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Blue Quill Books

Blue Quill Books

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Blue Quill Books is the home of contemporary literature by independent authors Jillian Brookes-Ward and Lucy Pepperdine. Visit the website at www.bluequillbooks.com for further details of current and future publications.

The Sons of Godwine: Part Two of The Last Great Saxon Earls

The Sons of Godwine: Part Two of The Last Great Saxon Earls

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<p>Emerging from the long shadow cast by his formidable father, Harold Godwineson showed himself to be a worthy successor to the Earldom of Wessex. In the following twelve years, he became the King's most trusted advisor, practically taking the reins of government into his own hands. And on Edward the Confessor's death, Harold Godwineson mounted the throne—the first king of England not of royal blood. Yet Harold was only a man, and his rise in fortune was not blameless. Like any person aspiring to power, he made choices he wasn't particularly proud of. Unfortunately, those closest to him sometimes paid the price of his fame.<br /><br />This is a story of Godwine's family as told from the viewpoint of Harold and his younger brothers. Queen Editha, known for her Vita Ædwardi Regis, originally commissioned a work to memorialize the deeds of her family, but after the Conquest historians tell us she abandoned this project and concentrated on her husband, the less dangerous subject. In THE SONS OF GODWINE and FATAL RIVALRY, I am telling the story as it might have survived had she collected and passed on the memoirs of her tragic brothers.<br /><br />This book is part two of The Last Great Saxon Earls series. Book one, GODWINE KINGMAKER, depicted the rise and fall of the first Earl of Wessex who came to power under Canute and rose to preeminence at the beginning of Edward the Confessor's reign. Unfortunately, Godwine's misguided efforts to champion his eldest son Swegn recoiled on the whole family, contributing to their outlawry and Queen Editha's disgrace. Their exile only lasted one year and they returned victorious to London, though it was obvious that Harold's career was just beginning as his father's journey was coming to an end.<br /><br />Harold's siblings were all overshadowed by their famous brother; in their memoirs we see remarks tinged sometimes with admiration, sometimes with skepticism, and in Tostig's case, with jealousy. We see a Harold who is ambitious, self-assured, sometimes egocentric, imperfect, yet heroic. His own story is all about Harold, but his brothers see things a little differently. Throughout, their observations are purely subjective, and witnessing events through their eyes gives us an insider’s perspective.<br /><br />Harold was his mother's favorite, confident enough to rise above petty sibling rivalry but Tostig, next in line, was not so lucky. Harold would have been surprised by Tostig's vindictiveness, if he had ever given his brother a second thought. And that was the problem. Tostig's love/hate relationship with Harold would eventually destroy everything they worked for, leaving the country open to foreign conquest. This subplot comes to a crisis in book three of the series, FATAL RIVALRY.</p>

Story Behind The Book

I couldn't find any fiction books set in the world of angling, so I wrote my own. If you can't have a laugh at men in tweed and rubber waders, who can you make fun of?

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Reviews

You have written a most interesting, sexy and humourous storyline, I do like the fishing theme and the title of your book &quot;On the Fly&quot; is very clever. Your character development of Brian is excellent as is your use of imagery. The story is well paced and a pleasure to read. Backed.<br />Andrew Burans ~ Author,The Reluctant Warrior: The Beginning<br /><br />*  *  *<br /><br />&quot;Checking the condition of his tackle and handling his rod at frequent intervals brings short-lived relief.&quot; <br /><br />Racy indeed!! :o <br /><br />*  *  *<br /><br />Hehehehe. This is really cute and should be quite a hit with anglers. I don't usually do well with adult material, but at least up through the third chapter, while it got warm, it wasn't excessively detailed and the story is amusing.<br />D.L. Stroupe<br /><br />*  *  *<br /><br />This is a thoroughly enjoyable read, Jillian. I read the prologue and first three chapters without blinking an eye. You remain one of my favourite writers here, but I now can call you a deviant without feeling guilty for naming you so. This is very inventive. After Brian's tryst with the Lady, I thought he'd be knocking boots with Mary after she'd 'jumped' him. What came next was perfect. <br /><br />How does it feel to have such a grasp of grammar and punctuation that you receive the following nits from me?<br /><br />None.<br /><br />Gerry Johnston ~ Author, Dropcloth Angels<br /><br />*  *  *