Customer Reviews

The Sun's Bride (Severn House Large Print)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I am a huge fan of Gillian Bradshaw's historical fiction, and always enjoy her books, but I have to say that the titles she has published since she moved publishers to Severn House have not been as solid as some of her earlier novels. One of the problems is that they are shorter than some of her earlier books, and the stories just don't develop enough. On the other hand, her characters are as engaging as ever, and there is no writer to match her for evocation of a far off time and place (here, the ancient maritime power of Rhodes).

Four stars really is a little bit high for this particular book, but I would still recommend it as a more than reasonable piece of historical fiction.

Isokrates is helmsman of the Rhodian warship Atalanta, which encounters pirates off the Lycian coast during a training voyage. When they rescue a beautiful musician, Dionysia, who proves to be the ex-mistress of King Antiochos of the Seleucid Empire, Isokrates, his master Aristomachos, Dionysia, and the city of Rhodes are plunged into a world of intrigue and warfare between the three Hellenistic empires.

It's reasonably entertaining, and I liked the naval bits, but like most of her more recent work (with the possible exception of _Dark North_), it's simply not up to earlier novels like _The Beacon at Alexandria_ or _The Sand-Reckoner_. For one thing, it's quite short and doesn't give enough room to go into anything in-depth; the characters are engaging but don't linger in my mind, and the plot is overly simple, when there should have been lots of room for more complexity. It's a shame, because she's chosen an interesting time period not often written about in historical fiction, but I really wish she'd give herself more scope.

I love all of Gillian Bradshaw's historical fiction. Her characters are always very human and compelling. I read her books in one sitting and The Sun's Bride was no exception! Despite having no knowledge of maritime maneuvers, I was able to comprehend and envision the battles on sea and all the characters that created this amazing story. My favorite is still Beacon of Alexandria and The Sand-Reckoner, but I was definitely not disappointed with this book.

The Sun's Bride Gillian Bradshaw writes great historical fiction. My favorite book of hers so far is "The Sand-Reckoner," about Archimedes, but "The Sun's Bride" is also a fabulous read. I don't know anybody since Mary Renault who comes up with such interesting characters and plots set in ancient Greece.