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A Dubious Price, a Dubious Inheritance
Would you buy an ex-library copy of Pamela Hill's 1999 novel Countess Isabel for $175 off eBay?
I bought a copy of this one when it first came out, for around $35 (US equivalent of the list price). Robert Hale titles seem to have very small print runs, as they sell mainly to libraries, so they become collector's items fairly quickly. The heroine of Countess Isabel is Isabel de Warenne (1137-1199), a 12th century heiress who married first William of Blois, son of King Stephen, and secondly Hamelin, illegitimate son of Geoffrey Plantagenet and half-brother of Henry II. A little-known historical woman with connections to two of England's most powerful men; a perfect subject for a novel these days.
Generally I enjoy Pamela Hill's novels, and I remember enjoying this one, though I don't recall all the details of the storyline - it's been five years since I read it. But one thing I do recall is the author's seeming need to advance her theory that Isabel was a great-granddaughter of William the Conqueror through his daughter, Gundred, who married William de Warenne, Earl of Surrey. She mentioned this relationship at least a few times in the novel, and you can find it documented through many personal genealogies posted on the Internet. However, Gundred's connection to King William has been proven false. Some 19th century historians have written tracts about Gundred being the daughter of an earlier marriage of Queen Matilda's. This is equally false. I'm unsure why Hill kept insisting on this familial relationship for her heroine, Isabel; I don't recall its making any difference to her larger storyline, and her life was interesting enough in itself. Should anyone have further information about this dubious relationship, please comment.
So, make of this novel what you will. And if you can't afford the $175 that that seller is charging, why not buy it from him for$70 instead?
It's only $139.54 on Amazon. (Why not $140? Why not $139.45?) I have a couple of the old Hales, and the expensive little suckers shall never escape my hands.
ReplyDeleteI was going to say that Amazon's prices change depending on currency conversion rates, but that seller's from Georgia. Beats me. It's still too much.
ReplyDeleteHeavens! I wonder if the HNR reviewers who cover Robert Hale books know how much these books are worth now?
ReplyDeleteThe cover illustrations are a study in themselves. The women all look like modern models in period garb with varying degrees of authenticity. Here's the URL for a recent novel about Boudica: http://www.boudica-roesch.com/
Talk about "in your face"! But Carla Nayland (www.carlanayland.org) thinks the novel is pretty good so I've reserved it from my local library -- the price makes it a no-no for me to buy.
That's interesting because Amazon US sells the Roesch for $18, which really isn't too bad. That's about half the UK price, ironic considering the publisher. It looks like they used the same cover model as for Alan Gold's novel, just glammed her up a bit.
ReplyDeleteI see that Carla's review is quoted on the author's website!
Yes, I thought the Boudica cover was bordering on the absurd. One wonders what the cover artist was thinking of, drawing Boudica as some sort of Oriental houri. (Is this better or worse than an exotic lingerie model waving a sword? Discuss). Though the smaller inset pictures on the cover are more plausible, as you'll see when the library copy arrives. I'll be interested to hear what you think of it.
ReplyDeleteDo Hale books carry silly prices on ebay in the UK, or is it only in the US? For some reason, although Hale claims to have US distribution, not all their books seem to be made available outside the UK.
He also came and joined in the discussion on my blog, which was very nice of him.
ReplyDeleteThanks for mentioning that, Carla - I missed the later comments on that blog entry. Very nice of him to join the discussion.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't pay $175 for many books at all *g*. It would have to be pretty special for me to shell out that kinda cash :-)
ReplyDeleteInteresting that Hill insisted on using that rather dubious bit of "history" for her story. Do you think she just wasn't aware it had been disproved?
I think the controversy over her parentage would've been hard to miss. The novel really emphasizes the connection, despite this. That's what surprised me.
ReplyDeleteThe only "proof" that Gundred was the Conqueror's daughter seems to have been in a 15th C document (see viii, 15th C narrative pedigrees) that has never been taken seriously, except by a couple 19th C historians associated with Lewes Priory, where she was buried.
Check out the prices on Amazon for The Lord of Misrule by Eve Trevaskis. It's a 1972 Hale. One seller is offering it for about US $795, the other for over $1,000.
ReplyDeleteIt's on my wish list in case any sugar-daddy types are reading this blog, but I think it's going to stay on my wish list for a while.
What do you know. I own a few Eve Trevaskis novels, including Lord of Misrule. Unfortunately I haven't read it yet, but maybe I should, in order to encourage/discourage you from buying the $795 one.
ReplyDeleteBetter get a home security system! I'd be curious to see what you do think of it, though (the book, that is, not the home security system).
ReplyDeleteIf I get a chance, I'll write a short review of it for the blog. First, though, I have to find it in this mass of bookshelves!
ReplyDeleteSo I wonder if the moral of the story is to buy those interesting Robert Hale novels now, as an investment of sorts.