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Dunstan
From the critically acclaimed master of historical fiction Conn Iggulden, comes a novel set in the red-blooded days of Anglo-Saxon England. This is the original game for the English throne.
In the year 937, King Æthelstan, grandson of Alfred the Great, readies himself to throw a great spear into the north. His dream of a kingdom of all England will stand or fall on one field and the passage of a single day.
At his side is Dunstan of Glastonbury, full of ambition and wit, perhaps enough to damn his soul. His talents will take him from the villages of Wessex to the royal court, to the hills of Rome - from exile to exaltation.
Through Dunstan's vision, by his guiding hand, England may come together as one great country - or fall back into anarchy and misrule . . .
From one of our finest historical writers, Dunstan is an intimate portrait of a priest and performer, a visionary, a traitor and confessor to kings - the man who changed the fate of England.
462 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 27, 2017
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About the author
Conn Iggulden
142 books5,949 followersAlso publishes under author name C.F. Iggulden.
I was born in the normal way in 1971, and vaguely remember half-pennies and sixpences. I have written for as long as I can remember: poetry, short stories and novels. It’s what I always wanted to do and read English at London University with writing in mind. I taught English for seven years and was Head of English at St. Gregory’s RC High School in London by the end of that period. I have enormous respect for those who still labour at the chalk-face. In truth, I can’t find it in me to miss the grind of paperwork and initiatives. I do miss the camaraderie of the smokers’ room, as well as the lessons where their faces lit up as they understood what I was wittering on about.
My mother is Irish and from an early age she told me history as an exciting series of stories – with dates. My great-grandfather was a Seannachie, so I suppose story-telling is in the genes somewhere. My father flew in Bomber Command in WWII, then taught maths and science. Perhaps crucially, he also loved poetry and cracking good tales. Though it seems a dated idea now, I began teaching when boys were told only girls were good at English, despite the great names that must spring to mind after that statement. My father loved working with wood and equations, but he also recited ‘Vitai Lampada’ with a gleam in his eye and that matters, frankly.
I’ve always loved historical fiction as a genre and cut my teeth on Hornblower and Tai-Pan, Flashman, Sharpe and Jack Aubrey. I still remember the sheer joy of reading my first Patrick O’Brian book and discovering there were nineteen more in the series. I love just about anything by David Gemmell, or Peter F. Hamilton or Wilbur Smith. I suppose the one thing that links all those is the love of a good tale.
That’s about it for the moment. If you’d like to get in touch with me leave a comment in the forum or you can tweet me @Conn_Iggulden. I’ll leave it there for the moment. If you’ve read my books, you know an awful lot about the way I think already. There’s no point overdoing it.
Conn Iggulden
I was born in the normal way in 1971, and vaguely remember half-pennies and sixpences. I have written for as long as I can remember: poetry, short stories and novels. It’s what I always wanted to do and read English at London University with writing in mind. I taught English for seven years and was Head of English at St. Gregory’s RC High School in London by the end of that period. I have enormous respect for those who still labour at the chalk-face. In truth, I can’t find it in me to miss the grind of paperwork and initiatives. I do miss the camaraderie of the smokers’ room, as well as the lessons where their faces lit up as they understood what I was wittering on about.
My mother is Irish and from an early age she told me history as an exciting series of stories – with dates. My great-grandfather was a Seannachie, so I suppose story-telling is in the genes somewhere. My father flew in Bomber Command in WWII, then taught maths and science. Perhaps crucially, he also loved poetry and cracking good tales. Though it seems a dated idea now, I began teaching when boys were told only girls were good at English, despite the great names that must spring to mind after that statement. My father loved working with wood and equations, but he also recited ‘Vitai Lampada’ with a gleam in his eye and that matters, frankly.
I’ve always loved historical fiction as a genre and cut my teeth on Hornblower and Tai-Pan, Flashman, Sharpe and Jack Aubrey. I still remember the sheer joy of reading my first Patrick O’Brian book and discovering there were nineteen more in the series. I love just about anything by David Gemmell, or Peter F. Hamilton or Wilbur Smith. I suppose the one thing that links all those is the love of a good tale.
That’s about it for the moment. If you’d like to get in touch with me leave a comment in the forum or you can tweet me @Conn_Iggulden. I’ll leave it there for the moment. If you’ve read my books, you know an awful lot about the way I think already. There’s no point overdoing it.
Conn Iggulden
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 529 reviews
July 3, 2018
There is never one truth, one love, or one enemy. I wish it had been so simple.
The Abbot's Tale is just an example of really great storytelling. Conn Iggulden recreates the life of an important but lesser known figure from history - Dunstan of Glastonbury - in a story filled with action, careful manipulations, and grim humour.
Dunstan was a great mind and, as great minds tended to do in the Middle Ages, he turned to the church as a way of realizing his ambitions. Through the church, he climbed to the highest ranks, aiding multiple kings in their decision-making. But this all makes him sound ruthless and cold. The Abbot's Tale is about the man - and before that, the boy - behind the ingenious priest.
I didn't know what to expect going in, but I found Dunstan's tale absolutely gripping. I should warn that the short prologue is written in a strange style - wordy and old-fashioned - but this falls away into a more palatable narrative once Dunstan's life story begins.
And it begins with a tense and dramatic scene that immediately piqued my interest.
Here, Dunstan is such a witty, cheeky boy who becomes a clever, successful man. I love the complex characterization Iggulden has brought to such an intriguing figure. He's a cynic who never forgets those who've wronged him, but he also loves his brother deeply. He lives through some fascinating and awful historical events, but his biting wit never runs dry (and never stops getting him into trouble).
Unless you are already a lover of historical fiction, in my experience, this genre can be a tough sell. I've seen eyes glaze over as soon as people realize the book I'm recommending is about history. But I think a lot of this genre works well - not just for history lovers - but for those who enjoy fantasy, too.
The Abbot's Tale is a gritty story full of kings, murder, backstabbing and revenge. It's like A Game of Thrones and other epic political fantasy novels, except it's somewhat real.
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January 27, 2018
Set in the days of Anglo-Saxon England in the year 937. England is a nation that's divided. It's ruled by minor Kings and Viking Lords.
Conn Igguiden was an English teacher before he started writing full-time. He has a talent in writing history that makes you feel you are living through the parts he is writing about. This is a beautifully written historical fiction novel.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Penguin UK - Michael Joseph and the author Conn Igguiden for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Conn Igguiden was an English teacher before he started writing full-time. He has a talent in writing history that makes you feel you are living through the parts he is writing about. This is a beautifully written historical fiction novel.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Penguin UK - Michael Joseph and the author Conn Igguiden for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 7, 2018
Do you think the author had fun writing this book? I had fun reading it. I confess I initially thought I was reading a book by a minor prophet from THE HOLY BIBLE. The action took place in the tenth century A.D. when the small kingdoms of England evolved into one kingdom with one high king. The main character, Dunstan, was a rascal--but a good one. Reader, take that comment any way you choose. He confessed his sins so well that I started to worry about my own sins, confessed or not. Dunstan used his confessions for show and for forgiveness in equal parts. That was the nature of his character. I liked the asides where the author or main character stepped out of the book and spoke directly to the reader. That is where the funniest lines were delivered. The storyline was layered without being multi-generational.
There was one hysterical scene where the one armed brother made a clandestine trip via ship to see his exiled brother. When asked if he was followed, the one armed brother said no one on the dock even noticed me!!! I cannot tell a good joke, but I hope you got that!
I expect the best from Mr. Iggulden, and I have yet to be disappointed.
Thank you, Mr. Iggulden, for a good read.
There was one hysterical scene where the one armed brother made a clandestine trip via ship to see his exiled brother. When asked if he was followed, the one armed brother said no one on the dock even noticed me!!! I cannot tell a good joke, but I hope you got that!
I expect the best from Mr. Iggulden, and I have yet to be disappointed.
Thank you, Mr. Iggulden, for a good read.
June 13, 2017
It seems to be my week for reading books about unlikeable characters.
"Dunstan" by Conn Iggulden is a stand alone novel in the autobiographical novel category. The Dunstan in question is Saint Dunstan, builder of both Glastonbury Abbey and Canterbury Cathedral and spiritual advisor to several early English/Wessex kings.
Iggulden interprets some events from the life of Dunstan in very interesting ways! His Dunstan is far from a saint - being a bully, a liar, a cheat, and a murderer. Given the time he lived in, this is quite probably more accurate than any hagiography could manage.
A rambunctious romp through Dark Age Britain leaving piles of bodies in its wake.
In a word: Fun.
Highly recommended.
"Dunstan" by Conn Iggulden is a stand alone novel in the autobiographical novel category. The Dunstan in question is Saint Dunstan, builder of both Glastonbury Abbey and Canterbury Cathedral and spiritual advisor to several early English/Wessex kings.
Iggulden interprets some events from the life of Dunstan in very interesting ways! His Dunstan is far from a saint - being a bully, a liar, a cheat, and a murderer. Given the time he lived in, this is quite probably more accurate than any hagiography could manage.
A rambunctious romp through Dark Age Britain leaving piles of bodies in its wake.
In a word: Fun.
Highly recommended.
May 23, 2018
Well, I think it pretty obvious that Conn Iggulden relished breathing life into this complicated creature called Dunstan. What a joy it is to read books that are so clearly a work of pride by the author. And he should be proud. This was a bloody good book. The best I have read of him so far… but of course, I have not yet read everything he has written.
Now, Dunstan of Glastonbury is not your typical feel-good protagonist. Don’t expect to go into this book backing him to the hilt throughout his journey. He can be a very bad boy, and an even worse adult and there are many readers of this book who are saying they loathed him or disliked him. I actually did like him eventually. At first, in the opening chapters, with the way he treated his brother, I really didn’t like him much at all. With time, that passed and I found myself often rooting for him as he planned and plotted his vengeances and his climb to the top.
In his lifetime he outlives them all. Kings, Queens, family. And in the end, he gets a bit over it all. I suppose, as an insomniac and with many sins to ride his soul, life can get a little exhausting in the end for an old schemer like Dunstan.
What a man though. What accomplishments. What a colourful life. What things he must have seen.
Iggulden has made up so much, but this is historical fiction, it is to be expected. You have the few references to him in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and not much else. This gave the author a fairly broad palette to work his colours upon. With the attention not on giving us one long-winded info dump that reads more like a Non-Fiction, but to give us a fiction that follows the known history closely enough to inform us while entertaining us.
And what a world he had to entertain us. But don’t let me try to explain it…let Iggulden explain it through the words of his Dunstan:
“You have to understand our kingdom is a flame in a storm gale, guttering, flickering, struggling to survive. To the West, we still had the Vikings who had made their fiefdoms in Ireland. To the east and north, we had the might of all those small kings who saw our coast as a challenge – the Danes, the Swedish kings, the savage Norse. To the south, all along the coast of old Gaul, more Norsemen gathered, peering across at us. They waited all around us then. We had no chance to survive, some said. Yet we fought even so, whenever they came. Some men will.
We fought, because not to fight was to be destroyed, but also because we’d glimpsed something in the land, the rivers. Our fathers and grandfathers had found a good place, a sweet valley, with wolves on every hill all around us, just watching. We were farmers and soldiers and princes and priests. They were mere cruelty.
When a king died, they came howling down the hills.”
- page 343
This was quite a land of fire and sword in those times and what better world is there than that, for this author to pick up his brush and give us the most vividly worded account of a manipulative, aspiring, selfish, flawed, sinful creature called Dunstan of Glastonbury.
Now, Dunstan of Glastonbury is not your typical feel-good protagonist. Don’t expect to go into this book backing him to the hilt throughout his journey. He can be a very bad boy, and an even worse adult and there are many readers of this book who are saying they loathed him or disliked him. I actually did like him eventually. At first, in the opening chapters, with the way he treated his brother, I really didn’t like him much at all. With time, that passed and I found myself often rooting for him as he planned and plotted his vengeances and his climb to the top.
In his lifetime he outlives them all. Kings, Queens, family. And in the end, he gets a bit over it all. I suppose, as an insomniac and with many sins to ride his soul, life can get a little exhausting in the end for an old schemer like Dunstan.
What a man though. What accomplishments. What a colourful life. What things he must have seen.
Iggulden has made up so much, but this is historical fiction, it is to be expected. You have the few references to him in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and not much else. This gave the author a fairly broad palette to work his colours upon. With the attention not on giving us one long-winded info dump that reads more like a Non-Fiction, but to give us a fiction that follows the known history closely enough to inform us while entertaining us.
And what a world he had to entertain us. But don’t let me try to explain it…let Iggulden explain it through the words of his Dunstan:
“You have to understand our kingdom is a flame in a storm gale, guttering, flickering, struggling to survive. To the West, we still had the Vikings who had made their fiefdoms in Ireland. To the east and north, we had the might of all those small kings who saw our coast as a challenge – the Danes, the Swedish kings, the savage Norse. To the south, all along the coast of old Gaul, more Norsemen gathered, peering across at us. They waited all around us then. We had no chance to survive, some said. Yet we fought even so, whenever they came. Some men will.
We fought, because not to fight was to be destroyed, but also because we’d glimpsed something in the land, the rivers. Our fathers and grandfathers had found a good place, a sweet valley, with wolves on every hill all around us, just watching. We were farmers and soldiers and princes and priests. They were mere cruelty.
When a king died, they came howling down the hills.”
- page 343
This was quite a land of fire and sword in those times and what better world is there than that, for this author to pick up his brush and give us the most vividly worded account of a manipulative, aspiring, selfish, flawed, sinful creature called Dunstan of Glastonbury.
August 28, 2019
4.5 stars. I have always forgiven my enemies, but only when they have been punished. Thus spake Dunstan!
Conn Igguilden is to be admired for creating such a memorable character. Very little is known of St Dunstan other than the bare facts - his clerical career, family relationships, and his rebuilding of an abbey in Glastonbury where he was Abbot and a cathedral in Canterbury (not the current version) while Archbishop there. He was involved at different levels in the reigns of 7 kings over his lifetime and was even banished to Flanders by one. What isn’t known Igguilden imagines and, in doing so, creates a believable, historically accurate, in terms of the period, version of events.
In Igguilden’s imagination, Dunstan was no saint and he was constantly plotting against those who stood between him and his ambitions. This may or may not be even partially true but, let’s face it, it would have been a boring book if he’d done nothing but good!
This is the first book of Igguilden’s that I’ve read. It didn’t blow me away but it was entertaining and easily earns 4.5 stars.
Conn Igguilden is to be admired for creating such a memorable character. Very little is known of St Dunstan other than the bare facts - his clerical career, family relationships, and his rebuilding of an abbey in Glastonbury where he was Abbot and a cathedral in Canterbury (not the current version) while Archbishop there. He was involved at different levels in the reigns of 7 kings over his lifetime and was even banished to Flanders by one. What isn’t known Igguilden imagines and, in doing so, creates a believable, historically accurate, in terms of the period, version of events.
In Igguilden’s imagination, Dunstan was no saint and he was constantly plotting against those who stood between him and his ambitions. This may or may not be even partially true but, let’s face it, it would have been a boring book if he’d done nothing but good!
This is the first book of Igguilden’s that I’ve read. It didn’t blow me away but it was entertaining and easily earns 4.5 stars.
December 9, 2018
Wonderful. Now I plan to read more historical fiction. An engrossing novel. Iggulden has made Dunstan, a remarkable and intriguing man; come alive to us as a vivid, convincing character. Dunstan's achievements were epic. He also played a vital role in safeguarding England. I had forgotten what an incredible writer Iggulden is: I really felt as though I was reading a 9th century person's account if their life: while admitting to their shortcomings, sins and pride. NB this book has also been published under the name DUNSTAN
August 20, 2018
Dunstan of Glastonbury was an important figure in England in the 900's. He first came to power under King Aethelstan, grandson of Alfred the Great, in 937. He was extremely young and had a vicious temper. He was quite mentally gifted and a master craftsman who dedicated his life to building the Abbey into a place of beauty. It lasted until Henry VIII dissolved it in his dissolution of the monasteries. I have actually been there and even the ruins are a thing of beauty.
In spite of his many talents, Dunstan is not a likable man. He is not above lining his own pockets although the money was used for the Abbey building. He liked meeting and using rich and powerful people. He knew and served seven kings and rose to be the Archbishop of Canterbury. Still he had no problem injuring people in terrible manners including grabbing a man by his nose with blacksmith red hot tongs. He arranged for the kidnapping and selling of a Queen into slavery. He was not somebody you wanted to cross.
His impact was great in other ways. Until his his rise to power, priests were often married. He put a stop to this practice. In fact his horror of fornication led him to confront a King during the act and led to his exile to Flanders until the King's death.
Overall, I was disappointed in this book though. I loved the author's Genghis Khan series so much. Genghis was no angel by any means but he seemed to be brought to life more vibrantly and vividly. His acts of cruelty were reasoned out by the author and more understandable. Dunstan's seemed more like a child having a tantrum.
Also, Bernard Cornwall has an excellent series, The Saxon Series, featuring the fictional Uhtred and Alfred the Great which are more enthralling to me than this. The battle scene in Dunstan is pale in comparison to being in a shield wall with Cornwall or even fighting with Genghis. If this period is interesting to you, I would read the Saxon Series.
It's good to learn more about a time period that I knew little about but I just wish it had been more vibrant.
In spite of his many talents, Dunstan is not a likable man. He is not above lining his own pockets although the money was used for the Abbey building. He liked meeting and using rich and powerful people. He knew and served seven kings and rose to be the Archbishop of Canterbury. Still he had no problem injuring people in terrible manners including grabbing a man by his nose with blacksmith red hot tongs. He arranged for the kidnapping and selling of a Queen into slavery. He was not somebody you wanted to cross.
His impact was great in other ways. Until his his rise to power, priests were often married. He put a stop to this practice. In fact his horror of fornication led him to confront a King during the act and led to his exile to Flanders until the King's death.
Overall, I was disappointed in this book though. I loved the author's Genghis Khan series so much. Genghis was no angel by any means but he seemed to be brought to life more vibrantly and vividly. His acts of cruelty were reasoned out by the author and more understandable. Dunstan's seemed more like a child having a tantrum.
Also, Bernard Cornwall has an excellent series, The Saxon Series, featuring the fictional Uhtred and Alfred the Great which are more enthralling to me than this. The battle scene in Dunstan is pale in comparison to being in a shield wall with Cornwall or even fighting with Genghis. If this period is interesting to you, I would read the Saxon Series.
It's good to learn more about a time period that I knew little about but I just wish it had been more vibrant.
January 3, 2018
Superb.
July 18, 2023
A fast paced and highly entertaining romp through the Middle Ages,seen through the eyes of Dunstan : a man who went on to become the Archbishop of Canterbury.
May 12, 2018
Very entertaining and very informative. Written with great acerbic tongue lashings and humor. Dunstan is painted as quite the unchristian monk, abbot, bishop and archbishop.
I have always forgiven my enemies, but only when they have been punished.He accomplished some amazing feats and played the game of kings quite well, fueled by a serious case of ambition. It's a fascinating time period that I knew about in pieces, but had never read the whole saga in one book. Iggulden had me turning pages all the way through.
I will turn the other cheek, but I prefer my enemies to be dead when I do, so they cannot strike at me.
May 8, 2024
This presents Dunstan not as a saint but as a man with many flaws - cynical, self-obsessed, ambitious, quick thinking, and resourceful. His life is presented as an autobiography in a state of reflection.
In some parts I found the book slightly wordy. The story evolves as the kingdom changes with the ascension of the seven kings in his lifetime.
In some parts I found the book slightly wordy. The story evolves as the kingdom changes with the ascension of the seven kings in his lifetime.
April 18, 2018
Sadly, I am going to have to not finish this autobiographical novel of the historical Dunstan, a 10th century Abbot of Glastonbury who was canonized as a saint. I hate doing that with an ARC because I feel like by receiving a free ARC, I'm obligated to finish it, but I know that's not actually a part of NetGalley's rules or expectations so I'm doing it.
The beginning of The Abbot's Tale just did not grab me. The prologue was sort of rambling, and the first few chapters, the main character, Dunstan, just seemed to be a bully, a narcissist, and a sociopath. I was hoping it would get better, but then Dunstan did something I just couldn't get past (see spoiler below, if you want to). His only redeeming quality is that he cares about and tries to protect his little brother, even though he is simultaneously cruel to him. But is that really a redeeming feature? Because abusers do the same thing: "I can be mean to you, but no one else can because you're mine." So I'm not even sure Dunstan even has one good quality. Most frustrating of all is the fact that he doesn't even realize how horrible he is, he genuinely doesn't understand why most people don't treat him like a god, blaming and resenting them when they don't. Only the people he is able to hoodwink into thinking he's "touched by angels" treat him the way he thinks he deserves to be treated.
Look, I know anti-heroes are popular right now and I'm all for it, if it works. But this one doesn't, and I frankly don't understand how this book has gotten such a high average rating with such an unlikable protagonist. Even "Dexter," from the likewise titled TV show, which also features a psychopathic, murdering protagonist, has some kind of moral code, but Dunstan does not. I tried to hang in there, and I think I gave it a fair chance, but I just can't take any more of Dunstan.
I'm giving it a half star (1.5 stars) just because the writing quality was good, and it might have been a great story if the characterization hadn't been so bad.
Advanced review copy from publisher via NetGalley. My opinions are my own.
The beginning of The Abbot's Tale just did not grab me. The prologue was sort of rambling, and the first few chapters, the main character, Dunstan, just seemed to be a bully, a narcissist, and a sociopath. I was hoping it would get better, but then Dunstan did something I just couldn't get past (see spoiler below, if you want to). His only redeeming quality is that he cares about and tries to protect his little brother, even though he is simultaneously cruel to him. But is that really a redeeming feature? Because abusers do the same thing: "I can be mean to you, but no one else can because you're mine." So I'm not even sure Dunstan even has one good quality. Most frustrating of all is the fact that he doesn't even realize how horrible he is, he genuinely doesn't understand why most people don't treat him like a god, blaming and resenting them when they don't. Only the people he is able to hoodwink into thinking he's "touched by angels" treat him the way he thinks he deserves to be treated.
Look, I know anti-heroes are popular right now and I'm all for it, if it works. But this one doesn't, and I frankly don't understand how this book has gotten such a high average rating with such an unlikable protagonist. Even "Dexter," from the likewise titled TV show, which also features a psychopathic, murdering protagonist, has some kind of moral code, but Dunstan does not. I tried to hang in there, and I think I gave it a fair chance, but I just can't take any more of Dunstan.
I'm giving it a half star (1.5 stars) just because the writing quality was good, and it might have been a great story if the characterization hadn't been so bad.
Advanced review copy from publisher via NetGalley. My opinions are my own.
July 12, 2018
3.5 stars rounded up for the historical record feel.
To me the reading experience was varied. It started out quite slow, almost a coming of age type of tale. But within 50 more pages became enthralling. The rise and path of Dunstan was beyond interesting, and not only for his intrepid personality. The bond he feels with the forged metals, the signs of math and physics principles of form- in this age! That aspect I just loved. And in the 2nd quarter of the book that was front and center.
Here's my issue, and I hardly ever have issues to this depth with 4 star rated fiction books. And that is this. The story is long and starts in 920 and proceeds for the great portion of Dunstan's life until he is an ancient of 40 something. (Too old to hunt or matter for king's "party" in his own estimations?)
And within all long epic life's such as this there are going to be ups and downs. Sometimes cliffs and sinkholes? And there was in Dunstan's tale. But within the telling I felt that certain periods were given inordinate attention and others, nearly a whiff.
And maybe I was just a bit floored by its crudity and banality, but his attitude towards women in general and several specific ones in particular! And that he was a cleric and yet of a varying but tremendous power and also held easy ability to kill, harm, or revenge himself upon anything that got in his way! Not to say that those proclivities might not be later found in an Archbishop of Canterbury- not at all. But the significance point for Dunstan's cognition for the "thrall" roles women had in all of his years!
The tales of the cathedral/ abbey and other building projects, the coining for the realm of actual true weights and money value, the unification of the English isle etc. All of those historical aspects pleased me far more than Dunstan's tale did by the ending.
I would suggest this book for those who like epic life tales. Like a Leonardo or a Michelangelo or a heralded Chinese polymath or a multi talented Merlin etc. But to me the book was uneven. And the brutality at points in it was tremendous. As was much of that era in a changing England.
Ironically I just read another book these last weeks in which all the church buildings came down. Here we have the other- they are going UP. I should have read The Butcher's Daughter after this one instead of the other way around.
It could have been a full 4 stars with a better edit.
To me the reading experience was varied. It started out quite slow, almost a coming of age type of tale. But within 50 more pages became enthralling. The rise and path of Dunstan was beyond interesting, and not only for his intrepid personality. The bond he feels with the forged metals, the signs of math and physics principles of form- in this age! That aspect I just loved. And in the 2nd quarter of the book that was front and center.
Here's my issue, and I hardly ever have issues to this depth with 4 star rated fiction books. And that is this. The story is long and starts in 920 and proceeds for the great portion of Dunstan's life until he is an ancient of 40 something. (Too old to hunt or matter for king's "party" in his own estimations?)
And within all long epic life's such as this there are going to be ups and downs. Sometimes cliffs and sinkholes? And there was in Dunstan's tale. But within the telling I felt that certain periods were given inordinate attention and others, nearly a whiff.
And maybe I was just a bit floored by its crudity and banality, but his attitude towards women in general and several specific ones in particular! And that he was a cleric and yet of a varying but tremendous power and also held easy ability to kill, harm, or revenge himself upon anything that got in his way! Not to say that those proclivities might not be later found in an Archbishop of Canterbury- not at all. But the significance point for Dunstan's cognition for the "thrall" roles women had in all of his years!
The tales of the cathedral/ abbey and other building projects, the coining for the realm of actual true weights and money value, the unification of the English isle etc. All of those historical aspects pleased me far more than Dunstan's tale did by the ending.
I would suggest this book for those who like epic life tales. Like a Leonardo or a Michelangelo or a heralded Chinese polymath or a multi talented Merlin etc. But to me the book was uneven. And the brutality at points in it was tremendous. As was much of that era in a changing England.
Ironically I just read another book these last weeks in which all the church buildings came down. Here we have the other- they are going UP. I should have read The Butcher's Daughter after this one instead of the other way around.
It could have been a full 4 stars with a better edit.
December 29, 2018
This amazing book by Conn Iggulden is telling us the remarkable story of a great man in English history, called Dunstan.
The life-story of Dunstan in this book has been very well researched, as far as was possible of course, and explained in the Historical Note at the end of the book, while at the beginning you'll find a small documentation about the text that has been used and how this wonderful book has been established.
At the beginning of the book you'll also find a Family Tree from Athelstan, Edmund, Eadred, towards Edwy and Edgar, and finally Edward and Ethelred, and not to forget you'll see a well drawn map of England with its different districts, which are Wessex, Mercia, East Anglia and Northumbria.
Storytelling is as ever of a superb quality, for all the characters featuring within this fantastic tale come all vividly to life, and the atmosphere of these historical years in which our Dunstan lived, come all off the pages in a most enthralling and gripping fashion.
The book about this surprising man Dunstan is divided into 5 parts, beginning as life as a young boy and ending as an old man, and this story is narrated by Dunstan himself in the form of a biography.
Dunstan will take you from the Abbey of Glastonbury to the Court of King Athelstan in Winchester as well as to the Battlefield of Brunanburh with King Athelstan, and there to fight the enemy from within and without.
Not to forget Dunstan will also take you from the glorious and for him friendly Courts of King Edmund and the sickly King Eadred, towards the gloomy and for him hostile Court of King Edwy which will be followed by the peaceful and steady rule of King Edgar, and with Dunstan now as Archbishop of Canterbury, ending with the Reign and murder of King Edward "The Martyr" and finally the Reign of King Ethelred "The Unready".
Very much recommended, for this is a superb historical story with all the victories and defeats as well as glory and downfall of a man who fought with heart and soul for his country, but most of all for his faith and church, and that's why I like to call this book "Dunstan's Remarkable Historical Achievements"!
The life-story of Dunstan in this book has been very well researched, as far as was possible of course, and explained in the Historical Note at the end of the book, while at the beginning you'll find a small documentation about the text that has been used and how this wonderful book has been established.
At the beginning of the book you'll also find a Family Tree from Athelstan, Edmund, Eadred, towards Edwy and Edgar, and finally Edward and Ethelred, and not to forget you'll see a well drawn map of England with its different districts, which are Wessex, Mercia, East Anglia and Northumbria.
Storytelling is as ever of a superb quality, for all the characters featuring within this fantastic tale come all vividly to life, and the atmosphere of these historical years in which our Dunstan lived, come all off the pages in a most enthralling and gripping fashion.
The book about this surprising man Dunstan is divided into 5 parts, beginning as life as a young boy and ending as an old man, and this story is narrated by Dunstan himself in the form of a biography.
Dunstan will take you from the Abbey of Glastonbury to the Court of King Athelstan in Winchester as well as to the Battlefield of Brunanburh with King Athelstan, and there to fight the enemy from within and without.
Not to forget Dunstan will also take you from the glorious and for him friendly Courts of King Edmund and the sickly King Eadred, towards the gloomy and for him hostile Court of King Edwy which will be followed by the peaceful and steady rule of King Edgar, and with Dunstan now as Archbishop of Canterbury, ending with the Reign and murder of King Edward "The Martyr" and finally the Reign of King Ethelred "The Unready".
Very much recommended, for this is a superb historical story with all the victories and defeats as well as glory and downfall of a man who fought with heart and soul for his country, but most of all for his faith and church, and that's why I like to call this book "Dunstan's Remarkable Historical Achievements"!
May 23, 2019
This is the story of Dunstan, Archbishop of Glastonbury during the early 900's. Dunstan is an interesting historical figure due to him not only being the Abbott of Glastonbury, and eventually an Archbishop. He is also interesting for having served5 kings- three brothers (Aethelstan, Edmund and Eadred), two sons (Edwy and Edgar) and two grandsons (Edward and Ethelred).
Interesting guy. I shall readily admit it. But I also dislike Dunstan tremendously as a person. Judgemental, willing to be a hypocrite in regards to "God's Laws" if it suited his own purpose, unfeeling (though not necessarily cruel) towards animals bordering on dislike, cruel to his little brother Wulfric and many other issues. I completely understand that famous and "great" historical figures are rarely, if ever, also "good" people. But that doesn't mean I have to like them either. While truly hard and cruel people, true killers (warriors) and incredibly ruthless people will generally find a friend in me-Dunstan's kind of "bad", per se, behavior makes me irritated. A better way to explain it- if you take the prisoners of a rebellion and then cut their hands off and blind them I'd likely nod and ask why you kept them alive, but it would be treated with respect. Kick an animal or be cruel to your little brother merely to uplift your own self-image and I'll deal with you with contempt. In a nutshell-that is Dunstan. A perfect fit for the role of a Benedictine Abbot in the early 900's.
This was a good and interesting read. Iggulden tells an interesting tale about a dislikable Abbot who was instrumental in helping the Kings who established England. Dunstan's journey from his early years to his becoming an Archbishop was interesting. Easy to read and flowing well this is a book you will find yourself reading quickly. The history and the period is interesting, the writing interesting and exciting- Conn Iggulden is a superb writer. I am glad I have added Dunstan's tale to my historical fiction library and would recommend this for anyone who is interested in England during the early 900's.
Interesting guy. I shall readily admit it. But I also dislike Dunstan tremendously as a person. Judgemental, willing to be a hypocrite in regards to "God's Laws" if it suited his own purpose, unfeeling (though not necessarily cruel) towards animals bordering on dislike, cruel to his little brother Wulfric and many other issues. I completely understand that famous and "great" historical figures are rarely, if ever, also "good" people. But that doesn't mean I have to like them either. While truly hard and cruel people, true killers (warriors) and incredibly ruthless people will generally find a friend in me-Dunstan's kind of "bad", per se, behavior makes me irritated. A better way to explain it- if you take the prisoners of a rebellion and then cut their hands off and blind them I'd likely nod and ask why you kept them alive, but it would be treated with respect. Kick an animal or be cruel to your little brother merely to uplift your own self-image and I'll deal with you with contempt. In a nutshell-that is Dunstan. A perfect fit for the role of a Benedictine Abbot in the early 900's.
This was a good and interesting read. Iggulden tells an interesting tale about a dislikable Abbot who was instrumental in helping the Kings who established England. Dunstan's journey from his early years to his becoming an Archbishop was interesting. Easy to read and flowing well this is a book you will find yourself reading quickly. The history and the period is interesting, the writing interesting and exciting- Conn Iggulden is a superb writer. I am glad I have added Dunstan's tale to my historical fiction library and would recommend this for anyone who is interested in England during the early 900's.
April 23, 2017
thanks to the publishers and netgalley for free copy in return for and open honest review.
enjoyed this historical fiction novel about an important person in the early days of the creation of England and how the author makes you believe that you are there in Saxon England amongst the monks at Glastonbury or the Royal court at Winchester. As we follow the trials and life of Dunstan as well of those of the emerging nation of England and battles with the Danes. Felt the only downside was more the novel was based in his early years rather than the important middle part of the story.
enjoyed this historical fiction novel about an important person in the early days of the creation of England and how the author makes you believe that you are there in Saxon England amongst the monks at Glastonbury or the Royal court at Winchester. As we follow the trials and life of Dunstan as well of those of the emerging nation of England and battles with the Danes. Felt the only downside was more the novel was based in his early years rather than the important middle part of the story.
August 21, 2019
A real page turner of a novel. Conn Iggulden really brings his character alive in this story about what a man has to do to achieve his ambitions in Saxon England. I really enjoyed how the author was able to interweave history and fiction and found myself wanting to know more about Dunstan and the kings he served. Well worth a read if you like history and intrigue or a good story about a little known time.
April 18, 2017
Review
So far from Conn Iggulden we have had Caesar, Genghis, Margaret of Anjou and the other major players in the War of the Roses…. So whom would he pick next, which shining light of history would he dazzle us with?
Dunstan? who the heck is Dunstan?
Full Review: Click link
https://parmenionbooks.wordpress.com/...
So far from Conn Iggulden we have had Caesar, Genghis, Margaret of Anjou and the other major players in the War of the Roses…. So whom would he pick next, which shining light of history would he dazzle us with?
Dunstan? who the heck is Dunstan?
Full Review: Click link
https://parmenionbooks.wordpress.com/...
September 9, 2018
This is historical fiction featuring a real individual, fascinating on many levels with richly imagined detail of life in early England under King Athelstan. Dunstan of Glastonbury is followed from youth when his father deposits him along with younger brother Wulfric at the abbey where cruel lessons mark him for life. It is a difficult, dangerous path chosen by a young man who survives to build the abbey of his visions.
May 17, 2018
2.5 stars.
Look, it wasn't bad by any means, but once my interest began to wane, I just found it really hard to get back into it properly in the last half of the novel.
Dunstan was a figure that I hadn’t come across before, and I was completely unfamiliar with his story and this time period, so I was looking forward to exploring it. I really loved the first part – the writing was incredible, and I got so sucked in. …And then Dunstan got stuck at the abbey in his teenaged-years, and the more time spent there, the more I began to lose my interest. It wasn’t exactly boring, but I just wasn’t interested in reading about how badly he was treated by certain brothers, and how he had these great visions about building the Glastonbury Cathedral.
Maybe I was simply hanging out for the political elements of the Anglo-Saxon royal court to happen. But even by the time the plot had moved onto that particular section, it was a little bit too late. I just wasn’t able to regain my initial interest in the novel. There was a lot of skipping over years by Iggulden at various times, and as a result, the reader would often be left with page after page where Dunstan just basically tells us what happens, rather than having us experience the event through his narration. This didn’t work for me, and caused my attention to drop considerably. I didn’t hate the novel, but I did end up skimming the last quarter of the novel in the hope that it would pick up soon. It didn’t, and I was left with an overall feel of indifference and disappointment that I hadn’t enjoyed this one.
Look, it wasn't bad by any means, but once my interest began to wane, I just found it really hard to get back into it properly in the last half of the novel.
Dunstan was a figure that I hadn’t come across before, and I was completely unfamiliar with his story and this time period, so I was looking forward to exploring it. I really loved the first part – the writing was incredible, and I got so sucked in. …And then Dunstan got stuck at the abbey in his teenaged-years, and the more time spent there, the more I began to lose my interest. It wasn’t exactly boring, but I just wasn’t interested in reading about how badly he was treated by certain brothers, and how he had these great visions about building the Glastonbury Cathedral.
Maybe I was simply hanging out for the political elements of the Anglo-Saxon royal court to happen. But even by the time the plot had moved onto that particular section, it was a little bit too late. I just wasn’t able to regain my initial interest in the novel. There was a lot of skipping over years by Iggulden at various times, and as a result, the reader would often be left with page after page where Dunstan just basically tells us what happens, rather than having us experience the event through his narration. This didn’t work for me, and caused my attention to drop considerably. I didn’t hate the novel, but I did end up skimming the last quarter of the novel in the hope that it would pick up soon. It didn’t, and I was left with an overall feel of indifference and disappointment that I hadn’t enjoyed this one.
November 3, 2018
"I have always forgiven my enemies, but only when they have been punished."
The beginning part of Duncan is where the main character is a boy. You see a huge character development that results in him aiding multiple kings and standing along the most powerful men in Britain.
Dunstan is a very three dimensional character and you see the good, the bad and the ugly within him.
It is set in a period of time I do not know much about, but I loved how the culture was presented and how politics took place during the tenth century.
I loved Conn Iggulden’s Genghis series and I was not disappointed in the least with this.
If you enjoy reading about someone scheming their way up the hierarchy and using their influence for the "good of the country" then read this.
The beginning part of Duncan is where the main character is a boy. You see a huge character development that results in him aiding multiple kings and standing along the most powerful men in Britain.
Dunstan is a very three dimensional character and you see the good, the bad and the ugly within him.
It is set in a period of time I do not know much about, but I loved how the culture was presented and how politics took place during the tenth century.
I loved Conn Iggulden’s Genghis series and I was not disappointed in the least with this.
If you enjoy reading about someone scheming their way up the hierarchy and using their influence for the "good of the country" then read this.
August 24, 2017
This book was beautifully written. It grabbed me from the first. Recommended for all those who love historical fiction!
April 10, 2019
Part saint, part sinner...
Young Dunstan and his brother are sent off by their father to be educated by the monks in the abbey at Glastonbury. There, Dunstan will become fascinated by the processes involved in construction and smithing, and will decide early on that one day he will replace the current abbey with a great building for the glory of God and, much more importantly, for the glory of Dunstan. To achieve this aim he must become a monk and must cultivate the rich and powerful who will be able to fund his dream. This is the story of Dunstan’s long life, of the seven Kings he served and of the gradual coalescence of all the small kingdoms into one coherent England, ruled by a single monarch.
I’ve seen so much praise for Conn Iggulden over the years, but generally he writes “sword and sandals” stories about early wars, and the periods and subjects rarely appeal to me. So I was delighted to get the opportunity to try his work in this story, which is much more to my taste. You can now sign me up as a fan – he’s a great storyteller, and this is a great story!
I didn’t know much about the real Dunstan and deliberately avoided finding anything out before reading, so that I could accept Iggulden’s version at face value. His historical notes at the end of the book remind us that our knowledge of this early period – the 10th century, AD – is patchy, with many gaps that may never be filled. The main facts of Dunstan’s life are well documented, and Iggulden sticks to them. But that leaves him plenty of room to use his imagination to fill in all the bits that aren’t known and to create a characterisation that could be true, and is certainly believable.
The story is given in Dunstan’s own voice, writing his reminiscences towards the end of his life. This makes it a perfect format for an audiobook, and the narrator, Geoffrey Beevers, does a wonderful job of bringing the man and his story to life.
Iggulden’s Dunstan is hardly saintly, especially in his youth and early adulthood. He’s deliciously wicked and does some pretty terrible things during his life, but somehow he keeps the reader on his side. I think it’s because he doesn’t really attempt to explain too much or to justify his actions – he occasionally feels guilt and a twinge of remorse, but he never wallows or gets mawkish about it. Instead he shows us the inherent instability and violence in a society almost perpetually at war, either between internal rival factions or against the Viking raiders who were a constant threat, and the use and abuse of power that was commonplace among those who could wield it. All of this makes Dunstan’s own actions seem far less out of the ordinary than they would be in a less lawless environment.
The stream of Kings all with annoyingly similar names provide the drama that keeps the story moving along at a good pace. Some are Dunstan’s friends, some mistrust him, some are outright enemies. As he ages, some of the later ones, whose fathers and grandfathers Dunstan had known, look on him as a mentor, and in some cases, at a time when primogeniture wasn’t quite as established as it later became, Dunstan is influential in ensuring their accession to the crown. Again, Iggulden appears to stick to the known facts but provides fictional stories to fill the spaces in-between, making each of these monarchs fully rounded humans rather than just names and dates in a history book, and keeping the whole thing firmly rooted in the attitudes of the day.
As a monk and later Abbot of Glastonbury, and finally rising to be Archbishop of Canterbury – the top religious job in England - the early church plays a role in the story too, and again I found Iggulden’s portrayal entirely convincing. This was centuries before the Reformation, of course, but the corruptions in the Roman church already existed, and both real-life and fictional Dunstan were involved in rooting out the worst of these and transforming the Church in England to follow the Benedictine rule. Iggulden’s Dunstan, though, is hardly a devout, pious man, although his relationship with God and his religion deepens as he ages. He recognises his sins, but believes that God will weigh them in the balance with his great works – the buildings he constructed, his role as Royal Treasurer, his influence over the kings and, through them, the realm, and his transformation of the Church.
This is a lengthy book with a huge cast of characters, but Iggulden makes them all individual so that the reader doesn’t feel swamped by them. I felt fully immersed in Dunstan’s world, even though it took me weeks to listen to the whole thing, and I feel I’ve learned a lot about a period of history that was previously a blank to me. I do hope Iggulden writes more on subjects like this, although I’m now tempted to try his sword and sandals books after all...
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
Young Dunstan and his brother are sent off by their father to be educated by the monks in the abbey at Glastonbury. There, Dunstan will become fascinated by the processes involved in construction and smithing, and will decide early on that one day he will replace the current abbey with a great building for the glory of God and, much more importantly, for the glory of Dunstan. To achieve this aim he must become a monk and must cultivate the rich and powerful who will be able to fund his dream. This is the story of Dunstan’s long life, of the seven Kings he served and of the gradual coalescence of all the small kingdoms into one coherent England, ruled by a single monarch.
I’ve seen so much praise for Conn Iggulden over the years, but generally he writes “sword and sandals” stories about early wars, and the periods and subjects rarely appeal to me. So I was delighted to get the opportunity to try his work in this story, which is much more to my taste. You can now sign me up as a fan – he’s a great storyteller, and this is a great story!
I didn’t know much about the real Dunstan and deliberately avoided finding anything out before reading, so that I could accept Iggulden’s version at face value. His historical notes at the end of the book remind us that our knowledge of this early period – the 10th century, AD – is patchy, with many gaps that may never be filled. The main facts of Dunstan’s life are well documented, and Iggulden sticks to them. But that leaves him plenty of room to use his imagination to fill in all the bits that aren’t known and to create a characterisation that could be true, and is certainly believable.
The story is given in Dunstan’s own voice, writing his reminiscences towards the end of his life. This makes it a perfect format for an audiobook, and the narrator, Geoffrey Beevers, does a wonderful job of bringing the man and his story to life.
Iggulden’s Dunstan is hardly saintly, especially in his youth and early adulthood. He’s deliciously wicked and does some pretty terrible things during his life, but somehow he keeps the reader on his side. I think it’s because he doesn’t really attempt to explain too much or to justify his actions – he occasionally feels guilt and a twinge of remorse, but he never wallows or gets mawkish about it. Instead he shows us the inherent instability and violence in a society almost perpetually at war, either between internal rival factions or against the Viking raiders who were a constant threat, and the use and abuse of power that was commonplace among those who could wield it. All of this makes Dunstan’s own actions seem far less out of the ordinary than they would be in a less lawless environment.
The stream of Kings all with annoyingly similar names provide the drama that keeps the story moving along at a good pace. Some are Dunstan’s friends, some mistrust him, some are outright enemies. As he ages, some of the later ones, whose fathers and grandfathers Dunstan had known, look on him as a mentor, and in some cases, at a time when primogeniture wasn’t quite as established as it later became, Dunstan is influential in ensuring their accession to the crown. Again, Iggulden appears to stick to the known facts but provides fictional stories to fill the spaces in-between, making each of these monarchs fully rounded humans rather than just names and dates in a history book, and keeping the whole thing firmly rooted in the attitudes of the day.
As a monk and later Abbot of Glastonbury, and finally rising to be Archbishop of Canterbury – the top religious job in England - the early church plays a role in the story too, and again I found Iggulden’s portrayal entirely convincing. This was centuries before the Reformation, of course, but the corruptions in the Roman church already existed, and both real-life and fictional Dunstan were involved in rooting out the worst of these and transforming the Church in England to follow the Benedictine rule. Iggulden’s Dunstan, though, is hardly a devout, pious man, although his relationship with God and his religion deepens as he ages. He recognises his sins, but believes that God will weigh them in the balance with his great works – the buildings he constructed, his role as Royal Treasurer, his influence over the kings and, through them, the realm, and his transformation of the Church.
This is a lengthy book with a huge cast of characters, but Iggulden makes them all individual so that the reader doesn’t feel swamped by them. I felt fully immersed in Dunstan’s world, even though it took me weeks to listen to the whole thing, and I feel I’ve learned a lot about a period of history that was previously a blank to me. I do hope Iggulden writes more on subjects like this, although I’m now tempted to try his sword and sandals books after all...
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
January 13, 2023
Dunstan is a superb historical fiction that had me hooked throughout its 450-ish pages.
This came as a surprise to me given it is about the life of a saint.
However, the fact he is a real life saint does not mean all his actions have to be saintly. In fact, many of them verge on the sociopathic and Dunstan has a tendency to want to exact revenge on any who have wronged him. For me personally, I loved this as I love tales of revenge and Dunstan is often not actually a very nice character. It was hard reading of the (fictional) contempt for his brother, but there are plenty of other reasons that we should have known Dunstan isn't the nicest of chaps.
The thing that stands out for me most as a real triumph and achievement is how Conn Iggulden has successfully written a character whose journey we want to follow, but also one that feels believable. Yes, I know many of the events really happened, but what I mean is a believable narrative voice. He starts off telling his story of the young boy he was and ends at the present as an old man, but it never feels disjointed and the transition between the stages in his life is handled really well. You really get a sense of knowing a character and experiencing his life journey, his learnings and development.
The author has done great work with the historical source material to keep a lot of real history and liven it up or embellish parts while keeping the overarching plot true to the historical record as best as possible. I enjoyed reading his thoughts behind why he chose to write certain things and how he interpreted the history.
A really memorable book that was an exceptionally easy and fast paced read - the kind you fly through in a week and feel a great sense of satisfaction on enjoying a thoroughly entertaining story.
This came as a surprise to me given it is about the life of a saint.
However, the fact he is a real life saint does not mean all his actions have to be saintly. In fact, many of them verge on the sociopathic and Dunstan has a tendency to want to exact revenge on any who have wronged him. For me personally, I loved this as I love tales of revenge and Dunstan is often not actually a very nice character. It was hard reading of the (fictional) contempt for his brother, but there are plenty of other reasons that we should have known Dunstan isn't the nicest of chaps.
The thing that stands out for me most as a real triumph and achievement is how Conn Iggulden has successfully written a character whose journey we want to follow, but also one that feels believable. Yes, I know many of the events really happened, but what I mean is a believable narrative voice. He starts off telling his story of the young boy he was and ends at the present as an old man, but it never feels disjointed and the transition between the stages in his life is handled really well. You really get a sense of knowing a character and experiencing his life journey, his learnings and development.
The author has done great work with the historical source material to keep a lot of real history and liven it up or embellish parts while keeping the overarching plot true to the historical record as best as possible. I enjoyed reading his thoughts behind why he chose to write certain things and how he interpreted the history.
A really memorable book that was an exceptionally easy and fast paced read - the kind you fly through in a week and feel a great sense of satisfaction on enjoying a thoroughly entertaining story.
March 6, 2021
Set in the 900s, this historical novel is narrated by Dunstan, a boy taken in at Glastonbury Abbey to be trained as a monk and who went on to become one of the most influential men of his time. I really liked how the reader was invited to read between the lines quite often, to see how Dunstan's view of his actions perhaps varied from how he was perceived by others! Lots of historical detail and a really enjoyable read.
April 1, 2017
Before I read this book,I knew three things about Dunstan. Firstly, he was involved in raising monies and designing Glastonbury Cathedral . The second and third things came from my father who was a blacksmith and farrier, namely that Dunstan was the patron saint of blacksmiths and Dunstan caught the Devil by the nose with a pair of red hot pincers, and having seen this last item straight from the forge, could almost sympathise with the unlucky Devil!!
However, men can be Devils too and the author has given us a different interpretation of this legend that makes perfect sense. Dunstan was different and if only 10% of this book is true, then I still love the speculation of the remaining 90%, it is such a good read!
Dunstan was a man of God who knew a woman in the biblical sense, he was full of pride of his achievements, full of forgiveness only when he had got his own way, and impatient with his fellow men. He knew poverty and cruelty against himself , he was betrayed by Kings and his church, exiled from his home and country, yet, fought in battles despite being a man of peace.
This is not a dry historical novel, but an enjoyable romp through Saxon England, full of details about skirmishes against Vikings, war preparations and a wealth of detail about his work at the forges and his time as master of the Royal mint. Due to this time period, names and titles were often repeated and the author has helped by simplifying family names, titles and the Royal line of succession .
I rate this book very highly, but I would have expected nothing less from the author of The War of the Roses books. Simply marvellous !
However, men can be Devils too and the author has given us a different interpretation of this legend that makes perfect sense. Dunstan was different and if only 10% of this book is true, then I still love the speculation of the remaining 90%, it is such a good read!
Dunstan was a man of God who knew a woman in the biblical sense, he was full of pride of his achievements, full of forgiveness only when he had got his own way, and impatient with his fellow men. He knew poverty and cruelty against himself , he was betrayed by Kings and his church, exiled from his home and country, yet, fought in battles despite being a man of peace.
This is not a dry historical novel, but an enjoyable romp through Saxon England, full of details about skirmishes against Vikings, war preparations and a wealth of detail about his work at the forges and his time as master of the Royal mint. Due to this time period, names and titles were often repeated and the author has helped by simplifying family names, titles and the Royal line of succession .
I rate this book very highly, but I would have expected nothing less from the author of The War of the Roses books. Simply marvellous !
May 25, 2024
This is the lowest score I've ever given CI. After 23 books... but this just didn't work me
The autobiographical style was just really not my vibe. If the story is going to solely focus on one character, I need to at least connect with them in some way. That can be hate or love, but it certainly can't be indifference.
The book was boring. That's my biggest issue. I rarely read books, which make me feel like that, and I probably should have dnf at 50 percent rather than grinding this one out
The autobiographical style was just really not my vibe. If the story is going to solely focus on one character, I need to at least connect with them in some way. That can be hate or love, but it certainly can't be indifference.
The book was boring. That's my biggest issue. I rarely read books, which make me feel like that, and I probably should have dnf at 50 percent rather than grinding this one out
June 16, 2019
Dunstan, abbot of Glastonbury, (920? – 19 May 988 AD), was known for his religious zeal, restoring monastic life in England and insisting on strict observance of the benedictine rule. Dunstan became bishop of Worcester and London and eventually was appointed Archibishop of Canterbury. His tomb was a popular place of pilgrimage throughout the Middle Ages. Until Thomas a Becket later eclipsed Dunstan's fame he was the most popular English saint.
This novel is his fictionalised biography of this fascinating man and it reads as an exciting adventure novel.
Son of a minor noble, as a boy, he was brought at the Glastonbury with his younger brother, where he studied at the abbey, his interests lay in metallurgy and engineering. Although a bright pupil, he was beaten by the monks who saw his pride as a grave sin (according to the author the monks even attempted to kill him).
Thanks to his family connections and in particular to his uncle Athelm’s influence (Archbishop of Canterbury) and to the king’s niece, Lady Elflaed’s patronage, he was introduced at the court of king Athelstan, grandson of Alfred the great. At the time England was under the constant threat from the Vikings. They had settled in Ireland, where their leader, Anlaf of Dublin (aka Olaf Guthfrithson), with the support of a few northern rebel lords, launched an invasion into England in 937. Æthelstan defeated them at the Battle of Brunanburh (Anlaf was undeterred, however, and came back after Æthelstan’s death in 940 to take York).
Dunstan became a favorite of Æthelstan’s, becoming the envy of some members of the court, he was later expelled and banished to Glastonbury as the abbot of that abbey. At Æthelstan’s death, Dunstan returned to court of the new king, Edmund, becoming one of his close advisers and royal treasurer. Afterwords, he served under Edmund’s brother Eadred, until his two sons – Edwy the fair and Edgar the Peaceful – came to the throne.
When Edwy succeeded Eadred in 955, the abbot’s star fell. Dunstan's criticism of the new king's loose conduct earned him the enmity of queen Elgiva. As a consequence, he was banished from court and spent two years in exile near Ghent in Flanders as guest in another benedictine community. When Edgar the Peaceful succeed Edwy, Dunstan’s fortune changed once again, this time for the better. He returned home and worked as a valued and trusted adviser and Edgar eventually appointed him archbishop of Canterbury, head of the entire Church in England.
Dunstan was strict with his clergy, enforcing the law of celibacy for the monks. The monasteries he influenced became sources of genuine religious spirit. By his forceful preaching and administrative ability, in addition to his friendship with several kings, Dunstan succeeded in reforming the Church in England. He was canonized as saint soon after his death on May 19, 988.
As any skillful storyteller, Iggulden captivates the reader from the first chapter. The novel has a great pace, vividly recounting the many sudden twists and turns of fortune in father Duncan’s life. Iggulden makes all his historical figures come alive, but the character of the abbot is particularly interesting and unusual. According to the author, Dunstan was a man of incredible ambition, shrewd and also vengeful. Although Dunstan was later canonised as a saint, his character, as recounted in this novel, shows a number of sins as well as his good qualities, marking him as a remarkable but fallible human being.
From what I can see, Iggulden painted a truthful picture of the abbot’s life, respecting the setting of England in the tenth century with only a few diversions from the historical sources (either facts, folklore or popular legends)
I enjoyed this novel very much and I would recommend it to Western Europe Medieval history buffs as well as historical fiction enthusiasts. 3.5 stars
Fav. Quotes:
Humility is something of a pain, of course, for any man. We all claim to despise pride, but honestly, must we pretend to be unaware of our talents, year after year? Goodness me, did I make something of extraordinary beauty yet again? Well, what luck to be so blessed! It is ludicrous.
It fell to Eadred to chase raiders across the land, to see trails of smoke in their wake, that script in the air that said he was a ruler who could not protect his people.
A king must be feared – and rough men fear only soldiers. I will turn the other cheek, but I prefer my enemies to be dead when I do, so they cannot strike at me.
This novel is his fictionalised biography of this fascinating man and it reads as an exciting adventure novel.
Son of a minor noble, as a boy, he was brought at the Glastonbury with his younger brother, where he studied at the abbey, his interests lay in metallurgy and engineering. Although a bright pupil, he was beaten by the monks who saw his pride as a grave sin (according to the author the monks even attempted to kill him).
Thanks to his family connections and in particular to his uncle Athelm’s influence (Archbishop of Canterbury) and to the king’s niece, Lady Elflaed’s patronage, he was introduced at the court of king Athelstan, grandson of Alfred the great. At the time England was under the constant threat from the Vikings. They had settled in Ireland, where their leader, Anlaf of Dublin (aka Olaf Guthfrithson), with the support of a few northern rebel lords, launched an invasion into England in 937. Æthelstan defeated them at the Battle of Brunanburh (Anlaf was undeterred, however, and came back after Æthelstan’s death in 940 to take York).
Dunstan became a favorite of Æthelstan’s, becoming the envy of some members of the court, he was later expelled and banished to Glastonbury as the abbot of that abbey. At Æthelstan’s death, Dunstan returned to court of the new king, Edmund, becoming one of his close advisers and royal treasurer. Afterwords, he served under Edmund’s brother Eadred, until his two sons – Edwy the fair and Edgar the Peaceful – came to the throne.
When Edwy succeeded Eadred in 955, the abbot’s star fell. Dunstan's criticism of the new king's loose conduct earned him the enmity of queen Elgiva. As a consequence, he was banished from court and spent two years in exile near Ghent in Flanders as guest in another benedictine community. When Edgar the Peaceful succeed Edwy, Dunstan’s fortune changed once again, this time for the better. He returned home and worked as a valued and trusted adviser and Edgar eventually appointed him archbishop of Canterbury, head of the entire Church in England.
Dunstan was strict with his clergy, enforcing the law of celibacy for the monks. The monasteries he influenced became sources of genuine religious spirit. By his forceful preaching and administrative ability, in addition to his friendship with several kings, Dunstan succeeded in reforming the Church in England. He was canonized as saint soon after his death on May 19, 988.
As any skillful storyteller, Iggulden captivates the reader from the first chapter. The novel has a great pace, vividly recounting the many sudden twists and turns of fortune in father Duncan’s life. Iggulden makes all his historical figures come alive, but the character of the abbot is particularly interesting and unusual. According to the author, Dunstan was a man of incredible ambition, shrewd and also vengeful. Although Dunstan was later canonised as a saint, his character, as recounted in this novel, shows a number of sins as well as his good qualities, marking him as a remarkable but fallible human being.
From what I can see, Iggulden painted a truthful picture of the abbot’s life, respecting the setting of England in the tenth century with only a few diversions from the historical sources (either facts, folklore or popular legends)
I enjoyed this novel very much and I would recommend it to Western Europe Medieval history buffs as well as historical fiction enthusiasts. 3.5 stars
Fav. Quotes:
Humility is something of a pain, of course, for any man. We all claim to despise pride, but honestly, must we pretend to be unaware of our talents, year after year? Goodness me, did I make something of extraordinary beauty yet again? Well, what luck to be so blessed! It is ludicrous.
It fell to Eadred to chase raiders across the land, to see trails of smoke in their wake, that script in the air that said he was a ruler who could not protect his people.
A king must be feared – and rough men fear only soldiers. I will turn the other cheek, but I prefer my enemies to be dead when I do, so they cannot strike at me.
February 13, 2025
Set in the year 934, Dunstan by Conn Iggulden is the story of a young boy raised to become a Benedictine monk, but who went on to become an Abbot, Bishop and Archbishop and reform the English Church. Dunstan was canonised after his death and became England's favourite saint for almost 200 years, but according to this reimagining of his life, in addition to defeating the devil, he was also a liar, murderer and maker of Kings.
Despite being set over a thousand years ago, Dunstan's first person perspective cut through the years like a knife and it wasn't what I was expecting at all. We begin at the end of Dunstan's life with a Prologue:
"Perhaps I will consign these precious sheets to the fire. No one will disturb me now; I have earned that much. These hands that hold the quill are just bones and paper-skin, so like vellum themselves as they whisper against each other. Brother Talbot once said they were a workman's fists, all scarred and thick. Well, time served him well, didn't it, with his delicate scribe fingers? I have trod down the soil over his dead face with my bare heels, and only the moon as witness." Page 2
Right from the beginning Dunstan hints that he might be a murderer, yet this didn't deter my interest in his story at all. Dunstan's upbringing alongside his younger brother in the abbey at Glastonbury was brutal and I was caught up in the drama between the boys and Dunstan's creativity in the struggle for dominance and power.
Dunstan performs exceptionally well at his studies, takes an interest in architecture, blacksmithing and medicine and seems to excel in every area he applies himself too. He's also unashamedly ambitious, and weaponises his religion to further his own prospects.
"I have worked my whole life, from six years old when I first piled bricks for workmen on my father's land, in exchange for crusts of bread and a draught of cider. I have prayed and I have dropped my sweat onto the forge. I have made swords and I have used them. I have made a cask or two of wine in my time, taking grapes from different vines. I have pissed in a bottle once or twice as well, when I did not like a man - and I have watched him smack his lips and tell me it was so smooth and extraordinarily fine that I was half tempted to try my own vintage. I have loved a woman and she ruined me. I have loved a king and yet I ruined him. And all I have gained in return for my lifetime of labour is fame and power and servants and an abbey." Page 2
Dunstan's ambition takes him to the court of King Æthelstan, the first King of England, and throughout the course of his life he will be involved - to varying degrees - in the politics and conflicts of the newly emerging England.
"I have known seven kings in all. Three were brothers: Æthelstan, Edmund and Eadred. Two were sons of Edmund: rash Edwy and Edgar the Peaceful. The last were two sons of Edgar: Edward and Ethelred. I am an old man. It breaks my heart." Page 438
Iggulden does an exceptional job of ensuring the reader is able to keep track of these seven kings. Each character was unique and memorable in their own right and their relationships with Dunstan varied to an enormous degree; one of them even sent him into exile!
"I tried to form the words to tell him I forgave him, because I had no other way to take revenge and I wanted him to wince when he recalled me ever after. Vengeance is a fine thing, but forgiveness can be just as cruel." Page 7
The 14 page Historical Note at the end of the novel was a welcome addition and I spent time looking up the Glastonbury Tor and abbey as well as some of the battles and places mentioned in the book after reading.
Originally published in 2017, it's taken me a long time to finally read Dunstan by Conn Iggulden but I've been rewarded with an unforgettable character and a fascinating tale of talent, intellect, vengeance, duty, miracles, exile and ambition.
Highly recommended!
Despite being set over a thousand years ago, Dunstan's first person perspective cut through the years like a knife and it wasn't what I was expecting at all. We begin at the end of Dunstan's life with a Prologue:
"Perhaps I will consign these precious sheets to the fire. No one will disturb me now; I have earned that much. These hands that hold the quill are just bones and paper-skin, so like vellum themselves as they whisper against each other. Brother Talbot once said they were a workman's fists, all scarred and thick. Well, time served him well, didn't it, with his delicate scribe fingers? I have trod down the soil over his dead face with my bare heels, and only the moon as witness." Page 2
Right from the beginning Dunstan hints that he might be a murderer, yet this didn't deter my interest in his story at all. Dunstan's upbringing alongside his younger brother in the abbey at Glastonbury was brutal and I was caught up in the drama between the boys and Dunstan's creativity in the struggle for dominance and power.
Dunstan performs exceptionally well at his studies, takes an interest in architecture, blacksmithing and medicine and seems to excel in every area he applies himself too. He's also unashamedly ambitious, and weaponises his religion to further his own prospects.
"I have worked my whole life, from six years old when I first piled bricks for workmen on my father's land, in exchange for crusts of bread and a draught of cider. I have prayed and I have dropped my sweat onto the forge. I have made swords and I have used them. I have made a cask or two of wine in my time, taking grapes from different vines. I have pissed in a bottle once or twice as well, when I did not like a man - and I have watched him smack his lips and tell me it was so smooth and extraordinarily fine that I was half tempted to try my own vintage. I have loved a woman and she ruined me. I have loved a king and yet I ruined him. And all I have gained in return for my lifetime of labour is fame and power and servants and an abbey." Page 2
Dunstan's ambition takes him to the court of King Æthelstan, the first King of England, and throughout the course of his life he will be involved - to varying degrees - in the politics and conflicts of the newly emerging England.
"I have known seven kings in all. Three were brothers: Æthelstan, Edmund and Eadred. Two were sons of Edmund: rash Edwy and Edgar the Peaceful. The last were two sons of Edgar: Edward and Ethelred. I am an old man. It breaks my heart." Page 438
Iggulden does an exceptional job of ensuring the reader is able to keep track of these seven kings. Each character was unique and memorable in their own right and their relationships with Dunstan varied to an enormous degree; one of them even sent him into exile!
"I tried to form the words to tell him I forgave him, because I had no other way to take revenge and I wanted him to wince when he recalled me ever after. Vengeance is a fine thing, but forgiveness can be just as cruel." Page 7
The 14 page Historical Note at the end of the novel was a welcome addition and I spent time looking up the Glastonbury Tor and abbey as well as some of the battles and places mentioned in the book after reading.
Originally published in 2017, it's taken me a long time to finally read Dunstan by Conn Iggulden but I've been rewarded with an unforgettable character and a fascinating tale of talent, intellect, vengeance, duty, miracles, exile and ambition.
Highly recommended!
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