The Shining Company (Sutcliff)

[cahn]

Note the first: I apparently always want to add an extra e to Sutcliff's name. Sigh.

Note the second: Oh, hey, by the way, rarewomen happened and ALSO DIDO FIC, including SF Dido!AU!(Here is where I squee about it — if you don't know the Aeneid, it's okay, you need only this post and this to read them — and here’s my reveal post and more nattering on about the Greek Myth SF AU (spoilers!).)

4/5. This book sat on my shelf for a month because I’ve only read Sutcliff’s Roman stuff (uh, two books) and I was kind of side-eyeing her taking on a Celtic subject. Um. Sometimes I’m kind of stupid. This was totally amazing: gorgeous prose and the research I expect from her and allllll my tropes as usual (loyalty, friendship, partnership, hard choices, etc.) and what the heck it’s a retelling of Y Goddodin. (I am thick. I did not realize this until Aneirin showed up.) WHAT. I think the last half of the book I kept on going !!!! Y Goddodin!!!!

I mean, I guess that if one looked at it rationally, one could come up with a lot of things that might be slightly obnoxious. There’s essentially no plot. The plot, such as it is, is, well, the plot of Y Goddodin, which is to say the plot of every Welsh poem ever. (Hint: The Welsh don’t make poetry about their awesome victories and how they totally crushed the other guy, dude. They just don’t. This is not a super-feel-good book.) The prose is sort of partially Welsh-reminiscent and partially Roman-Britain-reminiscent, which might bother someone who was a little more involved with the era than I.

But I don’t look at this book rationally :)

Comments

[carmarthen]

Some of her Roman stuff doesn't lean too heavily on that oeuvre, I think (basically the more Romans and the less 'Celts' the better off you probably are).

For stuff inside your range:

The Lantern Bearers is probably safe but I can't remember all the details, Sword at Sunset is mostly tactics and stuff (although the Little Dark People may be a general dealbreaker for you--I kind of read past them) and Frontier Wolf only has a few vague references to her handwavy 'Celtic' stuff and is mostly Romans. The Silver Branch is probably fine. (Outcast is lolarious Hollywood Roman in a lot of ways that I can't deal with.) Dawn Wind is mostly Saxons, but free of handwavy Celtic stuff.

Outside your date range, I also enjoyed Simon (English Civil War), although I didn't love it. Sword Song (Vikings) is...kind of weak overall, I think, and not really one I'd recommend if not for it being outside your date range. Unfortunately, Sutcliff's strongest books are within your period of expertise, so most likely to run into stuff that will bug you.

I'd avoid Warrior Scarlet, Mark of the Horse Lord, and Sun Horse, Moon Horse as the worst offenders on the dodgy Celtic front; Eagle of the Ninth has a little bit, but is mostly safe.

[thistleingrey]

basically the more Romans and the less 'Celts' the better off you probably are

Perhaps! Now I have partially contradictory suggestions from two well-informed readers of Sutcliff :) (you and someone who had a go a few years ago). I'll have to try some of her books myself and see what happens. Thanks again.

[carmarthen]

Well, it's not 100% clear to me what your dealbreakers are--my usual "Sutcliffs I like best" list doesn't apply, so. YMMV.

You might also want to check out hedgebird's general Sutcliff recs, idk (I disliked Warrior Scarlet intensely and it falls smack into the bronze age danger zone, though).

[thistleingrey]

No worries--I don't expect anyone to make airtight recommendations, not least because over time, I keep finding new-to-me dealbreakers and letting go of others. I do appreciate what you've written up and linked here.