Brainbiter: THE SAGA OF HEREWARD THE WAKE
Author: Jack Ogden
ISBN: 978 1 905621 70 5
Publisher: Pen Press Publishers Ltd
Published: 2007
The Review:
Brainbiter is a novel set in a period shrouded
by mystery. Despite its famous date of 1066, fantasy and enchantment still
surrounds the middle ages. In this entrancing blend of fact and fiction,
Ogden restores to life a multitude of stories of age old heroes, almost
forgotten, save for the odd piece of tattered manuscript found charred
and torn. This is a well-written, well-researched novel that skilfully
combines moments of laughable humour, in the energetic character of the
blasphemous Siward the Red, tentatively poised between some of the most
gruesome and horrific events imaginable.
It is always easy to become lost in a whirlwind of imagination and fantasy
when reading an historical novel, but Ogden’s characters and the
in-depth description of their surroundings enables us to picture their
landscape even though the gap of nearly a thousand years has rendered
it virtually unrecognisable. Jack Ogden writes with considerable understanding
of the period and whilst some of his characters and stories are fabricated,
they are well researched and have a good grounding in medieval tradition.
Aside from the realism of the novel, Ogden also raises serious questions
about the nature of religion and of those who follow its teachings. Each
character has a part to play in this controversial but essential theme.
Leofric is determined to save his soul, Siward the White is religious
but harks back to pagan ideas and superstitions, Siward the Red is also
religious but blasphemes continuously, De Taillebois is a priest capable
of horrific acts, lies and trickery and as for our hero, Hereward, he
respects his religion but does not actively herald it as a reason for
his armed resistance, preferring to fight for his own sense of patriotism
and for justice, rather than God.
This is a tale of justice, patriotism, heroism, beliefs and of just how far one man will go to save his soul from damnation.
This review was written by Gemila Sultan - 15.11.2007