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The Reckoning by Penman, Sharon New Edition
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About the author
Sharon Kay Penman
36 books4,155 followersPenman received her bachelor's degree from the University of Texas at Austin, she majored in history, and also received a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from Rutgers University School of Law, and later worked as a tax lawyer.
The Sunne in Splendour, a novel about Richard III of England is one of the most popular books on the Historical Novel Society's list of best historical novels. In 1996, following the success of When Christ and His Saints Slept (which dealt with the Anarchy and the early career of King Henry II of England), Penman ventured into the historical whodunnit with four mysteries set in the court of Eleanor of Aquitaine during the reign of Richard I. The mysteries did not enjoy the same success as her "straight" historical novels, to which she returned in 2002, with Time and Chance, again covering the life of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry II. In 2008, she published Devil's Brood, which was to be the final book in her trilogy about Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. She soon realized that there was still more of the Angevins' story to tell and the result was Lionheart , followed by The King's Ransom. Henry and Eleanor's celebrated and controversial son, Richard the Lionheart is the major character in both books, although Eleanor, John, and Richard's favorite sister, Joanna, also get to spend time on center stage. She has just finished The Land Beyond the Sea, set in the Kingdom of Jerusalem in the late 12th century. It will be published in the U.S. by G.P. Putnam's and in the U.K. and Down Under by Macmillan and co; the publication date is early March, 2020.
The Sunne in Splendour, a novel about Richard III of England is one of the most popular books on the Historical Novel Society's list of best historical novels. In 1996, following the success of When Christ and His Saints Slept (which dealt with the Anarchy and the early career of King Henry II of England), Penman ventured into the historical whodunnit with four mysteries set in the court of Eleanor of Aquitaine during the reign of Richard I. The mysteries did not enjoy the same success as her "straight" historical novels, to which she returned in 2002, with Time and Chance, again covering the life of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry II. In 2008, she published Devil's Brood, which was to be the final book in her trilogy about Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. She soon realized that there was still more of the Angevins' story to tell and the result was Lionheart , followed by The King's Ransom. Henry and Eleanor's celebrated and controversial son, Richard the Lionheart is the major character in both books, although Eleanor, John, and Richard's favorite sister, Joanna, also get to spend time on center stage. She has just finished The Land Beyond the Sea, set in the Kingdom of Jerusalem in the late 12th century. It will be published in the U.S. by G.P. Putnam's and in the U.K. and Down Under by Macmillan and co; the publication date is early March, 2020.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 10, 2026
Ms Penman lives up to expectation in this novel, involving readers closely in her highly personalised narrative while maintaining accuracy of historical detail. As is her practice, in the “Author’s Note” she explains any minor discrepancies she allowed herself in the context of her novel.
After thoroughly immersing myself in the first two volumes of this Welsh trilogy, it’s taken me an unbelievably long time to read this final volume. I reviewed Here Be Dragons, but I didn’t ever do a review of the second book, Falls the Shadow. In the first book, the protagonist was a Welsh Prince of the 12th and 13th Centuries, Llewelyn ab (son of), Iorwerth, also known as ‘Llywelyn Fawr’ (Llywelyn the Great). I was fascinated by his vision and his achievements. In Falls the Shadow, the tragic hero was the Anglo-Norman Simon de Montford, whom I meant to research more deeply and then didn’t. I no longer have those two books, having lent them out, and it’s too late to try to write a review of the second book now.
This final volume centres on Llywelyn Fawr’s grandson, Llywelyn ap Gruffydd, who had to face the English king, Edward 1st, known as “Longshanks” (and, in another context, as “The Hammer of the Scots”). I did find it hard to read about this power-mad and brutal king, hated by Welsh and Scots alike, and, I would imagine, also loathed by Ireland, already annexed, and now taxed heavily to pay for his Welsh and Scottish wars. Edward Longshanks deplored the laws of Celtic Britain (laws still held dear today, especially as they gave women more freedom) and he regarded them as “detestable to God”. Here, the law that Welsh princedoms were to be divided equally among the sons of the deceased lord proves fatal in their struggle against a power that stretched beyond England’s shores and was highly organised and equipped.
What ties these novels together is an enduring sense in the Welsh warriors of historical struggle, of the right to be a nation, and of the injustice of English rule. The wives of the three protagonists throughout the series seemed very similar to one another in their strength of mind, loyalty and courage. The men less so! The internecine fighting and divided loyalties amongst the ruling families of Wales proves destructive, and there is an interesting dynamic between Llywelyn and one of his brothers, Dafydd.
The systematic and horrific destruction of the princedoms of Wales, once united under the earlier Llywelyn Fawr, made this a difficult book for me to read. The main characters are real historical figures, except for three who are easy to distinguish and who are vehicles to facilitate the action of the narrative. They enable the novel to end with an assertion used, I seem to remember, in one of the earlier books:
In tribute to the Llywelyn of this book, “Llywelyn ein Llew Olaf” (‘Llywelyn our Last Leader’) I quote, with my rough translation to follow, from the elegy composed for him by the bard Gruffudd ap Cynan. For copyright reasons I can’t give a better translation.
Poni welwch-chwi hynt a gwynt a’r glaw?
Poni welwch-chwi’ r deri’n ymdaraw?
Poni welwch-chwi’ r môr yn merwinaw’r tir?
Poni welwch-chwi’ r gwir yn ymgyweiriaw?
Poni welwch-chwi’ r haul yn hwyliaw’r awyr?
Poni welwch-chwi’ r sêr wedi syrthiaw?
Poni chredwch-chwi i Dduw, ddyniadon ynfyd?
Poni welwch-chwi’ r byd wedi ‘r bydiaw?
Och hyd atat-Ti, Dduw; na ddaw môr tros dir!
Pa beth y’ n gedir i ohiriaw?
Nid oes le y cyrcher rhag carcher braw ;
Nid oes le y triger : och o ‘r trigaw !
Do you not see how the wind and rain howl?
Do you not see the oak trees clash?
Do you not see the sea crashing against the shore?
Do you not see truth in the pains of labour?
Do you not see the sun whirling through the heavens,
And that the stars no longer hold?
Do you not believe in God, mad mortals?
Do you not see that the world is ending?
Why, O my God, does not the sea wash over us?
Why are we doomed to remain?
We cannot escape the prison of our fear,
There is nowhere to bide – and what would be such abiding!
After thoroughly immersing myself in the first two volumes of this Welsh trilogy, it’s taken me an unbelievably long time to read this final volume. I reviewed Here Be Dragons, but I didn’t ever do a review of the second book, Falls the Shadow. In the first book, the protagonist was a Welsh Prince of the 12th and 13th Centuries, Llewelyn ab (son of), Iorwerth, also known as ‘Llywelyn Fawr’ (Llywelyn the Great). I was fascinated by his vision and his achievements. In Falls the Shadow, the tragic hero was the Anglo-Norman Simon de Montford, whom I meant to research more deeply and then didn’t. I no longer have those two books, having lent them out, and it’s too late to try to write a review of the second book now.
This final volume centres on Llywelyn Fawr’s grandson, Llywelyn ap Gruffydd, who had to face the English king, Edward 1st, known as “Longshanks” (and, in another context, as “The Hammer of the Scots”). I did find it hard to read about this power-mad and brutal king, hated by Welsh and Scots alike, and, I would imagine, also loathed by Ireland, already annexed, and now taxed heavily to pay for his Welsh and Scottish wars. Edward Longshanks deplored the laws of Celtic Britain (laws still held dear today, especially as they gave women more freedom) and he regarded them as “detestable to God”. Here, the law that Welsh princedoms were to be divided equally among the sons of the deceased lord proves fatal in their struggle against a power that stretched beyond England’s shores and was highly organised and equipped.
What ties these novels together is an enduring sense in the Welsh warriors of historical struggle, of the right to be a nation, and of the injustice of English rule. The wives of the three protagonists throughout the series seemed very similar to one another in their strength of mind, loyalty and courage. The men less so! The internecine fighting and divided loyalties amongst the ruling families of Wales proves destructive, and there is an interesting dynamic between Llywelyn and one of his brothers, Dafydd.
The systematic and horrific destruction of the princedoms of Wales, once united under the earlier Llywelyn Fawr, made this a difficult book for me to read. The main characters are real historical figures, except for three who are easy to distinguish and who are vehicles to facilitate the action of the narrative. They enable the novel to end with an assertion used, I seem to remember, in one of the earlier books:
In tribute to the Llywelyn of this book, “Llywelyn ein Llew Olaf” (‘Llywelyn our Last Leader’) I quote, with my rough translation to follow, from the elegy composed for him by the bard Gruffudd ap Cynan. For copyright reasons I can’t give a better translation.
Poni welwch-chwi hynt a gwynt a’r glaw?
Poni welwch-chwi’ r deri’n ymdaraw?
Poni welwch-chwi’ r môr yn merwinaw’r tir?
Poni welwch-chwi’ r gwir yn ymgyweiriaw?
Poni welwch-chwi’ r haul yn hwyliaw’r awyr?
Poni welwch-chwi’ r sêr wedi syrthiaw?
Poni chredwch-chwi i Dduw, ddyniadon ynfyd?
Poni welwch-chwi’ r byd wedi ‘r bydiaw?
Och hyd atat-Ti, Dduw; na ddaw môr tros dir!
Pa beth y’ n gedir i ohiriaw?
Nid oes le y cyrcher rhag carcher braw ;
Nid oes le y triger : och o ‘r trigaw !
Do you not see how the wind and rain howl?
Do you not see the oak trees clash?
Do you not see the sea crashing against the shore?
Do you not see truth in the pains of labour?
Do you not see the sun whirling through the heavens,
And that the stars no longer hold?
Do you not believe in God, mad mortals?
Do you not see that the world is ending?
Why, O my God, does not the sea wash over us?
Why are we doomed to remain?
We cannot escape the prison of our fear,
There is nowhere to bide – and what would be such abiding!
June 1, 2024
I loved “Here Be Dragon”s, her first book in this trilogy. I was very disappointed in the second book. It was more about Simon De Monteforte and the English throne. But it did give context to this last book. This last book redeemed my disappointment in the second story. The last book was wonderful. The Welsh have such a fabled and enchanting history. Unfortunately, the English had more power and all but crushed this culture. I hope Welsh and Scottish culture come back. I also think it’s time that the British Monarchy restore the title Prince of Wales to the Welsh. Give the next heir apparent a title that comes from England, not Wales or Scotland. This book is a must read.
April 29, 2025
Really enjoy Sharon Penman’s books. So well researched with so much history. Her characters come to life on the pages as do their surroundings.
I sympathise with the other reviewer’s opinion that the title Prince of Wales should be returned to the Welsh. 7 centuries would seem to be long enough for the English to hold it.
I sympathise with the other reviewer’s opinion that the title Prince of Wales should be returned to the Welsh. 7 centuries would seem to be long enough for the English to hold it.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews