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A review by jodar
The Pale Horseman by Bernard Cornwell
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
An “historical” novel whose writing style reminded me of that of the fantasy writer David Gemmell. Characters are pretty stereotypical: the brutal, bloodthirsty pagan MC, who is impatient of those with scholarly intellect; the pathetically pious Christian clergy, though there is a laid-back one who is ok; the scholarly king, naive in diplomacy (of course, “virtuous” appeasement fails) and timorous in battle. And then there’s is a bit of fantasy fiction added into the mix through the character of a young pagan woman with mystical predictive powers.
As for the historicity, given surviving evidence of the period is limited, inevitably there is a lot of fictional colouring-in of characterisation, relationships and politics; and even some known historical events have been switched around to enhance the plot, as the author’s “Historical Notes” at the end acknowledge. In short, the novel is more “inspired by actual events” than realistic historical fiction.
Lots of action, running around the countryside, fighting passim and brutalising of the innocent. It’s engagingly written, I grant you, but fairly superficial. 3.75/5 in the “superficial but fun to read” category.
As for the historicity, given surviving evidence of the period is limited, inevitably there is a lot of fictional colouring-in of characterisation, relationships and politics; and even some known historical events have been switched around to enhance the plot, as the author’s “Historical Notes” at the end acknowledge. In short, the novel is more “inspired by actual events” than realistic historical fiction.
Lots of action, running around the countryside, fighting passim and brutalising of the innocent. It’s engagingly written, I grant you, but fairly superficial. 3.75/5 in the “superficial but fun to read” category.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Rape, Violence, War
Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Death, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Alcohol
Minor: Sexual violence, Slavery, Vomit