Cody Keeble > Recent Status Updates

Chapter 13/41 I love being back in this world. So many iconic moments have already happened. On every reread or even my first read through of the series, im always astounded at how much of this book they managed to get into the first season of the show. While they certainly switch things around out of order and change what they had to soooo much is exactly as was written. IIRC the first 3 books are like this. Happy

4/31 chapters. It’s been a few years since I’ve read the outlander series and as summer comes to an end I’m ready for fall full stop, doing a re-read of the series, especially the first few outlander books should easily trick my brain that it’s already fall 😂. First thing when I started the book this time is how much I love Davina Porter’s narration. Second was how quickly she goes through the stones

Stopped annotating or even highlighting like I normally would and just decided to read it for what it is: a history of the Tudors in narrative form. Enjoying it nonetheless but it’s not really giving me anything new or exciting. Just a general overview of the Tudors from Owen Tudor to, I assume Elizabeth. Considering Edward just died I’ve only got Jane, Mary and Elizabeth left before we see the end of the Tudors

At the end of part one with HVII and MB both dead, it talks of the latter years of HVII reign being quite bad for the realm and brought to mind this punishment being laid on the pair, especially MB as she outlived her son, grew quite arthritic- both of their religiosity probably helps paint their sad ends as punishment. Also ‘Margaret R’ and her overseeing cases as femme sole is quite remarkable.

I saw this book on TikTok- a random person had it on her shelves as she spoke about something else, worth mentioning she also had the Margaret Beaufort book there also; I searched for this book for a year since then finally got it used just this summer. Extremely easy to read and understand. I almost find myself wishing I was reading my standalone biographies on each person as they’re mentioned (MB, HVII, EoY)

A bit more than half way through now. I remember why I enjoyed the series. The added bonus now is I actually understand who many of these characters are. I distinctly remember in one of the previous books the tour de nesle scandal takes place- I had no clue it was a historical event until years later I was learning about it and thought wait I’ve read this before! lol I should go back and reread all these books now

So far it reads like a novel, also helps I’m familiar with much of it. Right now the focus has been on Owen Tudor and Catherine de Valois (whom I should really read more about, I’ll have to find a book about them both) and now largely Margaret Beaufort, Jasper and Henry Tudor. We’re moving fast through Margaret’s life (a small part of Tudor history) and my book about only her looks awfully tempting…

Ch 19/32. It really is the perfect historical romance fiction; without a doubt this book inspired all the authors on my shelves who write about women of the court. Katherine seems so real, her emotions and thoughts getting the best of her especially in the first third of the book when she was younger. Excited to see her grow from the mistress into the duchess over the next third or so. Her sister may be my favorite

I’ve never been more reminded of listening to the audio of Signe Pikes Lost Queen series than I am now. I’m lost in the detail- which is immense and dense with the world. The way she’s created Hilds mind from the narration is a wonder. The poetic verse makes reading it all smooth as butter. I saw many complaints about the detail and sloth like pace of things but to me it’s just time to be in the world

Ok really just started and wow! I chose it thinking it would be light and fun, and it certainly isn’t light; the author has clearly researched everything down to the language being spoken and words used to fit the period. So much so I have a running glossary. The writing itself is poetic or lyrical similar to Signe Pike’s series. The story seems to be slow and intentional and I’d wager will get complex fast.

Now towards the end of the war I’ve made it well past the Edwardian phase of the war and am at the end of the Henrican phase. Bedford is leading the English held French interests. The war is more a battle of attrition. Joan lurks just a few years out and H VI is growing up to replace Charles the Mad as mad king. The wars of the roses are mostly set up. Ahhh the sweet smell of success (mine, in finishing the book!)

I read through so much today- which is bittersweet- no time to sit with the history, but also this is truly a page turner. Picked up today with the Iron King Philippe IV and the Tour de Nesle Affair; Isabella and Mortimer took England for Edward III; captured the Scottish king David II; the fall of the Capetians and rose of Valois; battles of Crecy and Poitiers and the treaty of Bretigny. Now Louis is on the loose…

About 1/3 of the way through part two of seven. Honestly not as into it as I’d hoped. Physical may be the way to go with Dan Jones but I loved that he reads his own books (much like his podcast and tv specials). Maybe it’s bcuz I’m familiar with much of what’s gone on so far; maybe also bcuz Im also getting a condensed Plantagenet history as the intro for Bloody Crowns.

While I’ve been eager to read this book since before it was published (a brand new history of the HYW just as I planned to tackle the period?) I was intimidated by its size (~600 pages) and figured it would be either solidly academic and incredibly dense (much like I assume about sumptions work only his is 5 volumes) or very military heavy. I’m pleased to say I’m really cruising along- a page turner if you will

Wow! The intro was history from the conqueror to Richard lionheart in England and late Carolingian to Capetian beginnings in France. Fun.

Ch 1 drew together the Auld Alliance, William Wallace at falkirk, English supremacy over Scotland (Stone of Scone) and Matins of Bruges/Battle of the Goldspurs as well as Longshanks/Phillipe Augustus gaining a solid focal point for me in history. Loving it so far!

Chapter 7 of 16. Enjoying the book more as it’s gone on but it took me quite a few chapters to accept it’s written entirely in letters surround Augustus and not from his view point or his own letters. I believe he just recently married Livia so if I’m lucky I’ll get a few letters written between her and Agrippa…fingers crossed

Got the rec from TikTok- some history book tok guy who has similar interests as me named it as a great book so I’m giving it a shot- I don’t often have luck with TikTok Recs.

Didn’t realize it was written in letters surrounding the main character….though maybe I should have because Stone by the author is all letters right? Hoping I enjoy it.

Plan is to prep for a dive into Augustus for some non fiction

Barely in, just got started before bed tonight but obviously as a character in English history she comes up a lot so it will be interesting to piece it together for real.

Right off the bat the mention of Anya Seton’s book about her mentioned as influencing Weir- I’ll have to read it after this!

Edward III and Philippa of Hainault- ah more HYW characters I know little of- shame!

Hit a slump, likely the fact I tried reading two books about the same exact period back to back. I had hoped the two authors would be different enough in style and opinion to get the fullest picture on Merov life- style is at least different but facts are facts. Find myself more interested in general period chapters than specific people as I just read about them. Will push through and jump forward a century or so

Ch 14/37. Beyond royally disliking the narrator (listening at 1.5 voice incredibly soft making it hard to hear) the book is not greatly written. I remember the other fiction book by Weir I read I was unimpressed with but I have been excited by reading this book since it came out a year or more ago- Wolsey makes for interesting character. Sudden time jumps confuse me. All tell no show. Love weir non fiction tho

76/88 Simon Scambler: of all the wayward people Shardlake has brought into his circle, finally offering to take him to London (I knew then where we were headed), Simon was probably my favorite. He seemed so pleasantly odd it was heart breaking. That he should have died being taunted and pushed by a group of his peers was only fitting but hauntingly so. For such a minor character I’m heart broken. Awful death

54/88 honestly I had trouble getting in to the beginning. But about halfway through I realized Sansom was making this about a bigger issue- Kett’s rebellion and the gentry v common folk have now taken center stage. Having that front and center at least for this portion of the book has brought me into the fold; much like when the dissolution was happening both at large and on the page in the first book.

In 55 pages we’ve made it through the earliest mentions of the Merovingians all the way through the first split of the kingdom after Clovis’ death in 511. His sons- Theuderic and chlothilds sons by Clovis Chlodomer, Childebert I and Chlothar I have together taken Thuringia (bringing Radegund into the fold with it) Burgundy, the Auvergne and Provence all by 537 creating the eminent successor state after Rome

Using a percent of chapters again since this will be audio. 86 chapters but an epilogue and historical note so 88 total. 1/88 lol

20/55 I thought Barrak would die. Earlier today I vaguely remember reading somewhere that either barrak dies or Matthew ends up with a new assistant in the final book (I’m assuming it will end up being Nicholas). I’ll truly be heartbroken if it’s true and the final mystery is with a new sidekick. I 100% think I could write a medieval mystery. But what period? Hopefully BARRAK doesnt die from poison on the blade

16/55: early prediction- the key was passed from lord Parr to young Cecil who made the key duplicate and had access to the chest. Shardlake has already pointed out his cleverness and made a comment about him being above the rest of men (something to that effect). Plus his connections to the radical movement of Protestants is repeated. Did I solve it a third of the way through?

First two chapters done. First was background on Burgundians, visigoths and Franks who worked for and exploited the decline of the western Roman Empire and after the fall found themselves as barbarians carrying the torch of Roman administration of government. Second was about the continuity of literary tradition from Rome to merov: Sidonius, fortunatus and Gregory of tours; letter writing. Slow start but fun

Right off the bat I know it will be different to Palmers Merovingian Worlds- published ‘94 so 22 years old, plus the approach is simply different. I did enjoy his mention of the book gaining the perspective of women from the delay in writing it (started in the 80 I guess).

Northumbrian Renaissance mentioned, threw me for a loop however looked at Morris’ Anglo-Saxons and found what I read there last year. Fun