I’d like to thank those of you who submitted questions for The Reckoning’s Book Club. I passed them on to St Martin’s and they were delighted. They made some minor editing changes, but used most of them, as well as several I’d provided. You can read them at http://www.readinggroupgold.com/product/product.aspx?isbn=0312382472 ; click onto the Reading Group Guide to find The Reckoning. A few of you offered questions after St Martin’s had posted them on-line, but I submitted them anyway, and they could possibly be added at a later date. In any event, everyone who posed a question was eligible for the drawing. And the winner is Suzanne; as soon as you send me your address, I’ll mail signed paperback copies of Here Be Dragons and Falls the Shadow and a hardback copy of The Reckoning.
Erika, I’ve decided you have second-sight, for your question about the use of fictional characters was one I’d already proposed myself to St Martin’s! I was very interested in the subsequent discussion between you and several other posters about this. Erika, you also asked if this was done for a particular purpose. The answer is yes. Sometimes all I know of a secondary character is the name; so I then have to give that character a history. Eleanor’s maid Amaria is an example of this. So, too, are Hugh and Juliana in The Reckoning; I knew they were in Ellen de Montfort’s service, but nothing else, so I had to breathe life into them. Hugh served a double purpose, for I also used his happy ending with Caitlin to mitigate the stark tragedy of the book’s conclusion. And I created Ranulf because I worried that my readers would not be able to fully identify with either Stephen or Maude, who were their own worst enemies. I meant for Ranulf to bridge that sympathy gap until the young Henry Fitz Empress came onto center stage. Ranulf was a hit with so many of my readers that I kept him on payroll, and then passed the baton on to his son Morgan in Lionheart!
So here is my question. How do you feel about the insertion of purely fictional characters in novels that dramatize the lives of people who actually lived? Suzanne would prefer to take her history straight, without any sweeteners. Erika and Paula like a few glimmers of hope midst the darkness. What about the rest of you?
Now I’d like to respond to specific comments. Cassandra, thank you so much for letting us know about bookdepository.com; it is a great site. You asked about Simon de Montfort’s speech to his men before the battle of Evesham. Chroniclers reported that he’d given such a speech; I filled in the blanks myself. Angela, I loved your song for Joanna. Gayle is right; set it to music and you have a ballad. Maritza, I don’t have any plans to write about Richard of York and Cecily Neville. Margaret Frazer has been talking about it for some time, though, so she is the one who needs prodding! I do intend to write about Owain Glyn Dwr; Owain’s book will come after I finish Lionheart and my novels about Balian of Ibelin and Constance de Hauteville. Thanks for sharing your “genealogical tidbit” with us, Marilyn, that the wives of Edward I and his brother Edmund were second cousins. It is surprising how tangled the bloodlines of the highborn become. For example, Richard’s queen, Berengaria, was the daughter of Sancho VI, King of Navarre. She was therefore related to Richard’s sister Joanna by marriage, as Joanna’s husband William, King of Sicily, was Berengaria’s first cousin; William’s mother was a princess of Navarre, sister to Berengaria’s father. Lastly, I’d like to address a question posed by Jenny. You said you were troubled by Llewelyn ap Gruffydd’s “negative reaction” to his newborn daughter. This was immediately after the death of his beloved wife in childbirth, so he was still in shock. But I think his scene with his sister-in-law Elizabeth shows that he would have cherished his daughter had he not died so soon thereafter.
I wanted to let you all know that I recently did an on-line interview with A ‘n’ E Vibe Magazine; it can be read at http://www.anevibe.com/headlines/bringing-history-to-life-an-interview-with-sharon-kay-penman.html And my agent, Molly Friedrich, has informed me that one of her writers, Joseph Finder, has come up with an excellent idea to show support for independent bookstores. He wants to declare this coming May 1st as “Buy Indie Day,” hoping that we’ll all try to make a purchase at an independent bookstore in our communities on that day as a show of solidarity; he has set up a facebook event for those needing further information. Sadly, my local independent bookstore closed a number of years ago, so I will buy a book from The Poisoned Pen, my favorite bookstore and one of the “indies.”
Lastly, I am sure we are all grieving for the people suffering so from the earthquake that struck the Abruzzo region of Italy. Earthquakes have done so much damage over the centuries. Medieval Messina was destroyed by an earthquake early in the 20th century. Another one wreaked havoc in the 18th century, and Sicily was rocked by one in 1169, which leveled the town of Catania. If you would like to make donations to help the survivors of L’Aquila and the surrounding villages, you can go to http://www.justgiving.com/italy-abruzzo-earthquake where In Italy Magazine has arranged for contributions to be made to the British Red Cross; any such donations will be used only for the earthquake victims.
Lionheart is keeping me very busy these days, which is why it sometimes takes me so long to do a new blog. In my next one, I hope to do another drawing, offering a signed copy of Devil’s Brood as the prize; I thought it might be fun to offer the English edition this time.
April 14, 2009
Yay, I get to post first! I suppose you already got my comment that I started “Time and Chance’. I’ve also started ‘The Canterbury Tales’…I figured that the two books have sort of connection, so why not read them together?
I really like fictional characters in historical novels, even if they’re the main characters. When I feel like reading ‘pure’ history, I usually pick up a nonfiction book or one of your books. (Honestly, I’m always shocked to hear that there are inaccuracies in your books, Sharon. Usually, I can spot inaccuracies pretty well, but with your books they’re so elegantly woven in the story that they go right pass me.) Part of the fun of historical fiction is not only making the story seem real but making it enjoyable to the viewer/reader/whatever. Leave cold hard facts to historians, and let heeks (history geeks) have the flesh-and-blood stories.
But I totally understand when inaccuracies get on people’s nerves. I really like the TV show ‘The Tudors’ but lately I’ve tired of it because of all of the cringe-worthy mistakes. For example, the writers combined Henry the eighth’s two sisters, Mary and Margaret into one person (Margaret). I’m cool with that, but she died before she could have any children, thus wiping Mary Queen of Scots and James the first out of existence! Historical writers have to draw the line somewhere, or else it just becomes fiction, sans historical.
Plus, I love Ranulf and Rhiannon….how could I wish that they aren’t in the H&E series just because they didn’t ‘really’ exist?
I just found out that Richard the third has his own society; Napoleon and Simon de Montfort have ones too. I’m thinking about joining Richard’s but I couldn’t find one for Eleanor of Aquitaine, the one society I would join in a heartbeat!
Anyways, I better stop rambling and get back to what I’m supposed to be doing, which is writing my own story, about Rosamund Clifford. (I actually haven’t started the writing part yet; I’m still doing research and stuff.) Keep up the good work on Lionheart Sharon!
I have to say I love it when an author weaves in characters who may not have really existed – it adds a depth that is sometimes hard to achieve if one just sticks to the facts. And the use of such characters can offset some of the more bleaker historical facts and occurrances. I feel as though I learned a little bit about the prejudices that existed with respect to the handicapped in the ME world through Rhiannon. And I can’t imagine any of these books without Ranulf. We learned about dyrehounds (sp?), being an alltud (again sp?), and divided royal loyalties through his eyes in a way that might have been lost without him. One can learn a great deal just about the society and culture at the time through the use of fictional characters – if an author is good at it. And you, Sharon, are exceptional at making an ancient time come alive.
I love historical fiction – because it is just that…historical, but fiction. The closer the story is to the truth the better- but I do think the added use of fictional characters makes the story more “juicy” if you will.
I just finished reading Helen Hollick’s Arthur series – and it was obviously way off in terms of cold hard facts ( but then those facts are hard to come by given the time frame) – but I loved how she made Gwenivere part of the royal House of Cunedda! It was such a fun perspective! I guess what I am saying is – I appreciate an author’s need to take liberties with the past – and on occasion even gross misrepresentation is ok if done well. After all, it is a work of fiction.
As to the Buy Indie Day – fabulous idea! I am proud to say that Albany NY still has a wonderful indie book store – The Book House. Great selections and they will get you anything you want. They regularly host book club events as well as famed authors. My whole book club frequents this store and my daughter has made it a personal campaign to get her entire high school to buy there (she’s even had moderate success)! Big supporters of the independents out there!
Hope Lionheart is going well – can’t wait!!!
Hi Sharon,
First of all, I have posted a couple of times on here and I have to say that I absolutely love your blog! I feel privileged to have this opportunity to learn from, and speak to, my favorite author.
I like the addition of fictional characters in historical novels when done with caution. For example, I love the addition of Ranulf because, not only is he a great character, but he adds to the story. By himself he isn’t all that important to the story, but he adds depth. He helps us to understand what may go through the minds of a few characters. So he may be fictional, but he is useful, and he helps tell us what happened. Plus, he is somebody who COULD have been there, so we don’t feel like he is fictitious at all!
As for the independent booksellers, you already know all about The Tattered Cover in Denver. I even use their bookmarks, and I love telling people about the store. I haven’t found my version of that place here in Boston yet, so I will order a book from them on May 1st! I think it will be “The Scarlet Lion” by Elizabeth Chadwick. I own all of your books (and multiple copies of a few!). I have recently started “The Greatest Knight” because I was so intrigued by William Marshall after reading “The Devil’s Brood”. I have to say that so far it is an amazing book and it is going to cost me some sleep! Marshall was so remarkable that he seems made up, yet he was real. I can’t get enough of him! So thank you, and thanks to fellow readers who have introduced me to another fantastic author!
OK, first let me say I am completely thrilled and excited and overwhelmed to have won the drawing — thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
Second, I didn’t exactly say that I liked my history w/ no sweetener — I said that fictional characters should be used as seasoning (or even sweetener!) rather than as a main course. I do love that you take real characters about whom nothing is known and flesh them out and give them stories. One problem with inserting completely fictional characters is that you need to keep them as nobodies to explain why they don’t show up in the historical record. Which is fine if they actually are nobodies (like most of your purely fictional characters are) but causes trouble if they become more important. For example, you couldn’t give Ranulf that earldom he so obviously deserved, because obviously there was no real Earl Ranulf, so you had to invent reasons why he didn’t want one. I don’t take issue w/ his reasons, but as a reader reading your books, I know he’s a fictional character, so I know you can’t give him an earldom or otherwise give him too prominent a role, and that knowledge tends to distract from the story. I’m not sure if that makes any sense or not, and I don’t know if it’s just me — obviously Ranulf was a popular character.
I enjoyed reading the interview on the A’n’E site. I’m glad you mentioned how easy you find it to get inside your characters’ heads — that’s always been something I’ve considered a real strength of your writing: getting inside people’s heads and making us really feel like we understand why they act in the often bizarre-seeming ways that they did (all those betrayals!).
I personally like the fictional characters. I like that SOMEONE at least will get a happy ending, especially in books like The Reckoning and Devil’s Brood. I also like how they can be used a medium through which we can see a more neutral perspective on a scene. There were many scenes in Time and Chance or Devil’s Brood that would have been skewed if written from Henry’s perspective, but are easier to understand when seen from Ranulf’s.
I share Suzanne’s views about inserting fictional characters as ‘sweeteners’ or even as ‘stop-gaps’ for periods when what was actually happening to the main characters is missing from the records of the time. If however, the fictional character is given too big a role, it can, for me, distract from the main historical story.
I am Welsh and therefore very emotional and hopelessly romantic! Ranulf story with Rhiannon, particularly when he was describing colours to her (as she had forgotten) had me in buckets! (Don’t talk to me about Llewelyn and Joanna!!!) However, the main story was about the war between Maud and Stephen and their story had nothing to do with that. Your incredible ability to bring these characters to life and meld them into the main story however, saves the day and makes the reading of your books the endlessly, marvellous way to spend one’s time.
Thanks Gabriele and Judith for your encouragement. I’ll need it!! The lives of these extraordinary people in the 12th and 13th centuries is of endless fascination to me. I have just made the trip from Cornwall, where I live, to my place in the south of France to concentrate on my writing. The thought of making that same trip on foot or on horseback as these people did, with all the dangers of the road at that time is mindblowing!
To give you a snippet of my main character, I’ll quote from the Flemish Chronicler Jean d’Ypres (d. 1383)
‘There was formerly in Savoy a certain lord of Grandson, whose wife bore him a son. When the astronomers were summoned to examine, calculate and decide the child’s nativity, they declared that if he grew to manhood, he would be great, powerful and victorious. There was also present on this occasion, a person full of superstition, or shall I rather say, of divine inspiration, who, taking a brand from the hearth, declared that the boy would live only as long as the brand lasted and that he might thereupon live longer had the brand been built up in a wall. The boy grew to manhood and to old age, with ever-increasing honour; until at last, weary of life through the burden of his years, he ordered the brand to be taken out of the wall and cast into the fire. Hardly was the brand consumed, ere the good knight expired. (note: aged 90!)
My informants told me further that this fateful lord of Grandson was beyond sea in the company of the son of the King of England and thaat when he heard how the prince had been poisoned, he alone, trusting, as I suppose, in the fate that had been foretold for him, dared to suck the venom from the wound; and thus through his aid was Edward healed. Afterwards this lord of Grandson and his kinfolk rose to high honour with the Kings of England and until this day have freat repute in that country.’
Othon did live to become great, powerful and glorious. He appears to have led a charmed life, avoiding injury and death in many life-threatening circumstances (many of which are depicted in Sharon’s books). He became a ‘Knight of Great Renown’ (see book by Esther Rowland Clifford), a friend and right hand man of Edward 1; an ambassador and diplomat charged by Edward with negotiating treaties with the Welsh Princes (yes, he knew Llewelyn well!), the French Kings and successive Popes in Rome and later in Avignon; The saviour of Edward’s life on crusade; the Justicier of Wales; Warden of the Channel Isles and (of most interest to me) designer/organiser of Edward’s Welsh castles with his fellow Savoyard, Master James of St. Georges d;Esperanches!!!!
You couldn’t make it up, could you?
Michele said it best … historical fiction is historical but fiction … and as far as I’m concerned, the very best of both worlds.
An author has to develop dialogue and make decisions about what color dress or tunic a character is wearing and whether the day in question is clear or cloudy and whether the horse is black or bay and whether the character’s hair color is tawny, golden, brown or dish-water blonde. So with all this fictional development that gives a book flesh and brings it to life, how can we quibble with fictional characters?
Suzanne makes a very compelling point that an author must be careful not to elevate a fictional character too much or give him so much prominence that he then becomes a real problem … a “whatever shall we do with the children, Dear?” kind of situation.
But mostly, (and we talked about Author’s notes in another of Sharon’s blogs) I am *quite* content with fictional characters – even key, important fictional characters – if I know via an Author’s Note that they are fictional.
One other thing & I’ll wrap this up: I am certain I am not the only one of us who zips to the internet when reading a book to enhance understanding, see a picture, get additional details, verify a family org chart, etc., etc. With so much “history” at our fingertips, there is a real burden for responsible authors to “get it right;” but there is also room for development of fictional characters and secondary storylines … after all (and as Judith said) if we want pure “history” we can pick up a non-fiction book. And isn’t it interesting that some of the highest praise a non-fiction book can receive is when it is said to read like fiction !! 😀
Hey sharon,…….Just watched Latest ,Tudors?…….Did they really Kill Whole Familes,……In yorkshire And durham,…..Was this henrys Angst,!…Over Richards, former Dominions(lord of the north…Etc) no wonder us northers dont trust London??….Still. Also I think Your Chapters ,…….With Anne Neville,…….working in a Tavern(Sunne in Splendor)…..Was Good! Looking Forward Too Lionhart, Very Much,.. I thank you Again……James.
Thanks for posting the interview link – I really enjoyed it. Nice to see that you also loved Alianore Audley – a book hasn’t made me laugh out loud like that in ages!
As for allowing fictional characters to take centre stage – I like it. As someone mentioned above, at least you can control their fate and give them a happy ending!
The mix with ‘real’ and ‘created’ characters works well – although I have to say that I do prefer the ‘real’ characters. For example, I studied the reign of Stephen as part of my history degree and read every one of the fascinatingly contradictory chronicles – and I loved the way I got a new angle on his reign by seeing it through the ‘eyes’ of Stephen and his contemporaries in ‘When Christ and His Saints Slept’.
I’ve just finished ‘Devil’s Brood’ for the second time and enjoyed it even more (the first time I raced through as I wanted to know what happened!) and interestingly found myself more sympathetic to Henry second time round (although I still wanted to slap Hal!) It’s a shame that Geoffrey died before his time, I think he was my favourite character.
Looking forward to the next blog post!
Ken, the amount of traveling kings and nobles did is often amazing. During the time of his troubes with the Lombardian towns, Friedrich Barbarossa crossed the Alpes every summer, fe.
I don’t mind having fictional characters in historical novels if they are woven into the historical tapestry. The means they either can’t be important ones about whom we would know, sneaked in really well (like Ranulf), or the book must concentrate on their stories and have history only as additional layer – the Cadfael mysteries are a good example for that.
I’m a storyteller as much as a historian, and it took me three years to realise that I could not weave the story of my fictional characters I wanted to tell into the facts 12th century history presented me with. Either I deviated too much from known facts, or the plot went off into directions I didn’t want it to go. In the end I decided to add a layer of magic (I love Fantasy as much as Historical Fiction), change the names of the historical secondary characters and call the whole big, epic mess for Alternate Historical Fantasy Whatever. 🙂 I’m still working on it, but I have less problems now – only the usual ones every novel presents.
I’m also working on a trilogy set in the Roman Empire, and that one is easier to do as historical fiction with fictional main characters. We don’t have that many sources, and the ones we have are only Roman, incomplete, biased, full of agendas and with some really weird ideas about the Germanic or Caledonian tribes. (12th century sources are also biased and have agendas, but they mostly come from both sides.) Lots more leeway to connect story with history. Though while the main characters are mostly invented, the historical Arminius stole the first book right from under my keyboard. Damn rascal. 😀
I also love the addition of fictional characters to help the story along. As posted already, if we wanted pure fiction we could read a non-fiction book. But historical fiction does offer the best of both worlds! Mind you, as someone else also posted, I find it best when the fictional characters or elements are added to the author’s note.
Thanks again for taking time to keep up your blog, it is such a pleasure and really makes us feel connected to you!! Oh and the interview was great too!
Hi Sharon! I hope you are having a nice spring so far. It’s windy like nobody’s business in Phoenix. Boo.
The Buy Indie Day is a terrific idea! Thanks for letting us know. I will be sure to make a purchase from The Poisoned Pen that day–it’s just up the road from where I work. I don’t have any of Elizabeth Chadwick’s books, and I know they have them there, so that will be a terrific way to start the weekend!
As for my thoughts on fictional characters in historical fiction works, I like them. I actually think they’re necessary. It doesn’t seem very likely to me that one could write an historical fiction using only historical figures. I doubt there would be enough information available on every character to do that, so authors would have to fill in the blanks at some point anyway. When a fictional character is used, I like it if they have a purpose, not just some random person stuck in to function as a narrator or something when it’s just not necessary. I like how you do it, with the fictional characters having a purpose, being realistic and fitting in with the setting. As a few others have mentioned, I also think it’s a good idea for there to be an author’s note about the fictional characters. But I just like ANs anyway–they give me a jumping off point for further reading a lot of the time!
This is a totally random question, so I apologize for that. But have you (any of you, fellow posters!) read any of Alys Clare’s books? One of my friends recommended her, but we don’t exactly have the same ideas of what constitutes good writing. LOL. I wondered what you all thought if you’ve read her works before I start getting invested in yet another book series?
Thanks also for the link–I will listen to the interview this evening. Have a great day!
As with many others here, I agree that the use of fictional characters in an historical fiction novel adds to the overall effect much more often than not. Jeremy rightly points out that these people quite likely could have been there, and simply weren’t recorded. I guess “celebrity bias” isn’t nearly as new a phenomenon as modern pundits would have us believe.
I just discovered your blog today, although I have read _Here be Dragons_ enough times to almost have memorized it, and do feel that I know Joanna, daughter to John and wife to Llewelyn Fawr, quite personally.
In an earlier entry, you asked if we your readers would be disturbed by your exploring lives and times outside of your chosen MA ground. I think it only fair, given that the more I read about one era or area, the more I want to know about neighbouring regions and previous eras. While they say that curiosity killed the cat, it is also true that satisfaction brought it back.
As for Elizabeth Chadwick, I love her work. I just finished _A Place Beyond Courage_ and _The Scarlet Lion_, and look forward to _The Greatest Knight_. Her earliest work is good too, although historical figures are more the backdrop than the action in those.
I’m going to need a bigger bookshelf soon! Thank you.
One addition to all the great answers here on the question of fictional characters. The one thing that sometimes bothers me is when real people are used when a completely fictional person would be a better choice. These are cases where the historical record conflicts with the need of the fiction. Since historical fiction often sends me off to the nonfiction realm, I get frustrated when I find Earl So-and-So was really on the other side or Bishop Whoever had already died.
I’ll agree with others that fictional characters should be carefully used. I love to see them integrated into a story to flesh things out, but its is a fine line between using them as an interesting point of view and making them too ‘important’. I’ll agree with what Sandy said.
One of the main reasons that I like to see fictional characters used is that I think there is a tendency to see history as only a small collection of people at the top of the heap (kings, bishops, heads of state, etc). But these people lived on the backs of those that have been forgotten or deemed unimportant. This ties into why I love to do my own genealogy. Not one of my ancestors ever did anything a history book would consider the least bit interesting, but they lived and were important and I want to learn all I can about them.
Ranulf/Hugh/Random solider #1 may be ‘fictional’ but they represent so many more who helped to shape the world in little ways of their own. Writers like you help us remember them.
Isn’t it all fiction to a certain degree? As Elizabeth Chadwick writes in the Authors note for ‘The Scarlet Lion’, “If the edifice is built with solid building blocks of research, then it is bound together by the mortar of imagination.” With true historical characters we may know facts and figures but we don’t know their innermost thoughts or feelings. I think that with historical fiction the quality of the finished product is determined by the skill of the writer. The tools used by each writer will vary. One tool is obviously fictional characters and whether they play a minor or major role is immaterial if the final product is believable.
I hated history as a subject in school. It seemed so dry and boring. As an adult I love history and it was reading ‘Here Be Dragons’ at the age of 16 that awakened that passion. I have wandered around Evesham and mourned for Simon de Montfort. I have stood on mainland Wales and looked out over the Menai strait toward Mon and hoped that Llewellyn forgave Joanna the way it was portrayed in ‘Here Be Dragons’. But I also care about Hugh, Caitlin and Ranulf. I think that people like them could have existed.
Sharon, in your books you breathe such life into the characters that it makes history come alive. It gives me a link to the past that I would not have had otherwise. As I mentioned in a previous blog I was disappointed initially to find out that Rhys and Catherine didn’t truly exist. But ‘Here Be Dragons’ was the first historical fiction book I had ever read. Once I knew that some of the characters may not be real I embraced the concept. Ranulf may not be real but I feel more for him than I do some of the real characters. He fits in really well.
I also mentioned in a previous blog that I really like Sara Douglass books. She writes historical fantasy in her series ‘The Crucible’ which features Joan of Arc and Hal Bolingbroke. Sara describes her world as being like a paralell universe. I think it is one of the best series ever written. Sara writes so well about the time period as that was one of the times she specialised on as a University lecturer. If you can go with her when she takes real events and moves them around a little bit it is a really amazing journey to take. Her books are more fiction and fantasy than history but they are still amazing
So I think it all comes back to how good the writing is.
Hello Sharon!
I recently stumbled across your books in the library, and I have to say, I am now in love. Finally, FINALLY I have found quality historical fiction that is well written and historically accurate. I am having such a wonderful time reading all your books! I have just spent the past 30 minutes or so going over your blog, and I believe I will become a frequent visitor here as well!
I’d like to answer the question on whether there should be fictional characters used in historical novels. I think we need to keep in mind that the name of the genre is historical “fiction” after all – therefore, we shouldn’t be trying to use these books as history books, but rather as lenses through which we can see a world unknown to us. A fictional character that can be manipulated into whatever the author needs is a good vehicle for this. We can have a greater understanding of Henry II’s world by seeing it through the eyes of an outside (someone who was not really there) and yet also an insider (someone who has been placed there). It does lead to some logistical problems, as Suzzane pointed out; Ranulf can never have anything terribly significant happen to him or you change history. But all that is easily dealt with, and I think the trade-off is worth the trouble.
However, I think if you are going to introduce a fictional character, what is absolutely essential is a good Author’s Note to explain what is real and what is not. Your books provide excellent Author’s Notes to serve this purpose! I about look forward to you AN more than the story itself, just to see what was real and not!!
It all comes back to the purpose of the book – to take the reader by the hand and lead them into a world they have never known. A well placed, well written, fictional character does this.
As a side note, I also enjoy having a character whose fate is unknown. Reading Devil’s Brood was a wonderful experience, but throughout the whole book, I found myself wincing as the characters plowed through their lives, because I knew what was next, knew who was going to betray who and who was about to die and whatnot. As soon as the tournament scene began, I about couldn’t read it, because I knew this must be where Geoffry was killed. It’s fun to have a character that has the possibility of a happy ending, because none of the actual characters do!!
Thanks for writing such spectacular literature and helping to feed my inexplicable thirst for knowledge of English history!! I look forward to more!
Hi, all.
I just finished reading Devil’s Brood and I must say I enjoyed it. I’ve also read Sunne in Splendor, Here Be Dragons, and When Christ and His Saints Slept I enjoyed reading them, too.
For the record, I read a lot of things, and I’m writing a book(or rather, a triology). It’s a blend of science fiction and history, set in medeival events. Which leads me into the whole question of “fictional” v. “real” characters in historical novels. I suppose a lot depends on what you’re writing. I have a feeling a lot of readers, and writers, of historical fiction are “really” looking for fictional bioography, which is a good way to learn something about a historical period, if it’s well-done and well-researched, and it’s obvious that Ms. Penman has done just that. However, since I’m writing a “hybrid”, I feel I can, if not take “liberties”(the historical events I deal with were quite real, and I stick to the history there, as much as possible), at least make most of the main characters fictional. I don’t pretend that what I’m writing is strictly “history”. On the other hand, my cast of characters is a mix of “fictional”, and “historica'” so as far as possible, I try to make the real ones act more or less as they probably did in real life.
On the other hand, if you’re writing mainly about real people, and that is your main focus(as is the case with Ms. Penman), I think you have to be a lot more careful. I think in that case, one should stick as closely as possible to the real people, and try to have them act as they would in their time. At the same time, I agree with Sara: for me, straight fictional biographies or fictional historical accounts are less interesting, because they are known and therefore predictable. Again, for me, predictability is a bit boring, though Ms. Penman makes the lives of her Devil’s Brood(among others), so intricate and incredibly complex, that they are worth reading for that alone. So I won’t write “only” about “real” people; the main characters will be fictional, and take part in whatever historical events, but they certainly won’t “change” them. That’s not what I’m “about”, either.
Just my 2 cents,
Anne Gilbert
Hello Sharon!
I’ve loved all of your fictional characters. As others have stated so convincingly here, I feel that they help to tell the story and move it along. I also feel that characters like Ranulf and Morgan could very well have existed, so perhaps you are just giving names to people who were really there anyway, but whose names are lost to us. As long as we know who the fictional characters are–and I know you do this in your Author’s Notes–I say, please keep them on your payroll!
I’ve just finished re-reading Devils Brood, and I enjoyed it even more this time around. On the first reading I concentrated on getting the story straight, but this time I steeped myself in the characters. We’ve all heard so much about Richard and John in popular culture (thanks to Robin Hood!), but I had never known about Hal and Geoffrey before reading your books. What a shame Geoffrey died so young–he could have made a great king. But then Joanna may not have married Llewelyn . . . .
Marguerite
I agree that historical fiction is the best of two genres! I love when fictional characters flesh out the natural born ones.
I have truly enjoyed reading this blog and the comments from readers as well. It’s like being back in a good graduate English class without all the pesky papers and theses!
Sharon, I had the honor of meeting you and having you sign a book for me on my first wedding anniversary in 2003 in the DC Area. (Paper is the traditional gift for one year and my husband encouraged me to go have that particular paper signed. 🙂 ) You are a gracious author who gives the gift of yourself and your take on the world so freely to your readers – both in print and in person. Thank you.
I am THRILLED to hear that you will be writing about Owain Glyndwr (sp?)! My interest in my Welsh heritage has been thoroughly tilled by your writing and I look forward to more of it. We named our son Owen (we gave in with the spelling so he wouldn’t have to spell his name his whole life) and I look forward to the day when I can share your books with him. (he’s only 3.5 years old!).
Anyone know of any good historical fiction young children’s or chapter books? I also have a baby girl to get hooked on reading in the coming years!
Also, Sharon, thank you for your interest in the new technologies like Kindle. I know that permitting a kindle edition is a leap of faith and I appreciate authors (especially of long, heavy books) trusting readers to honor their works in a new format.
Megan (in SE Arizona)
I’ve come the the conclusion that historical fiction is WAY easier to read than to write, and therefore I will leave historical fiction writing to the pros, such as William Shakespeare (I love ‘Richard III’), Jean Plaidy, and Sharon Kay Penman. Plus, I have a lot work to do in my drama program, and I feel like I can’t give Rosamund the attention she needs.
Megan, Ann Rinaldi is a good children/teen historical fiction writer. You might also try the ‘Dear America’ and ‘Royal Diaries’ series.
And, Sharon, ‘Time and Chance’ is still going good! Rhiannon just gave birth to Morgan and Harry’s brother Will…*sigh*. Stupid Thomas Becket. WHY couldn’t he just let Will get married?
Gosh, I haven’t felt this sad since I read Devil’s Brood…..
Hmm, I think I’m going to have to wait awhile before coming back to read these posts, at least until I read Devil’s Brood… Too many spoilers for me! I know that much of the main facts (people’s marriages, deaths, etc) are usually known well before we get to read your books, but I go through so many novels that I still find myself surprised and shocked each time I re-read them. In saying that, now all I’m going to be doing is preparing myself for this ‘tournament’ scene in Devil’s Brood & expecting Geoffrey’s death! So yes. I’m definitely taking a break from the blog until I’ve read it…
Angela
Hi Sharon – Just finished “Sunne” & loved it, I’m working on the first book of the Henry II trilogy. I wondered if you’ve read Posie Graeme-Evans trilogy about the court of Edward IV? Curious what you think of it- best wishes, Robin
I’m just going to jump right on in here and say that I have loved the fictional characters who have found themselves entrenched in the historical world of your novels, Sharon. That we have to look them up to find out they’re not “real” is a testament to how well-written they are and the fact that they seem to seamlessly blend into the historical landscape. I feel applause coming on!
Odd fact incoming – on Saturday it’s the 779th anniversary of the hanging of Will de Braose (of Here be Dragons fame)! Don’t worry, I’m not so much of a pedant to have memorised this for no good reason – I looked up 2nd of May in history as I’m getting married then, so I hope this bleak Cardiff weather cheers up for Saturday morning!
Angela – I know what you mean! I haven’t read Devil’s Brood yet, so I have to keep scrolling down the screen very quickly to avoid spoilers! Looking forward to reading it soon, though!
Beth
Sorry, I have another question. I am a little more than halfway through The Reckoning, at the royal wedding of Ellen and Llewelyn given by Edward. You mention a minstrel who sings about a woman crusader, Maria Perez (p. 332 of the 2009 paperback edition). I was wondering if she was real or if that was an example of the theme of this blog post–fictional characters in historical novels? If she’s real, I would love to learn more about her because, you know, I have a soft spot for independent and free-spirited women. 🙂
To Megan Sneary – I don’t know if you will ever even come back to this and read responses, but if you do, I fell in love with historical fiction through Ann Rinaldi. She mostly writes American Historical Fiction, but I loved her from the start. My favorites of hers: Time Enough for Drums, In My Father’s House, and Wolf By the Ears. Also, for younger than that, one of my all-time favorite books is Number the Stars by Lois Lowry, which I read for the first time in 2nd grade, I believe. Hope that helps!
Sharon: I just want to comment on how nice it is to see the respect between you and Elizabeth Chadwick – my two favorite authors in the world! I am currently doing a reread of Time and Chance. After reading Devil’s Brood, I decided to go back and reread the Welsh triology and the Henry and Eleanor trilogy. What a treat! And I seem to find new insights each time that I missed the first time through. Next I am going to reread Sunne in Splendour (I thought it was my favorite book, but now I’m not sure I could pick just one). Then I am going to read the mysteries. I have them but haven’t read them yet. I’m waiting patiently for the Richard book. Also want to comment that Elizabeth’s books aren’t available in my local Barnes and Noble. I have to order them from Amazon.com.UK.
Hi Sharon,
Just a comment I’ve been burning to make for years and finally have the opportunity: I am not at all a fan of inserting purely fictional characters like Ranulf into your stories. I enjoy your books immensely, particularly the way in which you use extensive research and logical extrapolation to breathe life into real historical figures, of whom sometimes very little is known.
My view is that this approach offers so many fascinating real characters that I cannot see the need to invent any. Ranulf in particular annoyed me because he was forcibly inserted into so many fundamentally important and real scenes. Where you deal with real historical figures, and fill in the gaps based on informed speculation, the scene you create actually could be a true one. If Ranulf gets involved, it becomes (inevitably) fiction. We know for a fact that it can’t have happened as you portray it, because Ranulf did not exist. That puts a halt to the gallop of my imagination, and also stills my twitching fingers, which ache to resarch the real historical characters in your books to find out more – I can’t research anything Ranulf does, or speculate about developments in his character or relationships with others, because he’s not real.
I also felt, if I may say, that Ranulf’s Welsh connections were perhaps a tiny bit indulgent of your love for Wales, a country which did not feature heavily in the history behind your Angevin trilogy, so my preference would have been that it did not need to feature prominently in the books.
I hope these commnents are acceptable as you did ask for an opinion. I really enjoy your books,and regard them as a great treat, but Ranulf has been annoying me for years and I had to take the opportunity to unburden myself.
Finally, I was intrigued to note at the end of “Devil’s Brood” (which I thoroughly enjoyed by the way) that you are writing about Richard, John, Joanna etc in your next book, as I expected that “Devil’s Brood” was closing the book on the Angevins, linking neatly as it did into the start of “Here be dragons”…..?
I was not surprised to see that Glyn Dwr features in your future plans and look forwardd to your interpretation of him and his world, as I’ve looked into his story a little and there is plenty for a writer of your calibre to get her teeth into – can’t wait!
Почитаю что Вы пишете – дом2 почему-то вспоминается 🙂
Прикольно!:) Но есть и минус ! У меня скорость инета 56 кбит в секунду. Пага грузилась около 30 секунд.
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Hi Sharon, I just want to say thank you! Your books are the most emotionally engaging I have ever read! (and I am an avid historical fiction reader)
I cried immensely during “Here Be Dragons”, I cried even more during “Falls the Shadow” and by the time I finished “The Reckoning” I was an emotional wreck!
That aside, I love the fact that historically “evil” characters like John Lackland and Edward Longshanks are portrayed in a new light. You have a real knack for emphasizing with characters and their motivations – and the reader experience is richer as a result! Thank you.
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