Falls the Shadow (original 1988; edition 1989)

Welsh history! Okay, for those of you who don’t know (probably most of you) I’ve been mildly obsessed with Wales since I read The Grey King in middle school. Anyway, this is the second in Penman’s trilogy. It’s a lot sadder than the first one. :( Well, okay, the title kind of gives that away. I’m hoping that the third book will prove to have a bit more resolution. [Sept. 2010] ( )

A re-read, first read this as a teenager. In fact, I suspect Mum thinks she owns the copy I have. Kind of the middle of a trilogy, but they stand alone pretty well. Follows the life & times of 2 amazing men, Simon de Montfort & Llewelyn ap Gruffyd, grandson of Llewelyn the great. The characters are all clearly defined and brought to dazzling life, their strengths and weaknesses laid bare. The conflict between Simon and the King over his leadership (or lack of it). It is so clearly depicted that you find yourself backing Simon to the hilt. But you know, ahead of time, that it ends badly, and so it does. Last few chapters are a trial to read and (yet again) reduced me to a quivery mass of tears. It's a rivetting read, rolling along through france, England & Wales, through small country interludes and great state occasions with pace and the pages whizz by beneath your eyes. The Welsh chapters are equally eventful, but in a different way, they don;t have the glamour of the de montforts, but they have a charm of their own. The stories merge and mingle throughout, with Simon's wife, Nell, being the half sister of Llewelyn the Great, where we start the story. By the end, Llewelyn and Simon's daughter have been betrothed, but this has bene broken off after the battle and fall from grace. Some lovely vignettes that don't necessarily advance the story, but go a long way to flesh out the main protagonists. it's a story of dreams - a fair society and a united Wales. Neither come to pass in this book, but you can't help feeling that both dreams were dazzling enough to take the breath away, certainly worth fighting for - but to fight and fail? how terrible can a dream become. ( )

This book follows 'Here be dragons'.This book was written in 1986. It is the second in a trilogy and a fantastic read.

One of Penman's earlier novels and the second in her trilogy chronicling thirteenth-century England and Wales, Falls the Shadow tells the story of the uncompromising Simon de Montfort and his collision course with his mercurial brother-in-law, Henry III. Like the rest of Penman's novels, Falls the Shadow is well-researched and beautifully written ( )

Wonderful book, hard to put down. Penman has a way with English history, making it easier to understand. She is a good match to Thomas Costain, who's books are similar in readability.

Addendum: added to my library 2/22/12 ( )

The second in a trilogy about the English kings and Welsh princes in the twelfth and thirteenth century.
Here Be Dragons was the first book, concentrating on Llewellyn Fawr and King John, in this one King Henry III, Llewellyn ap Gruffydd, and Simon de Montford are the leading characters. The scope is vast, the life of one of these men alone would easily fill a book, but the combination of these three is masterfully done.
Very romanticized, but compellingly told. A thick fat book to enjoy in just a few evenings. ( )