Time and Chance
Ratings3
Average rating3.7
The long-awaited sequel to Sharon Kay Penman's acclaimed novel When Christ and His Saints Slept, Time and Chance recounts the tempestuous marriage of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry II in a magnificent story of love, power, ambition-and betrayal.He was nineteen when they married, she eleven years his senior, newly divorced from the King of France. She was beautiful, headstrong, intelligent, and rich. It was said he was Fortune's favorite, but he said a man makes his own luck. Within two years, Henry had made his, winning the throne of England and exercising extraordinary statecraft skills to control his unruly barons, expand his own powers, and restore peace to a land long torn by banditry and bloodshed. Only in one instance did Henry err: Elevating his good friend and confidant Thomas Becket to be Archbishop of Canterbury, he thought to gain control over the Church itself. But the once worldly Becket suddenly discovered God, and their alliance withered in the heat of his newfound zeal. What Becket saw as a holy mission-to protect the Church against State encroachments-Henry saw as arrant betrayal, and they were launched inevitably on the road to murder.Rich in character and color, true to the historical details, sensitive to the complex emotions of these men and women, Time and Chance recreates their story with all the drama, pain, and passion of the moment. It is Penman at her best.
Series
Series
5 primary booksPlantagenets
Plantagenets is a 5-book series with 5 primary works first released in 1994 with contributions by Sharon Kay Penman.
Series
3 primary booksHenry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine
Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine is a 3-book series with 3 primary works first released in 1994 with contributions by Sharon Kay Penman.
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Once again Sharon Kay Penman doesnt disappoint!! I could not put this book down! I read it in 1.5 days and found myself once again drawn into the story line. You can almost feel as though you are racing down the lane with the army as they scrambled for battle, or with the queen in her apartments as she railed against what her husband had done, once again rejecting her advice and following his own thoughts. More often than not, Henry found himself at odds with those on his council, but he had learned from his parents marriage that the fewer who knew what was going on, the better.
Henry and Thomas Becket are the main characters in this story, and one that goes from close friendship to one of hatred between the two men. Becket upon his promotion to Archbishop of Canterbury suddenly seems to thwart the King in everything, where as before he was only to happy to help the King carry out his orders. As the tension grows between the two men, Becket flees England looking for asylum in France and for help from the pope himself. Henry at this time also becomes involved with a young woman, Rosamund Clifford, and when the queen finds out sparks are sure to fly!
This book kept me on the edge of my chair the entire way though! I couldnt wait to find out what happened next, and am now looking forward to reading the third book in the trilogy, the Devils Brood.
Nothing from Sharon Kay Penman is ever disappointing, and I would recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in Medieval history.
I didn't like this one as much as the first one – too much on Thomas Becket and not enough on the relationship with Eleanor for my taste, but still well-written.
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