only real criticism is Maass' tendency to subject his readers to tedious and wordy exposition. The first half of the novel has great movement and flow, but towards the end, particularly after Struensee's arrest, there is a noticeable shift in the author's tone. It is interesting material in its way, but I didn't feel Struensee's prolonged reflections and inner monologues essential to the larger story. 

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way was intrigue and cabal, a cat-like insinuation into the sources of power and status. Guile won them money and offices. Theirs was the soft approach, an approach that quick as lightning could turn into tigerish assault.

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The Lost Queen by Norah Lofts

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Obtained from: Open Library Loan

Read: November 13, 2013

Princesses are born to be exiled. What is the alternative? Spinsterhood?' Thus the future of Caroline Matilda, youngest sister of George III, was settled - exile to a foreign country, and marriage to a nearly insane Crown Prince of Denmark. Entreatingly prompted by a sense of foreboding, she begged that one of her sisters be sent in her place. But Caroline was the healthiest, the strongest of the English princesses, and as well as being exiled, princesses were meant to be brood mares. Here is the life of Caroline Matilda set against the stark contrasts of 18th century Denmark; the cruelty, poverty and oppression of life under an absolute monarch sinking into madness; and the hatreds and court intrigues that swirled around the young English girl who was Queen of Denmark.

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I can't say Norah Lofts' The Lost Queen will go down as one of my all-time favorite reads, but I will say the book sparked a genuine interest in both Princess Caroline Matilda and the general history of Denmark. A literal blank slate, I knew nothing about this story prior to picking it up, but by the time I'd finished I was consumed with a desire to know more.

This being my first encounter with Lofts, I didn't know what to expect in terms of style and while I quite liked the language, the tone and flow of the narrative were difficult for me to appreciate. Slow and overly drawn-out, I frequently felt a desire to skim ahead. Inexperienced as I am, I can't say if this is characteristic of all Lofts' work, but it is certainly something I'll keep in mind should I attempt another of her titles. 

Lofts' intimate portrayal of Caroline Matilda was initially promising, but the character was ultimately one dimensional. Struensee was similarly disappointingly, wooden and entirely unmemorable. I did, however, like what Lofts did with Christian. I'll grant he is a little over the top, but all things considered, I think that actually worked in her favor as his deepening madness gave dimension to Caroline Matilda's relationship with Struensee.

The Lost Queen offers an interesting glimpse at an oft overlooked affair, but that being said, Lofts certainly played it safe. Like so many authors in this genre, she adds only modest embellishment to the historic record and while I appreciate her dedication to accuracy, I can't say the final product was particularly remarkable.

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She took the paper, read the horrible charge—criminal communication with Count Struensee—and recognized it as the polite, legal term for adultery. She heard again the old Queen Mother's rasping voice ordinary women commit adultery, Queens commit treason.

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The Bridge of Deaths by M.C.V. Egan

Rating: ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆

Obtained from: Crimson Flower Review Team

Read: August 28, 2012

On August 15th 1939, at the brink of World War II, an English plane crashed and sunk in Danish waters. Five deaths were reported: two Standard Oil of New Jersey employees, a German Corporate Lawyer, an English member of Parliament, and a crew member for the airline. Here is a conceivable version of the events.

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*** NOTE: It has come to my attention that The Bridge of Deaths has been re-published since the release of this review. I will not be returning to the piece, but encourage readers to understand the issues I noted may not apply to more recent editions of the novel.

The Bridge of Deaths by M.C.V. Egan presents a lot of challenges to me as a reviewer. I enjoyed the plot and greatly admire Egan's passion, but her style didn’t strike the right kind of chord in me. 

Please don't make assumptions from that comment, Egan is by no means a poor writer. I just don't feel she knew what kind of book she wanted to write when she penned this piece. Were she to have cut the fabricated characters/content and presented the story as a strict nonfiction of either her journey or her grandfather's, I would have issued a much higher rating. Similarly if she had cut down the amount of factual information, lost footnotes, concentrated on one particular plot line, and shown more than she told, I would have enjoyed it more as fiction.  

I feel Egan has talent and vision, but I am convinced her work would be easier to digest if she’d pick an angle and streamline her work along traditional genre lines. 

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"I am swimming. The water is salty and cold, and I am swimming, and I am scared. Someone else had to get out. Someone else has to get out..."

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