Customer Reviews

The Running Vixen

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

 

 

What an incredible read! This is the second novel in a trilogy, that just doesn't slow down. It continues the story several years after "The Wild Hunt" left off, and Adam de Lacey and his "foster sister," Heulwen, have grown up. In the beginning Heulwen is recently widowed and he is recently returned home to the Welsh Marshes in 1126. Adam finds that he has fallen in hopelessly in love with her. Can he convince her that she should view him as a man grown and not consider him at all a brother in any way? Can he stop her betrothal to his mortal enemy? Read on and find out!

The paths that they choose are harrowing and exciting, full of duels to the death, marriage under extenuating circumstances, court intrigue, all with the court of Henry I as the backdrop.

This book is well written and keeps your attention, sometimes until the wee hours of the morning! I found several nail biting scenes that I just couldn't wait to find out the conclusions to. I'm eagerly looking forward to reading "The Leopard Unleashed" in this series. This book is out-of-print, but don't let that stop you from finding a copy of it, somehow. You won't be sorry!

This book tells the story of Guyan's newly widowed natural daughter Heulwen and Adam de Lacey who was raised in Guyan and Judith's household. Adam has just returned from escorting Maude/Mathidla from Germany back to England to be sworn in as Henry I's heir, to the chagrin of the Barons. Although raised as brother and sister, Adam is in love with Heulwen, but she has plans to marry a man Adam detests, and Adam eventually comes across damning evidence against him. Naturally, sparks fly between the two and Adam and Heulwen are caught by Warrin in a compromising situation that leads to a battle for the death between the two.

This was an interesting tale set amidst the background of the intrigues and treachery of Henry I's court, and I very much enjoyed seeing more of Guyan and Judith and their brood of children, most especially that scamp Renard. This is the second time that I've read this book, the first being about two years ago before I had read much of the author's later works. It was interesting to revisit one of her earlier books and see the contrast between them and how the author has grown. Interestingly, many parts of this book reminded me of Roberta Gellis' Roselynde Chronicles, and very different in style from The Wild Hunt. While a well told tale, I did not find the effortless sense of time travel she shows in her later works, as she seamlessly blends the sights, sounds smells, clothing of the medieval period into her stories.

This book follows Chadwick's "The Wild Hunt", as the second book in her trilogy.

With the battles in the Welsh Marches raging around them, and the intrigue of Henry I's court, Adam de Lacey fights to convince Heulwen (his foster-sister) that he is no longer a boy - and definitely not her brother.

One passionate filled night seals their fate, and they must fight through the treachery that surrounds them to survive.

This is a stunning read from Elizabeth Chadwick, and not to be missed!

This is one of Elizabeth Chadwick's earliest pieces. She does "historical romance" rather than "historical narrative"--romance being the important word. While her history is fine and her 'inventions" in her stories can't really be quibbled with, she is not Sharon Kay Penman, who writes within the same historical period. Chadwick yet instills credibility into her stories and creates excellent "mise-en-scene" and characters with whom the reader can find sympathy. I love reading Chadwick against Penman and finding those corners in which she differs from Penman in her characters' intents and personality. It's a rich historical period they both portray, from William the Bastard and the Norman invasion of England through the Plantagenet dynasty and it's struggles with the Welsh march lords.

Chadwick does something I truly appreciate. She appends a bibliography in which I have been led to some very fine secondary sources I had not known about. That is a definite advantage for the reader.

I recommend her work if you are interested in putting a face on the particular historical period within which she works. There is nothing better than quality historical fiction to bring an era to life. One can filter out the "romance" junk. It isn't the core of her work.

Had I not known this book was written by Elizabeth Chadwick I never would have guessed she was the author. I know this only the second book of hers which was ever published but it just doesn't have her style or voce in it at all.

On the surface it seems like a great story, Adam deLacy, child of terrible child molesting torturer from "The Wild Hunt" is in love with his foster sister, Heulwen who has been recently widowed. Sounds great right? Lots of fodder for tortured love and guilt over the actions of one's parents (his father raped and killed her mother and older sister) but somehow it just falls flat. There's no sexual tension in this book and that's what Chadwick does best. Everything seems to be resolved too quickly and with minimum angst.

So in the end this seems like a typical semi-trashy romance novel, instead of the superior historical romance that Chadwick writes. I guess every author is entitled to an off book though.

Two stars.

Much of Elizabeth Chadwick's research is carried out as a member of Regia Anglorum, this is an early medieval re-enactment society. It would be fair to say that it is a historical romance, but I feel that it will be equally enjoyable by both men and women.

The Running Vixen is a sequel to The Wild Hunt, Elizabeth Chadwick's first novel and continues the tale of the Norman lords who occupy the Welsh border during the 12th century. Henry 1has secured the throne of England, but with the death of his only son his successor is in doubt.

Henry fights to have his daughter Maud put forward as his heir but this is not a popular decision and he must try to convince the hostile barons who do not wish to have a female heir at any price . . .

Since writing this book, Elizabeth Chadwick has become a successful and much read author. Her writing style has dare I say it become much earthier and are all the better for it. Women still make up a large part of her writings and why not, they are just as interesting, if not more so than the men.