Review: The Land Beyond the Sea by Sharon Kay Penman

Release Date: March 3, 2020

This is a biographical novel of the sadly short and painful life of Baldwin IV, King of Jerusalem, also known as the Leper King, but as ever with Penman's novels, it's a multidimensional story told from the points of view of many fascinating characters. It perfectly balances the personal and intimate stories of the characters with the political and historical events.

So much was thrust onto poor Baldwin's shoulders from such a young age, yet he not only weathered it with more maturity than someone twice his age, he proved to be an exceptional leader, in spite of, or perhaps because of his ailment.

Agnes, Baldwin's mother, is portrayed somewhat as an antagonist, but as with all of Penman's novels, it's never that black and white. All the characters are multifaceted, with fleshed out backgrounds that make them so human and relatable.

I did feel like the plot dragged a little in the middle, but that could just be because I'm struggling with what's going on in the world and haven't been in the mood to read, plus I was sick for 4 weeks. I'd really planned to have this done before the release date.

Advanced review copy from publisher via Edelweiss. My opinions are my own.

Review: A King's Ransom by Sharon Kay Penman

I wondered how a book about Richard the Lionheart's life in between his crusading and his death could fill a novel the length of this one without being boring. I was aware Richard spent some time in captivity and there is only so much of interest that can go on while your main character in trapped in confinement. But I should have known better than to doubt Penman.

The first half of the book is entirely about Richard attempting to evade capture while making his way home from the crusades, and his imprisonment by the Duke of Austria and the Holy Roman Emperor. While that does make a significant portion of it a little bit lacking in action and adventure such as we saw in the prequel Lionheart, it does make for a highly political novel as Richard and his allies maneuver for his release. It's also a personal journey of self discovery for Richard as he copes with his imprisonment and gets to know his captors. It heavily involved Holy Roman Emperor, Henry VI.

The second half of the book is about Richard attempting to politically and militarily regain what he lost during his time in the Holy Lands and captivity, so there's more action again in the second half.

As ever with Penman, the story is told from multiple points of view with characters that are well fleshed out with complex relationships among each other, making it a multidimensional and highly enjoyable novel, even if it does take a while to get through, being somewhat long.

Review: Lionheart by Sharon Kay Penman

In classic Sharon Kay Penman style, this brilliant account of Richard the Lionheart's crusade is told from the points of view of the women in his life, namely the two who accompanied him to the Holy Land, his wife Berengaria of Navarre and his sister, Joanna, Queen of Sicily.

Part of what I really liked about this one was that it was set in in the Mediterranean/Middle East, which was a refreshing change from the areas Penman usually writes in (mostly England, Wales, and France).

As usual, the characters are what make it shine but I am also amazed that Penman manages to make the battle scenes just as interesting to me since I’m not very hugely interested in military history. Penman really shows why Richard is considered such a brilliant military leader, why men would follow him and believe in him against all odds. It really explains why, despite the fact that Richard didn’t do much for England as a King and used it primarily to fund his Crusades, he is remembered favorably as Richard the Lionheart. At the same time, Richard was not flawless and as ever, Penman created a wonderfully multi-dimensional character.

I also really enjoyed her portrayal of Berengaria, the perfect example of how women can be strong and capable without being outspoken and rebellious. It was also interesting to watch how the two main women in the story were so different and yet formed such a strong bond over their love for Richard and their willingness to follow him through any hardship.

This was a Goodreads Giveaway.