Luis Donoso từ Callai FI, Italy

huesosnegros

12/22/2024

Dữ liệu người dùng, đánh giá và đề xuất cho sách

Luis Donoso Sách lại (10)

2019-12-31 01:30

Theo Dòng Văn Minh Nhân Loại Thư viện Sách hướng dẫn

Sách được viết bởi Bởi:

The fifth century in Britain was a time of upheaval and change. The Romans had abandoned the island and a power vacuum was created with their going. The native tribes, never unified except for one single, shining moment under Queen Boudicca, immediately returned to warring against each other. Cunedda, Lord of the Votodini, lost his lands north of Hadrian's Wall and was exiled to the mountains of Gwynedd in Wales. Uthr the Pendragon, great war leader and Cunedda's ally, fled the island. The victor, Vortigern, declared himself King of Britain and, to keep his throne, hired vast numbers of hated Saxon mercenaries and took a Saxon wife. The Kingmaking begins with Arthur's arrival, at the age of fifteen, in Gwynedd. He comes as a serving boy to Uthr, but despite his low status he dreams of becoming a leader of men. A rebellion is planned to reclaim Britain from Vortigern. The war party departs, leaving Arthur behind with Cunedda's young sons and only daughter, Gwenhwyfar. In the short peaceful time they are together, Arthur and Gwenhwyfar forge a strong bond. But the harmony is shattered when the war party returns, defeated, with the news that Uthr is dead. The demoralized troops feel that all hope has been lost with their leader. But Cunedda has a surprise announcement for all assembled. Uthr had a son, declared dead at birth but actually hidden away, in plain sight, to keep Vortigern from killing the Pendragon heir. Arthur, humble servant, is actually Uthr's son. Arthur now has the chance that he dreamed of, and he grabs it. Unfortunately, he is young and untried, has little skill with sword or spear. He must learn and the only way to do that is to pledge his sword to the one in power, his enemy Vortigern. To cement his loyalty Vortigern exacts a terrible price, Arthur must marry Vortigern's daughter: greedy, scheming Winifred. Gwenhwyfar is heartbroken, then horrified when she learns that she is to be forced to marry Vortigern's nephew and right hand man, Melwas. To prevent the marriage to a cruel and violent man, her family helps her escape to Less Britain, Arthur's childhood home, beyond the reach of Melwas. The coming years will test the strength and determination of the Pendragon and his followers. They will learn lessons well, bide their time and overcome seemingly impossible obstacles on the way to their goal....giving Britain an honorable King and the hope of a peaceful future. This is Historical Fiction at its best. The author has taken the story of Arthur and deftly shaken off the myth and fantasy that cling to it. Gone are Merlin and his sprinklings of magic, instead we have Arthur as he might have really been. A man, a leader, a soldier who drank and used women, who loved and was loyal but also cheated and lied. A warrior who adopted tactics that worked, no matter the cost. A man trying to find footing in a rapidly changing world, a complex world that included those that clung to Roman ways, followers of the Goddess and the druids, and the vast, spreading tide of Christianity. Here you will find rich, multi-layered characters, breathtaking drama and aching sadness. Crumbling Roman cities and soaring Welsh mountains. Brilliant battles and horrible losses. A complex, compelling story and a refreshing look at the origins of a legend. I have long been a fan of Helen Hollick's writing and The Pendragon's Banner trilogy is at the top of my list of favorite Historical Fiction. The other two books in the series are Pendragon's Banner and Shadow of the King. I can't recommend them highly enough, they are all fantastic historical novels!

2019-12-31 02:30

Mây Họa Ánh Trăng (Sách Ảnh) Thư viện Sách hướng dẫn

Sách được viết bởi Bởi:

"Proceed to that most-visited little gallery in the world - the Tribune - and there, against the wall, without obstructing rag or leaf, you may look upon the foulest, the vilest, the obscenest picture the world possesses - Titian's Venus. It isn't that she is naked and stretched out on a bed - no, it's the attitude of one of her arms and hand. If I ventured to describe that attitude, there would be a fine howl - but there the Venus lies, for anybody to gloat over that wants to - and there she has a right to lie, for she is a work of art, and Art has its priviliges." The American tourist so excercised by this image then went on to observe, "I saw young girls stealing furtive glances at her; I saw young men gaze long and absorbedly at her; I saw aged, infirm men hang upon her charms with pathetic interest." In his 1880 travelogue 'A Tramp Abroad', Mark Twain (for it is he: our American tourist and the author of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn) proposed that "it was painted for a bagnio [an Italian bath-house:], and it was probably refused because it was a trifle too strong", adding humorously that "in truth, it is a trifle too strong for any place but a public art gallery." Titian's 'Venus of Urbino' is one of the defining works of Western art - simultaneously controversial and much imitated (most notably in Manet's 'Olympia'). This series of accessible essays attempts to explain why reaction by the likes Twain were vested firmly in their own times and not the cultural associations of Renaissance Italy when the picture was painted.

Người đọc Luis Donoso từ Callai FI, Italy

Người dùng coi những cuốn sách này là thú vị nhất trong năm 2017-2018, ban biên tập của cổng thông tin "Thư viện Sách hướng dẫn" khuyến cáo rằng tất cả các độc giả sẽ làm quen với văn học này.