I have meant for some years to read this author's long novel about Richard III, so when this one instead appeared in a charity shop was tempted. I didn't know much about the period it covers other than remembering that the war between King Stephen and Empress/would-be Queen Maude (aka Matilda) forms the background to the Cadfael series by Ellis Peters.

I enjoyed this book in parts, principally when the scenes developed naturally with some nice interaction between historical characters such as Henry, future King, and Eleanor of Aquitaine. And the book was educational as I certainly know more about the period than beforehand. I wasn't so keen on the huge chunk that revolved around the imaginary character Ranulf and his friends/relations and his strung out hopeless love affair. I can see the point of putting such a character in scenes to interact with the real historical characters, to give a third party onlooker with whom the reader can identify and who can perhaps help to convey key facts, but there were extended interludes based around this character's misadventures elsewhere. I felt that the section in Wales was put in to allow the author to display her research about medieval Welsh society. In an already very long book, Ranulf's interactions away from the historical events must have added at least 200 pages of padding.

I also wasn't keen on certain aspects of the book's structure. There was a repeated style of scene where characters are discussing the events of the day and then someone bursts in, either with a message or to announce the arrival of a messenger. This was repeated so often I came to expect it whenever people were sitting down having a discussion. It made for a certain staleness and sense of deja vu. There were also quite a few places where someone explains all about something or someone to another character in an extended infodump, quite often done between made up characters who only appear for that purpose.

I also appreciate that there were a lot of characters in the real history, and many had the same or similar names, but it did get quite confusing at times and I just couldn't remember who someone from among the minor characters was, especially if they had been out of the picture for a few chapters. The list of characters at the start of the book only lists the main ones plus Ranulf and his invented friends and relations.

These issues made it a bit of a struggle to get through the book although I did persevere as I did want to know what happened and found the character of the future Henry II attractive. Therefore my overall rating balances out at 3 stars.

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Here's what I wrote in 2008 about this read: "This was a great read! What terrible and turbulent times these were. Royalty fought royalty for power and wealth, while both they and the peasant folk paid the heavy price as war continued throughout the English land. Truly, Christ and his Angels did seem to sleep." Was obviously on a medieval reading course during this time of life; check out other books read during the years 1995-97. And, interesting that they were all written by women. ( )

It was okay, but at times it really reads more like a documentary than a novel and I was expecting a novel. It's really, really, long and the documentary style just didn't work for me. I couldn't finish it. ( )

Recommended by Louisa Brooks

This historical novel covers the decades-long struggle between King Stephen and Empress Matilda (Maude), which eventually ends with the coronation of Henry II, Maude's son. Rich in detail, the novel gives a good sense of the brutal and violent times in which it is set, and how the average people suffer as the nobility fight for power. I also liked the author's inclusion of the fictional Ranulf, as his viewpoint offers good insight into the various characters. ( )