#1721: Ch. 5, The Life of Sir Aglovale de Galis by Clemence Housman

The Life of Sir Aglovale de Galis continues, as a single line of Malory is retconned into a brilliant and evocative Arthurian episode.

Chapter 5.

13:45.

This chapter is fresh out of the oven.

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#1720: Ch. 4, The Life of Sir Aglovale de Galis by Clemence Housman

The Life of Sir Aglovale de Galis continues, as he reaches a crisis point.

Chapter 4.

47:35.

If you’ve been visiting the archive.org page for this book, this chapter has been up since the beginning of February. If not, this is new.

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#1715: Ch. 3, The Life of Sir Aglovale de Galis by Clemence Housman

The Life of Sir Aglovale de Galis continues, with a chapter full of secrets and intrigue, love and hate, and all the Arthurian mood you could ask for.

One thing I like very much about this chapter is that, though the author clearly is interested in the psychological ideas of her day, she doesn’t beat you over the head with this. Rather, she finds reasonable ways to express her ideas in the language (and cast of mind) of a courtly tale of knights and ladies, and hermits and bandits. A lot of historical and fantasy writers could learn from her.

Chapter 3.

29:45.

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#1713: Ch. 2, The Life of Sir Aglovale de Galis by Clemence Housman

The Life of Sir Aglovale de Galis continues, as we learn more about the events which brought glory and shame upon Sir Aglovale’s name.

Chapter 2. Includes Notes at end.

34:41.

Sorry that posting has been so spotty. I’ve been sick a lot lately.

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#1707: Notes for Chapter 1, The Life of Sir Aglovale de Galis by Clemence Housman

You don’t have to be a Malory geek to enjoy The Life of Sir Aglovale de Galis.

But it helps. So at the back of the book, Housman provided quotes from Malory, so that people could reassure themselves that it all was really in there. I’m providing them, too. Ignore them or listen to them, whatever you prefer.

Chapter 1 Malory reference notes.

11:20.

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#1706: Ch. 1, The Life of Sir Aglovale de Galis by Clemence Housman

The Life of Sir Aglovale de Galis is a little-known Arthurian fantasy novel from 1905, by Clemence Housman. (You may remember my reading of her Norse fantasy, “The Were-Wolf”, from last year.)

The idea of this book is that a disciple of Sir Thomas Malory is continuing the work of his “dear master” by writing a book about the life of one of his minor characters, the black sheep of King Pellinore’s sons. But unlike its later imitators, this book neither rewrites Sir Aglovale’s sins nor revels in his failings. Like so much of Morte d’Arthur, it’s a book about family, individual potential for good and evil, and repentance — as well as battles and feuds and intrigue. It does an interesting job of splitting the difference between medieval romance and modern novel. I like it, and I hope you will, too.

Chapter 1

25:07.

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#1699: “A Welsh Ghost Story” by Mary E. Hughes

“A Welsh Ghost Story” from 1883 for Christmas. Oooooh, creepy!

“A Welsh Ghost Story”

31:02.

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#1631: Part 2 of “The Valor of Cappen Varra” by Poul Anderson

“The Valor of Cappen Varra” concludes, as it is tested by a huge troll and a beautiful princess.

Part 2.

23:31.

Btw, for Cappen’s song I used the tune of “A Chantar M’er”, by the Comtesse de Dia. She was a trobairitz, a female troubadour. It fit the words pretty well, I think, although the original subject matter adds irony. Lots.

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#1630: Part 1 of “The Valor of Cappen Varra” by Poul Anderson

“The Valor of Cappen Varra” is a fun, funny fantasy story set in a medieval Europe just a quarter-turn away from our own. This is what might happen if a troubador traveled to Norway, and magic were real.

Btw, if Cappen Varra seems familiar, you may know him from his stint as a castmember in the city of Sanctuary, in the Thieves’ World shared universe anthologies.

Part 1.

21:07.

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#1626: Part 1 of “The Brute” by Joseph Conrad

“The Brute” is a sea story of a ship with a mind of its own. Too bad that mind is a crazed one….

Part 1.

32:38.

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#1624: Part 5 of “The Were-Wolf” by Clemence Housman

“The Were-Wolf” ends, as Sweyn finds out just how much he didn’t know was going on.

Chapter 5.

15:42.

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#1623: Part 4 of “The Were-Wolf” by Clemence Housman

The Were-Wolf continues, as the brothers’ conflict comes to a head.

Part 4.

30:46.

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#1618: Part 3, “The Were-Wolf” by Clemence Housman

“The Were-Wolf” continues, with more creepy Nordic winter and dark disagreements between brothers.

Part 3.

25:11.

There’ll be at least one more week of this story.

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#1601: Part 2 of “The Were-Wolf” by Clemence Housman

“The Were-Wolf” continues, as we finally meet the absent member of this Nordic household, and part of the mystery is revealed.

Part 2

25:00.

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#1594: Part 1, “The Were-Wolf” by Clemence Housman

“The Were-Wolf” is a Norse historical fantasy story by Clemence Housman. (She was A.E. Housman’s sister, and did both professional writing and illustration.) I think you’ll enjoy it both as a slice of olden life and a dark fantasy.

Part 1

28:37.

UPDATE: Broken link fixed. Augggggh! Sorry about that.

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