- Paperback: 240 pages
- Publisher: Phoenix; New Ed edition (16 Oct 2008)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0753822326
- ISBN-13: 978-0753822326
- Product Dimensions: 19.3 x 12.7 x 2 cm
- Average Customer Review: 2.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
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- #85 in Books > History > Europe > France > French Heads of State
Charlemagne and Roland: A Novel (Dark Ages Trilogy)
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Product Description
Review
"an old-fashioned but playful account of Charlemagne's early successes... into this, [Massie] weaves myths, folklore and a number of delightfully arcane facts" (DAILY TELEGRAPH )
"Heroism and realpolitik make a heady mix for lovers of historical fiction" (SUNDAY TELEGRAPH )
"Heroism and realpolitik make a heady mix for lovers of historical fiction" (SUNDAY TELEGRAPH )
D.J. Taylor, The Spectator
"A highly sophisticated commentary on the whole idea of how one sets about writing an historical novel."
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Format:Hardcover
What a fabulous title for a book. It couples one of the greatest rulers the world has ever seen with his almost mythical nephew, the knight who became revered as the epitome of chivalry.
The church in Rome was struggling to maintain supremacy as the Lombards lorded it over Italy whilst Western Europe was besieged by marauding Saxons. Saracens controlled the eastern Mediterranean, the Moors were entrenched in Spain and pagan Avars occupied Eastern Europe.
Here surely is the foundation of a tale of truly epic proportions as Charlemagne takes them all on; a romance that sees stability bought at the point of a sword and the stirrings of a new age of enlightenment when learning, arts and humanities achieve a significance not seen since the fall of the Roman Empire.
This seems to be Massie's aim as he invokes the services of a tutor to the young Frederick II, schooling his charge in the history of his greatest predecessor and a period of history seen as the perfect model for the future Emperor. These early chapters work well and set a style and approach that emulates ancient story telling.
We then move on to the introduction of Roland. He is, we are told, Charlemagne's estranged nephew currently living in Lombard Italy and without any contact with his Uncle. Little if anything concrete is known about him other than his mention in the Chanson de Roland which recounts his death in battle fighting as a Paladin alongside Charlemagne, so Massie has a blank canvass before him on which to paint as great a masterpiece of medieval romance as his imagination will allow. Unfortunately he fails almost completely. The story is quickly bogged down in a litany of doomed personal relationships, flights from persecution and suggestions of what great things will be possible when Roland can finally get to Charlemagne's court. As asides to the main event these episodes would be entertaining enough, but not as the principal story line. Massie wastes his considerable talents and our time in filmic detail and boring repetition. I was glad it did not last as long as true great sagas otherwise I might not have made it to the finish.
The church in Rome was struggling to maintain supremacy as the Lombards lorded it over Italy whilst Western Europe was besieged by marauding Saxons. Saracens controlled the eastern Mediterranean, the Moors were entrenched in Spain and pagan Avars occupied Eastern Europe.
Here surely is the foundation of a tale of truly epic proportions as Charlemagne takes them all on; a romance that sees stability bought at the point of a sword and the stirrings of a new age of enlightenment when learning, arts and humanities achieve a significance not seen since the fall of the Roman Empire.
This seems to be Massie's aim as he invokes the services of a tutor to the young Frederick II, schooling his charge in the history of his greatest predecessor and a period of history seen as the perfect model for the future Emperor. These early chapters work well and set a style and approach that emulates ancient story telling.
We then move on to the introduction of Roland. He is, we are told, Charlemagne's estranged nephew currently living in Lombard Italy and without any contact with his Uncle. Little if anything concrete is known about him other than his mention in the Chanson de Roland which recounts his death in battle fighting as a Paladin alongside Charlemagne, so Massie has a blank canvass before him on which to paint as great a masterpiece of medieval romance as his imagination will allow. Unfortunately he fails almost completely. The story is quickly bogged down in a litany of doomed personal relationships, flights from persecution and suggestions of what great things will be possible when Roland can finally get to Charlemagne's court. As asides to the main event these episodes would be entertaining enough, but not as the principal story line. Massie wastes his considerable talents and our time in filmic detail and boring repetition. I was glad it did not last as long as true great sagas otherwise I might not have made it to the finish.
1 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Was charmed by the title. Very evocative for me and I have several books by Allan Massie. Was looking forward to this but found it very disappointing. Thought this was going to be a stirring adventure type read with lots of detail about Charlemange. In the end it just became tedious so gave up on it.
0 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I would so like to believe that Roland really existed and that there was a special relationship between him and Charlemagne. As long as one does not read the book thinking it is well researched history it is fun. The style is rather laboured, but that is explained by the narrator being a tutor from the Middle Ages.
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