Isabella: Braveheart of France by Colin Falconer

Isabella: Braveheart of France.  Colin Falconer. Cool Gus Publishing. September 2013. 220 pp. pbk. ISBN #: 9781621250913.

Isabella, Princess of France, is ordered by her father, King Philip IV, to obey and serve her husband no matter what the circumstances. For she represents France and any opposition would only provoke the insidious hostilities between England and France that have existed for centuries.  Isabella is being married to King Edward II so that he can acquire Gascony as an English territory, for no other reason; add to that Isabella is only twelve years old when she marries Edward. But that is the least of her problems.  For she yearns desperately for Edward to love her and all he does is ignore her, at least initially.  Then with time, Edward discovers this young girl is far from a child in her political thinking and advice; in fact, she is astutely wise, observant and careful.  Edward begins to value her as a counselor, yet it will be a long time before he considers her in a physical way.  The obstacle is Edward’s great love, Piers Gaveston, and what a passion they share!

The nobles of England are totally disgusted by the King’s behavior and believe he gets all his advice from Gaveston.  The drama intensifies as English coffers decline and civil war seems looming as well as other wars.  The result is absolutely astounding with a new form of government rising, one that should be a system of checks and balances between the King and his nobles but in fact is otherwise.  The outcome for Gaveston is devastating, despite Isabella’s advice that could best be summed up as “patience and caution.”

Edward then chooses another advisor who is as ruthless as one could possibly be, all for the sake of building up the economy for England – and himself – and lashing out at those who had hurt Edward so deeply with their treachery.  He is the Despenser, who is also capable of destroying the loving relationship that Edward and Isabella had formed for a very short time, one which bore fruit in a royal Prince.  Again, civil war is threatened over the cruelties that Despenser hands out and Isabella barely escapes becoming his next victim.  Where she goes and how she manages to out-maneuver Edward and the Despenser is riveting reading.  What Edward has really been doing is even more stunning, and the resolution of this intensifying conflict leaves the reader gaping and yet also laughing at the irony of it all.

Isabella: Braveheart of France is a gripping read because Colin Falconer is a master at creating an intriguing story filled with enough adventure, verbal sparring, ghastly punishments, secret plotting, and so much more that keep the reader furiously flipping the pages.  The history is accurate with subtle interpretations in fictional form to add just the right touch to a period of English history too often overlooked!  This is phenomenal historical fiction that is highly recommended.  Once you read Colin Falconer, you’ll want to read everything he has ever written as well as what he will craft in the future!

Silk Road by Colin Falconer

Silk Road. Colin Falconer. Atlantic Books (UK). May 2012.  462 pp. pbk. ISBN #: 9780857891082.

Josseran Sarrazini is a Christian Knight Templar who has a mission to guide a Dominican monk, William, to the far side of the world in what is present-day Beijing. It's the time of the Crusades in the 1500s and there is just as much in-fighting among the Christians as there is against the enemy Muslims who have captured and hold Jerusalem.  The novel begins in Aleppo and covers for years the entire Silk Road from Palestine to Xanadu; not a day passes in which there is not unbridled adventure, murder, passionate challenges and so much more.

Josseran is cynical about his own faith because he is guilty of a great sin, a burden that haunts his days and nights, a darkness the vile monk William senses and never ceases to salt with his sarcastic, scathing words.  For William is the worst of sinners, a man tempted in all ways but externally appearing to be an ascetic who disciplines himself by self-flagellation, a hard thin man whom all dislike because of his mean, vicious, quarrelsome, critical nature.  Josseran finally meets the daughter of a Khan, Khutelun, a spirited warrior who is stronger and braver than any of her brothers, a woman who should have been born a man.  She rides a horse with a wooden saddle for hours without tiring, can shoot an arrow better than most Mongol warriors, and she is chosen to accompany Josseran and William on their journey. Their mission is to forge a union with the highest Khan, to fight together against their common enemy.  But Josseran gradually comes to realize the Mongols have no need of any one's assistance.  What shock then to find that the Great Khan has died and his family is divided as to who should be successor.  Indeed Josseran and Michael might wind up as prisoners rather than emissary friends of whoever is victorious!

All the wonders and life-threatening difficulties of the Silk Road journey are gradually revealed to Josseran as they travel, described with vivid beauty and wonder.  At the same time Josseran is falling in love with his guide, Khutelun, a woman who is destined to marry a prince and perhaps future Khan.  She will save Josseran's life more than once along the way.  William proves to be useful many times although he never stops being a perpetual irritant to all; the reader is surprised that no one eventually tires of his tirades to kill him. 

To say more would be to spoil a truly amazing and wonderful story that manages to stir every emotion and race the heart with tension in realistic ways on multiple pages. Colin Falconer has taken a tale often told and fashioned it into a classic historical novel.  Superb and delightful!!!