Customer Reviews

Lord of Sunset

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

 

 

Having already and read -- and enjoyed -- Sherwood and Robin and the King, I suspected that I'd like Lord of Sunset. I was not disappointed -- Godwin comes through again with an exceptional historical novel that kept me flipping pages long after I should have turned out the light and gone to bed. What I enjoy most about Godwin is that he makes history come alive with characters who are, at the same time, dreaming big dreams and putting their mark on the world AND dealing with the everyday petty squables and boring routine of their day-to-day lives. The characters plot and dream and scheme and influence the world about them, but they also go to the bathroom and plow fields. This makes them human, which -- for me, at least -- makes them that much easier to identify with. Overall, a wonderful read; I'd give it six stars if I could.

Prior to reading this book, I knew very little about the reasons behind the Norman Conquest, and practically nothing about King Edward and King Harold. This was an excellent introduction behind the many characters who forged the history of Great Britain. The author makes these characters come alive, and one of the most fascinating dynamics was the relationship between King Edward and Godwine, and later Harold. While the author does justice to the deep love between Harold and Edith, it doesn't dominate the story. My only complaint, and the reason that I didn't give this book 5 stars was the cursory treatment of the battle of Hastings. All things considered, however, this is a great book for anyone interested in medieval England.

Excellent account of Harold Godwinsson and the events that lead up to the Norman invasion. Even though we all know the ending of this story, I kept finding myself "hoping" that Harold would somehow prevail in the end.

If you read Lord of Sunset, you might wanna read King Hereafter by Dorothy Dunnett next. There is considerable overlap between the two books, and many of the same characters.

Godwin breathes life into the real-life legend of King Harold of England and his common-law wife, Lady Edith of Nazeing. Harold of Wessex served his father, his family, and the Crown with his vision of a unified England. Both an antagonist of King Edward, who married Harold's sister Eagdytha, and later his strongest supporter, Harold worked towards uniting the lords. As Harold gains power and prestige, one woman stands beside him, his beloved Edith. Forbidden to marry by Church laws, Harold and Edith are married in a civil ceremony which begins twenty years of life together. Twenty years which are threatened by the crowning of Harold after Edward's death, and by the rise of William the Conqueror. On that fateful day at Hastings in 1066, Harold and Edith stand together. Godwin's powerful descriptions allow two legendary lovers to live as normal human beings swept up in the struggles of their times. The background and the relationships are realistic, and after reading this book, you will believe his version. _Lord of Sunset_ is a prequel, without fantasy elements, to _Sherwood_ and _Robin and the King_.

I've read all the books I've been able to find on Harold II, and this one was very different and unique. Godwin's use of different narrators was not only surprising, but quite wonderful! Who would have thought to have ever learned Earl Godwin's opinion or heard Eadgytha's or Tostig's side of the tale? This technique was just marvelous! I loved getting into the heads of King Edward and Duke William. The only problem (though minor) that I had with this book was Godwin's version of Harold's famed relationship with Edith. To be perfectly honest, a man of Harold's reputation and power would not have fallen for a plump Plain Jane as Godwin portrayed Edith. He should've made her the gorgeous mate that earned her the title of "Swan-neck." All in all, though, this book is just great.

I've studied a fair amount about the Anglo-Saxon period, so I was looking forward to reading "Lord of Sunset" as historical fiction. Regrettably, the novel is more romance than history. I give two stars because the author technically writes well and occasionally rises to lyrical and touching prose. However, the book is too long with too many fuzzy digressions that do not serve much purpose in moving the story forward. The characterizations sound more like 1966 than 1066 with homey family scenes and lots of fretting about things that sound utterly out of place in the violent warrior culture of the time. Moreover, some of the actions simply lack much motivation, making it hard to believe even if you aren't bothered by historical details. Lastly, in terms of shedding light on one of the turning points in British and European history, there's not much here. In the end, read as fantasy/romance, the book may well please the reader. But if you're expecting solid historical fiction that paints a valid portrait of the time or offers intriguing suppositions into its why's and wherefore's, this treatment will likely disappoint.

At one point, years ago, I read and devoured every historical novel written by Parke Godwin. I love how he found new ways to present old tropes, such as the Arthurian saga (particularly Firelord, about Guinevere's fate after Arthur's death) and Robin Hood. Somehow I missed the existence of this book -- a situation I felt the need to remedy.

Lord of Sunset, written about King Harold (the one killed in 1066 by William the Conqueror), is both a love story and a political tale. The ending battle is pretty obvious since we know what happened, but I was unaware of the politics behind Edward the Confessor's reign (he is not painted in a particularly positive light). It's the love story that makes the story compelling, especially since it's based on truth: Harold had a common law wife whom he loved (and had children with), but for political and dynastic reasons had to set her aside and marry a "suitable" woman. Most of the book is about the relationship between Harold and Edith, and it's a mighty fine romance even if you know how it ends.

Since it was written after Robin and the King and Sherwood, Godwin was able to weave in Aelard of Denby (Robin's father) into the story; that's fun.

Lord of Sunset is a good book, but it is the least-wonderful of Parke Godwin's novels. I don't mind the author telling the story from both Harold's and Edith's point of view, but Godwin also has chapters from the perspective of Harold's brother, from King Edward, and from Duke William (before becoming conqueror obviously). Instead of showing how each of the players saw events, it weakens the story.

If you like Godwin's books as much as I do, or you're interested in this historical era (not well covered in historical fiction, I think), I am sure you will enjoy Lord of Sunset. If you're new to the author, I recommend you start with another one of his books.

I own several works by Parke Godwin, but honestly had them placed low on my reading list. Finally, after being motivated by the Valerie Anand trilogy centered around 1066, I delved into this book. WHY DID I WAIT SO LONG?!! Parke Godwin is a masterful story teller. Far from the typical one-sided account of a story, Mr. Godwin takes the reader from one character's perspective to another - told in that character's voice. He brillantly shows his skill by incorporating not only the perspective of the main character, Harold II, but includes the perspectives of Edith (his wife), William the Confessor, Botulf (a servant), William of Normandy, Tostig(his brother), his sister and more. Each one weaves seamlessly into the next so that the story continues to flow and yet separates just enough for you to anxiously await the author's next attempt at that character's telling. It is truly one of the very best books I've read and I'll never part with my copy. RARELY do I read books a second time - this one I will!!!

I really wanted to enjoy this book because of the subject matter. This critical time period in British history offers many memorable characters. I did enjoy the story being told through the eyes of the different characters but at times I was very confused about exactly who was related to who and how they were related. A genealogical table would have been very helpful. The writing seemed stilted and the relationship between Harold and Edith didn't seem fleshed out enough. Why exactly did he love her? I found the characters of King Edward and his queen Eada must more interesting. Overall, I enjoyed the book but felt more exposition on the characters would have improved the flow of the story.

Parke Godwin understands the human soul and psyche, and he reveals his insight to us in prose that is sometimes heartbreakingly lyrical and sometimes brutally basic. He tends to choose as his subjects characters which are larger than life -- LORD OF SUNSET is no exception -- and as ever, he is more than equal to the challenge. He has a superb sense of time and place, and renders his historical detail smoothly. He is a careful crafter of character, story, setting and detail who makes every sentence a joy. I've read every one of his books, and have never been disappointed.