The Lute Player: A Novel of Richard the Lionhearted [Paperback]

Norah Lofts (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 8, 2009

Beloved author Norah Lofts brings to life the romance and adventure of the crusading king Richard the Lionhearted through the eyes of his most humble and trusted companion -- his lute player.

One of the most renowned figures in medieval history, Richard the Lionhearted, inspired by a vision of the Holy Land, led his knights onto the battlefields of the Third Crusade. During the years of fighting and intrigue, Richard's life was intertwined with the lives of two strong, vibrant, and drastically different women who loved him -- Berengaria, princess of Navarre, and his mother, Eleanor of Aquitaine. While his marriage to Berengaria was ill-fated, Eleanor loved her son with a frantic, possessive pride. But it is Blondel, the king's lute player, who here steps forward from the shadows to tell this tale of romance, war, and betrayal.

In her trademark style, Norah Lofts paints a complex and human portrait of a legendary king.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Lofts (The Concubine) returns to characteristic concerns with this rich historical fiction, focusing on the lute player and companion to Richard the Lionhearted, Blondel. King Richard is loved desperately by his wife, Berengaria; she, in turn, is loved by Blondel; Blondel, meanwhile, has caught the eye of Berengaria's hunchbacked sister, Anna Apieta. Richard, however, neglects his wife in favor of his true love—his Crusade—as well as his lesser loves (other men). For Berengaria's sake, Blondel follows Richard on his failed attempt to capture Jerusalem, as well as his journey back to England, leaving only when Richard is captured. Through his eyes and three others'—Berengaria's, Eleanor of Aquitaine's and Anna's—the Crusades and Richard himself are addressed from a number of unfamiliar angles. Humanizing the legend of Richard without cheapening his legacy, Lofts also portrays the oppression inherent in the life of a privileged woman as easily as she dissects the horrors of war. Exquisite and triumphant, this deep look into Richard's world will dazzle those familiar with the period. (Dec.)
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Review

"Exquisite and triumphant, this deep look into Richard's world will dazzle...." -- Publishers Weekly

"Norah Lofts gets the mix of historical fact and lively characterizations just right." -- Anne Easter Smith, author of A Rose for the Crown and The King's Grace

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 592 pages
• Publisher: Touchstone; Original edition (December 8, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1439146071
• ISBN-13: 978-1439146071
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 6.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,281,087 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Book, August 15, 2000

By 

"kotinca" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lute Player (Mass Market Paperback)

This book is about Richard I the Lionheart. Its main characters are his Lute Player Blondel, his mother Eleanor of Aquitaine, his wife and her sister. This work of fiction carefully follows the thread of history, explaining actions that Richard was criticized for, and filling in history's blanks. The book plays out during Richard's crusade. The historical information about the troubles faced and the experiences of soldiers on crusade were amazing. I thought that I respected those men before, but I had no idea. When the book ends you are left begging for more. It is a shame that she didn't write a part two.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Enthralling look at the Crusades, October 26, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Lute Player (Mass Market Paperback)

This is the story of Richard the Lion-Hearted and the Third Crusade, but the miracle of it is that you see it not from Richard's viewpoint but from the viewpoint of a princess who loved him, her hunchbacked half-sister, and an ordinary lute player. Much of it is based on old legends and histories which makes it even more fascinating. Yet it is a tale which has a modern resonance because Richard, at least in this telling, was a homosexual.

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Lute Player, January 2, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Lute Player (Mass Market Paperback)

When I was a child my aunts and grandmothers loaned this book around in the family and everyone loved it. As an adult I found it, and a box full of other books by Norah Lofts, at a second hand book store. This book is brilliant, as are all of Norah Lofts' books; she is my favorite author. I am shocked at how many are out of print. Other great books: Jassy, Nethergate, Queens of England, Scent of Cloves, The Lost Queen,How Far To Bethleham...they are all great. Please put them back into print.