Dexter links and more Tudor recs

[selenak]

It's the season for much business, and I still have fandom_muses and theatrical_muse stuff to write. However, I'm still wibbling from the fantastic Dexter season finale, so I was very glad to find these two examples of fanfic:


Penumbra: Dexter and Deb, post-Born Free. Stark and beautiful.


Five Things That Never Happened To The Icetruck Killer. What the title says, and as all the best "Five Things..." exploring the character we know via those alternate routes.


In other news, if you recall Sovereign by C. Sansom which I recommended a while ago, I caught up on the other two books preceeding that one, Dissolution and Dark Fire, and they are fabulous, especially Dissolution. In Germany, we have a tendency to take the English Reformation not that seriously (as opposed to our very own Martin Luther and of course all ensuing religious wars culminating much, much later in the 30-years-war), due to it owing its going state-wise to Henry VIII.'s marital antics, so it's always striking to read a portrait of Tudor times where the author gets across how life and death serious it was for the ordinary people in England at the time. Kudos for the most interesting portrait of Thomas Cromwell I've seen as well. (I'm more familiar with the ruthless flunky characterisation, whereas Sansom goes for Cromwell as a serious reformer using the ruthless powerplaying not just for self benefit but to push forward the Reformation agenda.) Reading these two books also made me appreciate that Sansom's detective, Matthew Shardlake, changes in the course of the three books so far, which isn't always the case in mystery series'. So, again: great portraits of Tudor England - get out and read them!

Comments

[spikewriter]

And checking Amazon, I just realized I have an ARC of Dissolution that's been sitting in my TBR pile since a friend brought it home from BookExpo two years ago. I'll have to dig it out, as Thomas Cromwell is a subject of some interest in our household. When we were doing RenFaire, our characters were Sir Ralph Sadler and his wife, both of whom had been in Cromwell's service. While the period of the faire was Elizabethan (and we were playing the Sadlers at least 40 years too young), we did quite a bit of research on Sadler's early career. Sansom's interpretation sounds in line with much of what we've read, which was often focused more on Cromwell's personal and family life than the broader history.

Thanks for the recommendation.

[selenak.livejournal.com]

You're welcome!

[queenofthorns.livejournal.com]

Oooh, I've picked up those Sansom books several times and sort of thought about them, but if you're recommending them, then I will not put them back the next time I pick 'em up!

[selenak.livejournal.com]

You'll love them, I'm sure of it. The main character reminds me a bit of a slightly less damaged version of Tyrion...

[bitterbyrden.livejournal.com]

Thanks for linking to these. I loved, loved the Five Things one. That format... I just love it. I feel like I've never written it, but I think I might have, back in my Andrew Wells day.

SPEAKING OF:

(I realized this in the shower this morning)

Dexter is to Andrew as Brian is to Tucker, hair-color included! Sociopaths are a go!

[selenak.livejournal.com]

LOL. There is something to this, you know. Does that make Harry (light side, of sorts) Warren, though, if we're looking for someone idolized and obeyed by Andrew ?