A medieval masterpiece that is atmospheric, with such beautiful historical detail and compelling narrative as to amaze! Elizabeth Chadwick is a masterful writer whose work stands out above all others, by being truly magnificent within the historical fiction genre. Convincing and compelling the author certainly knows how to bring the past to life, combined with an intensely gripping plot that keeps you glued to the pages. Her grasp on historical detail is secure and vivid, where not even the slightest intricate detail is overlooked thus presenting to the reader an accurate and clear picture of the medieval age. The absorbing storyline canters along at a fast-pace, as you loose yourself within an age of bloodshed and epic battles, rivalry amidst the Royal court and leadership. I have to state that I strongly believe Elizabeth Chadwick to be one of the greatest writers there is for medieval fiction, as I have not found anything to quite equal or replicate her astuteness to detail and how she brings this era to life. Character-driven this is a book full of strong, memorable characters that pull you into the story and their lives. The richly realized historical settings and terrific storytelling make this a must-read for all fans of this genre, as you can’t help but appreciate such a high caliber of literature that is placed before you – it is a real treat! Wonderfully written, immensely moving and immaculately researched this is a book within an extensive series, where the author who seems to grow in stature with every book she writes; it is quite remarkable! It is 1126. Heulwen, daughter of Welsh Marches baron Guyon FitzMiles, has grown up with her father’s ward, Adam De Lacey. There has always been a spark between them, but when Heulwen marries elsewhere, to Ralf le Chavalier, a devastated Adam absents himself on various diplomatic missions for king Henry 1. When Ralf is killed in a skirmish, Heulwen’s father considers a new marriage for her with his neighbor’s son, Warrin de Mortimer. Adam, recently returned to England, has good reason to loathe Warrin and is determined not to lose Heulwen a second time. But Heulwen is torn between her duty to her father and the pull of her heart. Adam is no longer the awkward boy she remembers, but a man who stirs every fibre of her being – which places them both in great danger, because Warrin de Mortimer is not a man to be crossed, and the future of a country is at stake… This intensely dramatic and exciting tale will have you sat on the edge of your seat in suspense throughout, as you feel the lover’s strong emotions that tear your insides and tug at the heartstrings. I loved the characters of Heulwen and Adam, whom I envisioned as the lovers from the ‘Forthsigth Sage’ who seem to be fated to be together and yet their love is so strong, that it deeply pains them both; with the longing in Adam’s heart very much like Heathcliffe (Wuthering Heights). If you love romance, such as classics and love triangles, then I highly recommend this as a great read and one that will leave you drained of all thought and emotion. Beautiful, spellbinding and affecting this is a story that moves its reader deeply, with such profound meaning and clarity within the writing as to astonish – just incredible!
Sequel to The Wild Hunt is Good but not GreatThe Running Vixen is the second novel by English author Elizabeth Chadwick and the second in her Welsh or Ravenstow trilogy (The Wild Hunt is the first; The Leopard Unleashed is the third). She went on to write many acclaimed historical novels most of which are not romances and not all of which are available in the US. The novels in the Ravenstow trilogy are romances but not typical of the genre. Be prepared for a different pace and different story elements as you'll see from my review.Like The Wild Hunt, this sequel takes place in the Welsh Marches (in England on the border of Wales) and in London. The story begins about 24 years after The Wild Hunt, in 1126. It tells the story of Heulwen, Guyon's daughter by Rhosyn, his Welsh mistress who was killed in The Wild Hunt, and Adam de Lacey, who is Guyon's ward. It was Adam's father who was responsible for Heulwen's mother's death and after he is killed, Guyon takes the young child into his home. Adam and Heulwen are raised together like brother and sister but when Heulwen turns 15, Adam realizes he loves her as a woman. By that time, however, Heulwen has fallen for and married Ralf le Chevalier, who turns out to be a charming cad who is unfaithful to her. When he is killed by the Welsh in a raid, Heulwen comes home to live with her father. But she and Judith do not get along and Guyon is anxious to see her wed soon.Adam, who has been away on King Henry's business for several years comes back to find a now single Heulwen and the chemistry between them is evident. But Heulwen does't want another passionate disappointment so when her father wants her to wed Warrin de Mortimer, an enemy of Adam's, though she does not love him, she consents to a betrothal. The whole family travels to London at King Henry's command and the betrothal is to take place there assuming the King's approval for the match. That is how the story begins.Once again Chadwick does a great job with the hero...Adam was a man to love. But like her stepmother before her (Judith, Guyon's wife), I found Heulwen irritating at times. By the way, Judith remained a shrew in this sequel.The pace of this novel is measured and it won't keep you up at night as some romances will (I like being kept up late reading). What really disappointed me in this otherwise great tale was the last part of the book. In what romance does the heroine get raped AFTER she has married the hero and then gets pregnant to deliver a male child, her husband's heir, that could very well be the rapist's child? Ick! I'm not sure I want to read the third one...
What do You think about The Running Vixen (1992)?
Before reading - I waited what more than 10 years to read this. I read and loved Wild Hunt (book 1) and The Leopard Unleashed (book 3) when they came out, but this one went out of print and expensive long before I discovered online book shopping. I am slightly afraid I might not love it like the others, my tastes have changed and I might have overdosed in Chadwick books after a few more.After reading - and meh. I think I changed but I also think this book is a lot more conventional (and shorter) than Wild Hunt, perfunctory almost. The characters are believable but their romance is never quite compelling and a lot on this book feels really old schoo, bodice ripping type of story (view spoiler)[ up to the rape, though perhaps the most interesting and moving part of the book is Adam´s reaction (hide spoiler)]
—Hirondelle
A new author for me, recommended by my favorite author of historical fiction, Sharon Kay Penman. This novel is set just before the start of the 30 Years war. The main character is responsible for bringing Maude from Germany after her husband dies, and then for conveying the offer of marriage from King Henry to Geoffrey of Anjou. A completely different approach than the one Penman chose in "When Christ and His Saints Slept." This book is the second in a triology, so I look forward to completing the set.
—Sharon
This is not my favorite of Elizabeth Chadwick's novels, there is too much sex and not enough history. The characters are as interesting and likeable as ever, but there story is somewhat painful to read. (Especially a certain scene when a certain fiance comes barging in to discover a certain man and woman with a certain lack of clothing, it was quite messy.) Ms. Chadwick's later novels seem to be an improvement on her earlier ones, the writing doesn't change but the stories improve.http://liedermadchen.blogspot.com/201...
—Natalie
