Cathar EXPORT

by Christopher Bland

This beautiful historical novel is a saga of heroism and heartbreak, as a young Cathar believer loses his aristocratic inheritance and becomes a fugitive from the Inquisition. During the 12th and 13th centuries, the Cathars in southwest France posed such a threat to Roman Catholicism, that the Inquisition was tasked to destroy every single one of them. Francois de Beaufort will lose the castle which is his inheritance, be horribly maimed in battle, see the woman he loves imprisoned and tortured for her faith. But he vows to fight back, to survive, and to rescue her.

Genres: Historical Fiction, France, Fiction, Religion, 13th Century

368 pages, Paperback

About the author

Christopher Bland was a former Chairman of the BBC, BT and the Royal Shakespeare Company. He was Anglo-Irish and married with a son and four stepchildren. He lived between London and Wiltshire.

Reviews

[Terri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written with a sharp and deft hand, Cathar is the story of not one, not two, but, um, well I forgot to count, so let’s just say it was written in the voices of maybe as many as ten first-person points of view.

For some this works and they do not flinch. For me, it was an overwhelming flood of voices and it made the book not as enjoyable as it could have been.

Francois is your main voice. And from the book’s blurb, I was under the impression that he would be the only voice. I feel the blurb should have touched on this not being the case. He gets the most talk time in this tale of Cathars during the terrifying reign of the Inquisition, but he is nearly lost at stages under the chattering of all his friends, lovers and acquaintances.

I think that if, like me, you get put off by more than two first-person points of view in a novel, then perhaps if you go into this at least expecting the multitude, it will set you better on your reading path. I was not expecting it and this worked against it…for me. If I had known, things may have gone down differently.

I was very much enjoying the early stages of the book when it was only Francois, so to then have it abruptly change to another character’s first-person narration was a surprise. Then every time you meet a new character, that character eventually shows up in first-person as well. And that first-person narration is nearly always just a retelling of a scene already described by one or more.

I understand what the author was trying to do. He was trying to give the publishers a unique voice. The unique voice that they say you can’t get published without. I commend him for giving it a red-hot go. He nearly pulled it off for me, and for some – those who have no issue with the multiple first person narrative style – he has indeed pulled it off. In fact, I know some who really liked it. So, you just never know who will like Bland’s narrative style and who will not.

It may sound like I disliked the book and oddly, despite the review being written here, I did not dislike it.

I should clear up this vagary...

I felt it was well written. As I said at the opening of this review, it was a sharp and deft style. A style I admired often as I read the book. Sometimes it was quite beautiful. The plot wasn't really on fire. It was very melancholy in tone and was lacking in energy, but a lot of the time, this was not of detriment to the story. It kind of suited it. Although, sometimes it made it boring. I won't avoid mentioning that.

I give it 3 stars, which means simply, I liked it. I didn’t love it, I didn’t hate it. I liked some aspects, I disliked others. I got annoyed with it at times, bored at other times, but entertained at others. I am glad I read it. It was something different. I learned a lot about Cathars, who are a people of history that I knew pretty much nothing about initially, and I also learned that apparently in these times women can have lots of sex over long periods of time and never actually get pregnant...hmm…what is their secret?

I also learned that multiple first-person points of view are most definitely not for me.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extremely interesting novel the title of which is the topic.

The main character is Francois. We see the world of the crusades against, and persecution of, the Cathars mostly through his eyes. I say mostly, because the book is first person, and while the dominent POV is that of Francois, it switches quite frequently in the beginning of the book, and towards the end. However, don't let that put you off. The change of POV is always clear and the character "voices" distinct enough to avoid confusion.

Well written, interesting, and absorbing. I had a hard time putting it down to go to bed. I just wanted to read it from cover to cover. A 4.5 star read rounded down to 4 due to a couple of small editing errors which annoyed the crap out of me, but others may not notice.

Highly recommended.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding historical fiction. I couldn't read this fast enough - strong characters in such horrendous circumstances as Crusaders set out to eradicate Catharism once and for all in 13th-century France.

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nothing remarkable about this book, but a decent read. However, if you don’t know anything about catharism it might be an interesting read. I think the author has done his research well and I heared some facts about the inquisition of the Cathars I never knew.

[Aoife · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free digital copy from the author/publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest feedback.

Cathar follows the life of Francois, a young Cathar knight who has to struggle to keep his faith and livelihood during the time of the Inquisition.

I wasn’t sure what to expect of this but I ended up really enjoying it. I found the telling of the Inquisition and the bad treatment of the Cathars really easy to understand and follow - I actually had no idea about Catharsis so this was also a learning experience for me. Francois’s voice was honest and kind and he was definitely an admirable character - I love characters like him who can try their hand at everything and over the course of a book seem to live multiple different lives from knight to pilgrim to sheep farmer. I did find his weird obsession with Blanche a bit annoying at times but overall, I could get over it. I found Stephanie’s treatment of Blanche to be irritating as well - real slut shaming but not surprising.

One of main problems with the book was the repetition. The chapters were split into multiple POVs and it seemed like when it switched POVs, we’d end up getting half of the story from the POV we’d just read, just from the other character and I don’t think this was needed most of the time.

[Laura Tenfingers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Light, easy read, even if the topic isn't. I was hoping to learn more about the Cathars but there wasn't anything here that I hadn't learned in Daughters of the Grail by Elizabeth Chadwick and in my opinion her writing is far superior to this, no offence.

There are a number of different PoVs in this novel and I enjoyed the different perspectives. However, when we changed PoV, the author gave us a recap of what had just happened in the previous PoV. I'm assuming he did this to avoid confusion but I found it repetitive, unnecessary and a waste of my time.

I also felt it could have ended a few chapters earlier. The ending droned on a bit and was a bit too picture perfect until the final 'exciting' scene. In the acknowledgements he admits to not being able to come up with an ending and it shows.

Overall, meh.

[Jo · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this book thinking it would be an epic piece of historical fiction with lots of action and emotion. Sadly, it just read as if the author was reeling off a list of things his hero was doing.

[Neil · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a free copy via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.

Unfortunately I found this story very repetitive and disjointed.
This was just not for me.

[Jeanette · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Cathari professed a neo-Manichaean dualism—that there are two principles, one good and the other evil, and that the material world is evil".

While the description of this read highlights François de Beaufort and makes fleeting reference to the three women he loves it doesn't do this book justice when in fact it gives so much more.  The reality of the history of the Cathars (reported to have been the first vegetarians) is that the Inquisition wiped them out. The Cathars for a while appeased the Catholic Church depending on the priest of the town who tended to leave them in peace as long as they attended the Catholic services, took communion and paid tithes. However in most cases tithes were not paid and the Cathars did not attend confession and did not take communion. This put them on a collision course with the Catholic church of Rome. It was all down to money to support the heirocharcy, the man power, all those priests, bishops etc and power.

François de Beaufort is a young Roqueville knight, one of more than thirty. He is skilled in all manner of fighting but has a particular skill with the crossbow. After cattle is stolen by the Crusaders, a minor compensation for the many years of tithes supposedly owed by Bernard de Roqueville who angry that his cattle had been stolen demands François, his father and three knights attack and kill the Pope's delegation including an Inquisitor soon to be arriving in their area. François' father is wounded in the malaise and not long after dies. The reprisal is swift and devastating with five hundred fighting men landing on their doorstep and although François and others have time to move into the big castle in preparation for a seige this was a failure with Benard paying the price of fines, land and finally his life after having to publicly prostrate himself naked in the Catholic church of Toulouse while the Bishop whipped him with birchwood.

Armand, Bernard's son and widow Blanche began to rebuild the fiefdom and the land that the crusaders had deserted. François is besotted by the beautiful Blanche, but this is an unrequited love. However with a new Inquisitor on the hunt for heretics life would never be the same. 

Another bloody battle and siege occurs after Armand and Blanche refuse to present themselves to the Inquisitor to answer allegations of heresy and where in the finality François has one eye cut out and his right arm severed off. He is left with eyesight out of one eye in order to lead his surviving knights to Montségur where he was to relate the Inquisitor's threat.

The siege of Montségur follows where those who would not recant their Cathar religion were burned in a bonfire, approximately two hundred people including Sybille, François' wife. 

The Inquisition was unrelenting and finally François was sentenced to a pilgrimage of penance to Compostela, and ended up in the Cathar village of Montaillou.

[Anita · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story about the Cathars resident in the Languedoc region in the time of the Inquisition is well researched. It’s written from several POVs which I don’t normally enjoy, however in this instance it did not bother me, although it did necessitate some repetition of events. I found the history very fascinating. It broadened my knowledge about a brutal period in the long power struggle of the Church of Rome to bring all the Cathars, heretics in their view, under their control. It demonstrates vividly the horrific methods employed in that time to ensure obedience and retain the dominance of the Church hierarchy. This story confirms once again my view that religion has much to answer for in the history of world cruelty.
The story maintained my interest throughout. I found the many characters credible but not particularly well-developed. They were living at a time when none knew who could be trusted not to denounce them to the authorities. This caused them to live dual lives, always aware of danger, hiding their true belief.
An interesting story about a particularly brutal period in history.

[The Idle Woman · Rating 3 out of 5]

For a review, please see my blog:
https://theidlewoman.net/2016/09/03/c...

[Marc · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good story. The author has mixed up history and imagination to create a story tying together real people from the Cathar communities of the Languedoc into an epic tale of courage and resilience.
The persecution of the Cathars by the forces of the Catholic Church and their lay allies brings grief and torment to the south of France.
The author ties together various historical characters and puts them into a clever story of love, courage and endurance.
The cruelty directed towards the heretical sect with its burnings and torture is balanced with the ordinary people who make up these so called heretics. We see their individual approaches to their faith. Some choose to stand up for their beliefs even if that means death by fire, others are more pragmatic and do what they must to stay alive and protect their families while secretly adhering to their beliefs. On the other side are the Church with its mixture of hypocrisy and determination to eradicate the heresy they see in Catharism. We see bishops immerse themselves in sexual adventures and their colleagues turning blind eyes while preaching against heretics no worse than themselves.
The characters are reasonably well depicted for the most part, but characterisation isn’t the books strong point. What is is the action and the courage of the Cathars as they face up to the persecutions they have to face.
If you’re interested in this historical period and the Cathars in general give this book a try.

[Melisende · Rating 2 out of 5]

Languedoc - 13th century - the height of the persecution against the Cathars, whose beliefs put them in the firing line of the Catholic Church, and gave rise that that potent phrase "kill them all, God will know his own".

The story begins with Francois de Beaufort, knight and Cathar, who loses his inheritance, fights two battles, is maimed horribly, makes a pilgrimage, ends up losing his lady love at the hands of the Inquisition.

So - multiple stories, multiple voices; and whilst we get a different perspective of events as they unfold, you can lose sight of what is going on and what is happening to whom. It may have worked better if not presented as a first person narrative but just as a compelling story of religious controversy.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book well enough as a story -- it certainly didn't do a good job of teaching me about Catharism. I was particularly irritated when a character would refer to something and then it wasn't explained for another 50 pages (the sentencing to yellow crosses, for example). But Francois got to experience a lot and his journeys showed how the religion/sect declined.

I wasn't particularly bothered by the multiple narrators, but I felt that they rarely added to the story. Francois would narrate an event and the next person would say, "Yep, that's what happened."

[Elizabeth Grieve · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this, found it well written and informative, with likeable characters. The story of the Cathars and the tragic persecution of these quiet religious people by the Catholic Church has always fascinated me, and this was an intimate view of this dreadful period. I found it much better than 'Labyrinth' and the other Kate Mosse books, and would definitely read more from this author.
Thanks to the publisher for a review copy.

[Merima Smajic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this character driven story mostly because of the vivid if simple descriptions of village life during the Cathar inquisition. I also admired the characters and the battles seemed real and well told. There was an air of suspense throughout the novel of when and where the Inquisition might rear its ugly head. Wonderful reading!

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good to read a book about places that I can picture, and an unromantic story of medieval life and war. The religious differences were of course more about power and control than doctrine and that comes across well. It would be nice to think we live in more civilised times now, except we don't it's just more comfortable.

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

It does what very few do, presents a fictional account of the Crusade against the Cathars.

Pretty good writing and a nice story. It includes a lot of historical background that was clearly well researched.

Romance, vile characters, stupid behavior, romance, tragedy. A good read that has it all.

[Todd · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story was okay but I gave it a third star because of the style he wrote the book in. I liked how he reported the same action from different characters and viewpoints. Otherwise the story was just ok.

[Tracey · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sluggish plot that never really lived up to be a compelling historical novel.
I've always loves the descriptive area of Languedoc in previous novels read , but Cathar did not capture it at all.

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Couldn't get into it and gave up.

[Lobstar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intriguing story, lots of war and some love along the way. I loved the main as well as the supporting characters.

[Jessica Hooley · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5
This doesn't quite compare to the Kate Mosse series set in the same region for me

[Sakura Kyōfu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another historical fiction :) I do love them and this topic is fascinating. If you have read any of Kate Mosse's books, then give this one a go. A large cast of characters and POVs, each chapter is from a different person within the conflict. The books follows the medieval story of the Catharism, an organised christian religious group that rejected the doctrines of the Roman catholic church and thus had to be dealt with. The hunting down, torture and execution of thousands of people across Europe but mainly in Southern France, which is where the book is set. We see this brutality still today, the mantra of "if you dont believe what I believe, you are wrong". I personally dislike organised religion but everyone should be allowed to believe what they want as long as it brings your comfort and you aren't hurting anyone. Only 3 stars as I thought there were bits that felt like filler and not exactly necessary to the story.

[Julie Dillon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great representation of medieval warfare and justifications. Explains chivalry well which is very important when feeling the impact of certain occurrences in the narrative. Smart and educated.

[Frank · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Cathar "heresy" and its suppression by the Catholic Church is a fascinating subject and is a ripe period for a brilliant novel. This is not it. Part of the author's device is to tell the story, for each episode, through the voices of a number of the protagonists. Unfortunately, each successive perspective adds little of value and you are left just with a sense of repetition. There are also some "continuity" errors. At one point our hero -in a moment of great anguish and despair - holds "his head in his hands". Not bad for a man who has had one of his arms chopped off some chapters before. I'd read something else if I were you.

[Jeannie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Re-read prior to a visit to the area.
I understand some people don't enjoy the multiple narrators, however it worked for me as a way of communicating the various points of view.
Excellent historical fiction in that it engages the reader with an interesting story line - but also a wonderful introduction to the historical, geographical and religious detail.
A great book to read as preparation for a visit to the Languedoc.

[Mikeh5972 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was certainly interesting to realise how the Catholic Church treated the heretic Cathars in 13th century France. The cruel punishments authorised by the Inquisition made the practising of the Cathar beliefs very difficult.The style of storytelling adopted by the author made it somewhat repetitive but the story was good.

[Marilyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Different characters take turns with the chapters. I could not hear any difference with their personality nor writing styles of the characters. The Cathar heresy is a mystery to me that christians could become so awful, terrorizing the people into death in macabre ways. I definitely would like to try the cheese they eat!