Sutcliff recs
I haven't made any recommendations in mumble mumble months; there are a variety of cat-ate-my-homework excuses with which I won't bore you. Anyway. One of the nice things of late has been the upsurge in interest in Rosemary Sutcliff's novels. Here are four of my favourites from last year's excellent Sutcliff Swap...
Blood Feud
By Blood Undone, by Carmarthen
'...Thormod’s words had bitten, when Anders still remembered the sharp hot feel of the knife and the press of Thormod’s wrist against his, and the way the scatter of blood had looked bright in the snow under the bare birches.' I don't know Blood Feud, but this powerful tale of love rejected, and birth brothers pitted against blood brothers, stands on its own merits
Frontier Wolf
This Last Thing, by Isis
'"You - you gave me this wound." / "I did," agreed Cunorix. His smile broadened as he turned on his side, looking at Alexios; the corners of his mouth turned cruel, and his eyes darkened. "And I shall give you many more."' The tragedy of Alexios & Cunorix is central to Frontier Wolf, and this eerie story continues their relationship after Cunorix's death, to a poignant conclusion. Superb
The Lantern Bearers
There were several takes on how Flavia came to be married to one of her Saxon abductors. They are all worth reading, but my favourites are two very different stories...
Bearing Gifts, by Ursula Kohl
'"You have a long walk before you," he told her, "and I have a long rowing. Will you come quietly?"' The sharp & spare style fits the subject matter, and the crisp little details are well chosen
A Singing Magic, by Bunn
'Flavia had been waiting for the end of the world all her life. ... She had never thought about what she would do after that.' An unusual look at Flavia's story, which grabbed me straight from the wonderful opening. Rich & thoughtful, with strong characterisations
I have ~150(!) stories bookmarked from Yuletide 2012, so there'll hopefully be a big recs set anon...
Crossposted from Dreamwidth (with
replies). Reply wherever you prefer
Blood Feud
By Blood Undone, by Carmarthen
'...Thormod’s words had bitten, when Anders still remembered the sharp hot feel of the knife and the press of Thormod’s wrist against his, and the way the scatter of blood had looked bright in the snow under the bare birches.' I don't know Blood Feud, but this powerful tale of love rejected, and birth brothers pitted against blood brothers, stands on its own merits
Frontier Wolf
This Last Thing, by Isis
'"You - you gave me this wound." / "I did," agreed Cunorix. His smile broadened as he turned on his side, looking at Alexios; the corners of his mouth turned cruel, and his eyes darkened. "And I shall give you many more."' The tragedy of Alexios & Cunorix is central to Frontier Wolf, and this eerie story continues their relationship after Cunorix's death, to a poignant conclusion. Superb
The Lantern Bearers
There were several takes on how Flavia came to be married to one of her Saxon abductors. They are all worth reading, but my favourites are two very different stories...
Bearing Gifts, by Ursula Kohl
'"You have a long walk before you," he told her, "and I have a long rowing. Will you come quietly?"' The sharp & spare style fits the subject matter, and the crisp little details are well chosen
A Singing Magic, by Bunn
'Flavia had been waiting for the end of the world all her life. ... She had never thought about what she would do after that.' An unusual look at Flavia's story, which grabbed me straight from the wonderful opening. Rich & thoughtful, with strong characterisations
I have ~150(!) stories bookmarked from Yuletide 2012, so there'll hopefully be a big recs set anon...
Crossposted from Dreamwidth (with
replies). Reply wherever you prefer