THE WINTER MANTLE

In 1067, the Earl of Huntington, along with other English aristocrats, has been compelled to go to France by his new liege, William the Conqueror. There the young nobleman becomes enraptured by William’s niece, Lady Judith. To marry her, he must promise lifetime allegiance to the new king, a promise he later finds difficult to keep when a plot is hatched to overthrow the French. Christopher Scott gives adequate voice to the male characters in this epic, but his women are frustratingly without dimension. Scott’s nasal and dour tone, combined with the poor characterizations, make this historical fiction come off as a bodice ripper. A judicious abridgment might make the story more enjoyable. R.F. © AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/ NOV 03]