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Nicole Galland
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The Fool's Tale: A Novel Kindle Edition

by Nicole Galland (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
3.9 3.9 out of 5 stars 200 ratings
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Wales, 1198. A time of treachery, passion, and uncertainty. King Maelgwyn ap Cadwallon, known as Noble, struggles to protect his small kingdom from foes outside and inside his borders. Pressured into a marriage of political convenience, he takes as his bride the young, headstrong Isabel Mortimer, niece of his powerful English nemesis.

Through strength of character, Isabel wins her husband's grudging respect, but finds the Welsh court backward and barbaric, and is soon engaged in a battle of wills against Gwirion, the king's oldest, oddest, and most trusted friend. Before long, however, Gwirion and Isabel's mutual animosity is abruptly transformed, and the king finds himself as threatened by loved ones as by the enemies who menace his crown.

A masterful novel by a gifted storyteller, The Fool's Tale combines vivid historical fiction, compelling political intrigue, and passionate romance to create an intimate drama of three individuals bound -- and undone -- by love and loyalty.

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  1. Print length
    556 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    HarperCollins e-books
  5. Publication date
    October 13, 2009
  6. File size
    1471 KB
  7. Page Flip
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  8. Word Wise
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Screenwriter Galland debuts impressively with a steamy historical romance about a medieval Welsh queen's love affair with the king's best friend—his profane, hyperactive royal fool. The year is 1198, and King Maelgwyn (mercifully nicknamed Noble) of Maelienydd has wed the young Englishwoman Isabel Mortimer in hopes of neutralizing her uncle Roger, a powerful baron with designs on Noble's small kingdom. But almost from their wedding night, the political marriage of Isabel and Noble is a disaster: she is headstrong and tomboyish, "far from his ideal"; he is temperamental, tyrannical and unwilling to give up "nonconjugal fornication." Even worse for Isabel is his unfathomable relationship with the fool Gwirion, whose outrageous pranks and lewd public performances humiliate her. But when Noble goes off to fight Roger Mortimer, a siege on the castle by an opportunistic Welsh prince forces Isabel and Gwirion to confront each other, and to finally acknowledge their traitorous passion. Galland creates memorable characters—particularly Gwirion—who sound authentically regal yet earthy. She strikingly captures the murky Welsh setting and even murkier politics. The novel is occasionally short on plot, but readers will relish the energetic emotional back-and-forth of the protagonists' ceaseless trysting.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

It is Wales, in the year 1198, and King Maelgwyn ap Cadwallon, better known to his people as Noble, is fighting to keep his kingdom from falling to the English. To create an alliance, Noble weds Isabel Mortimer, the niece of the English baron Roger Mortimer, who years earlier killed Noble's father. Isabel has no easy time of it as Noble flaunts his mistresses in her face and allows Gwirion, Noble's oldest friend, to ridicule her without reproach. Gwirion, of unknown birth, holds the highest honor in Noble's court but has no real power. His sole purpose is to amuse the king, who gives him the affectionate title of "fool." But as threats of war from the English consume Noble, Gwirion and Isabel come to a truce, and their new relationship may also threaten Noble's crown. Galland's first novel is an entertaining saga adeptly weaving together political intrigue and deceit, love that both unifies and divides, loyalty that teeters on treason, and the desire for freedom, which comes with a hefty price. Carolyn Kubisz
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B000XU8DB0
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperCollins e-books; Reprint edition (October 13, 2009)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 13, 2009
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1471 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 556 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.9 3.9 out of 5 stars 200 ratings

About the author

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Nicole Galland

Nicole Galland

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Nicole Galland is the author of the contemporary comic novel Stepdog, as well as five works of historical fiction: I, Iago; The Fool's Tale; Godiva; Revenge of the Rose; and Crossed: A Tale of the Fourth Crusade. She is also co-author (with Neal Stephenson et al) of the "alternative history" trilogy The Mongoliad. Nicole grew up on Martha's Vineyard, where she now writes a cheeky etiquette column for the MV Times, and is co-founder of Shakespeare for the Masses, a project that irreverently makes the Bard accessible to the Bardophobics of the world. She is married to actor Billy Meleady and owns Leuco, one of the seven great dogs of the world.

Customer reviews

3.9 out of 5 stars
3.9 out of 5
200 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

KGKim16
5.0 out of 5 stars The Fool's Tale, Historical Fiction At It's Best!
Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2005
Verified Purchase
I must be honest my first impression of this book wasn't the best. I read a few pages into it when I encountered the phrase "unridered stallion" in a paragraph. I thought to myself, if this novel is full of more "different" phrases/words such as "unridered" I'm going to have a real problem finishing it. I'm happy to report that there were no more occurrences of these types of words (I don't even think that "unridered" is a genuine word) and I sailed through the rest of the book.

It takes place in the later part of the 12th century in Wales. The in-depth characters will have you hooked in no time! The Welsh King of Maelienydd, also called Noble (King Maelgwyn ap Cadwallon) marries Isabel Mortimer, niece to Roger Mortimer, a ruthless Marcher Baron in England. He hopes to quell Roger's constant forays into his kingdom to conquer more Welsh land. Things do not turn out that way, and to add more woes to his kingdom and his court, his friend and fool Gwirion is constantly at odds with his Queen, Isabel.

When Noble goes off to fight a battle with Roger he leaves Isabel and Gwirion behind at his castle. Things take a decidedly bizarre twist between Isabel and Gwirion when their castle is taken by a rival prince's band of men, and they are held prisoner together in a small room. From then on I was really captivated into reading more about these complex characters. Noble eventually returns to his home after being notified that his castle is under siege by an "enemy" force. He knows something is different between Gwirion and Isabel but he isn't sure what.

The ending in this book is so shocking and unbelievable that you'll just have to read this novel for yourself! This was absolutely surprising sleeper of a novel from a debut author! Read it, you will not be disappointed!
4 people found this helpful
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Andrea Cefalo
4.0 out of 5 stars All The Makings of a Shakespearian Tragedy
Reviewed in the United States on August 2, 2012
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The Fool's Tale follows the complex relationship of King Noble, his queen, Isabel, and his fool, Gwirion. The story begins during Noble's childhood as he travels with his father and their entourage. Suddenly a band of rogues, led by the power-hungry English nobleman, Roger Mortimer, ambushes the troupe leaving the king dead and his only son hiding in the bushes. Mortimer's men capture and torture the young Gwirion, the only survivor besides the king, in the hope that Gwirion will betray Noble's whereabouts so they can extinguish the line. Gwirion doesn't relent. A bell rings announcing the birth of Roger's niece, Isabel, and so the band relinquishes their search for Noble, leaving Gwirion horribly beaten.

The story jumps twenty years to the wedding of Noble and Isabel, Mortimer's niece. The marriage is entirely political, a desperate attempt by Noble to secure his kingdom. Isabel desires more out of the match, wishing to be Noble's most cherished companion, but she pales in Noble's heart when compared to Gwirion. At first, Gwirion is content in juggling three roles for his king: servant, entertainer, and companion. Gwirion's disillusionment grows when he sees his role as a favored pet more than a respected friend. The constant threats to the kingdom weigh heavily on Noble, pushing him closer to the edge with each crisis. Isabel and Gwirion question his motives, his actions, his affections for them both, and eventually his sanity. The two form a bond forged by their fear and fondness for the king that leads them down a slippery slope they haven't the strength to climb out of.

Nicole Galland masterfully constructs this twelfth century Welsh kingdom. Historical accuracies are simplified for the average reader and intertwined with the fiction, inspiring the reader to learn more about medieval Wales, but not forcing them to do research in order to understand the story. The pace is steady from beginning to middle. However, toward the end, the novel becomes a page-turner, leaving the reader ever wondering who shall meet their maker, how it shall happen, and when. The Fool's Tale has all the brilliant twists and turns of a Shakespearian tragedy with intelligently witty dialogue and character exchanges, as well.

Review Written by Andrea Cefalo, Author of The Fairytale Keeper series and chief editor at Obelisk Review
2 people found this helpful
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AB
3.0 out of 5 stars Just OK
Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2013
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This book was OK. I feel like it could have been half as long, as much of it ended up being repetitious events that just drove home the same point. I get it, the king values Gwirion over the queen. I didn't need it illustrated 25 different ways, after which everyone then talks again about how Gwiorion is more important to the king than the queen is. I did like the writing enough to finish it, then kind of wish I didn't, because -- that ending. The parts I found most interesting were all of the interpolitical tensions between the Welsh barons, Noble, and the Mortimers, but that was not the focus of the book and I understand it was just intended as a backdrop for the story that the author wanted to tell about these 3 specific people.
4 people found this helpful
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SerenityH
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful.
Reviewed in the United States on May 19, 2013
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I got this as a free book of the day and so went in with no expectations. This is not a historical fiction of the type where you are bored to tears with daily life descriptions of squatting in chamber pots and how mill flour with story mixed in. No, this is a story about a boy who is willing to give his life for his king and whose gamble pays off and what happens when he grows up. A boy king and a boy who loves the king. Each with power in their own way.

It is a sad tale, about the life of a king who must be obeyed and the friend who plays the fool for his entertainment. Theirs is a strange friendship, but one the king values and gives leeway for. Enter a third party, a woman, and all things change. Suddenly, the king has a wife his friend can't stand and a friend his wife is jealous of. Throw in a liberal helping of intrigue and the fool finds out just how alone his life really is. And then the story gets good. For what happens next shows how sometimes the playthings of jealous, spoiled kings can bond. And fall in love no matter how dangerous that love is.

A beautiful romance with enough back story and sub plots to keep a reader happy.
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Top reviews from other countries

Sophia Stephens
5.0 out of 5 stars very clever
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 11, 2011
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This book is great, very well written. I love the unusual turns of phrase and the fantastic dialogue. The author obviously really loves the taste and feel of words! I've read two of Nicole Galland's books now and they are such a refreshing change from the usual historical stodge and cliches that can tend to limit this genre.
2 people found this helpful
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Mrs Preston
3.0 out of 5 stars Not for me
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 12, 2013
Verified Purchase
Read Pillars of the Earth not too long ago and loved it. I thought this may be in the same league as I had read some good reviews and indeed it started off well, but quickly petered out and I found it quite a non event .
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