Falls the Shadow: A Novel and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle. Learn more

Kindle Edition
 
   
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
Falls the Shadow
 
 
Start reading Falls the Shadow: A Novel on your Kindle in under a minute.

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

Falls the Shadow [Import] [Hardcover]

Sharon Kay Penman (Author)
4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (71 customer reviews)


Available from these sellers.


Formats

Amazon Price New from Used from
Kindle Edition --  
Hardcover --  
Hardcover, Import, 1988 --  
Paperback $12.07  
Unknown Binding --  

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought


Product Details

  • Hardcover: 576 pages
  • Publisher: Henry Holt & Co; 1ST edition (1988)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0718129237
  • ISBN-13: 978-0718129231
  • Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.3 x 2 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds
  • Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (71 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,384,273 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I am an American of Irish-English-Welsh heritage, and I currently live in New Jersey, although many of my readers imagine I am happily dwelling upon a Welsh mountaintop--but no such luck. I was once a tax lawyer, which I looked upon as penance for my sins. Like most writers, I was born with a love of the written word, although I never expected to be able to support myself as a writer; when you read about starving artists in their garrets, most of them have starving writers as roommates. But I was very lucky and I have been blessed to make my living as a writer for the past twenty-seven years or so. All of my novels--eleven at last count--are set in the Middle Ages, and focus upon England's most colorful dynasty, the Plantagenets. It is almost as if they lived their dramatic and often wildly improbable lives with future historical novelists in mind, and I am very grateful to them--especially to the Angevins,Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine and their equally famous children, known to their contemporaries as the Devil's Brood.

 

Customer Reviews

71 Reviews
5 star:
 (49)
4 star:
 (14)
3 star:
 (3)
2 star:
 (2)
1 star:
 (3)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.5 out of 5 stars (71 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

110 of 112 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Probably The Best Of The Welsh Trilogy, July 21, 2002
By 
Richard R. Carlton (Ada, MI United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: Falls the Shadow (Paperback)
This is the 2nd book in the Wales trilogy (the others are Here Be Dragons and The Reckoning). Penman emerged long ago as one of the best historical novelists and continues to solidify her reputation with each new release. Her special genius lies in the bright and shining historical detail that she can weave into both plot and dialog (she's a very good student of history and at times is absolutely brilliant in conveying to us the workings of medieval minds).

One of the great things about Penman (and this book showcases it well) is her plots are always complex (because the history of these times was quite convoluted). She does an excellent job of keeping it all straight for us as she leads us through the maze of characters. If you read the history of these times you quickly come to see what a great job she does in her design of the story.

I have no problem with Penman's romantic feelings about her heros. From Eleanor in the 1st trilogy to Joanna in Here Be Dragons to her raising the standard of Simon de Montfort as a visionary (but historically too early) icon of democracy, she does use them as a vehicle to carry forward a dynamic presentation of history....all in the best traditions of the historical novel.

Penman's true genius is the broad historical scope that is painted on top of the shimmering details of brief moments. It truely does feel as if you are living the story yourself, and it is this bringing us readers in as witnesses that stands as Penman's contribution to the art of the historical novel.

If you prefer to read in chronological order:
1101-1154 When Christ And His Saints Slept (Vol 1 of Trilogy)
1156-1171 Time And Space (Vol 2 of Trilogy)
12th Cent Devil's Brood (Vol 3 of Trilogy)- not yet released
1192-1193 The Queen's Man
1193 Cruel As The Grave
1183-1232 Here Be Dragons (Vol 1 of Welsh Trilogy)
1231-1267 Falls The Shadow (Vol 2 of Welsh Trilogy)
1271-1283 The Reckoning (Vol 3 of Welsh Trilogy)
1459-1492 The Sunne In Splendour

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


29 of 31 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Great, as always, March 18, 2000
This review is from: Falls the Shadow (Paperback)
Again, Sharon Kay Penman proves she owns the historical novel. The great thing about this trilogy ("Shadow" is the second, preceded by "Here Be Dragons" and followed by "The Reckoning") is that each book can be read alone without having to refer to the others. I particularly enjoy her handling of sensitive issues, such as the rampant anti-Semitism that existed during that time--the scene between Simon de Montfort and a rabbi who begs mercy after the Jewish ghetto in London is destroyed on the basis of rumor that gold is hidden there is an absolute triumph. A lesser writer would have had de Montfort and the rabbi become best friends, but Penman sets up a conflict in the mind of de Montfort that allows him to appreciate the rabbi's intelligence while damning him for not being a Christian and trying to convert the rabbi on the spot. Readers who like their historical novels fluffy think Penman's work is too violent, but she is simply the best at what she does.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars True to history..., June 14, 1998
By A Customer
This review is from: Falls the Shadow (Paperback)
This book has long been a favourite of mine. What makes it exceptional is Penman's ability to read actual primary historical sources (sources dating to the period about which she writes) and to construct believable characters which jibe with recorded history. Her characterizations of both Henry III and Simon de Montfort ring true from this standpoint. Although the story is more sympathetic towards Montfort, she does not shy from presenting his faults in a realistic manner. She then builds a believable story around historical fact, one replete with accurate details from the period she portrays. I'm a doctoral student in Medieval History specializing in the thirteenth century, and from basic facts to costume and food, Penman paints a vivid--and accurate--picture which brings historic figures to life. I've recommended this book to students who wanted a take on the period besides textbooks.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews











Only search this product's reviews



Inside This Book (learn more)
Browse and search another edition of this book.
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
castle bailey, inner bailey
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Fitz Thomas, Simon de Montfort, English King, French King, Earl of Leicester, English Crown, Holy Land, King John, Earl of Gloucester, Llewelyn Fawr, Lord Edward, William de Lusignan, Roger de Mortimer, Peter de Montfort, Fitz John, Earl Simon, Lord Simon, Christ Jesus, Bishop of Worcester, Oxford Provisions, Kenilworth Castle, Brother Damian, Gaston de Béarn, Humphrey de Bohun, Bishop of Lincoln
Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Search Inside This Book:

What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?


Suggested Tags from Similar Products

 (What's this?)
Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product).
 

Your tags: Add your first tag
 

Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
Penman's Trilogy??? 1 Nov 22, 2008
Penman's Trilogy??? 0 Nov 12, 2008
See all 2 discussions...  
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
   
Related forums





Look for Similar Items by Category


Look for Similar Items by Subject

Search Books by subject:





i.e., each book must be in subject 1 AND subject 2 AND ...