Of All Sad Words of Tongue and Pen–

Last month, Freda Warrington’s 2003 novel “In the Court of the Midnight King” was reissued and is available in paperback and Kindle.  It would be my hope that people who enjoy the Murrey and Blue blog would run out and order this lush, grand book of alternate history.  It features Richard the Third, The War of the Roses and the intriguing story of the passing away of an ancient, elemental religion to the, perhaps, harder medicine of medieval Christianity.  This matriarchal religion is beautifully explored through the extremely appealing sorcerous-heroine, Lady Kate, whom the Duke of Gloucester stumbles upon in his youth (and knowingly calls “Morgana”) and spends the rest of his life either fleeing her or depending upon her for the good sense and healing powers she possesses.  Typical male!

The Richard the Third evoked here is everything a Ricardian and Ricardian-newbie would appreciate.  Foremost, his ruthlessness, his regal power and his strong sense of duty is never shirked or sugar-coated but factually based on his violent childhood, his knightly upbringing and his need to prove himself a better prince for England than either his brother the King or his foolish sibling, George, the Duke of Clarence.  That he possesses fine traits as well will be of no surprise to Ricardians but, perhaps, educational to those who know nothing about him but enjoy alternate history novels.

The most intriguing and hair-raising event of the book is the brilliant twist on the old saw of Richard, his “withered arm” and his claims of witchcraft against Jane Shore.  Never in modern times, has this wild tale been told with such drama and imagination.

The novel is a poignant reminder of what might have been and will surely send the Cairo Dwellers growling and chewing carpet and returning to their Henry VII romance novels.  For everyone else, it’s an entertaining and absorbing read.