Medieval History
In recent days, Richard Lee from the Historical Novel Society, Justin Lindsay (HNS member and fellow blogger) and myself (as a guest contributor), collaborated on an article for the Historical Novel Society.
It was timed to go out with the launch of Robert Low's new book The Lion Rampant, which is the last book in the author's Kingdom Trilogy.
As a fan of Robert Low's books, Richard Lee asked me to write a few words on what it is exactly about Robert Low's books that makes me such a big fan.
And this is what I wrote.......
Many writers can do action adventure historical fiction. Many writers can even do action adventure historical fiction extremely well. But, in my experience, not all of them can do it with that unique blend of wordsmithing, research, passion and skill that Robert Low can. And I am not talking just a skill to write, a skill to draw characters in the mind and make them breathe and walk and talk and fight and hate, nor do I mean the skill to simply write a book full of words that make sense.
There is another skill at play in Robert Low's works that you can see if you think about it or perhaps you know it instinctively when you see it.
A skill one gets from having led a colourful life, meeting a real world full of colourful characters. As a career journalist for many decades - which included a stint reporting in that maelstrom of horror which was the Vietnam War - he has probably walked a thousand miles alongside a thousand different people, and for me as a reader, I responded to that life experience from the very first book I read of his, The Whale Road (Oathsworn #1) and it has been bringing me back to his books ever since.
There are always one or two characters in each of his books that lift off the page and stick with you. In the Oathsworn series, book one, they were Pinleg and Einar. In the trilogy, The Kingdom Trilogy, that character was Dog Boy. Each individual reader may find themselves attaching to different characters in the Oathsworn series and the Kingdom Trilogy, but I am confident one of them will stick and stay.
For me, the author is a larger than life character himself and I would not be surprised if he surrounds himself with larger than life characters in his personal life. So, of course, why would his book's characters not be as memorable and robust? I feel that to write his characters any other way would be to go against his grain.
You should always expect a passionate punch from his stories. They may not always go the way you want them. Characters will die when you least expect it, others will transform against your wishes, but they will always keep you on your toes and they are certainly not books that you will ever put aside and forget you have read.
For the full Historical Novel Society Article written in collaboration with those two gentlemen of the internet, Richard and Justin, go here: http://historicalnovelsociety.org/robert-low-the-lion-rampant/
Thanks to Richard Lee for giving me the nod on cross posting my section of the article to Ancient & Medieval Mayhem.
- MM
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Medieval History
Author Robert Low - Why I Really Like His Books And Stuff
In recent days, Richard Lee from the Historical Novel Society, Justin Lindsay (HNS member and fellow blogger) and myself (as a guest contributor), collaborated on an article for the Historical Novel Society.
It was timed to go out with the launch of Robert Low's new book The Lion Rampant, which is the last book in the author's Kingdom Trilogy.
As a fan of Robert Low's books, Richard Lee asked me to write a few words on what it is exactly about Robert Low's books that makes me such a big fan.And this is what I wrote.......
Many writers can do action adventure historical fiction. Many writers can even do action adventure historical fiction extremely well. But, in my experience, not all of them can do it with that unique blend of wordsmithing, research, passion and skill that Robert Low can. And I am not talking just a skill to write, a skill to draw characters in the mind and make them breathe and walk and talk and fight and hate, nor do I mean the skill to simply write a book full of words that make sense.
There is another skill at play in Robert Low's works that you can see if you think about it or perhaps you know it instinctively when you see it.
A skill one gets from having led a colourful life, meeting a real world full of colourful characters. As a career journalist for many decades - which included a stint reporting in that maelstrom of horror which was the Vietnam War - he has probably walked a thousand miles alongside a thousand different people, and for me as a reader, I responded to that life experience from the very first book I read of his, The Whale Road (Oathsworn #1) and it has been bringing me back to his books ever since.
There are always one or two characters in each of his books that lift off the page and stick with you. In the Oathsworn series, book one, they were Pinleg and Einar. In the trilogy, The Kingdom Trilogy, that character was Dog Boy. Each individual reader may find themselves attaching to different characters in the Oathsworn series and the Kingdom Trilogy, but I am confident one of them will stick and stay.
For me, the author is a larger than life character himself and I would not be surprised if he surrounds himself with larger than life characters in his personal life. So, of course, why would his book's characters not be as memorable and robust? I feel that to write his characters any other way would be to go against his grain.
You should always expect a passionate punch from his stories. They may not always go the way you want them. Characters will die when you least expect it, others will transform against your wishes, but they will always keep you on your toes and they are certainly not books that you will ever put aside and forget you have read.
For the full Historical Novel Society Article written in collaboration with those two gentlemen of the internet, Richard and Justin, go here: http://historicalnovelsociety.org/robert-low-the-lion-rampant/
Thanks to Richard Lee for giving me the nod on cross posting my section of the article to Ancient & Medieval Mayhem.
- MM
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Lion of Cairo by Scott OdenNow, this is one of those books where I really wish Goodreads had half stars. For me The Lion of Cairo wasn't quite a 3 star, and yet I am not comfortable with making it a 4 star. Choosing from the two, in the end I decided...
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The Lion Rampant by Robert LowOn most books you will find captured quotes on the front and back covers. These are quotes from book reviewers at newspapers (ie The Sunday Times), other authors (generally well known ones writing within the same genre as...
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Renegade by Robyn YoungRenegade (book two in the Insurrection Trilogy) was another solid offering from bestselling historical fiction author Robyn Young. It detailed many of the more interesting events that took place during the lifetime of...
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