Mark of the Cross: 13th Century Europe

Mark of the Cross, a stand-alone historical novel by Judith Pella, brings medieval Europe to life through an entertaining story. In 1265, Philip de Tollard is a young bastard son of the Lord Hawken, who has provided Philip with education but never acknowledged the illegitimate son as his own. Philip soon meets Beatrice Marlowe, from an estate near Hawken’s lands, and the two fall in love—but Philip will not bring dishonor upon Beatrice and bring another illegitimate child into the world. Without any land holdings, and a low-class job as a groom, Philip has nothing to offer Beatrice anyway. To make matters worse, Lord Hawken’s legitimate son, Gareth, is especially vindictive and cruel, and does everything in his power to keep Philip away; soon Philip is banished from England and becomes a fugitive fighting for his life in France.

The two antagonists, Gareth and his mother, seem a bit exaggerated and unrealistic, more stereotypical than actual people. Some scenes also tend to depict all wealthy people as bad, completely self-centered and scornful of the poor – much like Philip’s brother Gareth. Such characters assist the basic story line, in which Philip becomes hardened and angry at the world. Yet throughout many providential events, Philip survives and finds friends in unlikely people—and thus he grows and learns to trust others. With the few exceptions just noted, though, most of the characters are well-developed.

As always, Judith Pella brings excellent historical research into the story’s background, this time discussing the English rebellion against King Henry III, including the specific battle when the King and then-Prince Edward turned the tide back to their side. The story continues on to the early years of King Edward I, and through the characters we experience all aspects of medieval life – the court in England and the English lords in the countryside, as well as the peasants and thieves of France, and even the Crusades—including the Saracens and several locations in Palestine.

For a book with evangelical Christian emphasis, a story from 13th century Europe obviously does not fit entirely, and so the Catholicism is downplayed – no mention of the many Catholic saints worshipped, purgatory, or sales of indulgences. Yet the story gives the general background and feel (at least those things today’s readers readily associate with medieval Catholicism), complete with monasteries, priests, and devotion to Mary as Jesus’ mother. Mark of the Cross even gives some background details such as what was required to seek asylum in the Church, and the life of monks.

Yet Mark of the Cross excels even more as an entertaining and uplifting story, with likeable characters in great contrast to the two villains. The action moves quickly enough, with plenty of page-turning suspense, as we come to know and love the characters. Through their many experiences and hardships, both Beatrice and Philip grow, and Philip’s friends prove themselves genuine.

God's Hammer: A Story From the Dark Ages

Eric Schumacher’s novel, God’s Hammer, is based on the fascinating true story of Hakon Haroldsson, king of Norway during the 10th century. King Harold Fairhair of Norway sent his youngest son, Hakon, to the court of King Athelstan of England (then called “Engla-lond”), where Hakon was raised and educated as a Christian. Several years later, Harold died and left his kingdom to his eldest son, Eric (known as Eric Bloodaxe). Eric killed his other brothers and ruled cruelly and recklessly. Harold’s friends thus sent messengers to England, to bring young Hakon (now a youth of about 16) back to Norway. Hakon became king and ruled for 25 years (935 – 960), introducing reforms with great success except in one area; Hakon was unable to bring Christianity to the Norse pagans.

The brief account above can be readily learned through online encyclopedias, though with few details. Schumacher brings his great research and knowledge of the Dark Ages into this novel, expanding on the known story with a wonderful “coming of age” account of young Hakon. Taking as its subject Hakon's earlier years, the story is well written and easy-to-read, with a character we can easily relate to--whether as a young, frightened 8-year-old sent far from home, or the teen who would have preferred to stay in England yet recognizes his destiny to rule his own people. We see how the Christian faith was then practiced, though the author makes no external comments, good or bad—the events speak for themselves. Yet in spite of the bad aspects—an official baptism declares someone a Christian, rather than a pagan, regardless of whether the person has even heard the gospel message—the moral and civilizing aspects of Christianity in England clearly strike a contrast with the monstrous, barbaric acts of the pagan Northmen. Through young Hakan’s experiences, we witness his maturing from a rebellious, if sheltered, child, to someone with a tender heart of compassion, truly horrified and sorrowful, when he sees firsthand the barbaric deeds of his own people.

God’s Hammer especially brings out Hakan’s own struggles of conscience: the desire to “fit in” and be accepted by his people, versus his Christian repulsion at the pagan rituals such as wishing on the Yule log, and human sacrifice. As he once tells his young friend, Toralv, he “will not change” his beliefs. Yet time and again he faces a new political reality and must admit the truth of (his counselor) Sigurd’s political savvy.

The historical research clearly shines through, in both the secular and religious aspects of life for the English and the Northmen. God’s Hammer has a good narrative flow, including action and dialogue, with the political / historical backdrop of the time and place: the English, Danes and Northmen. I highly recommend this historical fiction novel, both for its entertaining story and historical information about specific events from a time little known and studied today, the Dark Ages.

Beyond the Sacred Page: William Tyndale's Bible

Jack Cavanaugh’s Beyond the Sacred Page continues his "Book of Books" series, which began with Glimpses of Truth. The previous story told of the Wycliffe translation, in late 14th century England. Now we move forward 150 years, to 1535 and Tyndale’s translation of the New Testament.
It is the well-known time of Henry VIII, and the last year of Queen Anne Boleyn’s life. The Protestant Reformation, begun less than 20 years before in Germany, is the big topic of discussion throughout Europe.

Meg Foxe happens upon one of Tyndale's New Testaments, and finds solace and comfort in its words. The only problem is, the book is illegal, and her husband Pernell is a dedicated heretic hunter. God’s word threatens to divide husband and wife, as it changes each of their lives.

A refreshing change from many historical fiction novels, in which the protagonists are young adults under age 25, Beyond the Sacred Page features not-so-young adults. Though they have no children, Pernell and Meg have been married 15 years, and are now in their 30s and 40s. So the story brings out different themes than the typical young-adult adventure romance. Here we see the marital struggles of trust and communication, and its opposite—deception, secrecy, and the resulting distance in a previously close relationship.

Beyond the Sacred Page includes many historical figures, including Bishop John Stokesley, and members of Henry VIII’s court -- particularly the tragic Anne Boleyn. Through Meg we visit the court, the London Tower, and Anne Boleyn’s execution along with her final words.

Though the story is about William Tyndale’s translation, Tyndale himself is in the background. Brief scenes at the beginning, told from Pernell Foxe’s view, tell of Tyndale’s shipwreck, and his later capture by betrayer Henry Philips. Beyond that, however, we never see or hear from Tyndale, locked away to await his sentence. Instead, the focus is on Tyndale’s work, the New Testament, and its impact on the ordinary men and women of England.

As with the prequel Glimpses of Truth, this novel includes author’s notes, including comments on which parts are historical and which characters real vs. fiction. The sum of the story and these historical notes makes for a great historical fiction story about this often-overlooked yet turbulent period, when the English-language Bible emerged from the Medieval Latin-only time.

Review: The Wolf Hunt

(Forge; 384 pages; 2001) The Wolf Hunt, by Gillian Bradshaw
Reviewed by Lisa Jensen

A scrupulous and compelling work of historical fiction spiced with a dash of fairy tale, this wonderful Gillian Bradshaw novel is in a category of its own—medieval magic realism. Based on a 12^th Century "lay" (or troubadour romance) by French poetess Marie de France, the story presents a fantastical premise—a werewolf story— within the gripping realistic context of the era of the French medieval troubadours in which Marie herself lived and wrote. Bradshaw's novelized version also ponders the very human notions of honor, betrayal, identity and longing that resonate in any era.

The hero of the tale is a Breton huntsman-knight called Tiarnan. A fair-minded lord to his serfs, and a pre-Greenpeace crusader for the environment, he has just one minor flaw to his sterling charactr: he likes to go into the forest on a moonlit night, take off his clothes and morph into a wolf. ("Bisclavet," as they say in medieval French.) His shapeshifting abilities are treated like any addiction; he does it for the rush, the thrill of heightened sensory awareness. And, as is the case with most addictions, he’s tried and failed to kick the habit. But his private passion has unexpected consequences when his silly, scheming new bride and her ambitious former suitor discover Tiarnan's secret. Suddenly, his own future and the fate of his entire estate and all the people who love and respect him are at stake.

Bradshaw's tale is a sly nod to the "Beauty And The Beast" legend. But in this case, a beauty is responsible for transforming the hero into a beast when Tiarnan's angry bride prevents him from shifting back into human shape, forcing him to roam the countryside as a wolf. It's up to a somewhat lesser beauty (but a much more valuable woman) to restore him. Bradshaw ingeniously invents a character named Marie (in hommage to the poetess herself) to quietly assume the role of heroine, but in other respects sticks close to the plot of the original lay. Medieval court life is brought to vivid, robust life, while issues of betrayal, redemption and, yes, love, are beautifully handled. Bradshaw is particularly good with Tiarnan's interior struggle to retain his human identity within the body of a wolf. For readers like moi who had no idea there was even a word for werewolf in medieval French, the very idea is a revelation. It's also an irresistible story that makes for a delightful read.

Lisa Jensen is a novelist, critic, and avid reader of historical fiction. She has been a professional film critic for a Santa Cruz, CA newspaper for 27 years. She also reviewed books for the San Francisco Chronicle for 13 years, where her specialty was historical fiction and women's fiction. Her first novel, THE WITCH FROM THE SEA, an historical swashbuckler, was published in 2001.

Please visit her website at www.witchfromthesea.com

Contact Lisa at lisajensen@sbcglobal.net

Ceridwen of Kilton, by Octavia Randolph

Reviewed by Lauren O'Brien (Reprinted by permission of the author

Ceridwen of Kilton follows the events surrounding Ceridwen, a young woman who has come to live in the village of Kilton after rescuing her husband (part of the Kilton ruling family) from the Danes - the most feared and hated of people in 9th Century England. Gyric, Ceridwen's husband, is the younger son of the Lord of Kilton, and as his wife, Ceridwen has responsibilities to the village. She attends these with care, though you get the impression she is unsure in her position in the village - being something of an outsider. This is the story of Ceridwen's life in the village for about 5 years. We see her love for her husband, maimed by his captors and unfit to take leadership of his home or his people, and his bitterness at his condition. We see passion and anguish in Ceridwen's relationships with the men from her past and present and from her compassion. There is also action a-plenty as the people of Kilton struggle to preserve their homes and lives while supporting the King of England. The characters in "Ceridwen of Kilton" are many and quite diverse, but each is represented with precision and care. These are possibly the most convincing I've come across. Ms Randolph has a rare talent for bringing her characters to life - these are real people. Each character has their own distinct emotions and motivations. Ceridwen, the character we grow to know the best has deep and conflicting thoughts. She has flashes of insight and moments of deep confusion. There are no dramatic flourishes from any of the characters - Ms Randolph has managed to bring the story and the personalities out through small gestures and human emotion. And for me, this subtlety is one of the best aspects of the book.

Another excellently handled area was the historical accuracy. I doubt that a historian would have anything to quibble over with regards to the accuracy. Different from the usual offering of sappy Dark-Age 'historical' tales, this really is a work of art. The interesting, if small conflicts between the church and the people's close Pagan past are handled with intelligence and were down to earth. I was unable to put this book down after the first chapter. I shall certainly be buying the next book in the series and would certainly recommend Ms Randolph as someone to look out for. Full marks all round." -Lauren O'Brien, Hampshire, United Kingdom

http://www.octavia.net contains more information about all Octavia Randolph's fiction and her factual essays about the Anglo-Saxon and Viking eras

John Wycliffe's English Bible Translation: Glimpses of Truth

Though most English-speaking people today take English Bible translations for granted, the Bible was not always available in the peoples' common language. Indeed, the medieval Catholic Church held a tight grip over English peasants, allowing the Holy Scriptures to be printed and read only in Latin: which by the late-fourteenth century was only known by the well-educated, an elite club of Catholic clergy and English noblemen. Into this scene entered John Wycliffe, who made the first translation of the complete Bible into English, a first step towards the later King James Version of the early 17th century.

Yet for many years, English people were persecuted, even killed, for possession of a Bible in English. Such is the setting of Glimpses of Truth, a historical fiction novel by Jack Cavanaugh, set in England of 1384. Thomas Torr, an English peasant and probably the illegitimate son of Lord Harborough, has been educated and now works as a copyist and translator for John Wycliffe. He teaches Felice and her father, Howel, how to write English letters so they can also copy scripture, and soon they are also busy writing scripture verses on pieces of cloth--something so strange that many peasants think the writing a type of magic incantation with power to effect miracles.

Glimpses of Truth effectively captures the spirit of medieval England, showcasing several different characters, both peasants and nobility, in an adventurous story of romance, betrayal, and persecution. The peasants, including a revolutionary named Cale, distrust the authorities, and with good reason. Thomas, raised among the peasants but educated like the nobility, lives alternately among both worlds. Though in love with Felice, he struggles with pride, seeking out great opportunities such as an Oxford education as well as praise from Bishop Pole. John Wycliffe and others warn him to "beware the bishop," but Thomas must learn things the hard way.

John Wycliffe is the only historical character in the story, having a minor part interacting with Thomas and other copyists in Lutterworth, an actual English village in which Wycliffe operated one of his scriptoriums. Thomas, along with his guests Felice and Howel, also witness Wycliffe's last sermon in December 1384, when Wycliffe collapsed, dying a few days later. Reference is also made to the Lollards, itinerant preachers that went about the countryside preaching, reading and teaching Wycliffe's translation to the common folk. Other highlights include entertaining scenes of Christ's Mass, the medieval version of our Christmas, and its customs such as "blind man's bluff" games and the "Lord of Misrule" (in which the people voted one of their own to be the ruler for a day).

The book includes several pages of additional information from the author and another commentator, with explanations as to which parts of the story were historical versus fiction. An overview of English history relating to the translations of the Bible, from Wycliffe's first translation to the one still familiar today, the 1611 King James translation, is also included. As Cavanaugh explains, Wycliffe's translation, though English, was very Latinized, even in its grammar and syntax and when English idioms would have better expressed the words. Thus, Glimpses of Truth includes several parallel versions of scripture that show the original Latin text and the King James English equivalent. The characters also quote from the later translation, for ease of understanding by modern-day readers.

Glimpses of Truth is the first of a series of four books about the early English Bible translations, but the following books have been delayed. The author's second book, Beyond the Sacred Page, is currently in progress and will hopefully be available within the next few months.