Historical Fiction Books

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis'One hell of a fine book' Conn IgguldenCAN THE GREATEST WARRIOR OF THE AGE AND A LOST ANGLO-SAXON TREASURE BE UNITED IN TIME TO RESCUE CONSTANTINOPLE?With an Ottoman army at the gates and Constantinople set to submit, Luke Magoris must make an epic journey across a continent to the ancient city of Samarcand to approach the last hope for the Byzantine world; the Mongolian conqueror Tamerlane. Luke, torn away from the woman he loves and all he knows, is trained as a Mongol warrior to impress Tamerlane and his army before joining his fellow Varangian guards, descendants of the men who once brought a vital treasure out of Constantinople. It is this treasure, some say, that can still save the empire - uniting the Christian churches of the east and west in one final triumphant crusade to smite the Ottomans. Set against the vast backdrop of the Anatolian plains, this is a powerful and enthralling historical novel, full of vivid characters, compelling mystery and sensational battles.Trade ReviewA stirring tale of the struggle for Byzantium. Heneage brings to life both the tragedy and theheroism - Tom HollandFascinating historical mysteries and vivid colourful characters. It's a page-turner fast enoughto make its own breeze - Conn IgguldenA compelling narrative of intrigue, love and war - The Bookseller

Read more less

Book Synopsis'One hell of a fine book' Conn IgguldenROME NEVER FELL. IT BECAME BYZANTIUM.AS OTTOMAN FORCES INVADE, ONE MAN MUST DEFEND HIS COUNTRY AND FACE HIS OWN PERSONAL DESTINY...A rich tale of clashing empires and trade wars, lost treasure and tempestuous love in an age when the fate of the world hung on the survival of Byzantium, the hinge between east and west. Luke Magoris, a descendant of the princes of England, is a man with a rare talent for war and trade. To him falls the overwhelming task of defending his beloved Mistra against the rampant Ottoman forces.Trade ReviewFascinating historical mysteries and vivid colourful characters. One hell of a fine book * Conn Iggulden, bestselling author of Wars of the Roses *A stirring tale of the struggle for Byzantium, Heneage brings to life both the tragedy and theheroism * Tom Holland *A compelling narrative of intrigue, love and war * Bookseller *An electrifying historical novel * Good Book Guide *

Read more less

Book SynopsisUlfar and his highborn cousin Geiri have one last stop on their long journey - but the Viking town of Stenvik is filled with dangerous men: a 'brutal, bloody book' (MARK LAWRENCE on Goodreads), a riveting adventure of clashing Viking powers.Ulfar Thormodsson was tasked with taking his highborn cousin Geiri on a tour of the kingdom, punishment for after disgracing his father. After two bitterly uncomfortable years on the road, he just wants to go home.'Highly recommended' (The Eloquent Page) 'powerful epic fantasy series crammed full with Vikings' 'Historical Novel SocietyBut the last stop, the walled town of Stenvik, is different: it contains the mysterious blacksmith Audun, who just wants to be left alone, and the beautiful Lilja, who immediately captures Ulfar's heart - but Stenvik is also home to some very deadly men, including Lilja's brutal husband, who could break Ulfar in an instant.And Stenvik is about to become the battleground in deadly war between the old gods and the new: King Olav is bringing the White Christ to the masses at point of sword and edge of blade - while a Viking horde led by a mysterious woman is sailing from the north.Ulfar and Audun are about to learn that their enemies are not all outside the walls - and blood will wash the land . . .Trade ReviewThere's more to Vikings than beards, blood, and axes - Snorri Kristjansson gives you the whole package. * Mark Lawrence, bestselling author of Prince of Fools *[A] rousing Viking-themed historical fantasy . . . Kristjansson's sprawling cast of colorful characters and eye for historical detail lend this story gratifying verisimilitude * Publishers Weekly *Very engaging - very vibrant and realistic . . . an action-filled book with a heart-stopping plot and adrenalin-fuelled battle scenes. 9.8/10 * Fantasy-Faction *The world feels real and lived in . . . Kristjansson's humour is woven throughout the book in subtle, yet fantastic ways . . . just about everything you'd want in an epic fantasy novel. an almost unforgettable Viking saga . . . Kristjansson is a force in the genre to be reckoned with. * Bookworm Blues *A debut novel [that] has blown me away. The writing is so self-assured, I was gripped from beginning to end. I'm a little bit in awe, but rest assured I'll be keeping an eye out for this author's next novel.Highly recommended * The Eloquent Page *Very much in the vein of David Gemmell, it's a Viking fantasy with a style not unlike Joe Abercrombie. The prose is quick, accomplished and action-packed. The actual action sequences here are literally breath-taking . . . Swords of Good Men would make a brilliant action film * Wilders Book Review *Fans of Gemmell will devour Kristjansson's books * Spec on Spec Fiction *The characters are so realistic and captivating - recommend it to anyone who likes to read a good Viking story. * Night Owl *Kristjansson's writing was very similar to Nathan Hawke's and David Gemmell's - there is no fluff. But, more like Hawke than Gemmell, Kristjansson writes the violence with gory detail, making the action very fun to read - the kind of stuff you'd see on History's new show, Vikings * A Bitter Draft *A cracking yarn, (one that would make a great movie), filled with enough to satisfy any fan of Vikings and their mythology. The battle scenes are a beauty to read; chaotic, frenetic, gory, and not always with the expected outcome, they should appeal to fans of heroic fantasy . . . leaves the reader hungry for more * Starburst *Sets a scorching pace, is packed with breathtaking action scenes, throws some unexpected twists in there and ends with a spectacular battle and an ending I didn't see coming. A strong debut that will please fans of Vikings, mythology, strategy and action * Draumr Kópa *He keeps the action pretty tight, gruesome and bloody . . . great characterization and an interesting world . . . Snorri Kristjansson has pulled off a great feat with his writing * The Book Plank *Kristjansson's characterisation is outstanding. If you like David Gemmell, you'll also like Kristjansson . . . He's not scared of a body count, and he's not afraid of a good old-fashioned cliff-hanger. His characterisation and world-building are hard to fault, and the clash of Gods within the novel is captivating * Zoe Markham *If you like historical fiction and if you LOVE your battles and blood - may the ending surprise you as much as it did me * Fantasy Guide *A raucous and gripping adventure * ZVAB.com *There are plenty of excellently realised and memorable characters here. There are warriors and witches and where there are warriors and witches, there will be warfare. There are axes, broadswords and narrow escapes. Swords of Good Men is just about everything you could possibly want and then some, from a novel about the Vikings . . . this IS different. It's powerful, wonderfully imagined and presented and I've got to admit; it feels like the real thing * Speesh Reads *A decent, bloody, action-filled fictional Viking story. It has plenty of interesting elements: Old Gods and superstition, the White Christ and black magic, berserkers and assassins,raiders and outlaws, healers and poisoners, blood and longships . . . you get the picture * The Half-Strung Harp *A brilliant, fast-paced début . . . Snorri Kristjansson brings something amazing to the tapestry of modern fantasy fiction - the events, characters and world will stay with you whenever you're not reading. A perfect book to pick up if all your fantasy fiction reads have started to feel like variations of the same book. * Spec On Spec Fic *An impressive debut and an engrossing tale that really shouldn't be missed. Recommended. * Speculative Book Review *A blood great Viking tale. Snorri manages to construct an amazing fantasy novel which sets up a hopefully long series. Not for those afraid of blood (or Christians). * Pip’s Book Reviews *A fabulous debut and a gripping read, which I enjoyed so much I found myself putting off reading the final pages because I didn't want it to end. More please! * Fantastical Librarian *A blistering debut novel. The Valhalla Saga quickly had me hooked . . . the mix of Viking lore, war and sorcery very appealing. * Geek Planet Online *A terrific novel. If I had to sum it up in one word, that word would be "visceral". Kristjansson doesn't pad his book with fluff. In less than 300 pages, he manages to pack more story in than most writers. The battle scenes are choreographed with an eye to detail while still keeping the big picture in focus. You can hear the clang of iron on shield and the screams of the dying, feel the grip of the weapon slick with blood, smell the gore and offal, and experience the fear and betrayal. * Adventures Fantastic *There is a lot of politics, gore, religious debate, love, and much more. A complex and page-turner of a plot. It's brutal and bloody and gritty! It rules! If you like action, Vikings, a bit of blood, a slight spot of magic and complex plots, then get a hold of this. * Book Geek Says *'A blistering debut novel ... the mix of Viking lore, war and sorcery very appealing' Geek Planet Online. * Geek Planet Online *'A fabulous debut and a gripping read ... I didn't want it to end' Fantastical Librarian. * Fantastical Librarian *'A very interesting and exciting story that was hard to put down. 5 stars!' Night Owl Sci-Fi. * Night Owl Sci-Fi *'An action-filled book with a heart stopping plot and adrenaline fuelled battle scenes. 10 stars' Fantasy Faction. * Fantasy Faction *'An impressive debut and an engrossing tale that really shouldn't be missed' Speculative Book Review. * Speculative Book Review *'It's something new both stylistically and subject-wise (fantasy-lite Vikings written by one of their descendants), and certainly if your fantasy reading is starting to feel a bit samey you should give this one a go' Mark Lawrence, author of Prince of Thorns. * Mark Lawrence *

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn this epic new entry to The Valhalla Saga, blood will be spilled, bonds will be tested and long-buried secrets will be revealed . . . Ulfar Thormodsson and Audun Arngrimsson survived the battle for Stenvik, although at huge cost. They have suffered much worse than heartbreak: they have lost the very thing that made them human. Their mortality. While Ulfar heads home, looking for the place where he thinks he will be safe, Audun runs south. But both men are about to discover that they cannot run away from themselves. King Olav has left the conquered town of Stenvik in the hands of his lieutenant so he can journey north, following Valgard in the search for the source of the Vikings' power. And all the while older beings watch and wait, biding their time. There are secrets yet to be discovered . . . 'Fans of David Gemmell's work should feel right at home with this one' Starburst Magazine Trade ReviewA frenetically fast fantasy novel ... which due to its originality easily rises above the crowd * Upcoming4me *Fans of David Gemmell's work should feel right at home with this one * Starburst Magazine *With Blood Will Follow Snorri Kristjansson has really outdone himself . . . Bring on the next, I am hooked * Book Plank *Kristjansson delivers another gripping read, proving he knows how to weave a tale that will enthrall his readers * A Fantastical Librarian *A perfect middle book for a trilogy . . . These books are really rather spiffing and do indeed make Vikings seem like real men and not just a part of history that you learn about in school * Book Geek Says *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe epic conclusion to The Valhalla Saga, perfect for fans of Vikings and The Last Kingdom.Reunited, Audun and Ulfar have a new sense of purpose: to ensure that the North remains in the hands of those who hold with the old gods. To do this, they must defeat the people who seek to destroy all they have ever known with the new White Christ. But these are powerful enemies and if they have any chance of victory, they must find equally powerful allies. In Trondheim, King Olav, self-appointed champion of the White Christ, finds that keeping the peace is a much harder test of his faith than winning the war. With his garrison halved and local chieftains at his table who wish him nothing but ill, the king must decide how and where to spread the word of his god. And in the North, touched by the trickster god, something old, malevolent and very, very angry stirs . . .'Fans of David Gemmell's work should feel right at home with this one' Starburst Magazine Trade ReviewThere's more to Vikings than beards, blood, and axes - Snorri Kristjansson gives you the whole package * Mark Lawrence, bestselling author of Red Sister *Fans of David Gemmell's work should feel right at home with this one * Starburst Magazine *Path of Gods provides a worthy final stop filled with heart-warming revels and blood curdling showdowns . . . If you haven't done it by now, do yourself a favour and get the entire trilogy - it's truly unique * Upcoming4me *It's fun, and this book is a mix of fiction and mythology. A great mix that works * Books For Life *as awesome as the other two, but if possible, even more epic * Book Geek Says *The finisher the series deserved . . . The Valhalla Saga has definitely marked Snorri Kristjansson as an author to watch * The Book Plank *A frenetically fast fantasy novel ... which due to its originality easily rises above the crowd * Upcoming4me on Blood Will Follow *Very much in the vein of David Gemmell, it's a Viking fantasy with a style not unlike Joe Abercrombie. The prose is quick, accomplished and action-packed. The actual action sequences here are literally breath-taking . . . Swords of Good Men would make a brilliant action film * Wilders Book Review *Fans of Gemmell will devour Kristjansson's books * Spec on Spec Fiction *

Read more less

Book Synopsis1945. The Second World War has gone on too long. Shops are closed 'for the duration'. Trains run a restricted service 'for the duration'. Life has paused, for the duration. A little girl, Pamela, is growing up fast. A young Englishman, Rupert Blundell, vows there'll be no more wars. Both are waiting for their lives to begin. Then comes Hiroshima. Finally, devastatingly, the war is over. 1962. Rupert is now strategic advisor to Lord Mountbatten, and his close confidant. Pamela is eighteen and has moved to London, eager for love and experience of every kind. There'll be parties at Cliveden, Christine Keeler, Stephen Ward, the Astors. Life is a whirlwind. But beneath the glamour lies quiet, desperate terror, as the Cuban missile crisis unfolds and the world spins ever closer to nuclear war. Reckless is a gripping novel set against the world in crisis, by a superb novelist at the height of his powers.Trade Review'An explosively interesting novel I found hard to put down' Wendy Holden, Daily Mail. * Daily Mail *'Effortless brilliance' Daily Express. * Daily Express *'Nicholson draws his narrative strands together in a most entertaining fashion' The Times. * The Times *'Nicholson is excellent at dialogue and his eye for period detail is almost as good' Spectator. * Spectator *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThere is one great love in everyone's life. For Ducky, Princess Victoria Melita, hers was a Romanov cousin, a member of the doomed Russian royal family. Her father is Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, Queen Victoria's second son. Her mother is Grand Duchess Marie, the daughter of Tsar Alexander II. Ducky seems doomed to be a pawn on her grandmother's dynastic chessboard.But Ducky is not so easily controlled. In an era when death is considered preferable to divorce she fights for the freedom to be with the true love of her life. From disgraced exile in Paris to the glitter of St Petersburg and the mud and carnage of the Eastern Front, she forges her own path.As Russia descends into the chaos of 1917 and the Romanov dynasty falters, Ducky is right at the heart of events.Exiled once more, she tells us her story.Trade ReviewLiterary treats don't come much better . . . I loved this book and didn't want to reach the end * Daily Mail *A fascinating glimpse into a vanished world * Sunday Times *An engaging and entertaining read * The Lady *

Read more less

Book SynopsisLondon, the 1880s, and Jack the Ripper is at large. Two childhood friends meet again having found very different fortunes in the fog-bound, Ripper-stalked streets of Victorian London. Plain but witty Dot is a music hall star; pretty Kate (Eddowes, a true-life Ripper victim) has fallen on hard times.'Poignant and unsentimental, Dot's whipllash humour had me cheering' DAILY MAILWhen star of London's Victorian music hall, Dot Allbones, bumps into her childhood friend Kate Eddowes outside the Griffin theatre in Shoreditch, it's a blast from the past. The two grew up together in the Midlands, but life has treated them very differently since then.Told through the eyes of the irreverent Dot, this is the story of a London populated by chancers, some rich, some destitute. During one hot summer in the 1880s Whitechapel famously became the scene of unspeakable horror, and Kate Eddowes found a grisly fame that would far outshine Dot's.Because out there, in the stews of East London, Saucy Jack is sharpening his knife . . .Trade ReviewPoignant and unsentimental, Dot's whiplash humour had me cheering * Daily Mail *The sheer panache with which Graham conjures up the era's music halls ... is particularly appealing and the author is to be congratulated on creating a story in which, for once, a victim of the Ripper rather than the East End bogeyman himself takes centre stage * Sunday Times *[Graham's] strength is the voice of her narrator, Dot ... a wonderful companion * The Times *Another gem from the should-be-bigger-than-Jesus Laurie Graham * Red Magazine *

Read more less

Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE MAN BOOKER PRIZE WINNER OF THE COMMONWEALTH WRITERS' PRIZEA BBC2 BIG JUBILEE BETWEEN THE COVERS READLondon, 1806. William Thornhill, happily wedded to his childhood sweetheart Sal, is a waterman on the River Thames. Life is tough but bearable until William makes a mistake, a bad mistake for which he and his family are made to pay dearly.His sentence: to be transported to New South Wales for the term of his natural life. Soon Thornhill, a man no better or worse than most, has to make the most difficult decision of his life.Trade ReviewAn outstanding study of cultures in collision . . . a chilling, meticulous account of the sorrows and evils of colonialism . . . Kate Grenville is a sophisticated writer * * Guardian * *Splendidly paced, passionate and disturbing * * The Times * *This is a novel everyone should read * * Irish Times * *A vivid and moving portrayal of poverty, struggle and the search for peace * * Independent * *Beautifully written * * Financial Times * *Sumptuous . . . Brilliantly atmospheric * * Independent on Sunday * *A rich novel of character * * Sunday Telegraph * *A magnificent novel - an unflinching exploration of modern Australia's origins * * New Yorker * *Here is someone who can really write -- PETER CAREYReading The Secret River may put you off anything less accomplished for a while * * Daily Express * *

Read more less

Book SynopsisAfter a deadly duel with a jealous rival, Pierre de Siorac must travel to Paris, to seek his pardon from the King. In the capital city he finds a world of sweet words and fierce pride, where coquettish smiles hide behind fans, and murderous intents behind elegant bows. But the court's elaborate social graces mask a simmering tension that will soon explode to engulf the entire city. When it does, Pierre faces the greatest challenge of his young existence-not merely to win a royal pardon, but to escape from Paris with his life, and the lives of his beloved companions, intact.Trade Review'Modern-day Dumas finally crosses the channel' - ObserverSwashbuckling historical fiction... For all its philosophical depth [The Brethren] is a hugely entertaining romp... The comparisons with Dumas seem both natural and deserved and the next 12 instalments [are] a thrilling prospect' - Christobel Kent, Guardian'A sprawling, earthy tale of peril, love, lust, death, dazzling philosophical debate and political intrigue... an engrossing saga' - Gransnet'Both wise and audacious, constantly nudging up against the extraordinary' - The New York Times Book Review'A vivid novel by France's modern Dumas' - Sunday Times'Spectacular' - Independent'A lively adventure' - Daily Telegraph'Cleverly depicts France's epic religious wars through the intimate prism of one family's experience. It's beautifully written too' - Metro

Read more less

Book Synopsis'A rich, surprising and devastating story of a female institution long-forgotten' Marj Charlier, author of The Rebel Nun A heretical text, a vengeful husband, a forbidden love... It's 1310 and Paris is alive with talk of the trial of the Templars. Religious repression is on the rise, and the smoke of execution pyres blackens the sky above the city. But sheltered behind the walls of Paris's great beguinage, a community of women are still free to work, study and live their lives away from the domination of men. When a wild, red-haired child clothed in rags arrives at the beguinage gate one morning, with a sinister Franciscan monk on her tail, she sets in motion a chain of events that will shatter the peace of this little world-plunging it into grave danger.Trade Review'Brilliantly juggles history and fiction' - Le Figaro'Sensitive and subtle in substance, carnal and poetic in form... A luminous novel' - Huffingtonpost.fr'Leads us with brio into a little-known Middle Ages of strong, erudite, supportive, and generous women' - Page des libraires

Read more less

Book SynopsisFINALIST FOR THE 2023 NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FOR TRANSLATED FICTION 'A love story, an adventure tale, and an unflinching examination of the unexpected ways that colonialism and greed ravaged everyone it touched, European and African' MAAZA MENGISTE, Booker Prize-shortlisted author of The Shadow King 'Diop has opened a new way of thinking about the eighteenth century and its hideous cruelties' ABDULRAZAK GURNAH, winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature 'A compelling romantic adventure... Through an act of remembrance, Diop seeks to build a repository of lives and histories lost to the slave trade' FINANCIAL TIMES 'Diop explores the cruelties of colonialism in a powerful story of love destroyed' SUNDAY TIMES, Historical Fiction Pick of the Month __________ The captivating new novel from David Diop, winner of the International Booker Prize Paris, 1806. Michel Adanson is dying. The last word to escape his lips is a woman's name: Maram. Who was she? Why, in the course of his long life, has he never spoken of her before? As Adanson's daughter sorts through his things, she discovers a notebook. It reveals a secret history both fantastical and terrible, of his time as a young botanist travelling in Senegal. How Adanson first heard of the 'revenant': a young woman of noble birth, abducted and sold into slavery across the seas, who then did the impossible-she came back, to live in hiding. How he became obsessed with finding her, embarking on an odyssey that would lead to danger and destruction. How a man who longed to solve the mysteries of nature instead found himself faced with the uncontrollable impulses of the human heart. Tragic and tender, alive with feeling, this is a story of adventure, revenge and impossible desires, one which subverts our every expectation about who we are and who we love.Trade Review'I read Beyond the Door of No Return with pleasure and admiration. David Diop has opened up a new way of thinking about the eighteenth century and its hideous cruelties' - Abdulrazak Gurnah, winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature and author of Afterlives'Stunningly realized and written in exquisite prose, Beyond the Door of No Return is a love story, an adventure tale, and an unflinching examination of the unexpected ways that colonialism and greed ravaged everyone it touched, European and African. It is above all else, a spellbinding novel about the high price of betrayal-of others, and oneself' - Maaza Mengiste, Booker Prize-shortlisted author of The Shadow King'With Beyond The Door of No Return, David Diop once again makes us re-examine and reimagine West African history and the wrongdoing that has been done there by Europeans. This book illustrates and raises questions about guilt, language, othering, treachery, adventure and love. It is a beautifully written, yet easy to read, novel, that will leave you thinking long after you finish it' - Sally Hayden, the award-winning author of My Fourth Time, We Drowned'Less brutal than Diop's International Booker Prize-winning At Night All Blood is Black but no less powerful... With its sumptuous physical descriptions, shades of language, and smooth overlap of truth and invention, this is masterful storytelling. The ease with which the narratives unfold belies the emotional force they gather... A mesmerizing tale' - Kirkus, starred review'A captivating intergenerational epic influenced by Senegalese oral tradition... A novel to devour quickly, but which will leave readers contemplating its story long after' - Publishers Weekly, starred review

Read more less

Book SynopsisPaula Modersohn-Becker was a pioneer of modern art in Europe, but denounced as degenerate by the Nazis after her death. Sue Hubbard draws on the artist's diaries and paintings to bring to life her singular existence, her battle to achieve independence and recognition and her intense relationship with the poet Rainer Maria Rilke. Not only do we discover Paula's vibrant personality and rich legacy of Expressionist paintings, but also come to understand something of the corrupted ideologies of the Third Reich. Written with the eye of a painter and the soul of a poet this moving story is a meditation on love, loss, memory and, ultimately, hope.Trade Review'A triumph of literary and artistic understanding, a tour de force: Masterly, moving and beautifully written. Hubbard goes where few dare go, and succeeds. You are the less for not reading it' - Fay Weldon'A moving and rare, heart-warming take on Paula Modersohn Becker's life' - Nicholas Serota'A writer of genuine talent' - Elaine Feinstein'Haunting' - John Berger'Hubbard deserves a place in the literary pantheon near Colm Toibin, Anne Enright and Sebastian Barry' - American Library Association

Read more less

Book SynopsisA spellbinding, darkly poetic literary novel that plunges us into the inner life of America's first female serial killer 'This fascinating, off-kilter novel about a female serial killer is an unexpectedly thrilling read' Karl Ove Knausgaard Seventeen-year-old Brynhild is in a fever - she can't quiet the screaming world inside her. When an intense affair ends brutally, she flees Norway for America at the end of the nineteenth century in search of a new life. Changing her name first to Bella, later to Belle, she is driven from any potential refuge by an unbearable tension that won't let her keep still. As Belle seeks release in a series of men, her yearning for an all-consuming love erupts into violence. In this breathtaking novel, Victoria Kielland imagines her way into the tumultuous inner life of the Norwegian woman who became Belle Gunness - America's first known female serial killer. Written in prose of wild, visceral beauty, My Men is a radically empathetic and disquieting portrait of a woman capable of ecstatic love and gruesome cruelty.Trade Review'This fascinating, off-kilter novel about a female serial killer is an unexpectedly thrilling read' - Karl Ove Knausgard'One of the best young authors we have... Kielland makes Brynhild tragic rather than cold-blooded' - Morgenbladet'Gripping, unique, and amazingly well-written' - Vart Land'Unusual and extraordinary' - Klassekampen'What this rich and poignant novel does is try to get as deep as possible to the core of a person who struggles with what she is doing to the world and to herself. My Men is a literary achievement of the highest order' - De Standaard, 5 stars

Read more less

Book SynopsisA thrilling romantic historical adventure, set in medieval Japan, tinged with fantasy and revolving around the art of waka poetry_______'A charming, magical, picaresque journey through medieval Japan', Sean Lusk, author of The Second Sight of Zachary Cloudesley ______ Matsuo is expected to be a samurai, like his father before him. But as he is training in the art of war, he realises he was destined for a different art altogether. Turning his back on his future as a warrior of the sword, he decides instead to do battle with words, as a poet.Thus begins a story of intrigue and adventure, passion and betrayal. Matsuo's quest to find his true self, and his true love, takes him across medieval Japan, through bloody battlefields and burning cities. But his ultimate test will be the uta awase - a tournament where Japan's greatest poets engage in fierce verbal combat for the honour of victory, and where Matsuo will find himself fighting fo

Read more less

Book Synopsis'A charming, magical journey through medieval Japan' Sean Lusk An irresistibly romantic historical adventure by the author of the international bestseller The Peculiar Life of a Lonely PostmanMatsuo is expected to become a samurai, like his father before him. But as he is training in the art of war, he realises he was destined for a different art altogether. Turning his back on his future as a warrior of the sword, he decides to do battle with words instead, as a poet. Matsuo's quest to find his true self, and his true love, takes him through bloody battlefields and burning cities. But his ultimate test will be the uta awase - a tournament where Japan's greatest poets engage in fierce verbal combat for the honour of victory, and where Matsuo will find himself fighting for his life. PRAISE FOR THE SAMURAI OF THE RED CARNATION 'A likeable mixture of picaresque adventure and poetry'Sunday Times 'A combination of swoony romance, swashbuckling adventure and traditional tanka verse' Daily Mail

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe stunning new novel from Christine Dwyer Hickey, bestselling author of Last Train from Liguria.'One of Ireland's most lauded modern writers, Christine Dwyer Hickey teases out the strands of her story... It leaves the reader with the aftertaste of regret for their own what might have been...' - Daily MailFollowing a long absence spent in New York, Elaine Nichols returns to her childhood home to live with her invalid father and his geriatric Alsatian dog. The house backing on to theirs is sold and as she watches the old furniture stack up on the lawn, Elaine is brought back to a summer in the 1970s. She is almost sixteen again and this small out-of-town estate is an enclave for women and children while the men are mysterious shadows who leave every day for the outside world. The women are isolated but keep their loneliness and frustrations hidden behind a veneer of suburban respectability. When an American divorcee and her daughter move into the estate, the veneer begins to crack. The women learn how to socialise, how to drink martinis in the afternoon, how to care less about their wifely and maternal duties. While the women are distracted, Elaine and her friends find their own entry into the adult world and the result is a tragic event that will mark the rest of Elaine's life and be the cause of her long and guilt-ridden exile.Insightful and full of suspense, this is an uncompromising portrayal of the suburbs and the cruelties brought about by the demands of respectability.Trade ReviewThis study of suburbia shows how the "savagery of respectability" can wreck lives... A reflection on neglect that engages right to the shocking end. * Psychologies *One of Ireland's most lauded modern writers, Christine Dwyer Hickey teases out the strands of her story... It leaves the reader with the aftertaste of regret for their own what might have been... * Daily Mail *As the compelling narrative alternates between Elaine's teenage summer and her present-day loneliness, Dwyer Hickey offers a devastating picture of suburban isolation. * Irish Times *A stunning portrait of a section of '70s Ireland... The Lives of Women is a wonderful read - thought provoking and compelling - and is, to my mind, Christine's best to date. * Irish Examiner *[A] richly textured, insightful and uncompromising look at life in unforgiving 1970s Ireland. Another triumph for this talented and original writer. * Irish Independent *Dwyer Hickey is as astute in conveying everyday conversation as dark events... It left me with that vague, almost physical chest ache one feels on experiencing great sadness. * Independent on Sunday *A beautiful, suspenseful look at life in the suburbs and the compromises required by the expectations of society. * Sunday World *Insightful and full of suspense, this is an uncompromising portrayal of the suburbs... Here is a novel that will truly make us think about the lives of women. * Newstalk *

Read more less

Book Synopsis***Shortlisted Author For Historical Writers' Association's Debut Crown For Best First Historical Novel***What will it cost to hide your deepest secrets from those you love most? At Fourwinds they gather: Alice and Ralph, Patricia and Peter, to celebrate the marriage of their children. But the bride is nowhere to be seen. What could have caused Sarah to vanish? As both families search for the answer, the past floods through the corridors of the old house. What secret has Ralph been keeping from his wife? What is it about Alice's wartime encounter with Peter that has haunted her ever since? Return to Fourwinds is a sweeping, lyrical story of the things we choose to tell and the secrets that we keep.Trade ReviewBeautifully written, brilliantly observed... a wonderful and intriguing book -- Barbara ErskineA moving novel of great sweep and depth -- Tim PearsSecrets of the Sea House is an arresting tale of the things that haunt us. But the real pleasure in this debut novel is Elisabeth Gifford's finely wrought prose; at turns acute, delicate and fierce -- Liza Klaussmann on SECRETS OF THE SEA HOUSEGifford moves nimbly between the centuries and voices of her intriguing tale. She is a singular and poetic writer -- Rhidian Brook on SECRETS OF THE SEA HOUSESure to ignite an interest in sea mythology partnered with real-life ground-breaking sightings and discoveries, this is the perfect read if you're heading to a British beach this summer * Red Magazine on SECRETS OF THE SEA HOUSE *Fans of historical fiction, folklore and Scotland will all enjoy this wonderful debut; Gifford is a writer to watch * We Love This Book on SECRETS OF THE SEA HOUSE *

Read more less

Book SynopsisCan you ever forgive the unforgivable?In 1962, Emil Clément comes face to face with Paul Meissner at a chess tournament in Holland. They haven't seen one another in almost two decades. Clément, once known only as The Watchmaker, is a Jewish former inmate of Auschwitz. Whilst there, he was forced to play chess against Nazi guards. If he won, he could save a fellow prisoner's life; if he lost, he would lose his own. Meissner, a soft-spoken priest, was also at Auschwitz. He was the SS Officer who forced The Watchmaker to play...

Read more less

Book SynopsisYou've seen the BBC 2 series, now read the novel based on the TV show. Don't miss VERSAILLES the most sexy and shocking drama ever written about the king who built the world's most famous palace. Packed with sex, scandal and intrigue, VERSAILLES will keep you up all night. 1667. The civil wars are over and King Louis XIV is on the French throne. To keep the nobles from their plots to overthrow his crown, the King gathers the court at Versailles. He plans to keep them there under his scrutiny by building the greatest palace the world has ever seen. The Palace of Versailles will be an opulent prison where Louis' power is absolute. The nobles have no choice but to play Louis' game of manipulation and treachery. As tensions rise the court becomes a battlefield of tactical liaisons and salacious passions. Versailles is not the paradise it appears to be; instead, it is a labyrinth of treason and secrets, of political schemes and deadly conspiracies. It is a place of passion and death, love and vengeance. The King will take what is rightfully his.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe exiled family of King Æthelfrith of Northumbria arrive, after much hardship, on the island of Iona, where the monastery founded by St Columba has become a centre of worship and learning. Young Oswald becomes firm friends with a novice, Aidan. When Aidan professes his final vows, Oswald and his little brother Oswy are received into the church. As befits a young prince, Oswald learns to fight. However, Aidan's example attacts him and he is on the point of deciding to become a monk when news reaches Iona that his half brother, Eanfrith, has been killed by Cadwallon, the king who defeated Edwin. Oswald sails back to Northumbria and meets Cadwallon in battle, defeating and killing him. Oswald, now undisputed king of Northumbria, gives Aidan the island of Lindisfarne as his base. But Penda, the last great pagan king in England, is raising troops against him ...

Read more less

Book SynopsisOswald's head is on a spike. Can Oswiu avoid the same fate? The great pagan king Penda set a trap, and when the brothers Oswiu and Oswald walked in, only one came back alive. Rumours abound that the place where Oswald's body is strung up has become sacred ground - a site of healing for those who seek it. Oswald's mother believes he will protect those he loves, even beyond the grave. So she asks the impossible of Oswiu: to journey to the heart of Penda's kingdom and rescue the body that was stolen from them. Will this fateful task allow Oswiu to prove himself worthy of uniting the kingdoms under him as the King of Kings, or will it set him on a path to destruction? Oswiu: King of Kings is the masterful conclusion to The Northumbrian Thrones trilogy.Trade Review“Edoardo Albert conjures up an extraordinarily vivid and authentic picture of life in seventh-century Britain that is hugely enjoyable. This is fabulous storytelling, with the themes of greed, ambition, nobility and the power of religion woven together with consummate skill. It is the real Game of Thrones – a fabulous story, beautifully told, that turns out to be based on fact!” -- Andrew Norriss, author of Aquila and creator of The Brittas Empire“In Oswiu, the concluding instalment in his Northumbrian Thrones trilogy, Edoardo Albert takes readers back to seventh-century England: a shadowy and turbulent era when Britons and Anglo-Saxons, heathens and Christians, contested for political and spiritual supremacy. Albert writes with great passion; his love for this period of history shines through at every stage. His research is worn lightly, and yet his depiction of early medieval life has a strong ring of truth. In particular the post-Roman landscape of northern England, littered with roads, walls and other crumbling relics of the imperial past, is vividly described: a constant reminder that power is transitory and that even the mightiest empires must fall. As regards the eponymous Oswiu, king of Bernicia, Albert paints a credible picture of a man struggling with the many burdens of rulership: weighed down by expectations of what a good king should be; plagued by threats to his power both at home and abroad; and overshadowed (as he has often been in history) by his celebrated elder brother and predecessor, Oswald. Dynastic rivalries, shifting allegiances and pagan mysticism combine in this atmospheric novel, evoking a volatile world in which life is uncertain, authority and respect are hard-won, honour is all-important, and divine forces hold sway.” -- James Aitcheson, author of The Sworn Sword"In Oswiu: King of Kings, Edoardo Albert brings to vivid life the battle for the land and souls of the British people in the seventh century. Edoardo Albert tells an epic tale of kings and queens, omens and shieldwalls, where the future of a people was decided as much through the guile of its priests as the strength of its warlords. Edoardo Albert deftly weaves the threads of a memorable cast of characters into the weft and warp of a vibrant tapestry of war, mystery and intrigue. Yet the true strength of Oswiu: King of Kings, is in the depiction of the effects of conflict on the men and women of the Dark Ages, as Albert reminds us there is much more to conquest than the ringing clash of swords." -- Matthew Harffy, author of The Serpent Sword“The death of the king plunges the north into crisis. A crowning achievement: meticulously researched, a long-overdue insight into our Anglo-Saxon past.” -- Justin Hill, author of Shieldwall“Brilliant: hugely enjoyable, a galloping plot with characters you care about – exactly the sort of thing I love to read. This was a joy from start to finish.” -- Conn Iggulden, author of The War of the Roses series

Read more less

Book SynopsisChosen as handmaid to Eostre, the Saxon goddess, Hild would spend a year serving the goddess before she was wed. Her future was mapped out - until her father was murdered, and King Edwin claimed her as kin. Hild's first love was given a key command in Edwin's forces, and vanished from her life, wed to her elder sister. That same day, the court was baptised, ending the people's fertility religion and Hild's role. Life looked bleak - even more so when the husband to whom she was given was killed, along with her child. Hild resented the compulsory baptism, but became intrigued by the Iona priests, and eventually converted. Aidan, the charismatic figure who taught, and lived, a new kind of love, persuaded Hild to help spread the new faith. In thanks for a significant victory, King Oswy ordered her to found one of his new monasteries at Whitby. She would see the men she trained appointed by the Pope as missionary bishops, carrying the faith across Britain.Trade Review“Jill Dalladay has presented us with a well crafted novel about one of the most enigmatic women in early Christian times in England. Hild was abbess and teacher at Whitby and is today venerated as a saint. From her pagan upbringing to her conversion to Christianity, her story is presented with a sharp eye for historic detail together with finely drawn characters. This is skilful and accomplished writing.” -- Peter Tremayne, author of The Sister Fidelma Mysteries

Read more less

Book SynopsisAs one of the bestselling stories of all time, Lew Wallace's Ben-Hur, has captivated and enthralled millions around the world - both in print and on the big screen. Now Lew's great-great-granddaughter has taken the old-fashioned prose of this classic novel and breathed new life into it for today's audience. Coming to cinemas in August 2016 as Ben-Hur, a major motion picture from MGM and Paramount studios, the story follows Judah Ben-Hur, a Jewish nobleman whose childhood friend Messala betrays him. Accused of trying to murder the new Roman governor in Jerusalem, Judah is sentenced to the galley ships and vows to seek revenge against the Romans and Messala. But a chance encounter with a carpenter from Nazareth sets Judah on a different path. Rediscover the intrigue, romance, and tragedy in this thrilling adventure. Also included: the inspiring story-behind-the-story of Lew Wallace - Indiana lawyer, author, and Civil War general.

Read more less

Book SynopsisMaryam is stuck in an abusive marriage, living with her in-laws in a conservative, toxically religious village. A few years back, her father was given a jar of priceless perfume by a dying leper and it seemed as if their fortunes would improve, but then Maryam's father contracted leprosy and was exiled from the village. Maryam and her siblings, Eleazar and Marta, experience the shame and ostracism this brings. The precious jar that was meant to bring them freedom has only brought destruction. But rumors abound concerning a new doctor; perhaps hope is on the horizon. . . .Alabaster brings a first-century Middle Eastern village and its culture to life for modern-day readers.Trade Review"Imaginative, authentic and evocative, Alabaster uses excellent storytelling to recast a familiar Biblical tale. For those who tend to treat the Bible as dogma and miss the grandeur of its stories, this is a poignant reminder that its characters were real people living real adventures in a very real world. A powerful narrative beautifully told." -- Gerald Kelly, The Bless Network

Read more less

Book SynopsisThere is a dark presence in Phin's life. His step-father is a drunk and his malevolence poisons their home. One evening the violence gets out of control and as Phin's mother drags his broken body away, she can only think of one place to take him: to the local healer. But this healer deals in more than medicinal remedies and at her insistence he calls on the spirits to ensure Phin is never harmed again. However, his words are more than a call, they are invitation - one that the spirits welcome as a legion descend and take root within Phin. Phin awakens to discover he is no longer in control of his mind or his body, and something is certainly inhabiting his soul. He possesses super-human strength and immediately takes revenge on his step-father. This would have sated Phin, but the spirits have other ideas - they drive him into the wilderness and all who go to him quickly rue the day. As he terrorises the village, soldiers come to remove him - but how do you restrain a man who can break the strongest of manacles. And is there any hope for one who has been overcome by darkness?

Read more less

Book SynopsisCoventry, 1941. The morning after one of the worst nights of the Blitz. Twenty-two-year-old Rose enters the remains of a bombed house to find her best friend dead. Shocked and confused, she makes a split-second decision that will reverberate for generations to come.More than fifty years later, in modern-day Brighton, Rose’s granddaughter Lara waits for the return of her eighteen-year-old son Jay. Reckless and idealistic, he has gone to Iraq to stand on a conflict line as an unarmed witness to peace.Lara holds her parents, Mollie and Rufus, partly responsible for Jay’s departure. But in her attempts to explain their thwarted passions, she finds all her assumptions about her own life are called into question.Then into this damaged family come two strangers – Oliver, a former faith healer, and Jemmy, a young woman devastated by the loss of a baby. Together they help to establish a partial peace – but at what cost?

Read more less

Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE RATHBONES FOLIO PRIZE 'This short novel will live on in your imagination long after you read the last page' Claire Messud When Cy Bellman, American settler and widowed father of ten-year-old Bess, reads in the newspaper that huge ancient bones have been discovered in a Kentucky swamp, he leaves his small Pennsylvania farm and daughter to find out if the rumours are true: that the giant monsters are still alive, and roam the uncharted wilderness beyond the Mississippi River. West is the extraordinary story of a quest for a myth, of Bellman's journey into the unknown and of Bess, waiting at home for her father to return, facing monsters of her own. It is an eerie and timeless epic-in-miniature. 'One of the best books I've read this year... It's a book you can read in a day and that will resonate all year long in your head' Sunday Times 'Carys Davies is a deft, audacious visionary... Twisting the heart as few others can...' Téa Obreht, author of The Tiger's WifeTrade ReviewOne of the most haunting and beautifully crafted novels I have read in a long time... Davies has produced something quite wonderful * Sunday Times *One of the best books I've read this year...West [...] is so crisply and concisely written, and so warm and human in its economy, that it shames the behemoths sitting beside it on the nation's bookshop shelves. It's a book you can read in a day and that will resonate all year long in your head -- Andrew Holgate * Sunday Times *Slender, stark and utterly mesmerising... The language, lyrical yet pared down, conveys complicated feelings of grief, guilt, sadness and a strange kind of wonder -- Eithne Farry * Mail On Sunday *Davies's lapidary prose is a marvel - she creates worlds in a few deft pen strokes... beautifully sad -- Siobhan Murphy * The Times *Carys Davies's brilliant gem of a novel glints with sadness and a sombre kind of wonder -- Eithne Farry * Sunday Express *Short, incredible, violent, uplifting and empowering - how Davies manages to create such an enduring story in 150 pages is a mystery, but she nails it. Do your reading list a big favour and transport yourself to the American frontier to meet 12-and-half-year-old Bess and her father * Stylist *West is both beautifully crafted and entrances to its cleverly conceived end * Sunday Times *A real page-turner. A magnificent achievement -- Roger Cox * Scotsman *West has all the stark power and immediacy of a folk-tale or a legend. It is also structured with great artistry, a beguiling sense of form and pace, and a depth in the way the characters are created, making clear that Carys Davies is a writer of immense talent -- Colm TóibínMenace and mordant wit are the blood that runs through these veins, but there's a pulse of wonder in Carys Davies' West. She sees the world and its inhabitants both as we hope they are and as we fear that they might be. An audacious and enigmatic debut of thrilling dimensions, and a halting reminder of fiction's possibilities -- Akhil SharmaA story of determination, betrayal, folly, and reckless hope written in the grand tradition of the pioneers. You enter the familiar American frontier and shortly are convinced, with Davies' hero, that the mammoths of the Pleistocene still shyly roam the Plains. The seams between imagination and history in this extraordinary story are invisible. I believed every word -- Salvatore ScibonaIn a way, West reads like some extended fairy tale. But then, I've never stopped wanting to run off and find dinosaurs. Its strength lies in belief, and wonder, and the simple pure clarity of that in an incomprehensible world -- Cynan JonesWest is a journey and a wonder. A story concerned with value and language, love and absence, life and death. A debut of real distinction -- Bernard MacLavertyTo read Carys Davies' West is to encounter a myth, or a potent dream - a narrative at once new and timeless. Exquisite, continent, utterly vivid, this short novel will live on in your imagination long after you read the last page -- Claire Messud, author * The Burning Girl and the Woman Upstairs *West proves what-in-the-know lovers of her short stories have already been trumpeting: Carys Davies is a deft, audacious visionary, a master of the form. In West, she breaks open our fascination with fated journeys and the irrepressible draw of the unknown, imbuing the American landscape with her own rare magic, twisting the heart as few others can, brilliantly navigating the tension between narrative minimalism and imaginative opulence -- Tea Obrecht, author * The Tiger's Wife *Wonderful -- Sarah Jessica Parker * Girlboss *A beautifully written fable on the conflict between the quixotic and the mundane * Wales Arts Review *A novel of extraordinary beauty... an accomplished tale of genuine panache...West will remain with you for some time -- Paul Burke * Nudge Books *I highly, highly, highly recommend this... This is a book I was hoping would be one of my books of the year and most certainly will be -- Simon Savidge * Savidge Reads *Brief and brilliant - perfect to slip into the suitcase...I hope to see it on the Man Booker shortlist this autumn -- Summer Books round up * Tablet *Davies [...] has the astonishing ability to capture a life - however idiosyncratic - in the briefest of brushstrokes -- Summer Reading * Evening Standard *A haunting, beautifully crafted novel * Sunday Times *A compact, elegantly written story -- 100 Modern Novels to Love * Sunday Times *In Davies's slim first novel...not a word is wasted; the canvas is as wide as her brush is fine...There are many worlds to explore within this short book * Guardian *Davies spins a convincing story... The author has an acute sense of period, and a fine ear for dialogue * RTÉ *Perfectly formed . . . Beautifully crafted and immensely moving * Sunday Times *A tiny jewel of a novel, but sweeping in its power and scope, is Carys Davies's West...[an] epic tale of settlers and monsters -- Julie Myerson * Observer *Highly-readable . . . This well-crafted novel, short though it is, will hold your attention to the very end * Yorkshire Gazette and Herald *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Big Guy loves his family, money and democracy. Undone by the results of the 2008 Presidential election, he taps a group of like-minded men to reclaim their version of America. As they build a scheme to disturb and disrupt, the Big Guy also faces turbulence within his family and must take responsibility for his past actions. For his wife and daughter are having their own awakenings: self-denying Charlotte enters rehab, and eighteen year old Megan, who has voted for the first time, explores a political future that deviates from her father's ideology, while delving into deeply buried family secrets. Dark, funny and prescient, The Unfolding explores the implosion of the dream and how we arrived in today's divided world.Trade ReviewI am a devoted Homes fan: her books are sometimes shocking, always beguiling -- Maggie O'Farrell * US Elle *The best book she's published: for her to get into the shoes of its main character was a remarkable act of sympathetic imagination -- Bret Easton Ellis * Observer *A terrific black comedy, written almost entirely in pitch-perfect dialogue, that feels terrifyingly close to the unfunny truth -- Salman RushdieReads like an episode of The West Wing co-scripted by Don DeLillo * Guardian *Homes specialises in the insecurities, deceits and emotional desolation of America's elite... hilarious * Sunday Times *Homes is a funny, funny writer... Funny, of course, until it's terrifying * Spectator *From her first book onward, A. M. Holmes has been challenging us to look at fiction, the world, and one another as we haven't done-because we haven't had the nerve, the eyes, the dire and dispassionate imagination. Gripping, sad, funny, by turns aching and antic and, as always, exceedingly well-observed and written, The Unfolding opens up another one of her jagged windows, at times indistinguishable from a crack, in the world that is always unfolding, and always vanishing, around us -- Michael ChabonCompelling, funny, horrifying, and tremendously astute, this novel cuts right to the bone -- Phil Klay, author of MissionariesHow can a book be hilarious and chilling at the same time? A.M. Homes's The Unfolding is a modern masterpiece, a scary immersion deep into the heart of American power -- Gary Shteyngart, author of Our Country FriendsA timely discourse on the fracturing of the US democracy ... [with] superbly calibrated dialogue * Mail on Sunday *A.M. Homes has perfectly captured an America as it lurches toward freak-out, and a family as it shreds the lies it's been living by... Hilarious and shocking and heartbreaking and just a little bit deranged -- Nathan Hill, author of The NixThe Unfolding is Swiftian in its energy and bite, yet brimful of compassion and emotion. The entwining of the personal and the political feels as if it's born again to a sparkling new life. How does she do it? * Neel Mukherjee *Darkly comic * i Paper *A book that packs in history lessons, political intrigue, family drama and astute social commentary. In short, a study of America as a country in free fall by a writer who knows exactly where it's at * Irish Independent *Sharply observed, Homes' novel is also very funny, making you wince through the laughter in the way that successful satire does... riveting -- Susan Osborne * A Life in Books *The Unfolding powerfully captures something of how nuance and complexity are all too often pushed aside by those who talk the loudest in a fractiously partisan political landscape * TLS *The Unfolding proceeds at a cracking pace... It is both social satire and political satire with a touching coming-of-age story at its core. AM Homes is both funny and sharp, and her prose buzzes with energy * Irish Examiner *[A] scorching, super sharp novel * Sainsbury's Magazine *

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn astonishing debut novel of motherhood and loss in the dying days of the Second World War 'Moving, graceful... Violets has a compelling, quiet power all the way to its exquisitely affecting end' Megan Hunter, author of The Harpy and The End We Start From 'Stunning and original... Written in pristine prose, it reminded me of the possibilities of language' Elizabeth Macneal, author of The Doll Factory A young woman, Violet, lies in a hospital bed in the closing days of World War Two. Her pregnancy is over and she is no longer able to conceive. With her husband deployed in Burma and her friends caught up in transitory love affairs, she must find a way to put herself back together. In a small, watchful town in the Welsh valleys, another Violet contemplates the fate she shares with her unborn child. Unwed, an overseas posting offers a temporary way out. Plunged into the heat and disorder of Naples, her body begins to reveal the responsibility it carries even as she is drawn into the burnished circle of a charismatic new friend, Maggie. Between these two Violets, sung into being like a babe in a nursery rhyme: a son. As their lives begin to intertwine, a spellbinding story of women's courage emerges, suffused with power, lyricism and beauty, from an exhilarating new voice in British fiction. 'Beautiful, inventive and deeply moving' Liz Berry 'A novel of taut symmetry and dissonance... Alex Hyde's prose is rhythmically acute and emotionally layered. This is a subtle and daring book' Margo JeffersonTrade ReviewHypnotic... its accumulative power will have you sobbing by the end * Evening Standard *I loved this moving, graceful novel, which writes through the years with a rare deftness of touch. Violets has a compelling, quiet power all the way to its exquisitely affecting end -- Megan Hunter, author of The HarpyGraceful... inventive... Babies - unborn, unwanted, mourned, impossible to conceive - link both Violets in a narrative that is skilfully progressed over the course of this quietly surprising book * The Irish Times *[An] assured debut... Hyde's ingenious plotting is matched by the inventiveness of her buoyant, verse-like, subtly rhyming prose -- Stephanie Cross * Daily Mail *Short, expressionist... profound... * Financial Times *A tender meditation on motherhood...lyrical ... Hyde has found a way to make the past speak presciently to our times while also maintaining a playful relationship to a story that becomes unexpectedly moving, warm-hearted despite its flinty poetic prose -- Lara Feigel * Guardian *I was deeply moved by Violets, a stunning and original portrayal of womanhood and life's many iterations. Written in pristine prose, it reminded me of the possibilities of language, of the beauty, heartbreak and extraordinary courage found in everyday life -- Elizabeth MacnealAn intricately composed and thoroughly corporeal portrait of the intertwined lives of two women during the war. Hyde is clearly a writer of talent and ambition: Violets suggests a glittering career ahead -- Alex Preston * Observer *[W]onderfully lyrical and insightful * i Newsletter *One of the most beautiful, haunting, heart breaking and hopeful books I have read in quite some time. It is a book that made my cry, frankly... I have experienced nothing like the main characters in these pages...I couldn't put it down -- A ‘New Favourite Book’ by Simon SavidgeViolets is a touching tribute, deftly written, to all women left struggling in similar situations -- Susie Mesure * Spectator *A beautiful, inventive, and deeply moving book about the secrets and sacrifices women make on their journeys to motherhood. Through lucid, lyrical prose, unafraid of the body and all its messiness and longing, the stories of these two courageous Violets, conjuring a child into being in the last days of wartime, captured my heart and imagination. -- Liz BerryViolets is a novel of taut symmetry and dissonance. War, marriage, affairs, death, childbirth: all are here, dissolving the gender divisions we still impose on these subjects. Alex Hyde's prose is rhythmically acute and emotionally layered. This is a subtle and daring book. -- Margo JeffersonLoosely based on the adoption of the author's father, this lyrical, affecting début weaves together the stories of the two women involved...In stripped-back prose that focuses on the women's interior lives, this notable début is one for fans of Max Porter and Megan Hunter. -- Alice O'Keeffe, Editor's Choice * Bookseller *A story of motherhood and loss told in lean, spare prose * Bookseller *Breathtaking... powerful and poignant * Sunday Post *A brilliantly constructed novel that says more by saying less... the poetic heartbeat of the narrative means that this is very much more than a partially fictionalised family memoir -- Bill Borrows * Radio Times *A thoroughly humane, intimate, even celebratory novel... Its interwoven form and sympathetic tone, insists on connection * TLS *

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisA bestseller in Germany, Walter Kempowski's autobiographical novel is a sensorial coming of age story during the years of World War II and a chilling exploration of how one family adjusted to life under the Nazis Growing up in Rostock, in the north of Germany, Walter has a comfortable upbringing: quiet and content, he spends his days scheming with school friends and resisting the torment of his older siblings. But, as the country rolls toward war, the attitudes of his teachers, peers and family begin to slide, and it isn't long before the roar of falling bombs, charged silences and mounting intolerance begin to puncture Walter's carefree youth. Following the Kempowski family from the months before the outbreak of war through to the fall of Berlin, An Ordinary Youth is the fascinating story of an ordinary childhood in extraordinary times. Here, Walter's academic struggle sits alongside his father's conscription; his brother's love of jazz burgeons amid the destruction of the barrages. And all the while, the horrors of Nazism loom in the peripheries - communicated in furtive looks or hushed conversations - running alongside the Kempowski family's daily rituals and occasional scandals. A bestseller in Germany on publication, An Ordinary Youth is all the more unnerving for the warmth, humour and empathy with which Kempowski imbues his hometown. Written with a sensorial immediacy, it is a meticulous chronicle of daily life in 1930s Germany, and a discomfiting exploration of the many forms that complicity can take.Trade ReviewFascinating and disturbing. Kempowski plunges the reader into the already running tide of one of history's great horrors so that we see it as if from within... An Ordinary Youth weaves an impressionistic web of nostalgia, complicity, terror, denial, love and dissidence into an unflinchingly honest re-creation of a time and place that still beggars understanding -- Carol BirchCompellingly immersive in all its intensely evocative detail, sometimes very funny, sometimes not funny at all, An Ordinary Youth reveals once again Kempowski's extraordinary gift... The appalling events of mid-twentieth-century Europe have been the subject matter of many fine writers: arguably none more truthful to the unsentimental, unheroic reality of the lived experience than Kempowski -- David Kynaston, author of Engines of PrivilegeDeeply uncanny. Doing justice to both the innocence of the boy he was and the moral judgment of the man he became, Kempowski creates an appealing and appalling case study in the banality of evil -- Adam KirschMesmerising... Intimate and immediate... A hypnotic immersion deep inside one of our continent's darkest periods and a book that from some angles feels chillingly contemporary * New European *

Read more less

Book SynopsisOne man with an insatiable hunger: a novel of desire and destruction in Revolutionary France, based on a true story, from the Desmond Elliott Prize-winning author of The Manningtree Witches. Sister Perpetue is not to move. She is not to fall asleep. She is to sit, keeping guard over the patient's room. She has heard the stories of his hunger, which defy belief: that he has eaten all manner of creatures and objects. A child even, if the rumours are to be believed. But it is hard to believe that this slender, frail man is the one they once called The Great Tarare, The Glutton of Lyon. Before, he was just Tarare. Well-meaning and hopelessly curious, born into a world of brawling and sweet cider, to a bereaved mother and a life of slender means. The 18th Century is drawing to a close, unrest grips the heart of France and life in the village is soon shaken. When a sudden act of violence sees Tarare cast out and left for dead, his ferocious appetite is ignited, and it's not long before his extraordinary abilities to eat make him a marvel throughout the land.Trade ReviewA darkly exuberant novel about one man's insatiable hunger... -- What to read this autumn: 2023’s biggest new books * The Guardian *An embarrassment of riches. A sensory assault fit to slap any reader awake with its gorgeous glut of baroque prose and wise, poised lessons on life, pleasure, class, desire, and love -- Kiran Millwood HargraveThe Glutton contains some of the most striking writing I have read in a very long time. An audacious and humane study of desire, pain and tenderness; a remarkable book about a remarkable subject by a remarkable writer -- Keiran Goddard, author of HourglassAn extraordinary accomplishment, a truly horrible and truly glorious novel. I devoured it. AK Blakemore's intelligence is tempered by a profound and merciful human compassion, and the tragic making and breaking of Tarare is going to be with me for quite some time. Heartbreaking -- Annie GarthwaiteRelentless and shocking, bursting with life in all its thrilling vulgarity, The Glutton will dog your days. Blakemore's history is not to be tiptoed around. Her prose is unstoppable, full of bawdy viscera, singing of the cruelty and seduction of the past... It will have you squirming between sympathy and revulsion, pleasure and pain -- Alex HydeSet in revolutionary France, The Glutton...explores poverty, desire and social chaos in thrilling prose * Guardian *Excellent... Blakemore's writing is exceptional, saturated with the viscera of this life... The Glutton also offers beauty with practically every other sentence: not even a roadside thistle escapes a simile. Tarare doesn't know his letters, but Blakemore gives him the yearning inner life of a poet... In Tarare's final moments, both we and the Sister are invited to see not some othered creature of myth, but something of ourselves * Telegraph - 5/5 stars *Even in the midst of unpleasantness, The Glutton provides mischievous fun... A rich, human story - a raucous mess where excess is not sinful but defiant, a retaliation against the inequality of a country on the cusp of revolution * Literary Review *Through Tarare's thrilling travels we witness all the upheaval in a fierce and lyrical tale of desire * Monocle *Blakemore takes Tarare's life, recorded only in a medical paper, and puts the meat on the bones. But what meat it is. Blood drips from every page as she creates a banquet of gorgeously crafted, unexpected images. You'll find yourself turning them over in your mind for days... * Evening Standard *A full-throttle picaresque... Blakemore puts flesh on the bones of this quasi-mythical figure by showing his escape from a violent, impoverished childhood * Daily Mail *The Glutton is remarkable for its beautiful language, for its hallucinatory imagery, and for its ability to mingle these things with the world of 18th-century poor folk... The Glutton is certain to be one of the most remarkable novels of the year * Guardian *Tarare's story is a breathless picaresque, each new situation quickly revealed as frying pan or fire. His tragedy is to be too trusting, seeing his exploiters as friends. The entire society Blakemore presents is a cruel and grasping one, its resources too scarce to nourish kindness... The Glutton brings Tarare's world to life in all its stink and splendour * The Sunday Times *Blakemore's second novel is a tour de force of sustained, visceral brilliance. Although not for the squeamish, it ultimately rescues a real human being from the caricature that history made of him * Mail on Sunday *A. K. Blakemore is one such author who refuses to slim down her rich use of language and invites us, much like her gluttonous muse, to gorge... Blakemore's revolting bodies are an antidote to modernity's sanitisation. With absurdist humour she invites readers to revel in the muck * Big Issue *

Read more less

Book SynopsisA deeply moving story of courage, resilience and self-discovery, set during the Gallipoli campaign of 1915-16

Read more less

Book SynopsisIf you've been gripped by Pat Barker's The Women of Troy and The Silence of the Girls, then For the Most Beautiful is a must-read for you . . .Three thousand years ago a war took place that gave birth to legends - to Achilles, the greatest of the Greeks, and Hector, prince of Troy. It was a war that shook the very foundations of the world. But what if there was more to this epic conflict? What if there was another, hidden tale of the Trojan War?Now is the time for the women of Troy to tell their story.Thrillingly imagined and startlingly original, For the Most Beautiful reveals the untold story of Krisayis, daughter of the Trojans' High Priest, and of Briseis, princess of Pedasus, who fight to determine the fate of a city and its people in this ancient time of mischievous gods and mythic heroes.In this novel full of passion and revenge, loyalty and betrayal, bravery and sacrifice, Emily Hauser breathes exhilarating new life into one of the greatest legends of all - in a tale that has waited millennia to be told.'Brings ancient Troy wildly, raucously, passionately alive' Manda Scott, author of BoudicaTrade ReviewOnce in a while something comes along that’s so utterly right, so necessary for now, that you wonder why nobody thought of it before. Emily Hauser’s stunning debut novel . . . brings ancient Troy wildly, raucously, passionately alive and tells at last the stories of those who really mattered. -- MANDA SCOTT, bestselling author of Boudica and Into the FireA feast for the senses, richly described and effortlessly easy to read. It brings to life an ancient world long gone, and in so doing reminds us of the traumas and costs of war, which are sadly still so much a part of our world today. -- MICHAEL SCOTT, presenter of Rome's Invisible CityA delight from start to finish. Hauser’s fresh perspective on one of the great archetypal epics, in focusing on the marginalised women’s stories, makes for fascinating reading . . . a clever premise and a thoroughly enjoyable. -- ELIZABETH FREMANTLE, author of Sisters of TreasonIn her sparkling debut novel classicist Emily Hauser offers a fresh take on the old but living legend spun so artfully in Homer's Iliad . . . tells a ripping good story. -- PAUL CARTLEDGE, Professor of Ancient History at CambridgeA brilliant re-imagining of the Iliad, faithful to the original yet completely accessible . . . the two young women at the centre of the drama are faithfully representative of their time and place yet feel compellingly contemporary . . . Emily Hauser has given us a lively new take on a classic. -- TERRY HAWKINS, author of The Rage of AchillesFascinating . . . highly convincing . . . a familiar tale told in an unfamiliar way. Presenting the story from the point of view of the women, rather than the warriors, gives Hauser's novel real edge and originality. -- Nick Rennison * BBC HISTORY MAGAZINE *Intensely described . . . there is no doubting Hauser's passionate involvement with, and knowledge of, her subject. -- Elizabeth Buchan * DAILY MAIL *Breathing life into these bit-part characters . . . written with energy and passion. -- Antonia Senior * THE TIMES *A new, feminine perspective on the events of the Iliad . . . a colourful tale of gods and mortals. * SUNDAY TIMES *This elegant, warm novel moves between two great Trojan beauties . . . through their stories, we witness both sides of this titanic war while feminine beauty and masculine martial prowess compete for the attention of the reader and the gods. * SUNDAY EXPRESS *Hauser’s characters are brave, wilful, sometimes foolish, impulsive, and utterly relatable, and her portrayal of the manipulative, capricious gods is particularly wonderful . . . this quick-paced, enthralling retelling will attract readers who loved Madeline Miller’s The Song of ­Achilles * LIBRARY JOURNAL *Colourful and entertaining . . . a very different story when seen through female eyes. -- Nick Rennison * BBC HISTORY magazine *Colourful and entertaining tale of gods and mortals, war and love. * History Today *

Read more less

Book SynopsisSome three thousand years ago, in a time before history, the warriors of Greece journeyed to the ends of the earth in the greatest expedition the world had ever seen.One woman fought alongside them.Abandoned at birth on the slopes of Mount Pelion, Atalanta is determined to prove her worth to the father who cast her aside. Having taught herself to hunt and fight, and disguised as a man, she wins a place on the greatest voyage of that heroic age: with Jason and his band of Argonauts in search of the legendary Golden Fleece. And it is here, in the company of men who will go down in history as heroes, that Atalanta must battle against the odds – and the will of the gods – to take control of her destiny and change her life forever.With her unrivalled knowledge and captivating storytelling, Emily Hauser brings alive an ancient world where the gods can transform a mortal’s life on a whim, where warriors carve out names that will echo down the ages . . . and where one woman fights to determine her own fate.Trade ReviewIn For the Winner, Emily Hauser tells the compelling story of the brave, strong and clever Atalanta as she seeks to take her rightful place in her father's life. Her many adventures with Jason and his Argonauts kept me utterly absorbed. Here is a heroine to cheer for, and a book to cherish. * Margot Livesey *One of the most fascinating and innovative recent novelisations of the legendary journey of Jason and the Argonauts to capture the Golden Fleece seen from the eyes of the only heroine who, according to myth, took part: Atalanta. Although Jason and the Argonauts is one of the most famous stories of Greek mythology, the story of Atalanta has been less known or even neglected throughout the centuries. Emily Hauser's novel fills this gap with intellectual erudition, passion and paralleled imagination in order to give us, in the liveliest way possible, the story of an amazing female character and her journey from anonymity to immortality through her unbelievable heroic deeds. * Antony Makrinos, Fellow in Classics at UCL *An enchanting, dramatic novel that brings to life iconic mythic characters, including a woman whose voice had long been silenced. * Judith Starkston, author of HAND OF FIRE *For the Winner is beautifully descriptive and full of historical detail, easily drawing the reader into a lost world of gods and heroes. By taking the viewpoint of Atalanta, a lesser known character from Greek myth, Hauser gives us a refreshingly original take on Jason's famous quest for the Golden Fleece. * Glyn Iliffe, author of KING OF ITHACA *A brilliant, epic tale full of breath-taking action with a shining star at its centre, Atalanta, a female warrior of incredice force and drive. This gem of a book will leave you desperate for the next Emily Hauser novel. * Crystal King, author of FEAST OF SORROW *

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Offers a fresh and feminist take' Madeline Miller, bestselling author of CirceThousands of years ago, two remarkable women found themselves swept up in one of the greatest legends of all . . . and discovered the price that must be paid for immortality.Desperate to save her dying brother, Admete persuades her father, the king of Tiryns, to allow her to accompany Hercules on one of his celebrated twelve labours. They travel to the land of the Amazons in the hopes of finding a cure – but their arrival causes tension with the infamous female warriors. Hippolyta, the revered queen of the tribe, sees their presence as a threat – both to her people, but also to the long-guarded secret she has been keeping from them.As battle lines are drawn between the Greeks and the Amazons, Admete and Hippolyta soon learn the inevitable truth – that in war, sacrifices must be made; especially if they are to protect the ones they love most . . .PRAISE FOR EMILY HAUSER:'Hauser recreates one of the oldest tales in Greek myth with great skill and panache.' The Times'Once in a while something comes along that's so utterly right, so necessary for now, that you wonder why nobody thought of it before. Emily Hauser's stunning debut novel . . . brings ancient Troy wildly, raucously, passionately alive.' Manda Scott, bestselling author of Boudica and Into the Fire'A delight from start to finish. Hauser's fresh perspective on one of the great archetypal epics, in focusing on the marginalised women's stories, makes for fascinating reading . . . a clever premise and thoroughly enjoyable.' Elizabeth Fremantle, author of Sisters of Treason'Kept me utterly absorbed. Here is a heroine to cheer for, and a book to cherish.' Margot Livesey, author of The House on Fortune Street'Beautifully descriptive . . . drawing the reader into a lost world of gods and heroes.' Glyn Iliffe, author of King of IthacaTrade ReviewEmily Hauser's novels combine thoughtful scholarship with a deep love for the ancient mythology. Her passion for bringing these stories to a modern audience is palpable, and her choice to dig into the untold stories of female characters offers a fresh and feminist take on well-known tales. * Madeline Miller, author of CIRCE and THE SONG OF ACHILLES *For the Immortal brings to a satisfying conclusion Emily Hauser's 'Golden Apple' trilogy, retelling some of the best-known Greek myths from a female perspective. Previous volumes have dealt with the Trojan War and the Golden Fleece; this one looks at the entangled tales of Admete, daughter of a Greek king, Hippolyta, queen of the Amazons, and Hercules, hero of a dozen labours. As the trilogy has progressed, the stories Hauser has chosen to reimagine have grown less familiar to modern readers, but the skill she shows in giving them new life has not slackened. * Sunday Times *

Read more less

'An exquisite tale of intrigue and dark secrets' LISA JEWELL'A gripping atmospheric read' RUTH WAREA GRIPPING HISTORICAL WHODUNNIT ON THE SEAS DRIPPING WTH HIGHSMITH-ESQUE GLAMOUR, INTRIGUE AND MURDER**********England, September 1939Former chambermaid Lily Shepherd boards a cruise liner for a new life in Australia and is plunged into a world of cocktails, jazz and glamorous friends. But as the sun beats down, long-hidden secrets begin to surface. As tension mounts in the enclosed space of a liner at sea, it's soon clear a killer is on board ...**********Readers are totally gripped by DANGEROUS CROSSING:***** 'Full of luxurious and decadent detail, bringing the five-week sea voyage from England to Australia bursting to life'*****'I enjoyed every single page. Rich, evocative and intriguing from start to finish'*****'Delicious, dark and completely compelling'Also try Rachel Rhys' other unputdownable historical mysteries: A FATAL INHERITANCE and ISLAND OF SECRETS****Coming soon by Rachel Rhys*** MURDER IN BLACK ROCK CASTLE

Read more less