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Das kupferne Zeichen #2
Der Silberne Falke
Nach dem Bestseller Das Kupferne Zeichen ist dies der zweite historische Roman der Autorin
England im 12. Jahrhundert: William, der Sohn der berühmten Schwertschmiedin Ellenweore, hat sich in den Kopf gesetzt, Falkner zu werden. Doch seine Mutter hat andere Vorstellungen von seiner Zukunft. Dass er einen verkrümmten Fuß hat, wie Hephaistos, den Gott der Schmiede, deutet sie als Zeichen des Schicksals. Felsenfest davon überzeugt, dass es ihm vorbestimmt ist, ihr geliebtes Handwerk zu ergreifen und in ihre Fußstapfen zu treten, stellt sie sich dem Wunsch ihres Sohnes entgegen. Doch William hat sein Herz an die Falknerei verloren und sucht heimlich die Nähe zu den Beizvögeln. Als König Henry II mit seiner Jagdgesellschaft in der Schmiede auftaucht und William einen seltenen weißen Gerfalken findet, schöpft er die aberwitzigen Hoffnung, ausgerechnet bei dem gestrengen Herrscher auf ein offenes Ohr zu stoßen...
Jeder der vier Mitellalterromane
DAS KUPFERNE ZEICHEN (e-book)
DER SILBERNE FALKE (e-book)
DER GOLDENE THRON (e-book)
DAS TOR ZUR EWIGKEIT (erhältlich bei Piper als Taschenbuch und e-book)
ist in sich abgeschlossen und kann unabhängig von den anderen und dementspreched auch in beliebiger Reihenfolge gelesen werden.
Gründlich recherchierte, spannende und farbenprächtige Romane, die im englischen Mittelalter spielen sind die Spezialität von Katia Fox. Liebe, Intrige und Hass sind dabei ebenso wichtig, wie die Jahrhunderte alten Berufe, die die Autorin ihren Lesern auf anschauliche Weise näherbringt. Jeder Roman von Katia Fox ist eine Liebeserklärung an das Mittelalter und eine Hommage an Ritter und Könige vor allem aber an Falkner, Schmiede, Glockengießer und andere Handwerker, die auch heute noch mit großer Hingabe wunderbare Arbeit leisten.
Tolle Videotrailer auf der Amazon Autorenseite und der Homepage der Autorin!
England im 12. Jahrhundert: William, der Sohn der berühmten Schwertschmiedin Ellenweore, hat sich in den Kopf gesetzt, Falkner zu werden. Doch seine Mutter hat andere Vorstellungen von seiner Zukunft. Dass er einen verkrümmten Fuß hat, wie Hephaistos, den Gott der Schmiede, deutet sie als Zeichen des Schicksals. Felsenfest davon überzeugt, dass es ihm vorbestimmt ist, ihr geliebtes Handwerk zu ergreifen und in ihre Fußstapfen zu treten, stellt sie sich dem Wunsch ihres Sohnes entgegen. Doch William hat sein Herz an die Falknerei verloren und sucht heimlich die Nähe zu den Beizvögeln. Als König Henry II mit seiner Jagdgesellschaft in der Schmiede auftaucht und William einen seltenen weißen Gerfalken findet, schöpft er die aberwitzigen Hoffnung, ausgerechnet bei dem gestrengen Herrscher auf ein offenes Ohr zu stoßen...
Jeder der vier Mitellalterromane
DAS KUPFERNE ZEICHEN (e-book)
DER SILBERNE FALKE (e-book)
DER GOLDENE THRON (e-book)
DAS TOR ZUR EWIGKEIT (erhältlich bei Piper als Taschenbuch und e-book)
ist in sich abgeschlossen und kann unabhängig von den anderen und dementspreched auch in beliebiger Reihenfolge gelesen werden.
Gründlich recherchierte, spannende und farbenprächtige Romane, die im englischen Mittelalter spielen sind die Spezialität von Katia Fox. Liebe, Intrige und Hass sind dabei ebenso wichtig, wie die Jahrhunderte alten Berufe, die die Autorin ihren Lesern auf anschauliche Weise näherbringt. Jeder Roman von Katia Fox ist eine Liebeserklärung an das Mittelalter und eine Hommage an Ritter und Könige vor allem aber an Falkner, Schmiede, Glockengießer und andere Handwerker, die auch heute noch mit großer Hingabe wunderbare Arbeit leisten.
Tolle Videotrailer auf der Amazon Autorenseite und der Homepage der Autorin!
608 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2008
45 people are currently reading
413 people want to read
About the author
Katia Fox
11 books9 followersborn in 1964,
proud mom of three great kids
grew up in Germany and Southern France
studied french language and literature
graduated as translator and interpreter
worked in different companies
began research about medieval history in 1995
started writing historical fiction in 2000
first published in 2006
sold more than 400.000 copies
translated into english, spanish, russian and other languages...
proud mom of three great kids
grew up in Germany and Southern France
studied french language and literature
graduated as translator and interpreter
worked in different companies
began research about medieval history in 1995
started writing historical fiction in 2000
first published in 2006
sold more than 400.000 copies
translated into english, spanish, russian and other languages...
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
October 23, 2023
Wieder sehr spannend und flüssig zu lesen, wie auch schon Das Kupferne Zeichen. Genauso mitreißen wie sein Vorgänger konnte es mich aber nicht so ganz. Woran das lag, weiß ich nicht. Odon als Bösewicht und Gegenspieler fand ich nicht gut und als dann das Verhältnis zwischen Robert und William so angeknacktst wurde, hatte ich zum Teil noch weniger Lust, weiterzulesen. William war zum Teil auch sehr sehr dickköpfig und kein einfacher Charakter. Aber insgesamt mochte ich das Buch.
June 21, 2013
The story opens in England in 1184, and even though eleven year old Will is the son of the famous swordsmith, Ellenweore, he has no interest in learning his mother’s trade. What he would really like to do is train falcons, and so when he inadvertently rescues one of King John’s falcons, he uses this as an opportunity to persuade the king to let him become an apprentice falconer. What then follows is a coming of age story, set during the tumultuous reign of King John, and which simultaneously evokes the art of falconry and life at a medieval court.
My only concern is that this is a follow up story to that which was started in the author’s first book, The Copper Sign, and I feel that it would have been better to have read the books in natural progression. There is occasionally a tentative quality to the narrative, which may well be due to the fact that it is translated into English from its original German.
Overall, this is an interesting historical novel. I thought that the imagery surrounding the falconry scenes were particularly well done.
4****
My thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing for the opportunity to read this book.
My only concern is that this is a follow up story to that which was started in the author’s first book, The Copper Sign, and I feel that it would have been better to have read the books in natural progression. There is occasionally a tentative quality to the narrative, which may well be due to the fact that it is translated into English from its original German.
Overall, this is an interesting historical novel. I thought that the imagery surrounding the falconry scenes were particularly well done.
4****
My thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing for the opportunity to read this book.
December 30, 2020
Das Buch "Der silberne Falke" von Katia Fox habe ich zufällig in einem Bücherschrank gefunden und eigentlich direkt gelesen.
Wir befinden uns direkt Anfang des 12. Jahrhunderts in England.
William soll eigentlich in die Fußstapfen seiner Mutter treten und Schmied werden, doch sehnt er sich nach einer anderen Aufgabe.
Als er eines Tages einen weißen Falken findet und ihn pflegt, weiß er noch nicht, dass dieses Tier dem König gehört.
William schafft es, als Falkner ausgebildet zu werden ...
Doch natürlich wäre das Buch nicht so lang, wenn es nicht um Intrigen und allerlei anderen Dramen gehen würde.
🔴🟠🟡🟢
Katia Fox greift hier allerdings auch auf sehr schwierige Themen zurück. Ohne zu viel zu verraten oder zu spoilern, geht die Autorin auf die Frage der Freundschaft ein. Was kann sie aushalten und wie tief sitzen gewisse Vorurteile oder Eitelkeit.
4️⃣/5️⃣
Eine interessante Geschichte, die endlich auch mal etwas anderes aus der Zeit des Mittelalters zeigt. Was gut ist und Fox auch noch einmal am Ende erklärt hat.
Funfact: Als Mittelalter wird die Zeit von 500 bis ca 1500 genannt.
🟢🟡🟠🔴
Eigentlich ist dies der zweite Teil. Aber ich bin super in die Geschichte gekommen. Vorkenntnisse sind daher nicht nötig.
Wir befinden uns direkt Anfang des 12. Jahrhunderts in England.
William soll eigentlich in die Fußstapfen seiner Mutter treten und Schmied werden, doch sehnt er sich nach einer anderen Aufgabe.
Als er eines Tages einen weißen Falken findet und ihn pflegt, weiß er noch nicht, dass dieses Tier dem König gehört.
William schafft es, als Falkner ausgebildet zu werden ...
Doch natürlich wäre das Buch nicht so lang, wenn es nicht um Intrigen und allerlei anderen Dramen gehen würde.
🔴🟠🟡🟢
Katia Fox greift hier allerdings auch auf sehr schwierige Themen zurück. Ohne zu viel zu verraten oder zu spoilern, geht die Autorin auf die Frage der Freundschaft ein. Was kann sie aushalten und wie tief sitzen gewisse Vorurteile oder Eitelkeit.
4️⃣/5️⃣
Eine interessante Geschichte, die endlich auch mal etwas anderes aus der Zeit des Mittelalters zeigt. Was gut ist und Fox auch noch einmal am Ende erklärt hat.
Funfact: Als Mittelalter wird die Zeit von 500 bis ca 1500 genannt.
🟢🟡🟠🔴
Eigentlich ist dies der zweite Teil. Aber ich bin super in die Geschichte gekommen. Vorkenntnisse sind daher nicht nötig.
October 6, 2023
Well, that was... long. Not that that's a problem, generally speaking, but this book felt like it was long for the sake of being long, rather than because the story required this much room to tell.
I never really got into this novel. The premise sounded interesting enough, but between an unlikable protagonist, a cardboard cutout villain, and a predictable, longwinded plot, not to mention that whole severely offputting graphic on-page rape + fridging part, I just couldn't warm up to this story.
I never really got into this novel. The premise sounded interesting enough, but between an unlikable protagonist, a cardboard cutout villain, and a predictable, longwinded plot, not to mention that whole severely offputting graphic on-page rape + fridging part, I just couldn't warm up to this story.
April 25, 2018
A mix of history and fiction.
I read this book out of order sadly, and will now need to find and read the first and last books in this trilogy.
I love romance books about medieval English, Scotland, etc. . Although this book seemed a bit dry and complicated, I continued reading getting more involved in the book as I progressed.
A detailed story of lives and events of the main characters got me hooked in a short time span. I will get the other two books.
I read this book out of order sadly, and will now need to find and read the first and last books in this trilogy.
I love romance books about medieval English, Scotland, etc. . Although this book seemed a bit dry and complicated, I continued reading getting more involved in the book as I progressed.
A detailed story of lives and events of the main characters got me hooked in a short time span. I will get the other two books.
February 7, 2018
Great read
Light and beautiful story of a kid and his adventure to become grown hawk trainer while past narration adds the relic flavour...
Light and beautiful story of a kid and his adventure to become grown hawk trainer while past narration adds the relic flavour...
December 20, 2021
Far-fetched, but a wonderful story in the 13th century.
October 10, 2013
This book was amazing and easily one of my favorite reads of the year.
The level of detail is excellent; the author does a fantastic job of bringing the medieval world to life and fills every sense. The detail is never too long and doesn’t take too much time away from the story. There is no indication that this book has been translated from another language and is better worded and constructed than most of books.
The detailing on many aspects of the characters lives is also very well described, falconry is obviously an important part of the main character’s life and we are told a lot about this, but other things that are important to him are also given plenty of attention. A few times I did find the information lacking, such as the types of horses people are riding and the amount things cost is never given. Very rarely there was a piece of incorrect information, such as referring to the priest who opposed King Henry II as Thomas à Becket, but other than these few small things I found the level of research and detail to be very high but never described to the point it became boring.
Most of the time how the information is presented is not dull, although a few times when the author is describing important events that are happening in the world that don’t directly involve the character, typically real historic events such as the imprisonment of King Richard or the deaths or marriages of monarchs, I found these times to be less well told and it felt more like a history book than an interesting story.
The characters in the book are wonderful; they have strong but realistic personalities. You could always tell which character you were following just by the way they are thinking and acting even if no names or context was provided. They have real emotions and think things that a person would in real life but it is presented so well that it is still interesting to read. The characters have plenty of background and history. The also make mistakes, think bad thoughts, feel guilt and come to the wrong conclusions at times, all making them much more believable and interesting.
The world itself is realistic and very, very brutal, we’re talking Game of Thrones/Song of Ice and Fire brutal at times. Very unpleasant things happen to the main characters.
The amount of action in the book is low compared to other historical fiction books and as our main character is not a warrior when there is action it is generally bad for him. Having said that I never missed the lack of high paced action as the rest of the story is so interesting.
One side effect of having so many unpleasant things happen to the main character was that whenever there was the potential for something bad to happen in was a time of high tension, even if it turned out nothing went wrong, especially as the author did such a great job of making me care for William.
The story details the highs and lows of the characters life. The ebb and flow was always believable and never took impossible leaps. The various highs and lows happened in a realistic and random manner, and you could never tell if something good or bad was about to happen simply because it was time for one.
His rise in rank while it would have been unlikely in the real world it wouldn’t have been impossible, and it was done slowly enough it really was believable.
It was also interesting to see parts of the book detour away from the characters main goal of being a falconer. It reminded me of Pillars of the Earth in that way.
I enjoyed the message that hard work and being good pays off in the end.
The story is spread out over many years, and while the date is given at the start of each chapter I would have liked to have been told how old the character was at each stage.
I loved the internal artwork in this book, it is medieval in style and fits in perfectly with the rest of the novel.
I haven’t read the first book in this series, although after this one I intend to, but I never felt lost or having missed out on anything because I hadn’t read the other book first.
I absolutely loved this book, the characters and story are amazing, the level of detail is high and everything is realistic but remains interesting.
In full disclosure I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway.
The level of detail is excellent; the author does a fantastic job of bringing the medieval world to life and fills every sense. The detail is never too long and doesn’t take too much time away from the story. There is no indication that this book has been translated from another language and is better worded and constructed than most of books.
The detailing on many aspects of the characters lives is also very well described, falconry is obviously an important part of the main character’s life and we are told a lot about this, but other things that are important to him are also given plenty of attention. A few times I did find the information lacking, such as the types of horses people are riding and the amount things cost is never given. Very rarely there was a piece of incorrect information, such as referring to the priest who opposed King Henry II as Thomas à Becket, but other than these few small things I found the level of research and detail to be very high but never described to the point it became boring.
Most of the time how the information is presented is not dull, although a few times when the author is describing important events that are happening in the world that don’t directly involve the character, typically real historic events such as the imprisonment of King Richard or the deaths or marriages of monarchs, I found these times to be less well told and it felt more like a history book than an interesting story.
The characters in the book are wonderful; they have strong but realistic personalities. You could always tell which character you were following just by the way they are thinking and acting even if no names or context was provided. They have real emotions and think things that a person would in real life but it is presented so well that it is still interesting to read. The characters have plenty of background and history. The also make mistakes, think bad thoughts, feel guilt and come to the wrong conclusions at times, all making them much more believable and interesting.
The world itself is realistic and very, very brutal, we’re talking Game of Thrones/Song of Ice and Fire brutal at times. Very unpleasant things happen to the main characters.
The amount of action in the book is low compared to other historical fiction books and as our main character is not a warrior when there is action it is generally bad for him. Having said that I never missed the lack of high paced action as the rest of the story is so interesting.
One side effect of having so many unpleasant things happen to the main character was that whenever there was the potential for something bad to happen in was a time of high tension, even if it turned out nothing went wrong, especially as the author did such a great job of making me care for William.
The story details the highs and lows of the characters life. The ebb and flow was always believable and never took impossible leaps. The various highs and lows happened in a realistic and random manner, and you could never tell if something good or bad was about to happen simply because it was time for one.
His rise in rank while it would have been unlikely in the real world it wouldn’t have been impossible, and it was done slowly enough it really was believable.
It was also interesting to see parts of the book detour away from the characters main goal of being a falconer. It reminded me of Pillars of the Earth in that way.
I enjoyed the message that hard work and being good pays off in the end.
The story is spread out over many years, and while the date is given at the start of each chapter I would have liked to have been told how old the character was at each stage.
I loved the internal artwork in this book, it is medieval in style and fits in perfectly with the rest of the novel.
I haven’t read the first book in this series, although after this one I intend to, but I never felt lost or having missed out on anything because I hadn’t read the other book first.
I absolutely loved this book, the characters and story are amazing, the level of detail is high and everything is realistic but remains interesting.
In full disclosure I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway.
August 18, 2016
In the sequel to The Copper Sign, it's time for young William to shine. We've seen how hard Ellen can be on him in the previous book, but William all the stubbornness and ambition of both of his parents, and he is not going to be content with life as a swordsmith, no matter what the "signs" or his mother may say.
Ever since Sir William Marshal came and spent the day showing young William his falcon, he has been fascinated with the birds. Much like his mother, he has a dream and refuses to give up on it no matter how impossible it seems. He will become a falconer.
The book starts when William is only a child, already fascinated with the great birds. Isaac, his step-father, is his great ally in keeping secrets from his unsympathetic mother. Things take a turn when he discovers a beautiful falcon, obviously trained, and rescues it. With no hunting party in sight, he stashes it in the woodshed. When it turns out to be the King's own falcon, Blanchpenny, William is offered a silver coin as a reward. Being blessed with the same brashness of his mother, he refuses it and asks to become a falconer instead. The King tells him to be content with the coin for now, but neither of them forget that instance.
William waits impatiently for the day when the king will send for him, even though his mother tries to discourage him. Just as he's given up hope, the day finally comes. The adventure begins.
The journey that commences that day is not an easy one. William experiences much heartache along the way, and it seems vengeance is never far from his heart. But his joy and talent with the falcons is a sight to behold. Katia Fox brings both the time period, and William's intense emotions to life in the most amazing way.
William's struggles to achieve his dream and passion, becoming the king's falconer, is something so inspiring to read. He refuses to let anything get in his way, and yet somehow manages to retain the goodness and peace that he learned from Isaac all those years ago. When William finally gets his reward, you can't help but cheer for him. And maybe give a little nasty smirk for the downfall of his nemesis....
Historical novels aren't usually the kind of books I seek out, but I most highly recommend this series. I'm impatiently awaiting The Golden Throne! And, I <3 Robert. :D
[I received this book for free through First Reads and was not required to write a positive or any other type of review. All opinions stated herein are solely my own.]
Ever since Sir William Marshal came and spent the day showing young William his falcon, he has been fascinated with the birds. Much like his mother, he has a dream and refuses to give up on it no matter how impossible it seems. He will become a falconer.
The book starts when William is only a child, already fascinated with the great birds. Isaac, his step-father, is his great ally in keeping secrets from his unsympathetic mother. Things take a turn when he discovers a beautiful falcon, obviously trained, and rescues it. With no hunting party in sight, he stashes it in the woodshed. When it turns out to be the King's own falcon, Blanchpenny, William is offered a silver coin as a reward. Being blessed with the same brashness of his mother, he refuses it and asks to become a falconer instead. The King tells him to be content with the coin for now, but neither of them forget that instance.
William waits impatiently for the day when the king will send for him, even though his mother tries to discourage him. Just as he's given up hope, the day finally comes. The adventure begins.
The journey that commences that day is not an easy one. William experiences much heartache along the way, and it seems vengeance is never far from his heart. But his joy and talent with the falcons is a sight to behold. Katia Fox brings both the time period, and William's intense emotions to life in the most amazing way.
William's struggles to achieve his dream and passion, becoming the king's falconer, is something so inspiring to read. He refuses to let anything get in his way, and yet somehow manages to retain the goodness and peace that he learned from Isaac all those years ago. When William finally gets his reward, you can't help but cheer for him. And maybe give a little nasty smirk for the downfall of his nemesis....
Historical novels aren't usually the kind of books I seek out, but I most highly recommend this series. I'm impatiently awaiting The Golden Throne! And, I <3 Robert. :D
[I received this book for free through First Reads and was not required to write a positive or any other type of review. All opinions stated herein are solely my own.]
July 16, 2013
I usually hate reading a series out of order, so when I started this second book in a trilogy, I felt quite nervous. But, amazingly, I never once got that nagging feeling that I had missed something vital in the previous book, The Copper Sign. Perhaps because the first book focuses on Ellenweore, a female swordsmith of great renown, and and this sequel is the story of her son, William, and his ambitions to become a royal falconer.
The book opens with a young William, unhappy in his travails at the smithy. The novel moves on to cover William’s adolescence and young adulthood. Translated from the German, the writing never feels choppy or unpolished. The books is written in a simple style, smooth and straightforward language. Recognizable historical figures here - several members of the Plantagenet family, but Fox does not focus on the nobility. Instead, she chronicles a wider spectrum of the society of the eleventh and twelfth centuries while maintaining a clear and focused central narrative. It has a very authentic feel to it, and the sheer volume of research done by the author is quite evident. Because of this research and simply writing, the book could easily crossover to the YA readers - though it does have more violence, sex and death as William ages.
It is truly an epic story - full of happiness and heartache. And despite its length of over six hundred pages, the book maintains a steady pace and has a lot of action. Fox’s characters really come to life - William is an easy hero, and sympathetic even in his missteps. And the villain, Odon, is certainly quite loathsome - the small attempts at humanizing him fall a bit flat - but he is truly the perfect villain to hate. I especially enjoy the relationships between the characters and the wide scope of people Fox weaves into William’s story. Enid and David’s relationship is touching, and it is rare to see a character like David even mentioned in fiction. The cast of characters is varied, but each one is unique and easy to keep track of - and easy to connect with. The historical details on the art of falconry also comes vividly to life. Meticulous detail on the birds and the sport adds excitement throughout the novel. I definitely plan on checking out the first book, and I look forward to the third book, The Golden Throne.
The book opens with a young William, unhappy in his travails at the smithy. The novel moves on to cover William’s adolescence and young adulthood. Translated from the German, the writing never feels choppy or unpolished. The books is written in a simple style, smooth and straightforward language. Recognizable historical figures here - several members of the Plantagenet family, but Fox does not focus on the nobility. Instead, she chronicles a wider spectrum of the society of the eleventh and twelfth centuries while maintaining a clear and focused central narrative. It has a very authentic feel to it, and the sheer volume of research done by the author is quite evident. Because of this research and simply writing, the book could easily crossover to the YA readers - though it does have more violence, sex and death as William ages.
It is truly an epic story - full of happiness and heartache. And despite its length of over six hundred pages, the book maintains a steady pace and has a lot of action. Fox’s characters really come to life - William is an easy hero, and sympathetic even in his missteps. And the villain, Odon, is certainly quite loathsome - the small attempts at humanizing him fall a bit flat - but he is truly the perfect villain to hate. I especially enjoy the relationships between the characters and the wide scope of people Fox weaves into William’s story. Enid and David’s relationship is touching, and it is rare to see a character like David even mentioned in fiction. The cast of characters is varied, but each one is unique and easy to keep track of - and easy to connect with. The historical details on the art of falconry also comes vividly to life. Meticulous detail on the birds and the sport adds excitement throughout the novel. I definitely plan on checking out the first book, and I look forward to the third book, The Golden Throne.
June 10, 2013
Als ältestem Sohn der Waffenschmiedin Ellen scheint Williams Weg zum Schmied vorgezeichnet zu sein. Doch der Elfjährige lässt sich nur widerwillig in der elterlichen Werkstatt in East Anglia ausbilden, Williams Traum ist die Falknerei. Weil William einen verletzten Falken findet und zu Hause versorgt, kommt es zu einer schicksalhaften Begegnung mit König Henry II und dessen Falkner. Doch bevor William seiner Bestimmung folgen kann, führt Katia Fox ihn auf verschlungenen Wegen während seiner Lehr- und Wanderjahre zunächst von der Falknerei fort. Schließlich findet William eine Stelle als Falkner bei einem wohlhabenden Kaufmann in London, der Williams Arbeit zu schätzen weiß. William lernt, dass für Londons Kaufleute die Falknerei Mittel zum Zweck ist, um Wohlstand zu demonstrieren und während der Jagd Kontakte zu zahlungskräftigen Adligen zu knüpfen. Das Thema Falknerei tritt im Roman über eine weite Strecke hinter Verrat und Intrige, Liebe und Leid zurück. Schließlich erlangt William, über dessen verkrüppelten Fuß so mancher Neider spottete, unerwartes Glück, die Anerkennung des Königs und kann sogar das Rätsel seiner eigenen Herkunft lösen.
Katia Fox zweiter Band lässt sich in der englischen Übersetzung von "Der silberne Falke" leicht und locker wegschmökern, zu Beginn eher zu leicht. Das Thema Falknerei kam für meinen Geschmack im Buch viel zu kurz, während die schicksalhaften Wendungen durch pure Bosheit von Williams Gegenspieler Odon mir viel zu umfangreich waren. Für andere Leser mag die Mischung aus viel Schicksal und weniger Falknerei genau richtig sein. Unbefriedigend fand ich, dass die schicksalhaften Wendungen allein mit dem bösartigen Charakter Odons erklärt und die Feudalgesellschaft als Voraussetzung für seinen Machtmissbrauch nur angedeutet wird. Das Nachwort des historischen Romans rückt reale und fiktive Teile der Handlung an ihren jeweiligen Platz und kommt zu einem sehr treffenden Schluss: Man weiß nicht, wie es gewesen ist ...
Band 1 The Copper Sign
Band 2 The Silver Falcon
Band 3 ist noch nicht ins Englische übersetzt
Katia Fox zweiter Band lässt sich in der englischen Übersetzung von "Der silberne Falke" leicht und locker wegschmökern, zu Beginn eher zu leicht. Das Thema Falknerei kam für meinen Geschmack im Buch viel zu kurz, während die schicksalhaften Wendungen durch pure Bosheit von Williams Gegenspieler Odon mir viel zu umfangreich waren. Für andere Leser mag die Mischung aus viel Schicksal und weniger Falknerei genau richtig sein. Unbefriedigend fand ich, dass die schicksalhaften Wendungen allein mit dem bösartigen Charakter Odons erklärt und die Feudalgesellschaft als Voraussetzung für seinen Machtmissbrauch nur angedeutet wird. Das Nachwort des historischen Romans rückt reale und fiktive Teile der Handlung an ihren jeweiligen Platz und kommt zu einem sehr treffenden Schluss: Man weiß nicht, wie es gewesen ist ...
Band 1 The Copper Sign
Band 2 The Silver Falcon
Band 3 ist noch nicht ins Englische übersetzt
December 5, 2014
This is the second of a trilogy set in England in the late 12th Century, but the story stands well on its own. It follows the main character, William, from age 11, apprenticed in a swordsmithing trade that he disliked, with aspirations to be a falconer. Accidental meetings with an injured falcon, and with the nobility that owned it, and William's story is well under way. It follows his progress through young manhood as he pursues his ambition.
The author has done convincing research, and not just in period swordsmithing and heraldry. The story strikes no false notes as we follow young William's progress through England, London and Northern France, and it spares him little of the danger and squalor of the times. Since falconry was a sport of nobility, William encounters more nobles than he would have in normal peasant life. Thus, he meets, and is dealt with, by the local nobility and the royal courts of Henry II, Richard Lionheart and John. (King John appears as more human in this tale than in most).
The characters are vivid, and mostly well-rounded, albeit with clear "good" and "bad" characters. William is someone the reader will care for, cheer for. His friends and employers also emerge as compelling figures (although I was hoping for a more vivid William the Marshal, who is one of the most fascinating figures in histories of the period and central to this story). There is what modern readers would recognize as a gay sub-plot, but the author keeps it in the context and sensibilities of those times.
The prose is someone simple, almost like young-adult or romantic fiction -- although the violence and sexual incidents are not of those genres. It's good, basic, enjoyable historical fiction, and well-recommended. This reviewer now definitely looks forward to the sequel.
The author has done convincing research, and not just in period swordsmithing and heraldry. The story strikes no false notes as we follow young William's progress through England, London and Northern France, and it spares him little of the danger and squalor of the times. Since falconry was a sport of nobility, William encounters more nobles than he would have in normal peasant life. Thus, he meets, and is dealt with, by the local nobility and the royal courts of Henry II, Richard Lionheart and John. (King John appears as more human in this tale than in most).
The characters are vivid, and mostly well-rounded, albeit with clear "good" and "bad" characters. William is someone the reader will care for, cheer for. His friends and employers also emerge as compelling figures (although I was hoping for a more vivid William the Marshal, who is one of the most fascinating figures in histories of the period and central to this story). There is what modern readers would recognize as a gay sub-plot, but the author keeps it in the context and sensibilities of those times.
The prose is someone simple, almost like young-adult or romantic fiction -- although the violence and sexual incidents are not of those genres. It's good, basic, enjoyable historical fiction, and well-recommended. This reviewer now definitely looks forward to the sequel.
June 24, 2013
A Review by Anthony T. Riggio of The Silver Falcon by Katia Fox.
This is the second book in a trilogy of life in the middle ages and the conflicts between the lower classes, primarily the struggling craftsmen individuals and the aristocracy. It follows the family of Elleweore, in the Copper Sign, a woman Sword maker par excel-lance who has a son sired by a Knight of budding importance. The Silver Falcon follows this saga into struggles of Elleweore's illegitimate son William whose ambition in life is not to follow in his mother's craft of being a master sword maker. His love is falconry a highly prized skill needed and wanted by royalty for sport hunting and possible warfare.
William follows the path not wanted by his mother but like his mother, he must seek his own way in the world. His struggles are an uphill climb every step of the way and in the process he finds love and the solution to his parentage.
It is a fun read by an upcoming author Katia Fox who writes in German so both books are translations from German to English and I did not suspect anything was lost or misinterpreted due to the process of translation.
While I never posted a review for the Copper Sign, I highly recommend both books and suggest you read them within close proximity of each other starting wit the Cooper Sign. the author has done her research into the craft of both Sword making and falconry and I learned something from each book.
I look forward to Katia Fox' last submission into this wonderful trilogy.
I read both books in Amazon's Kindle format and gave each high ratings and recommend these books to any reader wanting to escape into life in Middle Ages.
This is the second book in a trilogy of life in the middle ages and the conflicts between the lower classes, primarily the struggling craftsmen individuals and the aristocracy. It follows the family of Elleweore, in the Copper Sign, a woman Sword maker par excel-lance who has a son sired by a Knight of budding importance. The Silver Falcon follows this saga into struggles of Elleweore's illegitimate son William whose ambition in life is not to follow in his mother's craft of being a master sword maker. His love is falconry a highly prized skill needed and wanted by royalty for sport hunting and possible warfare.
William follows the path not wanted by his mother but like his mother, he must seek his own way in the world. His struggles are an uphill climb every step of the way and in the process he finds love and the solution to his parentage.
It is a fun read by an upcoming author Katia Fox who writes in German so both books are translations from German to English and I did not suspect anything was lost or misinterpreted due to the process of translation.
While I never posted a review for the Copper Sign, I highly recommend both books and suggest you read them within close proximity of each other starting wit the Cooper Sign. the author has done her research into the craft of both Sword making and falconry and I learned something from each book.
I look forward to Katia Fox' last submission into this wonderful trilogy.
I read both books in Amazon's Kindle format and gave each high ratings and recommend these books to any reader wanting to escape into life in Middle Ages.
August 28, 2013
This book is all about her illegitimate son, William. William FitzEllen is a young boy who wants nothing more than to be a falconer, his mother has her heart set on him following in her footsteps. After some tussles of will, Ellenweore (his mother) & his stepfather Isaac send him to another household and he gets to learn his hearts dream. Things will not be easy for William as he has to overcome his deformed foot, as speed for a falconer is important.
He apprentices with a firm, but fair man and makes a lifelong friend in the form of the man's son, Robert. There is of course a fly in the ointment in the form Of Odon, a cruel and spoilt young man and son of a noble. William dares to stand up to him in his youth and it is a dearly paid victory as Odon thereafter never loses a moment to try and cause William harm or hurt.
The book is a hefty 600+ pages but it doesn't feel like it, because once the story gets you in it's grip it is hard to put down. Like I said, it is book 2# of a trilogy, which I will be happy to catch up on with book one, The Copper Sign and book 3, The Golden Throne, which is due for publication in 2014.
One of the best historical fiction books, I have read this year. There is also an afterword in the book where the author explains some of the licence she took with the history of the story, mixed in with real facts of the time. However, I really felt like I was in the book and transported to the time portrayed by the writer. I will be watching out for her future works.
Falconry is something that I never thought I would find interesting, but it is written in such a way that draws you into it all.
He apprentices with a firm, but fair man and makes a lifelong friend in the form of the man's son, Robert. There is of course a fly in the ointment in the form Of Odon, a cruel and spoilt young man and son of a noble. William dares to stand up to him in his youth and it is a dearly paid victory as Odon thereafter never loses a moment to try and cause William harm or hurt.
The book is a hefty 600+ pages but it doesn't feel like it, because once the story gets you in it's grip it is hard to put down. Like I said, it is book 2# of a trilogy, which I will be happy to catch up on with book one, The Copper Sign and book 3, The Golden Throne, which is due for publication in 2014.
One of the best historical fiction books, I have read this year. There is also an afterword in the book where the author explains some of the licence she took with the history of the story, mixed in with real facts of the time. However, I really felt like I was in the book and transported to the time portrayed by the writer. I will be watching out for her future works.
Falconry is something that I never thought I would find interesting, but it is written in such a way that draws you into it all.
September 11, 2013
I received this Book from Goodreads.
Once again I will say it. I hate writing reviews for books. I know my every awkward word painstakingly typed out with fumbled fingers could never correctly and justly describe a book and all that it gives me. I will try anyway, because the more reviews I write the likelier it is I get a new book and there is absolutely nothing better then receiving a new book.
When I received and began to read The Silver Falcon I had no idea it was a second in a series. I didn't know it was until I looked up the book online, and by then I was nearly done reading it. There is nothing missing or going on that even hints of a book before it, which is very important to me because references from past adventures from a book before all most drive me crazy wondering what it was and what happened.
The Silver Falcon isn't like that. In fact, it reads just like a novel.
I didn't find anything I dislike about this book. I loved the characters ( except Odon and his crew). The one that most caught my attention was the main character Will. Will touched a soft spot on me because he had incredible odds against him but with hard work, perseverance, luck, commonsense and honesty he paved a way to the life he wanted. Reading about his troubles and how he always eventually got back up and achieved his goals inspired me. I'm only at the beginning of my journey and have many obstacles before me, so it was nice to read a book filled with struggle and ultimately- success.
Once again I will say it. I hate writing reviews for books. I know my every awkward word painstakingly typed out with fumbled fingers could never correctly and justly describe a book and all that it gives me. I will try anyway, because the more reviews I write the likelier it is I get a new book and there is absolutely nothing better then receiving a new book.
When I received and began to read The Silver Falcon I had no idea it was a second in a series. I didn't know it was until I looked up the book online, and by then I was nearly done reading it. There is nothing missing or going on that even hints of a book before it, which is very important to me because references from past adventures from a book before all most drive me crazy wondering what it was and what happened.
The Silver Falcon isn't like that. In fact, it reads just like a novel.
I didn't find anything I dislike about this book. I loved the characters ( except Odon and his crew). The one that most caught my attention was the main character Will. Will touched a soft spot on me because he had incredible odds against him but with hard work, perseverance, luck, commonsense and honesty he paved a way to the life he wanted. Reading about his troubles and how he always eventually got back up and achieved his goals inspired me. I'm only at the beginning of my journey and have many obstacles before me, so it was nice to read a book filled with struggle and ultimately- success.
August 2, 2015
**Thankyou to NetGalley and the publishers for this copy
I don't know where to start with this, or even what to say at all really...
at times this feels like it drags out a little bit, but at the same time I don't know what could have been left out. we're following William through life from a very early age, through all his struggles, and triumphs. quite similar to his mother's story in The Copper Sign, but also very different.
it's also a look into the life & times of 12th/13th century England & Normandie. and there is a "chapter" at the end that gives all the info on what/who was fact & fiction throughout the story.
from everything that happened throughout this journey, I found this book to be about people. some people are truly good people, while others are and always will be evil. some people will do everything possible to achieve their dreams, while other's will put in the same effort to destroying the lives of others. and also the power of true friendship.
everything is covered in this book - love, loss, sickness, health, poverty, riches, nobody's, royalty, truths, lies, & revelations. everyone & everything imaginable is squeezed into this one epic lifetime.
I don't know where to start with this, or even what to say at all really...
at times this feels like it drags out a little bit, but at the same time I don't know what could have been left out. we're following William through life from a very early age, through all his struggles, and triumphs. quite similar to his mother's story in The Copper Sign, but also very different.
it's also a look into the life & times of 12th/13th century England & Normandie. and there is a "chapter" at the end that gives all the info on what/who was fact & fiction throughout the story.
from everything that happened throughout this journey, I found this book to be about people. some people are truly good people, while others are and always will be evil. some people will do everything possible to achieve their dreams, while other's will put in the same effort to destroying the lives of others. and also the power of true friendship.
everything is covered in this book - love, loss, sickness, health, poverty, riches, nobody's, royalty, truths, lies, & revelations. everyone & everything imaginable is squeezed into this one epic lifetime.
September 30, 2016
I couldn't finish this book. I refuse to finish reading a book in which the author creates a female character for the sole purpose of killing her off so the male protagonist can have manpain and angst. Furthermore, I hated the fact that not only was Enid created solely to be "fridged", but the manner of her fridging - letting William get her pregnant so she could then be raped multiple times by the antagonist (presumably so we'd all know what a bad guy the antagonist is - though that wasn't even in doubt at this point) and his friends, then eviscerated (thereby adding infanticide to the rape and murder) just disgusts me.
It's bad enough when male storytellers create women characters solely to fridge them, but when a female storyteller does it, I feel doubly betrayed. This is not the kind of story I want to read.
(And yes, thanks, I already know that life in the Norman England period was short and brutal - that's no kind of justification for this scenario. Especially when the author already had her female protagonist in the previous book be raped incestuously by her half-brother.)
It's bad enough when male storytellers create women characters solely to fridge them, but when a female storyteller does it, I feel doubly betrayed. This is not the kind of story I want to read.
(And yes, thanks, I already know that life in the Norman England period was short and brutal - that's no kind of justification for this scenario. Especially when the author already had her female protagonist in the previous book be raped incestuously by her half-brother.)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 28, 2013
This is the historical account of William as he grows up and lives primarily during the reign of King Richard II. He has been born to a female swordsmith, yet he desires to be a falconer. Follow William as he works hard, makes friends and enemies, attains goals and failures.
Aside from some portions being a bit verbose, the writing is crisp and heavily detailed giving the narrative authenticity and period realism .
The characters are true to life which is seen through their actions and dialogue. All are flawed, but some are definitely more likeable than others.
While not common throughout the story, the shifting point of view is handled efficiently and flows well.
The training and hunting of the falcons was both informative and interesting. References provided at the end add credibility.
Without giving too much away, I'll just say this, I definitely found myself rooting for William and Robert!
Overall a fascinating read.
Aside from some portions being a bit verbose, the writing is crisp and heavily detailed giving the narrative authenticity and period realism .
The characters are true to life which is seen through their actions and dialogue. All are flawed, but some are definitely more likeable than others.
While not common throughout the story, the shifting point of view is handled efficiently and flows well.
The training and hunting of the falcons was both informative and interesting. References provided at the end add credibility.
Without giving too much away, I'll just say this, I definitely found myself rooting for William and Robert!
Overall a fascinating read.
February 12, 2015
This is the tale of William FitzEllen's rise from unwilling smith to King's falconer, with many obstacles along the way.
It's a compelling story, with lots of well-researched historical detail. Some of the sad parts were very sad indeed, but never gratuitous, always moving the plot along. Characters had depth and complexity, and I rooted heartily for the hero and dearly hoped for the villain to be punished.
Translation and editing were good.
Though this was the only book of Fox's that I've read, I love the concept of a trilogy spread across generations of a family, rather than the more typical epic single novel with a high page count, or a trilogy confined to telling a single story. I will be seeking out the other two in the series (this was book two).
It's a compelling story, with lots of well-researched historical detail. Some of the sad parts were very sad indeed, but never gratuitous, always moving the plot along. Characters had depth and complexity, and I rooted heartily for the hero and dearly hoped for the villain to be punished.
Translation and editing were good.
Though this was the only book of Fox's that I've read, I love the concept of a trilogy spread across generations of a family, rather than the more typical epic single novel with a high page count, or a trilogy confined to telling a single story. I will be seeking out the other two in the series (this was book two).
January 14, 2015
Lost in translation maybe???
While I mostly enjoyed this story and learning about falconry, I couldn't help but notice that the verbiage is presented in an incredibly juvenile fashion. It read more like a middle schooler's language arts project than an adult novel. Also, while I understand that quite a bit of time was being covered throughout the novel, I wasn't fond of the instances where a "loose end" was tied up summarily without real detail. There were times this happened that felt rushed and hurriedly "patched", so to speak. Overall, it was an ok read though.
While I mostly enjoyed this story and learning about falconry, I couldn't help but notice that the verbiage is presented in an incredibly juvenile fashion. It read more like a middle schooler's language arts project than an adult novel. Also, while I understand that quite a bit of time was being covered throughout the novel, I wasn't fond of the instances where a "loose end" was tied up summarily without real detail. There were times this happened that felt rushed and hurriedly "patched", so to speak. Overall, it was an ok read though.
December 13, 2016
The Silver Falcon (follows The Copper Sign)
Ellen's son, William is who we follow in this volume. He loves birds not the forge and off he goes to flow his dream. These books are deeply reasearched. The details and descriptions made me feel like I was there. My problem and reason for 4 stars was the intense violence. That may be due to this being a German novelist, we in the US tend not to have that level of explicit as the norm.
Ellen's son, William is who we follow in this volume. He loves birds not the forge and off he goes to flow his dream. These books are deeply reasearched. The details and descriptions made me feel like I was there. My problem and reason for 4 stars was the intense violence. That may be due to this being a German novelist, we in the US tend not to have that level of explicit as the norm.
May 23, 2016
Action packed
Katia Fox is a new author for me and The Silver Falcon won't be the only book of hers I read. There is some thing in this book for everyone, action, romance and just a good all around story.
Katia Fox is a new author for me and The Silver Falcon won't be the only book of hers I read. There is some thing in this book for everyone, action, romance and just a good all around story.
April 12, 2015
A great read with elaborately developed characters and believable descriptions of falconry ..However felt let down by the predictability of the storyline.
June 21, 2015
was skeptical first... but this is a great read. describes life under british kings, their practices with a story of a young boy and his struggle to the top. full with suspense. enjoyed it !!
July 13, 2014
Fascinating!! Brilliantly crafted!
March 8, 2015
Excellent story. Want to read more of Katia Fox's books.
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