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HomeShop at BookSurgeJuvenile FictionScience Fiction, Fantasy, MagicMontfort: The Founder of Parliament The Early Years 1229 to 1243 |
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| Customer Reviews: | | Average Customer Review: ( 14 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 found the following review helpful:
 Authentic and Captivating Apr 22, 2010
By Anne J. Ryan
"Anne Ryan, artist"
I was hooked from the moment I opened Katherine Ashe's integral and beautifully crafted Montfort. The reader moves from the sensuousness of Louis' French court to the rough and crumbling halls of Henry III as if on horseback.
There is not a wasted word in this compelling novel but the world that emerges is tangible. The more ornate language of a time past is conveyed simply but is faithful to the period in nuance and culture. I do not really know how the author can convey such color, sound and scent so succinctly but she does, and wonderfully well. I especially loved the specificity with which she presents each scene. Whether the pageantry of Henry's grand marriage procession or the decay of the Leicester estate, one sees the shivering players , feels the cold, and the merriment, and smells the roasted boar. The waves of bewilderment and growing anger, that Simon experiences when he arrives at his crumbling estate ring true.
The well- developed characters are true to the period. I could relate to them but could also perceive their otherness, the strangeness of another place and time.
The deep research that the author has done is clear to this reader . Included at the end is a very generous chapter on Historical content which serves ones well wetted appetite.
This is the first of a series of four novels on the life of Simon De Montfort. You will be most impatient for the release of the next three.
7 of 8 found the following review helpful:
History comes alive Mar 16, 2010
By V. C. Lambert
"Grandma Books"
What happens when a good researcher is mated to a good story teller?
You get "Montfort," Katherine Ashe's brilliant fictionalized biography of Simon de Montfort.
Ashe uses her skill as a story teller to put flesh on the historical skeleton of Montfort, brought up in the French court, heir to a British earldom, brother-in-law and confidant to a Plantagenet king -- and lover to his wife, soldier, would-be crusader, talented administrator and founder of England's first parliament.
In the process, she brings to life the 13th Century world of courtly love and religious prejudice, royal economics and churchly strictures, the conflicting claims of affection, honor and loyalty.
She also writes great battle scenes.
"Montfort, The Early Years -- 1229 to 1243," which takes Simon from his first encounter with Henry III to his appointment as guardian to Henry's son, shows Simon's many contradicitons and the forces that motivate them. Ashe uses her impeccable research not only to limn his actions but to make the motivations she imputes believable.
4 of 4 found the following review helpful:
Montfort- A Wonderful Read Jul 14, 2010
By S. Lisansky
"Maven"
This roman à clef is well-researched and immerses us in the life of the 13th century. I found it impossible to stop reading. Though different, of course, it was evocative of Ken Follett's "Pillars of the Earth," which again is coming into vogue. I eagerly await the future volumes in this series and highly recommend them to all readers who enjoy good writing, historical culture, and the roots of our democracy.
4 of 4 found the following review helpful:
Montfort: the Founder of Parliament Apr 13, 2010
By C. Reay
I so loved this book!! It captures you in the first few pages and you fly along amazed and rivited. This book reads like one of those classic larger than life movies that sweeps you off your feet. I cannot wait till the next book. I could not put this one down.
Caroline Reay. Portland , Oregon
7 of 9 found the following review helpful:
Montfort from a new point of view Apr 09, 2010
By Kate Wayne
It may not be standard history that Montfort was the father of Edward I but Ashe's presentation of the evidence is fascinating and very persuasive. The more you know about Simon de Montfort, the more this work answers the gaping questions of what really happened.
And it's a terrific read, recreating the whole spectrum of the 13th century from jousts and battles to international banking, gorgeous feasts and the Court of Love. It's not like any other work in that it brings the 13th century to life like the best of novels, but has an Historical Context section that supports the text with documentation from 13th century sources and scholarly works. It's the best of both worlds. No it doesn't say the same things as other books on Simon de Montfort. It breaks new ground.
See all 14 customer reviews on Amazon.com
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