Lord of Sunset

Rating:
Summary: Parke Godwin is tops in historical fiction.
Review: Godwin breathes life into the real-life legend of King Harold of England and his common-law wife, Lady Edith of Nazeing. Harold of Wessex served his father, his family, and the Crown with his vision of a unified England. Both an antagonist of King Edward, who married Harold's sister Eagdytha, and later his strongest supporter, Harold worked towards uniting the lords. As Harold gains power and prestige, one woman stands beside him, his beloved Edith. Forbidden to marry by Church laws, Harold and Edith are married in a civil ceremony which begins twenty years of life together. Twenty years which are threatened by the crowning of Harold after Edward's death, and by the rise of William the Conqueror. On that fateful day at Hastings in 1066, Harold and Edith stand together. Godwin's powerful descriptions allow two legendary lovers to live as normal human beings swept up in the struggles of their times. The background and the relationships are realistic, and after reading this book, you will believe his version. _Lord of Sunset_ is a prequel, without fantasy elements, to _Sherwood_ and _Robin and the King_.

Rating:
Summary: Typically excellent Godwin
Review: Having already and read -- and enjoyed -- Sherwood and Robin and the King, I suspected that I'd like Lord of Sunset. I was not disappointed -- Godwin comes through again with an exceptional historical novel that kept me flipping pages long after I should have turned out the light and gone to bed. What I enjoy most about Godwin is that he makes history come alive with characters who are, at the same time, dreaming big dreams and putting their mark on the world AND dealing with the everyday petty squables and boring routine of their day-to-day lives. The characters plot and dream and scheme and influence the world about them, but they also go to the bathroom and plow fields. This makes them human, which -- for me, at least -- makes them that much easier to identify with. Overall, a wonderful read; I'd give it six stars if I could.

Rating:
Summary: Brilliant!
Review: I own several works by Parke Godwin, but honestly had them placed low on my reading list. Finally, after being motivated by the Valerie Anand trilogy centered around 1066, I delved into this book. WHY DID I WAIT SO LONG?!! Parke Godwin is a masterful story teller. Far from the typical one-sided account of a story, Mr. Godwin takes the reader from one character's perspective to another - told in that character's voice. He brillantly shows his skill by incorporating not only the perspective of the main character, Harold II, but includes the perspectives of Edith (his wife), William the Confessor, Botulf (a servant), William of Normandy, Tostig(his brother), his sister and more. Each one weaves seamlessly into the next so that the story continues to flow and yet separates just enough for you to anxiously await the author's next attempt at that character's telling. It is truly one of the very best books I've read and I'll never part with my copy. RARELY do I read books a second time - this one I will!!!

Rating:
Summary: Confusing and Stilted
Review: I really wanted to enjoy this book because of the subject matter. This critical time period in British history offers many memorable characters. I did enjoy the story being told through the eyes of the different characters but at times I was very confused about exactly who was related to who and how they were related. A genealogical table would have been very helpful. The writing seemed stilted and the relationship between Harold and Edith didn't seem fleshed out enough. Why exactly did he love her? I found the characters of King Edward and his queen Eada must more interesting. Overall, I enjoyed the book but felt more exposition on the characters would have improved the flow of the story.

Rating:
Summary: A lyrical writer, but the treatment falls short
Review: I've studied a fair amount about the Anglo-Saxon period, so I was looking forward to reading "Lord of Sunset" as historical fiction. Regrettably, the novel is more romance than history. I give two stars because the author technically writes well and occasionally rises to lyrical and touching prose. However, the book is too long with too many fuzzy digressions that do not serve much purpose in moving the story forward. The characterizations sound more like 1966 than 1066 with homey family scenes and lots of fretting about things that sound utterly out of place in the violent warrior culture of the time. Moreover, some of the actions simply lack much motivation, making it hard to believe even if you aren't bothered by historical details. Lastly, in terms of shedding light on one of the turning points in British and European history, there's not much here. In the end, read as fantasy/romance, the book may well please the reader. But if you're expecting solid historical fiction that paints a valid portrait of the time or offers intriguing suppositions into its why's and wherefore's, this treatment will likely disappoint.

Rating:
Summary: A lyrical writer, but the treatment falls short
Review: I've studied a fair amount about the Anglo-Saxon period, so I was looking forward to reading "Lord of Sunset" as historical fiction. Regrettably, the novel is more romance than history. I give two stars because the author technically writes well and occasionally rises to lyrical and touching prose. However, the book is too long with too many fuzzy digressions that do not serve much purpose in moving the story forward. The characterizations sound more like 1966 than 1066 with homey family scenes and lots of fretting about things that sound utterly out of place in the violent warrior culture of the time. Moreover, some of the actions simply lack much motivation, making it hard to believe even if you aren't bothered by historical details. Lastly, in terms of shedding light on one of the turning points in British and European history, there's not much here. In the end, read as fantasy/romance, the book may well please the reader. But if you're expecting solid historical fiction that paints a valid portrait of the time or offers intriguing suppositions into its why's and wherefore's, this treatment will likely disappoint.

Rating:
Summary: Fascinating Period of History
Review: Prior to reading this book, I knew very little about the reasons behind the Norman Conquest, and practically nothing about King Edward and King Harold. This was an excellent introduction behind the many characters who forged the history of Great Britain. The author makes these characters come alive, and one of the most fascinating dynamics was the relationship between King Edward and Godwine, and later Harold. While the author does justice to the deep love between Harold and Edith, it doesn't dominate the story. My only complaint, and the reason that I didn't give this book 5 stars was the cursory treatment of the battle of Hastings. All things considered, however, this is a great book for anyone interested in medieval England.

Rating:
Summary: Unbelievably good
Review: This is the first Parke Godwin book I've read, and I must say, he is a MASTER novelist. Certain sentences I read over and over, amazed at his ability to convey meaning. Other reviews said the book plodded along at times, but I didn't see that at all. I couldn't put it down. It was fabulous.

If this book had a flaw, I think it would be that the author didn't really recreate the era. A reviewer of a Sharon Kay Penman book once said, "The characters wear 12th century clothes but think 20th century thoughts". I think that sentiment holds true for this book also. Godwin does a fine job in telling us the story, but he doesn't quite capture the age as well as Zoe Oldenbourg (the world is not enough; the cornerstone) or Dorothy Dunnet (King Hereafter). This novel is arguably a better READ, though.

Speaking of Dorothy Dunnet, if you read Lord of Sunset, you should read King Hereafter next. There is considerable overlap between the two books, and many of the same characters.

All in all, this book was great. I couldn't put it down, and didn't want it to end.

Rating:
Summary: Unbelievably good
Review: This is the first Parke Godwin book I've read, and I must say, he is a MASTER novelist. Certain sentences I read over and over, amazed at his ability to convey meaning. Other reviews said the book plodded along at times, but I didn't see that at all. I couldn't put it down. It was fabulous.

If this book had a flaw, I think it would be that the author didn't really recreate the era. A reviewer of a Sharon Kay Penman book once said, "The characters wear 12th century clothes but think 20th century thoughts". I think that sentiment holds true for this book also. Godwin does a fine job in telling us the story, but he doesn't quite capture the age as well as Zoe Oldenbourg (the world is not enough; the cornerstone) or Dorothy Dunnet (King Hereafter). This novel is arguably a better READ, though.

Speaking of Dorothy Dunnet, if you read Lord of Sunset, you should read King Hereafter next. There is considerable overlap between the two books, and many of the same characters.

All in all, this book was great. I couldn't put it down, and didn't want it to end.