- Hardcover: 416 pages
- Publisher: Little, Brown (26 May 2011)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1408702789
- ISBN-13: 978-1408702789
- Product Dimensions: 23.6 x 15.6 x 2.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (42 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 210,946 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
Shieldwall
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Product Description
Review
'Exciting, imaginative and gripping'
--The Times
'With wonderful poetic passages Hill reached beyond the limits of the genre and gives us something that has resonance and harks back to the halls of our Saxon forebears in those dark days of the early eleventh century' --Guardian
'Engaging . . . An exciting, imaginative and gripping reminder that there was life in the old place before the Norman invasion' --Kate Saunders, The Times
'With wonderful poetic passages Hill reached beyond the limits of the genre and gives us something that has resonance and harks back to the halls of our Saxon forebears in those dark days of the early eleventh century' --Guardian
'A vivid historical novel written in supple, intelligent prose.Brings the distant world of pre-Conquest England to life . . . Entirely convincing' --Sunday Times
--The Times
'With wonderful poetic passages Hill reached beyond the limits of the genre and gives us something that has resonance and harks back to the halls of our Saxon forebears in those dark days of the early eleventh century' --Guardian
'Engaging . . . An exciting, imaginative and gripping reminder that there was life in the old place before the Norman invasion' --Kate Saunders, The Times
'With wonderful poetic passages Hill reached beyond the limits of the genre and gives us something that has resonance and harks back to the halls of our Saxon forebears in those dark days of the early eleventh century' --Guardian
'A vivid historical novel written in supple, intelligent prose.Brings the distant world of pre-Conquest England to life . . . Entirely convincing' --Sunday Times
Book Description
* A superbly evocative novel that was published to critical acclain, which chronicles the momentous events leading up to the Battle of Hastings in 1066
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I'm only halfway through Shieldwall but have been driven to write a review because of the extraordinary quality of this book.
After reading Julian Rathbone's The Last English King, I became very interested in historical fiction and have enjoyed many fine novels (Bernard Cornwell, Conn Iggulden etc.)
Unfortunately, I have found some diminishing returns in recent years and, all too often, have failed to finish books due to clunky writing, poor story-telling and other perceived faults (maybe I'm just getting fussy in middle-age).
However, Shieldwall has had a similar impact to The Last English King. The writing is beautiful and the characters are entirely believable. I've just got to the first battle scene and it was as exciting (and upsetting) a depiction of combat as I've ever read. Somebody died (I won't say who) and it felt like it hit me as hard as the arrow hit the character.
I understand there will be a sequel. Thank goodness as I don't want this book to end.
After reading Julian Rathbone's The Last English King, I became very interested in historical fiction and have enjoyed many fine novels (Bernard Cornwell, Conn Iggulden etc.)
Unfortunately, I have found some diminishing returns in recent years and, all too often, have failed to finish books due to clunky writing, poor story-telling and other perceived faults (maybe I'm just getting fussy in middle-age).
However, Shieldwall has had a similar impact to The Last English King. The writing is beautiful and the characters are entirely believable. I've just got to the first battle scene and it was as exciting (and upsetting) a depiction of combat as I've ever read. Somebody died (I won't say who) and it felt like it hit me as hard as the arrow hit the character.
I understand there will be a sequel. Thank goodness as I don't want this book to end.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
I do like a good historical novel. I have read some Conn Iggulden and Bernard Cornwell books that have been lent to me, so I thought I would give this a try when I saw it on the Amazon Vine programme. This writer puts me very much in mind of them.
Perhaps I am being a bit of a girl...... but the battle scenes are very vivid and perhaps a little too much for me (as in the books mentioned above) so I have to admit to skipping over them... but I do love the historical detail in this book, I am always fascinated by how people lived in the past.
My partner is a huge fan of this type of book and really loved it, so I have to give it five stars!
Perhaps I am being a bit of a girl...... but the battle scenes are very vivid and perhaps a little too much for me (as in the books mentioned above) so I have to admit to skipping over them... but I do love the historical detail in this book, I am always fascinated by how people lived in the past.
My partner is a huge fan of this type of book and really loved it, so I have to give it five stars!
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
Justin Hill is one of many to have just begun a historical series set around 1066. However, he has made a better start than most. Hill has a similar academic background to James Aitcheson, who is covering much of the same ground, but from the Norman point of view. They have both cribbed the Saxon place names from the same sources and have read the same original chronicles. Hill has chosen a key protagonist. Aitcheson has invented an unknown.
Hill has the trickier job. He is following the Conn Igguldsen route. Take the key character in a turbulent period of history, start with his youth and character formation, and hang the whole tale on that: eg. Caesar and Genghis Khan. Napier does the same with Attila the Hun. The alternative, I would call the Cornwell/CS Forester school - make up an individual then plonk them into every major event of that period. the great benefit of the first scholl is that the story, if good enough in itself will propel the whole thing along quite nicely, which is what happens here. The book clatters along, makes no mistakes, informs and interests. The drawback is that it rarely gets the pulse racing. The worst proponents of this style in the 70s and 80s were first Nigel Tranter (Scottish History) and then Sharon Penman (Wars of the Roses). The other style is usually much more exciting, but is very unforgiving of poor characterisation and loose plotting. That's why bernard Cornwell and Simon Scarrow sell so well, and usually the other kind doesnt. This is the better end of the other kind.
So what do we have? A clear well told story, but VERY limited excitement. Much blood is spilled but there is nothing very gutsy here. If you want the exciting school of historical fiction don't go for this. If you are interested in history for itself, it's a good primer on the period without having to read REALLY boring books.
Hill has the trickier job. He is following the Conn Igguldsen route. Take the key character in a turbulent period of history, start with his youth and character formation, and hang the whole tale on that: eg. Caesar and Genghis Khan. Napier does the same with Attila the Hun. The alternative, I would call the Cornwell/CS Forester school - make up an individual then plonk them into every major event of that period. the great benefit of the first scholl is that the story, if good enough in itself will propel the whole thing along quite nicely, which is what happens here. The book clatters along, makes no mistakes, informs and interests. The drawback is that it rarely gets the pulse racing. The worst proponents of this style in the 70s and 80s were first Nigel Tranter (Scottish History) and then Sharon Penman (Wars of the Roses). The other style is usually much more exciting, but is very unforgiving of poor characterisation and loose plotting. That's why bernard Cornwell and Simon Scarrow sell so well, and usually the other kind doesnt. This is the better end of the other kind.
So what do we have? A clear well told story, but VERY limited excitement. Much blood is spilled but there is nothing very gutsy here. If you want the exciting school of historical fiction don't go for this. If you are interested in history for itself, it's a good primer on the period without having to read REALLY boring books.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Comic writing
Reminded me of the stories from the comics of my youth. Not particularly well written and no historical analysis or any great insight into the times. Read more
Published 12 days ago by P. J. Traynor
Overall a good story, a bit slow in some parts
Set in the years building up to the Norman invasion of 1066, Britain is besieged by raiding Vikings from every coastline. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Peter Coupe
Epic tale of Kings and Country
Shieldwall is a tale of destiny, diplomacy, deceit, battles, war, kings and warriors. I loved it! It follows the path of Godwin, a thegn's son and warrior whose fate leads him to... Read more
Published 3 months ago by sb
An enthralling read
I read all the reviews that people had left for this book, and they weren't wrong. Exciting violent and no historical mistakes!!! a book i will read again and again.
Published 8 months ago by Olaf the bald
Wonderful Descriptions
The best thing about this book is the fantastic descriptions of people and places. I really could picture the locations in my head (which is something I normally find quite tricky... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Booklover
Illuminating an intriguing period of English history.
I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to lovers of historical fiction. Its hero, Godwin, is a historical character about whom little is known, so the writer, while having... Read more
Published 8 months ago by John Williams
Top class historical fiction
Like another reviewer I noticed, I too am very happy at the amount of historical fiction that seems to be coming out at the moment. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Dragon0303
Justin Hill
A new author to me. I am half way through this book and find it enthralling. There has obviously been a tremendous amount of research and his writing style makes for easy reading. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Mr. Keith Howland
A good read, realistic.
A book that takes you back to the time with some realism,characters were strong and the storyline good. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Colin Hall
A Saga
I found many of the things here that some other positive reviewers had said ( and I am lifelong student of history and of warfare ancient to modern ) but what thrilled me most was... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Longshanks
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