When Christ and His Saints Slept takes a neutral position on both claimants to the throne and their supporters. So begins a civil war that spans about 8 years and eventually hits every corner of the Kingdom. Maud was not in England when Henry died but her cousin, Stephen of Blois, was. Then he married her, against her will, to Geoffrey of Anjou to protect the southern end of his realms. To ensure the succession, Henry made all his nobles swear to accept Maud as their ruler. Henry the first's only son, William Adelin, died in 1120 during an attempted channel crossing, leaving only his daughter Maud as heir. This takes place during what the contemporaries called The Anarchy. It tells a story based on history but adds the author's thoughts on the characters' motivation. When Christ and His Saints Slept is one of the best historical fictions. The only complaint was that the era in which Penman sets the action ( 12th century England) "lacks epic qualities." The novel had a first printing of 75,000 copies with a major ad and promotion campaign and author tour.The Anarchy & the birth of the Plantagenet Dynasty
Although based on real life historical characters-Queen Maude and King Stephen are the main protagonists-it was thought that, in the fictional character Ranulf, Penman added a "successful addition". The book was described as a "magnificent combination of history and humanity" in which Penman presents "complicated politics" in a persuasive manner with well-presented characters. Publishers Weekly gave a positive review of When Christ and His Saints Slept. Penman chronicles the story of cousins Maude and Stephen as they fight for England's throne.
In the book Penman introduces the genesis of the Plantagenet dynasty as Empress Maude battles to secure her claim to the English throne, ultimately more for her young son Henry Plantagenet, than for herself. It is the first of Penman's Plantagenet trilogy, (ultimately five books) followed by Time and Chance, Devil's Brood, Lionheart and A King's Ransom. When Christ and His Saints Slept is a historical novel written by Sharon Kay Penman, published in 1994.
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