Book Description

There are some who say that the Lady Fortune
has a wheel, and all men are fixed upon it.
The wheel turns, and the men rise, or fall,
with the turning of the wheel.

Birle has agreed to be wed to the huntsman Muir as an escape from the drudgery of life at her father's inn -- but the moment she looks into the bellflower blue eyes of the man she comes upon stealing one of her father's boats, Birle knows she cannot marry Muir. Even after she discovers the mysterious stranger is Orien, a Lord and as unreachable to an innkeeper's daughter as a star, Birle is determined to travel with him as far as he will allow.

Their travels take Birle to a world far from home, a world where Lords may become slaves, where Princes rule by fear, and where Fortune's Wheel turns more swiftly and dangerously than Birle could have imagined.

Newberry Medalist Cynthia Voigt's second novel of the Kingdom, set two generations later than Jackaroo, is a memorable combination of thrilling adventure and heart-stopping romance. ... Read more

Reviews (40)

A Grand Adventure
Birle is tired of living the laborous and boring life of an innkeeper's daughter. One night she attemps to stop a man from stealing one of the village's fishingboat. From there she is dragged down river where she loses her heart to the young lord. They are marooned in a rocky cove after a violent storm and are rescued by pirates who sell them into slavery. Seperated they live as slaves. They escape and return home where Orien (the lord) takes his place as earl. Birle tires and leaves. loyalty and true love wins in the end. A nice set of characters. A great string of events ties the story together nicely and provides a entertaining plot. A great story for those who like reading fantasy.

a great book
On Fortune's Wheel by Cynthia Voigt was an amazing book. Cynthia Voigt's characters were believable, compelling, and well thought out. The plot is exciting yet *romantic*, surprising, and convincing. I was drawn into the story, interested, and attached to the characters. The ending made me cry... and then there was a surprise which tied it all together! I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in romance, fantasy, or enthralling stories of slaves, Earls and their Ladies, and compelling characters.

A wonderful read
This, the second installment in the Kingdom saga, is wonderful to read. The main character is intelligent, and has a mind of her own. Her loyalty to Oriel is interesting, and her relationships and struggles feel real. This is not the typical girl, and she's quick to show the stuff she's made of. I believe that anyone who enjoys fantasy/adventure would enjoy the entire saga, and I really enjoyed the ending. All the characters have depth, and are easy to relate to. The look at how fortune works, how you can be an earl one day and the next day a slave, or an ignorant girl one day and a prized Lady next, is very interesting, and well thought out. The entire plot is compelling.

"There are some who say Lady Fortune has a wheel..."
Fourteen year old Birle, an innkeeper's daughter, is not content with her life. One night she sees a thief stealing her father's boat, and pursues him. She finds out the thief is really a lord, unreachable but very loveable. Much to Orien's (the lord) chagrin, Birle accompanies him on a journey they will remember forever. They become ship wrecked on a deserted island, only to be rescued by pirates and sold into slavery. Birle gets the good fortune of being the slave to a philosopher, who is extremely kind. Orien is not so lucky. He is sold to the mines, where it is said that everyone dies and no one escapes. However, Orien manages to escape, right about the time the city where Birle is in bondage is going to war. With the help of Birle's master and Yul, a gaint man but simple minded, they escape slavery and the impending war. Birle nurses Orien back to health, and in the forest they realize their love for one another. They return to Orien's kingdom, and soon Birle and Orien are caught up in the hustle and bustle of life. Birle is unhappy to be a lord's wife, and voices her requests to Orien's grandparents that herself (and her coming child) can leave the kingdom-forever. Birle lives by herself in her grandparent's cottage, growing a garden and tending to her daughter, Lyss. Orien visits her in the night to tell her that they are wed, and that he loves her, and yadda yadda yadda...and they all live happily ever after.
Now it may seem like I didn't enjoy this book, but I did-I really did. I love fairy tale stories, and this one was no exception. I thought the romance level could have been played up more, but whatever. The action scenes were pretty awesome, and the book vaguely reminded me of ancient Greece for some reason. If you like adventure and romance, you'll like this book.

Well written with bad morals
This book is well written, with a good story line. But I find it very troubling that the main character of the story is immoral and never feels bad about it throughout the whole book!! An author with this talent should write better books for all of us. ... Read more

Book Description

Two Women

Elske, a girl with no future, until her grandmother's sacrifice saves her from certain death.

Beriel, an imperious princess, determined to claim the kingdom that is her birthright.

Fate brings them together, both exiles, one servant to the other. To Beriel, the mistress, Elske offers steadfast loyalty and courage -- hard to come by in her dangerous quest to regain the throne she has been denied by treachery. To Elske, the handmaiden, Beriel's proud example provides a perhaps even more precious gift -- the strength to find her true self. ... Read more

Reviews (29)

Elske
I've been a fan of Cynthia Voigt for years. And this addition to the Kingdom series was great! It really kept me reading to find out where she was taking Elske. As a student of medieval history as well as of viking culture & history I appreciated Voigt's depiction of the Volking and Elske's perception of her place in their society. I encourage young women and their mothers to read this book in their book groups and to explore the medival world. My 12 year old daughter, a mature reader, loved it. Cyntia Voigt has done it again with another great book.

a kingdom book
I read the first three books set in this 'world' of cynthia voigt's, though while the 'kingdom' is mentioned none of the other books are set in it. I enjoyed each book thoroughly and found little to have qualms over with Elske.

the beginning of the book is dark, but getting beyond that is what makes it worthwhile. here's a girl who's future had been planned (namely death) who now has a chance to be something else. unlike other stories where the young girl survives something horrific and comes back to meet justice to the evil-doers forcibly Elske builds a life a for herself. by being herself and being true to people she becomes the confidant to young beriel.

beriel who IS on a mission to deal out justice to those who did her wrong. the two become close, sharing a common link to their pasts and learn how to survive in the world.

its a novel about what it means to belong and just how important one's heritage can be (or not be), at least to me.

A nice fantasy/adventure
For readers of fantasy books, this is a good choice. My only warning: it starts out rather grimly, but don't panic, it only gets better. The ending is perfect, and I love the fact that the characters have depth, and motives, not to mention Elske is a powerful female character, with intelligence and purpose.

Elske
From the beginning, Elske pulls you into a different world. From the first sentence, Cynthia Voigt plants curiosity into your mind, and soon the story wraps around you. Elske is only 12 years old, but she is the Death Maiden and must follow her King into death. Her grandmother saves her, however, by secretly taking her place. Thus, Elske travels North, to a city whose ways, whose people, are unfamiliar. But Elske, with her honesty and open smile, makes her way in this world. When she is fifteen she becomes maidservant to Beriel, the rightful Queen of a distant and isolated Kingdom. Beriel is willful, proud, and angry; but she is a Queen through and through and Elske chooses to serve her and help her reclaim her throne.
Moving through various landscapes, with richly drawn characters, the thought provoking Elske is a worthwhile read.

Not sure if this book is fantasy or historical fiction...
I guess I would have to call it "historical fantasy." When I read the book, I was unaware that is was part of a larger series, or for that matter if any of the cultures portrayed were parts of actual ancient cultures. That said, Elske is the story of a young girl who escapes the "Wolfers", a barbaric band of people. She eventually ends up in Trastad, where she makes contact with a women rumored to be a queen, Beriel. I disliked Beriel, and felt that after Elske met her, that the book went downhill. I also wondered why the painting shown on the front of the book was chosen, for it is the same painting used for "Girl in a Pearl Earring", a much better work. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

let the music begin! The Blue Danube!
If I had to name a favourite author, it would have to be Susan Howatch; her novels never fail to delight me and nourish my need for stories that do more than entertain. And if I had to choose a favourite Susan Howatch novel, it would have to be the Wheel of Fortune. This sumptuous novel drew me in from the very first page and soon I was lost in richness, following the drama of the Godwin family and living their lives with them in their fabulous Welsh estate, Oxmoon.
As in all of the Howatch family sagas which precede it, The Wheel of Fortune is written through a multiple third-person perspective, a structure which Howatch has mastered to perfection. Thus she leads us through the story by allowing us to identify first with one character and then with another, each time forcing us to rectify the opinions we have already formed on each indivual in turn. It's as if we move around each character, seeing him or her from a multitude of aspects, from the inside and the outside, and thus gain insight into the whole personality.

While reading Howatch I often felt that this is perhaps her way of showing her readers the necessity for compassion and understanding in our lives, for she whips away our prejudices and preconceptions about her characters simply by switching perspectives. For me this happened in the Wheel of Fortune with the character of Kester, who first appears as a thoroughly unlikeable, spoiled child, a misfit who never failed to exasperate those around him - and of course the reader. The moment Kester himself was allowed to speak, however, and I saw the situation through his viewpoint, he became my favourite character and I could identify with him completely, and appreciate him as the creative genius he is.

Then there is Robert Godwin, the personification of male chauvinism, an uptight London barrister who takes leave of all his senses when he falls for his cousin Ginevra. Ginevra herself is at first rather silly and self-absorbed, but as she grows in depth and self-esteem she develops into a warm, strong, well-rounded personality and a driving force in the novel. John Godwin is the epitome of good upbringing: his motto is "Here I have my standards, and here I draw the line!"; but then he meets Bronwen, a lower class Welshwoman who embodies the passion and mysticism that is simmering just beneath the surface of John's own consciousness, and John throws caution to the wind. Finally there is Harry, Kester's nemesis and greatest rival, the perfect public school boy . It's the rivalry between Kester and Harry, both of whom seem to mirror each other, each one having what the other most desires, rising and sinking on opposite sides of the Wheel of Fortune, which provides the foundation for this wonderful story.

Last but not least there is Oxmoon itself, their home; fabulous, haunting, living, Oxmoon: the orchestra playing the Blue Danube in its grand hall while the dancers dance beneath the glittering chandeliers. The magical atmosphere which pervades this wonderful story and draws us into the wonderful world teeming with rounded, living, breathing, characters we feel we have known all our lives.

Continuation of Cashelmara with another family ...
I love English history and I love historical novels, so I adore Susan Howatch's books, and The Wheel of Fortune is my favorite. The only thing to add to the overwhelmingly positive reviews written before me is to answer the question in the first review: the book is a continuation of the story told in Cashelmara, recast with a different family. Cashelmara is based on the story of Edward I, Edward II, and Edward III, ending as Edward III overthrows his mother's lover and claims the throne as his own. The Wheel of Fortune picks up the same story about half way through Edward III's life (he is now Bobby Godwin), and follows the story through the life of his sons Edward The Black Prince (Robert), John (John of Gaunt) and Thomas (Thomas of Woodstock), his grandsons Kester (Richard II) and Harry (Henry IV), and his great grandson Henry V (Hal).

Doing the Done Thing and Here I Draw the Line
This is by far one of the best books that I have ever read and that is saying alot since I have been reading for twenty years. Susan Howatch is a true storyteller. The book is divided into 6 chapters, the story being told from a different character. By the end of the book, characters you thought you hated because you saw life through their eyes, you ended up loving because another character would clue you into that character's hidden flaws and uniqueness.

When I first started reading the first chapter, I got to know Robert Goodwin and I hated him because he seemed like an egotistical, cold hearted man but when I turned to the second chapter which was narrated by Ginevra, his wife, I got to see another side of him that made me still not like him but at least understand what motivated him and what made him the type of person he turned out to be.

My favorite character in the book was John Goodwin. I felt that I related to him the most because he was always in conflict with himself. He wanted to be true to himself but could not because he had grown up being told that he had to maintain certain standards, do the done thing and know when to draw the line. Who couldn't relate to this? Many times we end up doing what we truly want only to feel guilty afterwards, yet if we do the "done thing", we usually are not happy and we feel like we are not being true to ourselves.

This book took me months to read but it was worth the "emotional" investment. At times I had to put the book down because I could not deal with the many catastrophe that seemed to haunt the Goodwin family but I would pick it up a few days later and find myself absorbed once again in the family drama.

All the other characters of this book, Kester, Harry and Hal are all equally fascinating and complex and I won't give the plot away but I urge you to read this book if you have the chance. The first few pages were difficult for me but I persevered and it was totally worth it. I cannot say enough about this awesome book and the author who brought it to life

Doeas The Wheel of Fortune mirror a historical family?
Susan Howatch has used real historical families as the basis for Penmarric (Henry II), Cashelmara (Edward I) and The Rich Are Different and The Sins of the Fathers (Caesar and Cleopatra). Does The Wheel of Fortune reflect a historical family? If so, which one? You can e-mail me at gdavid@mcclainfinlon.com

Wheel of Fortune follows what historical family?
In Penmarric, Susan Howatch mirrors the lives of King Henry II, Eleanor of Acquitaine and their sons. Cashelmara reflects the lives of Kings Edward I and Edward II. The Rich Are Different and Sins of the Fathers echo Julius Caesar, Cleopatra, Marc Antony and Augustus Caesar. So my question is: What historical family does The Wheel of Fortune reflect? Does anyone have any ideas. E-mail me at gdavid@mcclainfinlon.com or gbdce@aol.com. ... Read more

Book Description

On Falcon’s Wings is the heart-breaking story of five teenagers in Prague, Czechoslovakia, during World War II whose lives are unalterably changed when resistance commandos assassinate Gestapo general Reinhard Heydrich in 1942. In the tragic aftermath of the assassination the boys are kidnapped by German soldiers and sent by troop train to the Eastern front to dig anti-tank trenches, find safe passage through mine fields or perform whatever tasks their captors order them to do. Realizing that they will most likely be killed by the Russians or by the Germans or by accident, some of the teenagers manage to escape. During their perilous trip home, the boys are rescued by partisans, aided by sympathetic Ukrainians, and brutalized by Nazis. Scarred and traumatized, the boys who survive the harrowing journey back to Czechoslovakia must search for their loved ones and rebuild their lives in war-ravaged Prague. ... Read more

Book Description

1932. This little treatise contains nothing that is complex or difficult to follow. Contents: The Heavens; Houses of the Heavens; Natures of the Planets and Signs; Nature of the Aspects; Making a Horoscope; Placing the Planets; Arabic Points; Judging the Horoscope; Timing Events; Transits; Influence of Eclipses; Signature of the Planets. ... Read more

Book Description

William Richard Morris, later Viscount Nuffield, set up business as a cycle agent and manufacturer in Oxford, in 1893, at the age of sixteen. He was, through sheer hard work, to go on to make the Morris-Oxford car and set up the famous car works at Cowley, where many other Morris designs were manufactured. This is an account of his life and of his vision: 'the £100 car', a car the public could afford to buy. Leasor tells of this unusual and determined man's success, the millions he made and the millions he gave away. ... Read more

Download Description

He was closing in again before he perceived some irregular shadows, showing black against the translucent film of smooth water. That sufficed. He thundered on ahead of Abdullah, who, perhaps, thought it advisable to leave this final development in the hands of a European. There was a scurry among a small knot of men on the beach. A sharp hail was answered at a considerable distance from the sea. Royson rode with such furious speed that he now made out a white-robed female figure struggling in the grasp of a man attired in the burnous and hood of a coast Arab. ... Read more

Book Description

When the diffident and ineffectual Derek Mann loses his teaching job in a girls’ grammar school and drifts from one temporary post to another, one of his precocious pupils gives him her grandfather’s wartime diary with a mission to return to Apartheid South Africa and find the opal mine she believes to be her rightful inheritance. Intrigue and violence bedevil the quest, which ends in a desert under the Southern Cross. The wry, often laconic style gives full reign to the characters’ latent sexuality. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A tour de force of sex and adventure!
A novel of intrigue, adventure and explicit sexuality. An English teacher flees the threat of death across the world in the company of hisprovocative pupil.

When the diffident and ineffectual Derek Mann loseshis teaching job in a girls' grammar school and drifts from one temporarypost to another, one of his precocious pupils gives him her grandfather'swartime diary with a mission to return to Apartheid South Africa and findthe opal mine she believes to be her rightful inheritance. Intrigue and violence bedevil the quest which ends in a desert under the Southern Cross. The wry, often laconic style gives full reign to the characters' latentsexuality.

An anjoyable and compelling read! The sexuality is convincingthough at times a little startling -- like the stawberry scene at the endof volume two! ... Read more

Book Description

Psychic Cil Duncan is a tarot card reader who reads her way into a murder. She may be in the wrong place at the wrong time, but her fortune-telling skills may just be the key to apprehending a killer. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

This book gave me 3 lovely dreams!!!
Oh yesss! Dreams of handsome, heroic, brave, strong, romantic, dashing, yummy, etc. etc. guys! I think I'd better reread it right now; maybe I'll get some more nice dreams. Ladies, you need this book even if you have to put up with a cruddy used copy from Amazon resales. (I'll bet someone's stolen the copy from your local library!)

I have read it a million times!!!
This book is fantastic. I bought it about a year ago, and I have read it a million times. I loved the mystery behind the "falcon", and the touch of romance all around. The characters are fascinating and keep you hooked. READ THIS BOOK! YOU WILL LOVE IT!

Why Couldn't Be MAde into A Movie? One of My All Time Faves!
I have collected and read many of Barbara Michaels' Books and this one is My favorite. Set during the Italian Revolution, it gives you a different perspective of Italian History, through English eyes. It was very well written, so much so, that you feel as if the excitement in the book, is very real!! The main characters are intelligent, witty, and daring. You cheer for them throughout the book. I wish this were made into a movie, so visual people, like myself, could indulge in it further. Whether you're a closet romantic, history student, or mystery buff --- you'll want to read it twice....like I did!!!

Why couldn't this be a movie? I read it twice within 2 days!
I am a HUGE Barbara Michaels fan, quite possibly because she has the ability to encompass mystery, thrills, and romance, without dwelling too much on one aspect. Which holds true for this book as well. You will absolutely love Francesca, Stefano, and Miss P., for their wit, and intelligence. I wish this book were turned into a movie, so all of us visual people can watch all the events unfold, IN STEREO! At any rate, if you're a closet romantic, history student, or mystery buff, this is sure to enthrall you!!!

Historical Fiction -- A great work!
This book is a bit of a departure from the mystery/suspense that Barbara Michaels is best known for.It is more of a historical work of fiction.It does contain the suspense that Ms. Michaels' is known for.

The bookis well written and held my interest enough that I read it in one day!It was spooky and atmospheric with a haunted cave and a whole lot of suspenseful detail.It is one of my favorite Barbara Michaels books! Itnow has an honored place on my bookshelf.If you buy this one it'll gain keeper status on your shelf too. ... Read more