Book Review - The Price of Blood - Patricia Bracewell

Title:  The Price of Blood

Author:  Patricia Bracewell

Review:  I loved the 1st book in this series and was looking forward to reading this book - here is my review of Shadow on the Crown -  Well this book did not disappoint - it is a good book that continues the story of Emma -Queen of England and her family - her children and the King's children as they grow and the country comes under fire from the Danes.

I love her writing and the way she is bringing history to life - I read the disclaimer of sorts at the back of the book about what the author put in as her spin on things and what is actually known about that time in history.  Kings Queens Princes and Princesses - fighting for love- for honor - for life - for title and money - land and country- what a tale this author weaves for her readers - now I just have to wait for the final book to find out what happens - will it be happy?  I do not have a clue at this point.

I say who cares what really happen when the author makes such a great story around these characters and their lives - I am rooting for Emma even if things are going to get worse before they get better.  I love how Emma puts position above all else - how she is the Queen and she must be strong for England as their Queen - Intrigue - murder - death - birth and all while England wars with the Danes and the Vikings - who is going to come out on top and who will be beaten back?  Will Emma and her children be safe and will she ever have the love of her life or will that be another sacrifice for king and country?  Read this series to find out and if  you love historical novels this is one for you.

A beautifully written book and now I am stuck waiting for the next one to see what happens to Emma and the great country of England.

This book was sent from the publisher for an honest review - well I honestly love this series and wish the next one was out so I could read it today.

Synopsis:  Menaced by Vikings and enemies at court, Queen Emma defends her children and her crown in a riveting medieval adventure

Readers first met Emma of Normandy in Patricia Bracewell’s gripping debut novel, Shadow on the Crown. Unwillingly thrust into marriage to England’s King Æthelred, Emma has given the king a son and heir, but theirs has never been a happy marriage. In The Price of Blood, Bracewell returns to 1006 when a beleaguered Æthelred, still haunted by his brother’s ghost, governs with an iron fist and a royal policy that embraces murder.

As tensions escalate and enmities solidify, Emma forges alliances to protect her young son from ambitious men—even from the man she loves. In the north there is treachery brewing, and when Viking armies ravage England, loyalties are shattered and no one is safe from the sword.
Rich with intrigue, compelling personalities, and fascinating detail about a little-known period in history, The Price of Blood will captivate fans of both historical fiction and fantasy novels such as George R. R. Martin’s Game of Thrones series. 

Hardcover, 448 pages

Published February 10th 2015 by Viking (first published February 5th 2015)

Author Bio:  Patricia Bracewell grew up in Los Angeles where her love of stories led to college degrees in Literature, a career as a high school English teacher, and a yearning to write. A lifelong fascination with the history of Britain and a chance, on-line reference to an unfamiliar English queen led to years of research, a summer course in Anglo-Saxon history at Cambridge University, and the penning of her debut novel Shadow on the Crown. The book was hailed as a magnificent work of historical fiction by England’s Daily Mail and an enthralling debut by Publishers Weekly. The second novel in this trilogy about Emma of Normandy, The Price of Blood, releases in February, 2015.

Patricia lives with her husband in Oakland, California. Look for her on Facebook athttps://www.facebook.com/PatriciaBrac... and on Twitter she is @Patbracewell. 

Other Review:

Judith Starkton

Book Review - Shadow on the Crown - Patricia Bracewell

Title:  Shadow on the Crown

Author:  Patricia Bracewell

Review:  I didn’t know what to expect from this book…there is a page listing all of the characters and a map so I thought it would be difficult to follow…but it wasn’t.  Emma is a young girl who finds herself the Queen of England.  She is unprepared except for a talk her mother gave her before she left to marry.  The King is uncaring and only into the Queen for the churches and the bishops.  He wants to sleep with who he likes and not worry about more children.  He uses Emma as a whipping post and yet she still stands strong.

 love that this book is based on real events recorded during this time in history.  The interactions are all part of the authors imagination, but there are good.  Emma is a strong woman who will not be dictated to by anyone.  She is going to run her life and not worry about who doesn’t like it.

The little romances there is sweet and short lived.  Emma is much younger than the King and his children are more her age.  As the story progresses you cheer for Emma and what she can and will do as the Queen.  She is tough and yet you get to see the tender side she hides from the world.  I didn’t know it was a series when I started the book, but I look forward to reading the next books.

The writing is easy to read and fast paced.  This is a book anyone would enjoy and if you like historical fiction you will need to get this book for sure.

Publisher: Published February 7th 2013 by Viking Adult

ISBN: 9780670026395

Copyright: 2013

Pages: 416

Quick Review:  5  stars out of 5

Why I Read It: I love historical fiction.

Where I Obtained the Book: Sent to me for review by the publisher

Synopsis: A rich tale of power and forbidden love revolving around a young medieval queen

In 1002, fifteen­-year-old Emma of Normandy crosses the Narrow Sea to wed the much older King Athelred of England, whom she meets for the first time at the church door. Thrust into an unfamiliar and treacherous court, with a husband who mistrusts her, stepsons who resent her and a bewitching rival who covets her crown, Emma must defend herself against her enemies and secure her status as queen by bearing a son.

Determined to outmaneuver her adversaries, Emma forges alliances with influential men at court and wins the affection of the English people. But her growing love for a man who is not her husband and the imminent threat of a Viking invasion jeopardize both her crown and her life.

Based on real events recorded in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, Shadow on the Crown introduces readers to a fascinating, overlooked period of history and an unforgettable heroine whose quest to find her place in the world will resonate with modern readers.

 

Author Biography:  Patricia Bracewell holds degrees in English Literature (B.A. Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, 1972; M.A. University of California at Santa Barbara, 1974) and has studied Anglo-Saxon History both as an undergrad in the U.S. and as an independent scholar in Britain (Cambridge Summer Study Program, Downing College, July, 2007). She was born and raised in California, where she taught high school literature and composition before embarking upon her writing career. She is a member of the International Society of Anglo-Saxonists and the Historical Novel Society, and she is a charter member of the S.F. Bay Area writers’ organization, Left Coast Writers©. She has travelled extensively in Europe, Asia and South America, both for research and for pleasure. She enjoys gardening, tennis and, of course, reading, and she is still a decent guitarist and folk singer, although her writing leaves her little time for practice. She has two sons and lives with her husband in the San Francisco Bay area.

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Confessions of an Avid Reader

The Reader of Fictions