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Title: Devil's Consort

Author: Anne O'Brien

Narrator: Emma Gregory

Format: Unabridged

Length: 15 hrs and 46 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-22-16

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

England's most ruthless Queen.

Eleanor, Duchess of Aquitaine, is a determined woman who plots and schemes an astonishing path between two equally powerful men in 12th-century Europe, a woman who can manoeuvre and manipulate to safeguard her own lands as effectively as any power-grasping lord.

Eleanor is single-minded in her struggle to keep her inheritance intact, leading her to reject one husband and take another who will fulfill her desires. Eleanor intends to reign as Queen and is prepared to bring scandal down upon herself in pursuit of her ultimate prize. Hers is a story of power, political intrigue, passion and love.

Critic Reviews:

Praise for Anne O'Brien:

"One of the best writers around...she outdoes even Philippa Gregory." (The Sun)

"Her writing is highly evocative of the time period...O'Brien has produced an epic tale." (Historical Novel Society)

"Anne O'Brien's novels give a voice to the 'silent' women of history." (Yorkshire Post)

"Once again O'Brien proves herself a medieval history magician, conjuring up a sizzling, sweeping story." (Lancashire Evening Post)

"An exciting and intriguing story of love and historical politics. If you enjoy Philippa Gregory and Alison Weir you will love Anne O'Brien." (We Love This Book)

Members Reviews:

Same book, different title.

This is the same book as Anne O'Brien's "Queen Defiant". "Queen Defiant" was first published in England. When it was released in the US the title was changed to "Devil's Consort". I bought this book thinking it was a second novel Ms. O'Brien wrote about Eleanor of Aquitaine set later in her life. Only to discover it was the same book as "Queen Defiant" which I also bought from Amazon. Know matter which title you buy it is still a great book about Eleanor of Aquitaine and the early years of her life.

Intrigueing

Anne O'Brien takes real life historical characters and weaves a magical story, which also happens to be true. I love her choice of words and phrases, very picturesque and old world.

Excellent Romantic Fiction - Not Fact!

This is a very well written and absorbing story. Eleanor of Acquitaine was a woman almost unique in her time who lived an interesting life. She makes excellent source material. The author uses the facts known about her and embroiders and embellishes them to weave a good tale.

However, one has to be careful when putting together fact and fiction. A lot of what the author surmises is the result of her, admittedly fertile imagination. Particularly in connection with Eleanor's affairs, some of the assertions are, frankly, not believable in historical terms. It is very easy to slander the dead!

In particular the racy affairs she conjures with one of her first husband's, the King of France's vassal, is incredible in historical terms. The repercussions on the whole of his family for such uncovered treason would have resulted not only in a painful death but confiscature of land - the really important issue for early medieval families. The affair in the Holy Land is equally an intriguing dalliance for readers of fiction but again not supported with historical evidence or even likelihood.

So worth Five Stars as an excellent historical romantic romp and a great read but loses a little when one puts parts of the tale into the realms of the probable.