Jayden Woods

Set during the time of Ethelred (Ælthelred) the Unready and before Canute re-invaded England, this book is a series of stories depicting that tumultuous period and how love, loyalty, integrity and betrayal—told from the perspective of ten individuals (fictional or otherwise)—have played a part in the making of that particular history. These short stories are connected with each other and offer probable insights about who Eadric Streona might have been before he amassed grand wealth for himself and betrayed his king. I think it is actually clever on the author’s part to dole out these narratives as they serve as an overture to her bigger novel, Eadric the Grasper.

But I don’t think I would have appreciated this omnibus if I hadn’t read novels of the same period beforehand (a big shout out to Helen Hollick’s The Forever Queen), especially when each story here had a cliffhanger ending and vague revelation as to what had come about of the people in this book. Nonetheless, this series of stories reveals some interesting historical tidbits and has kept me entertained throughout the read.… (meer)

I won a copy of this book at the GoodRead giveaways and wanted to like it. But I didn't.

It has an interesting premise and deals with one of my favorite periods in history.

But it reads like a first draft. And the story seemed rushed as if trying to cover too much.

Maybe if I hadn't read Bernard Cornwell's Saxon Stories that take place in a time slightly before the one described in Eadric the Grapser, I would have liked it better. For who can compare with Cornwell?

So if you like this time period in British history you may want to give it a try.
… (meer)