Tag: throwbackthursday

Throwback Thursday: The Du Lac Devil by Mary Anne Yarde

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ThrowbackThursday

Throwback Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by Renee at It’s Book Talk.  It’s designed as an opportunity to share old favourites as well as books that we’ve finally got around to reading that were published over a year ago.  If you decide to take part, please link back to It’s Book Talk.

Today I’m revisiting a book I reviewed in March 2017 – The Du Lac Devil by Mary Anne Yarde.  Published in December 2016, The Du Lac Devil is the second book in the author’s The Du Lac Chronicles series.  The first book in the series, The Du Lac Chronicles, was published in February 2016 and the third instalment, The Du Lac Princess, in October 2017.

DuLacDevilAbout the Book

War is coming to Saxon Briton.  As one kingdom after another falls to the savage might of the High King, Cerdic of Wessex, only one family dares to stand up to him — The Du Lacs.  Budic and Alden Du Lac are barely speaking to each other, and Merton is a mercenary, fighting for the highest bidder. If Wessex hears of the brothers’ discord, then all is lost.  Fate brings Merton du Lac back to the ancestral lands of his forefathers, and he finds his country on the brink of civil war. But there is worse to come, for his father’s old enemy has infiltrated the court of Benwick. Now, more than ever, the Du Lac must come together to save the kingdom and themselves.  Can old rivalries and resentments be overcome in time to stop a war?

Format: ebook (393 pp.)                 Publisher:
Published: 6th December 2016      Genre: Historical Fantasy, Historical Romance

Purchase Links*
Amazon.co.uk  ǀ  Amazon.com
*links provided for convenience, not as part of any affiliate programme

Find The Du Lac Devil on Goodreads

My Review

I haven’t read the first book in the series so I’ll confess I did find it a little difficult at first to work out who everyone was, who was related to whom and how and what the different political factions were.  So I would probably recommend readers to start with the first book in the series (The Du Lac Chronicles) to get more of the back story of the characters.

Having said that, I enjoyed the book and thought the author did a great job of blending her imaginary world with the limited historical fact and the more extensive fable surrounding King Arthur, Lancelot, etc.    There was no attempt at period language, which I think is probably wise as this is often unsuccessful, although there were a couple of occasions when some very modern sounding phrases jarred, such as ‘Come on, sunshine, time to wake up’ and ‘This could all go pear-shaped at any minute’.

The book focuses on Merton, the youngest of the sons of Lancelot du Lac, who has built up a fearsome reputation as a mercenary.  His rumoured ‘devilish’ actions are actually the key to his success as a mercenary but of course there is usually more than one side to a person’s character.    The plot is fast-paced and full of twists and turns.  There are secret alliances, plots and counter-plots, intrigues and acts of violence driven by ambition, revenge, love and betrayal.   At times, it became a little taxing to keep up with all the changes of alliances and revelations.  Into the heady mix is woven romance as Merton finds himself the object of more than one woman’s affection.  Can the ‘Du Lac Devil’ be tamed?

The author has created a thoroughly entertaining story – a blend of historical fiction, fantasy and romance, with plenty of loose ends left for future books.   I received a review copy courtesy of Xpresso Book Tours and the author in return for an honest review.

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In three words: Fast-paced, entertaining, romance

Try something similar…Sword at Sunset by Rosemary Sutcliff

MaryAnneYardeAbout the Author

Mary Anne Yarde is an award winning author of the international bestselling series, The Du Lac Chronicles. Born in Bath, England, Yarde grew up in the southwest of England, surrounded and influenced by centuries of history and mythology. Glastonbury – the fabled Isle of Avalon – was a mere fifteen-minute drive from her home, and tales of King Arthur and his knights were part of her childhood.  At nineteen, Yarde married her childhood sweetheart and began a Bachelor of Arts in history at Cardiff University, only to have her studies interrupted by the arrival of her first child. She would later return to higher education, studying equine science at Warwickshire College. Horses and history remain two of her major passions.  Yarde keeps busy raising four children and helping run a successful family business. She has many skills but has never mastered cooking–so if you ever drop by, she (and her family) would appreciate some tasty treats or a meal out!

Connect with Mary Anne

Website  ǀ  Twitter  ǀ  Goodreads

 

Throwback Thursday: The Visitor at Anningley Hall by Chris Thorndycroft

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ThrowbackThursday

Throwback Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by Renee at It’s Book Talk.  It’s designed as an opportunity to share old favourites as well as books that we’ve finally got around to reading that were published over a year ago.  If you decide to take part, please link back to It’s Book Talk.

Today I’m reviewing a short story published in 2015 – The Visitor at Anningley Hall by Chris Thorndycroft. I came across it because I took part in the blog tour for one of Chris’s other books, Lords of the Greenwood.  You can read all about that book and a fascinating guest post from Chris here.

This is also my book for this month’s The BookBum Club theme – ‘Short and Sweet’ (books under 200 pages).

The Visitor at Anningley HallAbout the Book

In 1904, M. R. James published ‘The Mezzotint’, a macabre short story about a picture that has a chilling tale of its own. This novella explores the horrifying events told within that picture.

Anningley Hall – a large country house in Essex – is home to Arthur Francis and his wife Elisa. Arthur is obsessed with his new printing press and so consumed by his desire to make a name for himself as a mezzotint artist that he is oblivious to his wife’s increasing desperation and loneliness. Elisa is convinced that something sinister is coming for their infant son and will stop at nothing to protect him. When she discovers a disturbing secret pertaining to her husband’s past, she begins to question the safety of their home as a refuge from evil. And their three-year-old son is in contact with a dark presence that seems intent on entering Anningley Hall…

Format: ebook (46 pp.)         Publisher:
Published: 2015                     Genre: Short Story, Ghost Story, Horror

Purchase Links*
Amazon.co.uk  ǀ  Amazon.com
*links provided for convenience, not as part of any affiliate programme

Find The Visitor at Anningley Hall on Goodreads

My Review

I am a big fan of M. R. James’ ghost stories and, in my household, Christmas is not complete without a repeat viewing of one of the stories adapted for television by the BBC in the 1970s (available on DVD from The British Film Institute). So naturally I was excited when I came across this short story which describes itself as a prequel to one of those stories, ‘The Mezzotint’.

In ‘The Mezzotint’, one of the most well-known of M. R. James’ ghost stories, Mr Williams, the curator of a University art museum, is sent what appears at first to be a rather undistinguished engraving of an unidentified country house.  However, the picture proves to have quite remarkable properties, revealing bit by bit the chilling story of a tragedy.    The Visitor of Anningley Hall goes behind the scenes of the picture to recount and enlarge upon the events eventually discovered by Williams and his colleagues in The Mezzotint.

The author has fun recreating the style and language of M. R. James, complete with some of James’ trademark deprecating asides about golf and what he regards as ‘lowbrow’ culture (“Tess of the D’Urbevilles?…it’s not a book I could ever read myself.”)  For instance, this from The Mezzotint:

‘…tea was taken to the accompaniment of a discussion which golfing persons can imagine for themselves, but which the conscientious writer has no right to inflict upon any non-golfing persons.’ 

And this from The Visitor at Anningley Hall:

‘Some discussed the vicar’s sermon, others the weather, and some rather dull gentleman shared anecdotes from the links which the golfing reader will have to imagine.’

There were just a couple phrases – ‘six months in the loony ward’ and ‘off her rocker’ – that, although they might have been around in M. R. James’ day, I wasn’t sure would have been common usage in 1805 when the story is set.

If ruined cottages, shadowy figures glimpsed through a window and what appear to be bundles of rags crawling slowly across a lawn get your spine tingling, then you will not be disappointed by The Visitor at Anningley Hall.  It is an accomplished homage to M. R. James by an author who clearly admires the work of that doyen of the ghost story.   However, since by the end, the reader knows everything about the events depicted in M. R. James’ original story, this prequel does make ‘The Mezzotint’ itself largely redundant.  On the other hand, it is not necessary to be familiar with ‘The Mezzotint’ to enjoy this short story.  And, if it does whet your appetite, there are lots of other fantastic ghost stories by M. R. James to be discovered.  Some of my favourites are ‘The Ash-Tree’, ‘Oh, Whistle, and I’ll Come To You, My Lad’ and ‘Number 13’.

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In three words: Creepy, chilling, suspenseful

Try something similar…Collected Ghost Stories by M. R. James

Chris ThorndycroftAbout the Author

Chris Thorndycroft is a British writer of historical fiction, horror and fantasy. His early short stories appeared in magazines and anthologies such as Dark Moon Digest and American Nightmare. His first novel under his own name was A Brother’s Oath. He also writes under the pseudonym P. J. Thorndyke.

Connect with Chris

Website ǀ  Twitter  ǀ  Goodreads