Gaveston

by Chris Hunt

"First of all, let it be set down that Piers Gaveston was the most beautiful creation on God's earth, and if it had not been so, his joys and his pains would have been in proportion the less. Set it down that Gaveston had eyes as green as emeralds, and a smile that dazzled like the sun..."

And so Edward II begins the famous tale of his excellent Gaveston. They were young lovers blinded by dreams of Camelot and knights in shining armor, but caught in a web of courtly jealousy and prejudice that eventually destroyed them both. Their story has inspired writers and dramatists from Christopher Marlowe to Derek Jarman, and is recreated here in Chris Hunt's inimitable and well-researched style.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Gay, LGBT, M M Romance, Gay Fiction

317 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

Reviews

[Misfit · Rating 1 out of 5]

http://shelfofshame.blogspot.com/2009...

[ALEARDO ZANGHELLINI · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don’t be turned off by the GODAWFUL cover! Chris Hunt is a very fine writer, and should definitely be better known. Gaveston is very well researched, and beautifully written. The prose is lavish, some might think excessively so, but I think its richness fits the subject matter. The narrative voice is distinctive and the characters very believable, though less likable than I would like them to be (and less likable than I think Edward and Piers are likely to have been in reality.) That said, Hunt’s Piers and Edward do get better as they grow up. I imagine Piers and Edward to have been sexually faithful to each other, so when they turn out not to be so in Hunt’s version of their story, I found it a little jarring. Yet, all in all, I think this is a marvellous book, and certainly too good and too well written to remain confined purely to a gay male audience. The author’s ability to transport you to the Middle Ages is uncanny, and shows considerable mastery of the subject matter.

[Ilya · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book's marvelously bad cover sets the expectations for bad writing and a pulpy plot. Actually, the book is well-written, and not particularly sexy.

There is a problem that the novel fails to take full advantage of: Edward II is clearly bad at being king, yet wants our sympathy for being a misunderstood man in love (with another man.) It just doesn't quite work. I wonder whether this story would have been better told by a loyal retainer, rather than in Edward's voice.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've found myself intrigued by the story of Edward II and Piers Gaveston ever since I came across the Derek Jarman movie on TV ages ago, but unfortunately there don't seem to be a lot of novels out there about them (and even less that are actually available anywhere). I don't know enough of the historical background to judge the historical accuracy, but I found this portrayal of their relationship and the circumstances and events surrounding it all in all a very enjoyable read.

[Gordon · Rating 4 out of 5]

An historical romance of Piers Gaveston and the doomed Edward II. Strongly historical, so far as is possible, and an enjoyable read.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ever since I saw Derek Jarman’s ‘Edward II’ (based on Marlowe’s play) decades ago, I’ve been interested in the story of Edward and Piers Galveston. Recently, I came across a reference to a novel titled “Galveston” by Chris Hunt. I borrowed a copy through the NYPL inter-library loan program since they did not have a circulating copy.
The text is narrated in the first person by Edward, as dictated to his Fool, Robert, in 1322. Based on what I know of Edward’s reign, I was highly impressed by how historically accurate the novel was with regard to characters, dates, and chronology. The prose was rich, the narrative voice distinct and the “developed” characters fully believable. My only complaint is that the female characters, some of whom played a significant role during his reign, appear but rarely say or do anything.
And just as a note, ignore the horrible cover image!

[Anwen Hayward · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliantly researched and incredibly well written. The characterisation of Edward II is a little odd - he's essentially a brat who only cares about velvet and Gaveston's arse for the first 95%, and then he's a vengeful weeping Fury for the remaining 30 pages - and don't get me started on the weird rape scene, which is handled awfully and never properly addressed. Hugh Despenser the Younger has little to no role or characterisation, which I found strange given the parallels that could be drawn between him and Gaveston.

Overall, I found it strangely compelling and hard to put down, but I feel like there were some missed opportunities here.

And we won't speak about that cover. I yearn to unsee it.