The early twelfth century is a time for ambitious men to prosper, and royal servant John FitzGilbert Marshal is one of them. Raised high as the kin of the deceased King Henry battle each other for England's throne, John reaps rich rewards but pays a terrible price for the choices he makes - as do his family.
His wife, fragile, naïve Aline is hopelessly unequipped to cope with the demands of a life lived on the edge and, when John is seriously injured in battle, her worst nightmare is realised. Sybilla, bright, forthright sister to the Earl of Salisbury, finds herself used as a bargaining counter when her brother seeks to seal a truce with his troublesome neighbour, John FitzGilbert. And then there is Sybilla's small son, William, seized hostage by the King for John's word of honour. But sometimes keeping your honour means breaking your word...
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Book Description
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Elizabeth Chadwick is a best selling, award winning author of historical fiction. A born storyteller, her first novel The Wild Hunt won a Betty Trask Award in 1990. She has been four times shortlisted for the RNA Award in the UK for the best mainstream romantic novel. Her book The Scarlet Lion was selected as one of the top ten works of historical fiction of the decade by Richard Lee, founder of The Historical Novel Society.
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
John FitzGilbert: beyond the `hammers and anvils',
By J. Cameron-Smith "Expect the Unexpected" (ACT, Australia) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)
This review is from: A Place Beyond Courage (Hardcover)
I picked up this novel with some trepidation. How could the father of William Marshal (newly ensconced in my personal gallery of heroes) possibly be as interesting as his son? How could the maker of the infamous `hammers and anvils' speech possibly be a hero? Still, I was confident that if anyone could make this work it would be Elizabeth Chadwick. The painstaking research that made William Marshal come to life for me would surely do the same in respect of his father.
I wasn't disappointed. I didn't expect to like John FitzGilbert as much as I did. But in the process of reading Ms Chadwick's novel I obtained an appreciation, admiration and respect for John that took me by surprise. In this novel, Ms Chadwick managed to make the man himself human without ignoring the apparent cruelty of the `hammers and anvils' speech. I devoured this book in a few short days. I know the broad history of this period so knew where most of the major turning points were and which directions events would take. But what I did not have, and what Ms Chadwick has so ably infused into the mixture was a sense of the people themselves and the impacts on their lives of the choices they needed to make. John Marshal doesn't quite displace his son in my gallery of heroes, but he certainly joins him. Thanks, Ms Chadwick, for making another relatively obscure and heroic figure come to life. Highly recommended to all who love well written medieval fiction. Jennifer Cameron-Smith
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Stunning Historical Novel,
By Tamela Mccann "taminator40" (Nashville, TN USA) - See all my reviews (VINE VOICE) (TOP 500 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)
This review is from: A Place Beyond Courage (Hardcover)
I am so pleased to see this novel available for review on Amazon US. It is indeed one of the best historical novels available today and should definitely be open to a much wider audience.
Elizabeth Chadwick's historical novels never fail to engage from the first word, and A Place Beyond Courage is yet another excellent example of first-rate history brought to life. The story of The Greatest Knight's father, John Marshal, A Place Beyond Courage treats us to the equally full and engaging life of a man who knew his own mind and lived his life with gusto and fortitude. Ms. Chadwick begins her tale with John's early years as Marshal to Henry I, King of England, and follows him through the tumultuous period of warring factions for the crown after the king's death. John is shown to be very adept at achieving his goals and maintaining his own fortunes as he switches sides between Henry's daughter Matilda and Henry's nephew, Stephen; his personal life, however, leaves him feeling cold as his marriage to the mouse Aline dwindles into random meetings in the hall. Enter Sybilla, the sister of the Earl of Salisbury, and equal in fire and spirit to John; the hapless Aline is set aside as a love of deep understanding and desire develops between the two. Chadwick does an outstanding job of balancing the romantic aspect with the historical; never once does the novel steep into the vein of overblown romance as she shows the commitment between the two. Following the steps of John Marshal through history is as well-told by Chadwick as it can possibly be. As I finished the predecessor to this novel, The Scarlet Lion, I'd thought I loved William Marshal. If that was the case, I'm now in love with John Marshal. Don't miss out on one of the best historical novels I've read in a very long time. It just doesn't get better than this.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Chadwick never fails to deliver!,
By
This review is from: A Place Beyond Courage (Hardcover)
Nice to see this book is finally listed on Amazon US and I hope Jenny and Tammy join me in posting their reviews of this wonderful book as well.
This is a prequel of sorts to The Greatest Knight, and is the story of John FitzGilbert, the father of William Marshal. The story takes place amidst the backdrop of England's civil war between Henry's daughter Matilda and her cousin Stephen who usurped her crown, as John tries to juggle his perilous position between the two rivals for the crown. John's first marriage to Aline (the best he could make at the time in his position) does not fare well as she is weak of mind as well as spirit, and when he chooses to side with Matilda he makes a more advantageous marriage with Sybilla, who bears John several children including William. The characterization of John started from a cat that always lands on his feet to a loving husband and father, facing the most difficult decision of his life. The author did a marvelous job of bringing John, Aline and Sybilla to life, and most especially young William. I was totally entranced at the way William was portrayed, from his exuberant first word to his innocent knowledge of the danger he was in whilst being held hostage by King Stephen. While this is not a page turning, sit on the edge of your seat, action filled novel, I was thoroughly entertained throughout. As always with Chadwick's books, the way she brings the medieval period to life in such a graceful and effortless way, be it the sights, sounds, smells, food, clothes and battles is just awesome. As quoted on some of her book jackets, the next best thing to time travel. Five stars.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
|
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
|
|
