Tag Archives: historical fiction

Review: Muninn’s Keep, by Brian C. Austin

2 Replies

Muninn’s Keep, by Brian C. Austin (Word Alive Press, 2010)

“A fabled ring,

Growing conflict,

Ancient prophecies,

Ruthless enemies bent

on destruction;

All challenge Theodoric

to the utmost.”

Theodoric doesn’t know who he is, how he came to be a thræl (slave), or what he did to earn the brand of “thief” and the name “horse-killer”. Muninn’s Keep is the story of his fight for survival and identity.

Canadian author Brian C. Austin has crafted a richly-detailed historical novel set in Britain, just north of Hadrian’s Wall, late in the 9th century. The landscape and culture come alive as we read of legends, battles and pagan rituals.

Theodoric is an appealing narrator, with an innocence and a strong sense of justice—and an unbroken spirit that earns his master’s wrath. Mystery surrounds him, in his shattered memory and in the scraps of prophecy that may refer to him.

Central to the story is the finding and re-establishing an abandoned fortress, Muninn’s Keep—and the finding of the ancient Ring of Thorvæld.

Connected with the Keep is a grove formerly used to offer blood sacrifices to the pagan god, Woden. Theodoric longs for a god worthy of worship, one who doesn’t need human tricks to gain followers.

Stories of one they call Christus, and a parchment of the prophet Isaiah, give direction to his search despite the character of the one servant of the Christus he meets.

Muninn’s Keep reveals a harsh world where battles and suffering are part of daily life, but where a few courageous and true characters can make a difference in the lives of those around them. Fans of historical fiction from this era, be they adult or teen, Christian or non, will find this a good read.

I thoroughly enjoyed the novel, and for me it had that epic, sweeping feel I find mostly in fantasy novels. After such a realistic visit to the past, I’m extra thankful to be living in the relative safety of the present.

Muninn’s Keep is Brian Austin’s first novel, and I hope there’s a sequel in the works. You can read the first three chapters of Muninn’s Keep here. The book is written at an adult reading level, and is suitable for Christians and non-Christians alike.

Brian is also the author of the poetry collections Laughter and Tears, Let Heaven Weep, and I, Barabbas.

You can learn more about Brian and his various projects at his website, Undiscovered Treasures.

[Electronic review copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.]

Review: Seeker of Stars, a novella by Susan Fish

2 Replies
Seeker of Stars 2005
Seeker of Stars 2013

Seeker of Stars, by Susan Fish (Winding Trail Press, 2005 and David C. Cook, 2013)

Melchi has always been fascinated by the stars’ slow dance in the night sky. Even after exhausting days learning the family trade of rug making, he steals to the rooftop at night to gaze on his “beauties”.

When his father at last permits him to go and study with the astronomers, Melchi plays a key part in discovering the meaning of a new star and joins the expedition to Jerusalem in search of the newborn king of the Jews.

Told in the first person by an adult Melchoir who looks back over the events leading to his journey—and what happened at its end—Seeker of Stars carries an exotic taste as if this ancient scholar had learned English and invited us to hear the tale.

I love the richness of the language, both in feel and in word choice. Susan Fish says a lot in a very few pages, and creates memorable, complex characters.

This novella has become a part of my Christmas tradition. The season’s first strains of “We Three Kings” bring the story to life in my mind, but I save the reading—like a treat—to savour in the days after Christmas. Ideally I’ll read it around the time of Epiphany, when Christians observe the Magi’s visit.

For more about Canadian author Susan Fish, visit her website: susanfishwrites.wordpress.com. [Note, Seeker of Stars has been re-released with an updated cover. The original is featured above.]

Follow me on BookBub

Review: Cibou, a novel by Susan Young de Biagi

8 Replies

cibouCibou, by Susan Young de Biagi – Cape Breton University Press, 2008

A 17th century Mi’Kmaq maiden’s life changes as she spends time with two brothers from France: Jesuit missionary Antoine Daniel and his sea-faring brother Charles. French fishermen have traded with this group of natives on the Atlantic shores of what will one day be Canada for perhaps 100 years, and by the time of the novel the French/English power struggle for this part of North America is beginning to affect the indigenous population.

Cibou shows the Mi’Kmaq community’s daily life and observations of the French and English foreigners through the eyes of a young woman named Mouse. Author Susan Young de Biagi depicts the Mi’Kmaq as a people of integrity and spirituality, living in harmony with nature and caring for the less-fortunate among them.

Susan Young de Biagi has given us a well-written story with characters and events that linger after the final page has been turned. I think the best part of this gift is the Mi’Kmaq approach of looking at life – really observing and chewing it over – and finding life lessons to apply. Whatever our culture of origin, as we’ve moved away from the oral tradition we’ve lost the propensity to do this.

This isn’t a novel to rush, nor is it dry and heavy. It flows gently, thoughtfully, and is well worth a second read. One of my favourite characters is the chief, a man who embodies Fr. Antoine’s God’s call to lead through servanthood. The chief is wise and deserves the people’s confidence, but he doesn’t look the part except on formal occasions. His wife complains (with pride) that every time she makes him a thick new robe, he gives it to someone in need.

The author presents Mi’Kmaq spirituality and Antoine’s Christianity with sensitivity, as an integral part of the characters’ lives. She makes no comment, but leaves readers to take – or not – what they will from this as from the rest of the book. As a Christian, I found much to think about.

In a culture where mainstream fiction often portrays Christians’ failings and bad examples, it’s refreshing to see a character who “gets it right.” For those who prefer to see where Christians go awry, there’s a hot-tempered zealot to offset Antoine’s practical love.

A review by Maura Hanrahan in the Catholic Register suggests the novel would have been better served with Antoine as the viewpoint character. I can’t agree.

We see both Antoine’s and Charles’ values more clearly through Mouse’s fresh eyes, and would have missed much of Mi’Kmaq culture if we only saw what a stranger saw. Plus, we’d miss the sometimes-laughable interpretations these gentle people put on what we understand as common practices. (Mouse and her friend, Bright Eyes, for example, are horrified by Antoine’s use of a handkerchief.)

Plus, Antoine would have been too good to be true if we knew him from inside his own head. As might the chief. Characters who are very noble or wise are best presented in small doses lest the reader feel inadequate or preached at. Mouse, with her clear-sighted timidity, makes an ideal observer. She sees, and leaves us to draw our own conclusions.

The same review commented on the stiffness of the Mi’Kmaq dialogue. I have no idea how real 17th century Mi’kmaq spoke among themselves, but to me the dialogue felt natural and flowed well, regardless of its historic authenticity. Instead of stiffness, I heard an older pattern of speech, which helped transport my imagination into the past.

Cibou is Susan Young de Biagi’s first novel. A former Nova Scotian, she resides in British Columbia. Ken Chisholm of the Cape Breton Post reports, “De Biagi is working on her next novel, due in a couple of years, about Alexander Graham Bell and the Silver Dart.” I’ll be looking forward to it.

You can read the first few pages of Cibou here. The novel is in stores now, and available online.

Interview: Canadian Author Sheila Davidson

Leave a reply

Sheila Davidson is a Canadian author of Hear Heaven, Heaven’s Tears and Heaven Knows, inspirational romances set in medieval times. These are feel-good, heart-warming books, set in a simpler time and in a fictional place where faith (and certain characters’ spiritual gifts) can be an accepted part of daily life.

This is a series where I suggest starting at the beginning – not because you couldn’t understand books two or three without doing so, but because you’d miss out on those stories. I’m rarely a hopeless romantic, but I love the ending to Hear Heaven.

JS: Welcome, Sheila, and thanks for taking time to join us. You’re a Christian, a wife and mother, a court stenographer, and when we get to your creative side you’re a novelist, songwriter, singer, musician and artist. Where do I start? Since I’m a writer and reader, how about you tell us a bit about your books?

SD: You put it very well in your introduction, Janet. The back of my bookmark says: “Come and meet friends and neighbours as they deal with struggles and laughter, life and love, all under the kind eye of the Heavenly Father.”

JS: Your novels are set in a fictional 12th century village with a distinctly Celtic feel. What kind of research was most helpful in creating the setting?

SD: Movies and other novels set in the same time have given me visual images of the period. I’ve borrowed books from the library on specific topics, like the history of glassmaking, for instance, and then of course the internet is an endless supply of information. My husband and I have been to England three times and there one can stand inside buildings and/or ruins from the 12th Century – an amazing privilege.

JS: Did you know some of what would happen in Heaven’s Tears and Heaven Knows when you were writing Hear Heaven?

SD: No. Hear Heaven seemed to write itself over a period of three months and I had no idea then that the story would continue.

JS: Do you have a favourite character from the novels?

SD: Braydon Duggan, known as ‘Duggan’, is the lead character’s sidekick in Hear Heaven and he’s funny and wise, a big man with a tender heart. I found him very winning.

JS: I liked Duggan too. Tell us about your new CD, Heart of the Heavens. With its Celtic flavour, can you picture your minstrel from Braydon Village performing the songs?

SD: Heart of the Heavens is a collection of 10 songs of worship and prayer that I wrote over the past ten years or so. Most of them have not been heard by anyone else; I simply enjoyed writing them when inspiration came and then played them on my keyboard and used them for personal worship times. To hear them arranged and produced with other instruments is an absolute thrill. My husband, Tim, did a lovely job recording the disk for me. And yes, I think there are a few melodies that Verone would enjoy playing on his lute.

By the way, there is a young shepherdess in book #4, Tabitha Mann, who plays the whistle, and I took up the tin whistle this year and even play on the CD. So I find it very interesting how life feeds art which feeds life, and on and on.

JS: Very cool. Speaking of musicians, Finton Davidge plays the bagpipes on the CD. Isn’t he also a character in your novels?

SD: Finton Davidge is a fictional character only. Live bagpipes are extremely challenging to record in tune, and they come in only one key, so the bagpipes on the CD are actually a computer sample that my husband used for the part.

JS: What got you started writing?

SD: The first novel started from a dream. I got up that morning and typed out the two parts from the dream, which were Isgoré Armaddi’s supernatural gift, and the curse that befalls Raymore Leotte and her deliverance from that. Then I just kept filling in the story around those parts.

JS:What has reader response been like for the books?

SD: Wonderfully positive. It was the enthusiasm of a dozen friends who read the first manuscript that prompted me to seek publication. And there are people who are keen for each new instalment. One lady told me that her cousin prays in the same way as the characters in Hear Heaven and she thought she would try that too. Others have commented on the portrayal of the Heavenly Father as being so approachable and present in the characters’ lives. These are lovely things to hear.

JS: Is there another book or CD in the works?

SD: I have story lines for two more books in the Braydon Manor series and some writing has been done on those. I think I would like to do a sixth book to finish Isgoré’s story and bring the series full circle.

JS: What do you like best about the writing life?

SD: Being inspired and writing lyrics or passages of stories that amaze me is a wonderful experience. I thank God for such a lovely thing to do.

JS: What do you like least?

SD: Waiting is a toughie for me – waiting for blocks of time to write, waiting for a response to query letters, waiting for a book to lumber through the publishing process. I find myself waiting for one thing or another all the time, and this week God pointed that out to me (again) and said, “Enjoy Me now.” Just be thankful for my walk with God that day and stop focusing on future things. I’ve thought about that the past few days and even started a song about it.

JS: What does your family think of your writing?

SD: They are very encouraging and are glad to see me enjoying this lovely creative time.

JS: I know they support your music, since your husband produced the CD and your son and daughter both perform with you on certain tracks. Is music a family thing?

SD: Definitely. I grew up in a musical family, singing and playing French horn, Tim has played bass and guitar since high school, Emily sings and plays bass, and Martin is in his final year of a music degree in jazz – he plays saxophone.

JS: Is there a particular song (yours or someone else’s) or Scripture verse that’s made a big difference for you?

SD: Joel 2:25 “I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten…” Through nearly two decades of depression this verse was brought to me several times and now I am seeing its wonderful promise fulfilled beyond anything I could have imagined.

JS: Writers are told to read widely and voraciously. I think that’s one of the perks of the deal. What are you reading these days?

SD: Prayer as a Place, by a friend of ours, Charles Bello, a lovely little book about taking time to center in on God (which harks back to “Enjoy Me now”.) And I just finished My Soul to Keep by Davis Bunn, a novel that deals with the movie business, which was very interesting.

JS: Thanks so much for taking time to let us get to know you a bit, Sheila. May the LORD continue to bless you and make you a blessing to others-in every area of your life.

SD: Thank you for inviting me, Janet. And all God’s very best to your readers in this brand New Year.

===

You can read the first chapters of each novel at Sheila’s website. The books and CD can be ordered through her store or (books only) through Vineyard International Publishing. Heaven Knows is also available through Amazon.com. You can view Sheila’s lovely pen-and-ink drawings on her site as well.

Review: Eye of the Storm, by Janice L. Dick

2 Replies

[Note: this review is of the original version of this book, which has now been revised and rereleased. For the review of the 2020 edition, click here.]

eye-of-the-storm

Eye of the Storm, by Janice L. Dick (Herald Press, 2003)

In Eye of the Storm, we follow the characters from Calm Before the Storm through the years 1917-1919. A less compassionate author would overwhelm readers with the cruelty and horror of this part in Russian Mennonite history.

The story centres on the fictional Hildebrandt family, but gives glimpses of historical figures like Trotsky and Lenin – and the execution of Tsar Nicholas’ family. At times the sense of growing tragedy made me put the book aside until the next day, but the characters always drew me back.

Rich in historical and cultural details, the book opens a window into the suffering of both rich and poor – and the faith of the Russian Mennonites. The Mennonite landowners experience raids on their property and possessions, but their faith calls them to a peaceful life. Some choose to learn self-defence, but family head Heinrich Hildebrandt cannot reconcile this with his beliefs. He removes all weapons from his estate, “that I might not be tempted.” Whatever the reader’s personal beliefs on pacifism, this book brings the agony of the Russian Mennonites’ choice to life.

It also demonstrates the struggle to keep hope and live by faith when the world is falling apart. Although the characters usually come to decisions in line with the tenets of their faith, it is never trite or without serious wrestling.

I’m glad I picked up books two and three of the series together – the ending of Eye of the Storm is the beginning of a new adventure, and I can’t wait too long to discover how things work out.

To learn more about the series, or for an overview of Russian Mennonite history and some authentic Mennonite recipes, visit the author’s website.

Marcia Gruver: author of Diamond Duo

5 Replies

I haven’t had the chance to meet Marcia Gruver yet, but we’re both members of American Christian Fiction Writers (yes, they let Canadians join too) and I’m excited to be part of the blog tour for her historical novel, Diamond Duo, released this month from Barbour Publishing.

Marcia is a full time writer who hails from Southeast Texas. Her deep south-central roots lend a Southern-comfortable style and a touch of humour to her writing. Recently awarded a three-book contract by Barbour Publishing, she’s busy these days pounding on the keyboard and watching the deadline clock.

Lifelong Texans, Marcia and her husband, Lee, have one daughter and four sons. Collectively, this motley crew has graced them with ten grandchildren and one great-granddaughter-so far.

JS: Thanks for joining us today, Marcia. Please tell us a little bit about who Marcia Gruver is.

MG: Which Marcia? Like everyone else, who I am depends on the hat on my head. I’m wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, granny, and just recently, great-granny to a little sprite of a girl who seems well qualified to carry our legacy into the future. Even more recently, I’m a published author of inspirational fiction. How about that? Marcia Gruver is content, well loved, fulfilled, and grateful to God for every second of her life.

JS: What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

MG: Guilty secret time? I love to play video games. I look for any slip of time and any excuse to play. I also love to read and watch movies in all genres.

JS: When you sit down to read for pleasure what authors do you choose?

MG: Linda Nichols, Kristen Heitzman, and Brandilyn Collins are at the top of the list. But I have so many books in my ‘To Be Read’ pile, I just know there are favourites sitting there waiting to be discovered.

JS: Tell us about Diamond Duo.

MG: Bertha Maye Biddie’s in love. Trouble is, she’s not sure the object of her affection feels the same. He seems to be interested, but something’s holding him back. So when opportunity rides into Jefferson on the northbound train out of Marshall, young Bertha leaps at the chance to learn a few tricks. A charming, charismatic stranger offers to take Bertha under her wing and teach her the art of wooing a man. But when the woman is unable to keep her promise, Bertha realizes their chance meeting held far more eternal significance.

JS: Bertha is a breath of fresh air with her fun and refreshing sense of humour. And I totally relate to her aversion to those uncomfortable-but-height-of-fashion shoes! If I were to ask those close to you about your sense of humour, would they describe similarities between you and Bertha?

MG: Oh, boy! I’m afraid so. I’m actually dry and rather reserved at first-so much so that I’ve been accused of having a split personality. When I’m very relaxed and get to know a person well, the real me comes out to play. Yep, the lights are on and a whole bunch of us are home.

JS: Has being a published novelist differed from your expectations?

MG: Yes. I’ve discovered that when you do it right, it’s actually work.

JS: Do you plot your novels out or are you a so-called seat-of-the-pants writer?

MG: I used to fly by my seat from start to finish. My first experience with working a plan came after discovering Randy Ingermanson’s snowflake method for plotting a novel. After working through Karen S. Wiesner’s First Draft in 30 Days, I’m a born-again plotter. These days, I don’t think I’d do it any other way. I sort of like knowing where I’m going when I sit down to write.

JS: Has being a writer brought you closer to God and if so, how?

MG: Not really closer. More in tune, maybe? I just know there’s no step in the writing/marketing process that I could pull off without His guiding hand. That teaches you to report on a regular basis for your marching orders.

JS: Can you tell us about your next book?

MG: Chasing Charity, book two in the Texas Fortunes series, picks up in Humble, Texas, several years after Diamond Duo ends. Charity Bloom, Bertha’s daughter, stands at the altar watching her best friend flee the church on the heels of her departing fiancé. This is the final straw for Charity, who is distressed by the many changes taking place in her life and in her hometown, most notably the devastation wrought after oil is discovered near Humble. Imagine Charity’s surprise when one of the men responsible comes to her rescue, and she finds her heart torn between two suitors-the handsome roughneck and the deceitful rogue who broke her heart.

JS: Well, thanks for the chance to get to know you a bit, Marcia-and for the chance to read Diamond Duo. I enjoyed meeting Bertha Maye and her friends, and I have to put a plug in for my favourites: Sarah and Henry King. They grabbed my imagination from our first meeting, and taught me a few things along the way.

To read more about Marcia, check out her website or her blog. You’ll also find a variety of interviews on the different blog tour sites-they’re worth a visit:

A Latte and Some Words, A Little Bit of Sunlight, Anne Greene, Be a Barnabas, Book Splurge, BookingIt, Cara’s Musings, Dawn Michelle Michals at ShoutLife, Erica at ShoutLife, Fictionary, Horizontal Yo-Yo, Janice Olsen, Lighthouse Academy, Marthawrites, Mary Connealy – real life, My Christian Fiction Blog, Net’s Notes, On The Write Path, Pam Krumpe, Patti’s Porch, Readin N Writin, Simple Living Christian Style, Tamara Lynn Kraft, Terri Tiffany, The Friendly Book Nook, The Writer’s Tool, and Writing by Faith.