From Publishers Weekly
Alder's clunky debut charts the rise and fall of King Harold, as seen by the fictional Evyn, the king's loyal Welsh servant and foster son. A regular Horatio Alger hero of Saxon England, Evyn finds his promising career as a storiawr (wandering storyteller) stopped short when his tongue is cut out by the high-born ruffians who killed his father. A few days later, Evyn's uncle sells the mute boy into slavery on the vast estates of Lady Ealdgyth Swan Neck, who, for some reason, arranges for the boy to be taught to read and write. Later, Evyn leaves Ealdgyth's household to serve her lover, Harold, Earl of Wessex. At this point the narrative really bogs down, becoming essentially a star-struck account of Harold's ascent ("It seemed to Evyn that all the power of the Saxon people was concentrated behind the muscle and bones of the Earl of Wessex") and his defeat at the hands of William the Conqueror. Characterizations are wooden and oddly distant: it's hard to get a sense of Harold's repeatedly emphasized charisma from Alder's clicheed phrases. A wealth of potentially fascinating historical details indicates thorough research; unfortunately, these snippets are poorly integrated into the story. Ages 12-up.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From AudioFile
Draw your chair to the fireside as the story of Evyn unfolds in Ron Keith's magnificent English accent. History is revealed through the story of Evyn, an adolescent Welsh serf whose dream of becoming a storyteller is dashed when his tongue is severed by his father's murderer. As Harold Godwinson ascends to the throne of England, the damaged Evyn comes to be his trusted friend, his foster son, his greatest champion. Each character speaks in a distinctly rendered and carefully accented voice. From the musical lilt of Evyn's words and subsequent thoughts to the lordly intonations of King Harold, Keith brings to life the gripping story of tragedy, war and death in the years from 1063 to 1066 for audiences aged 11 to 100. T.B. Winner of AUDIOFILE's Earphones Award (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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