| Plot Summary of Time And Chance |
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Putnam, March 2002, 27.95, 512 pp.
ISBN: 0399147853
Early in his reign, King Henry II successfully subdues his rebellious lords, who prefer their little fiefdoms to a powerful central state figure like His Highness. He decides he must also act accordingly with the Church in order to bring the priests in line. He chooses his most trusted ally Chancellor Thomas Becket to serve as the Archbishop of Canterbury though his friend is not a priest. However, once Sir Thomas takes over his new position, he changes his philosophy and becomes a fanatical supporter of the Church publicly opposing much of what his mentor desires.
Though over a decade younger than his wife Eleanor, Henry still loves her madly. He sires two daughters and five sons with her, while anchoring the throne for his Plantagant descendants (Richard, John, etc.) through war, treachery, and statesmanship. However, his fame (or shame) in history hinges on the murder of Sir Thomas, considered a saint by almost everyone else in the country.
TIME AND CHANCE, the sequel to WHEN CHRIST AND HIS SAINTS SLEPT, is an insightful historical fiction that brings to life the Henry II nation-building era. Reminding the audience in many ways of A Man for All Seasons, the tale is vividly loaded so that the audience can see a critical period in the building of a nation. Henry is a complex individual whom Sharon Kay Penman insures the audience fully comprehends how deep the King was. The look at the fights Henry fought and their impact on his family, his subjects, and his enemies make this mid to late twelfth century tale a must read for genre fans.
Harriet Klausner
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Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of Time And Chance |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Book
descript. of violence and chases - 10%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 60%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 20%
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 10%
Tone of story
- very upbeat
Time/era of story:
- middle ages
Spying/Terrorism Thriller
Yes
Cloak & Dagger Plotlets:
- power struggle within govt between two factions
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Main Character
Gender
- Male
Profession/status:
- Prince/Nobleman/King
How much violence does he/she use?
- just the right amount
How sensitive is this character?
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 40's-50's
Profession/status:
- mastermind
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- an average amount
Motive of antagonist
- revenge
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Setting
Europe
Yes
European country:
- England/UK
- France
Style
Person
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
How many deaths?
- 3-4
Amount of dialog
- roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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