The Burning Land by Bernard Cornwell

Bernard Cornwell delivers another action-packed treasure in The Burning Land, fifth installment in his paragon Saxon Tales, set in 9th century Britain. Once again, Uhtred of Bebbanburg rises to his reputation as King Alfred’s formidable warlord and snatches another great victory from the Danes, this time at Farnham. While his family grows and Gisela provides comforting familiarity, two other women – Aethelflaed, the fair daughter of Alfred, and raven-haired Skade, a cruel and enchanting Danish sorceress – tug Uhtred’s fate in opposing directions. At a time when it seems he is never more more highly valued by Alfred, an insult from a proclaimed saint incites an act of sacrilege and Uhtred becomes an outlaw on the run, seeking the fortune that will propel him back to power and seal his fate as Lord of Bebbenburg.

From the blood-soaked battlefields of Saxon versus Dane, where one can practically hear the guttural battlecries and clang of weapons, to the cold, spume-capped North Sea as Uhtred voyages on Seolferwulf, The Burning Land is perhaps the best so far of the series. Not only does Cornwell give us a superbly paced tale of adventure, impossible odds, unlikely trysts and a revolving appearance of old allies and sworn enemies, but here we begin to glimpse an Uhtred who is not only wiser and more far-thinking, but willing to risk seizing vengeance for the sake of a promise.

I’ve been a Cornwell fan since picking up one of the Grail Quest series in Scotland a decade ago. With an author as prolific as Cornwell, one might expect his stories to become more formulaic and his characters flatter with each successive product, but in my opinion the opposite is true here: Cornwell somehow manages to get better with every story. This is one of those rare books I could read again. If you like historicals rife with battle scenes, perilous tales of adventure and an antihero who is, at the core, loyal and recklessly courageous, then don’t miss The Burning Land.

Pope Joan by Donna Woolfolk Cross

Synopsis:

For a thousand years her existence has been denied. She is the legend that will not die - Pope Jon, the ninth century woman who disguised herself as a man and rose to become the only female ever to sit on the throne of St. Peter. Now in this riveting novel, Donna Woolfolk Cross paints a sweeping portrait of an unforgettable heroine who struggles against restrictions her soul cannot accept.

Brilliant and talented, young Joan rebels against medieval social strictures forbidding women to learn. When her brother is brutally killed during a Viking attack, Joan takes up his cloak - and his identity - and enters the monastery of Fulda. As Brother John Angelicus, Joan distinguishes herself as a great scholar and healer. Eventually, she is drawn to Rome, where she becomes enmeshed in a dangerous web of love, passion, and politics. Triumphing over appalling odds, she finally attains the highest office in Christendom - wielding a power greater than any woman before or since. But such power always comes at a price.

In this international best seller, Cross brings the Dark Ages to life in all their brutal splendour and shares the dramatic story of a woman whose strength of vision led her to defy the social restrictions of her day.

Opening sentence - Prologue:

It was the twenty-eighth day of Wintarmanoth in the year of our Lord 814, the harshest winter in living memory.

Opening sentence - Chapter One:

Thunder sounded, very near, and the child awoke. She moved in the bed, seeing the warmth and comfort of her older brothers' sleeping forms. Then she remembered. Her brothers were gone.

Pope Joan is one of those remarkable novels that evokes images of a spectacular time and period. Pope Joan's achievements, in the face of social oppression against women punishable by death, are remarkable, even in today's world. How a impoverished child, abused, ignored, and trod upon, achieved the greatest throne in Christendom is truly a marvel. But that is not the only reason why this story is so endearing. It is the impeccable research and details into the Dark Ages that makes this novel resound with vibrancy.

The novel is rich with intrigue, murderous plots, deadly secrets, adversity, religious zealots, and power mongers. Add to this, a secondary plot of love and loss, and you have a tale that is truly riveting. It is no wonder the novel will soon be made into a major motion picture.