Rating: 
Summary: love, betrayal, and lycanthropy in the middle ages
Review: in a masterful retelling of Marie de France's Lais, BISCLAVRET, Gillian Bradshaw has fleshed out the archetypical characters of de France, giving them depth, reasoning, and making them all-too-human. more fantasy than straight historical fiction, this is a must-read for any werewolf fan, as well as the medieval literature buff. it's a departure from the straight historical meanderings of THE SAND-RECKONER and ISLAND OF GHOSTS, and ever so much better for its element of the unreal. two thumbs up.
Rating:
Summary: colorful paranormal historical fiction
Review: Marie Penthievre de Chalandrey enjoys her serene convent life as a novice. However, her idyllic existence ends when she learns her sibling died while on a Crusade and with her father still overseas she must leave her current abode to take up residency at the court of her guardian, the Duke of Normandy. Knights arrive to escort her to her new residence, but they are rivals of her guardian, owing allegiance to the Duke of Brittany. Marie escapes to the woods, but Tiarnan of Talensac saves her life from thugs, but returns her to Brittany's men. Still she falls in love with Tiarnan, but he hurts her again when he marries Eline instead. Marie and Eline become friends and the latter admits her husband frightens her, as he is a werewolf. When he vanishes, everyone thinks Tiarnan died except Marie, who believes he lives and that his people need his return more than she does. THE WOLF HUNT is an interesting medieval fiction novel that blends vivid descriptions of the life and culture of the various French classes with a supernatural romance. The story line is rather simplistic yet filled with an incredible feel for the era and the belief that werewolves are real. Marie is a strong heroine, who refuses to be a victim though the male dominated world she lives in would force her otherwise. Tiarnan is probably the most complex aspect of the tale with his duality showing up in more ways than just wolf-human. Fans of a colorful paranormal historical fiction will want to read Gillian Bradshaw's powerful novel. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: colorful paranormal historical fiction
Review: Marie Penthievre de Chalandrey enjoys her serene convent life as a novice. However, her idyllic existence ends when she learns her sibling died while on a Crusade and with her father still overseas she must leave her current abode to take up residency at the court of her guardian, the Duke of Normandy. Knights arrive to escort her to her new residence, but they are rivals of her guardian, owing allegiance to the Duke of Brittany. Marie escapes to the woods, but Tiarnan of Talensac saves her life from thugs, but returns her to Brittany's men. Still she falls in love with Tiarnan, but he hurts her again when he marries Eline instead. Marie and Eline become friends and the latter admits her husband frightens her, as he is a werewolf. When he vanishes, everyone thinks Tiarnan died except Marie, who believes he lives and that his people need his return more than she does. THE WOLF HUNT is an interesting medieval fiction novel that blends vivid descriptions of the life and culture of the various French classes with a supernatural romance. The story line is rather simplistic yet filled with an incredible feel for the era and the belief that werewolves are real. Marie is a strong heroine, who refuses to be a victim though the male dominated world she lives in would force her otherwise. Tiarnan is probably the most complex aspect of the tale with his duality showing up in more ways than just wolf-human. Fans of a colorful paranormal historical fiction will want to read Gillian Bradshaw's powerful novel. Harriet Klausner
Rating: 
Summary: Don't judge this book by its cover
Review: Somehow, I bought this book despite the blurb on the inner flap, which announces that the main character, Marie Penthievre, "vows never...to marry a Breton brute. There is only one man who might change her mind: Tiarnan of Talensac, a handsome, skilled and noble knight indeed. But Tiarnan does not love her, and he marries a slip of a girl instead.... but that slip of a girl betrays him." That summary makes this novel sound like it belongs with the ilk of Jackie Collins and Danielle Steel! But in fact it belongs more in the ranks of Mercedes Lackey and Ellen Kuchner: historical fiction with a mystical twist. I was pleasantly surprised to find a doughty, strong heroine, interesting characters, wonderfully rich historical detail, no patently "evil" characters in the course of the betrayal, and a surprising secret that sparks the true adventure. This book contains odd flights of fancy without ever being bizarre or unbelievable. It is simply fun, well-written, engaging and interesting.
Rating:
Summary: Don't judge this book by its cover
Review: Somehow, I bought this book despite the blurb on the inner flap, which announces that the main character, Marie Penthievre, "vows never...to marry a Breton brute. There is only one man who might change her mind: Tiarnan of Talensac, a handsome, skilled and noble knight indeed. But Tiarnan does not love her, and he marries a slip of a girl instead.... but that slip of a girl betrays him." That summary makes this novel sound like it belongs with the ilk of Jackie Collins and Danielle Steel! But in fact it belongs more in the ranks of Mercedes Lackey and Ellen Kuchner: historical fiction with a mystical twist. I was pleasantly surprised to find a doughty, strong heroine, interesting characters, wonderfully rich historical detail, no patently "evil" characters in the course of the betrayal, and a surprising secret that sparks the true adventure. This book contains odd flights of fancy without ever being bizarre or unbelievable. It is simply fun, well-written, engaging and interesting.
Rating:
Summary: A Unique Perspective on a Werewolf
Review: Tiarnan of Talensac is a happy man. He has a profitable estate in Brittany with loyal peasants. He has the admiration of his liege lord for being an outstanding warrior. He is recently married to the beautiful Eline who is in love with him and with the idea of being the lady of his manor. He has rescued the stubbornly honorable Marie Penthiovre after her escape from his lord's knights. Tiarnan also has a secret. He is a werewolf. I was absolutely enthralled by this book. Even if it were simply a historical novel of medevial France, it would be worth reading for its vivid descriptions of everyday life. But it has the fascinating twist of a hero "addicted" to his werewolf life. Tiarnan loves the woods and lands he lives on, and eagerly awaits the times when he can shed his humanity and experience his woods with the heightened senses of the wolf. His hearing and sense of smell are sharper, his strength and agility are increased, and these sensations draw him repeatedly to absent himself from his suspicious wife. Tiarnan is a conscientious landholder, a loyal subject of his Duke, and a dutiful husband, but his heart belongs to the times he spends as a wolf. Eventually Eline, and her disappointed former suitor, discover Tiarnan's secret and self-righteously betray him. Tiarnan is no longer free to move between his human and wolf existances. He is trapped in his wolf's body, and only then begins to realize what he has lost with his humanity. His thought patterns are in disarray, and he struggles to reclaim any hold on language. He is nearly at the mercy of instinctive behavior rather than conscious choice. He ends up again serving his liege lord, but as a faithful "tame" wolf, and seems destined to remain so unless the grieving Marie, who had quietly loved him, continues to notice just how unusual this strange wolf is... Gillian Bradshaw has taken a werewolf character, and has given him a fascinating twist. I loved experiencing Tiarnan's fascination with his wolf's life, and his grinding despair over his lost humanity. I also enjoyed the tragically weak "villains" as well as the flawed heroine. This is the best novel I have read by this talented author!
Rating:
Summary: A Unique Perspective on a Werewolf
Review: Tiarnan of Talensac is a happy man. He has a profitable estate in Brittany with loyal peasants. He has the admiration of his liege lord for being an outstanding warrior. He is recently married to the beautiful Eline who is in love with him and with the idea of being the lady of his manor. He has rescued the stubbornly honorable Marie Penthiovre after her escape from his lord's knights. Tiarnan also has a secret. He is a werewolf. I was absolutely enthralled by this book. Even if it were simply a historical novel of medevial France, it would be worth reading for its vivid descriptions of everyday life. But it has the fascinating twist of a hero "addicted" to his werewolf life. Tiarnan loves the woods and lands he lives on, and eagerly awaits the times when he can shed his humanity and experience his woods with the heightened senses of the wolf. His hearing and sense of smell are sharper, his strength and agility are increased, and these sensations draw him repeatedly to absent himself from his suspicious wife. Tiarnan is a conscientious landholder, a loyal subject of his Duke, and a dutiful husband, but his heart belongs to the times he spends as a wolf. Eventually Eline, and her disappointed former suitor, discover Tiarnan's secret and self-righteously betray him. Tiarnan is no longer free to move between his human and wolf existances. He is trapped in his wolf's body, and only then begins to realize what he has lost with his humanity. His thought patterns are in disarray, and he struggles to reclaim any hold on language. He is nearly at the mercy of instinctive behavior rather than conscious choice. He ends up again serving his liege lord, but as a faithful "tame" wolf, and seems destined to remain so unless the grieving Marie, who had quietly loved him, continues to notice just how unusual this strange wolf is... Gillian Bradshaw has taken a werewolf character, and has given him a fascinating twist. I loved experiencing Tiarnan's fascination with his wolf's life, and his grinding despair over his lost humanity. I also enjoyed the tragically weak "villains" as well as the flawed heroine. This is the best novel I have read by this talented author!
Rating:
Summary: An Interesting Twist to Historical Fiction
Review: When I pick up this book, I expected the typical Medieval romance and was pleasently surprised to find a much deeper book. It was interesting to find a historical fiction based on an actual song from the time period the book is about. The book's hero, Marie, deals with questions of honor and family when she is kidnapped by a neighboring duke in persuit of her land. She is forced to contemplate whether her loyalties should lie with the family who never loved her or the kidnappers who treated her kindly and fairly even when her lands were no longer at stake.
The two female main characters are a study in contrast. Marie isn't quick to judge and holds honor highly. The beautiful Eline marries for land and is quick to condemn her husband for his faults.
This book was fast paced and always interesting, it never got bogged down in slow parts and keep you reading until the very end. I would recommend it to anyone who thinks historical fiction boring to show them how wrong they are!
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