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Rite Of Conquest by Judith Tarr
01/10/2004 . Source: Pauline Morgan 
pub: ROC. 375 page paperback. Price: $16.00 (US), $23.50 (CAN). ISBN: 0-451-46002-2. Buy from Amazon US - Buy from Amazon UK
nb: US titles may only be available from Amazon US, and UK titles from Amazon UK. check out website: www.penguin.com
I have always believed that the Normans cheated in 1066. I know, I was there. To be precise, I was a water carrier during the re-enactment of the Battle of Hastings in October 2000. As non-combatants, we were only supposed to be on the battlefield during agreed lulls in the action. Instead, the Normans started firing arrows at us. I thought it was because they didn't understand Anglo-Saxon.
The real reason, according to this novel, is that William had magic to aid him.
The idea of Arthur being the 'Once and Future King' who will return in time of need is an enduring myth. Some suggest that he will physically return from the Blessed Isles, magically healed of his wounds and still in his prime.
A more practical proposition is re-incarnation. In 'Rite Of Conquest', not only is William Arthur reborn but the latest in a line of heroes including Bran. As kings, they are the essence of the land. Britain is a magical island but, by the eleventh century, the prayers of the Christian Saxons have driven most magical beings out of the country and are slowly killing the magic. The same is not true in Normandy and other parts of Europe where Christianity and the old magic are able to exist in relative harmony. Indeed, some of those who practise magic are also high in the echelons of the Christian church. The Guardians of the land are determined to reverse the process in Britain and restore the magic. Thus, the conception of William is engineered to provide a vessel for the reborn king.
In a novel like this, the author has several monumental tasks. The first is to convince the reader of the historical accuracy of the work. Judith Tarr is a historian. Where she deviates from the facts she does from a position of knowledge and acknowledges it in an afterword. These are relatively minor infractions and in areas where there could be uncertainty.
As 'Rite Of Conquest' is based on well-documented events, probably the greatest difficulty is in developing tensions and provided the unexpected twists that keep the reader turning the page in spite of knowing exactly how the conflict will end. Tarr partially succeeds. William had a difficult and dangerous childhood and as a youth, was beset by all those who thought he had no right to the dukedom of Normandy.
This part of the novel is sketchily drawn and the characters are not developed to any great extent. It seems brief with several missed opportunities to develop it to greater depth. In the later stages, it works better as a shorter period of time is covered. The emphasis has to be not on the outcome of William's physical battle for the kingship of Britain, but how the magical elements are going to be resolved.
Another way of approaching this kind of book is to concentrate on the personalities, characters and conflicts which are often the strength of a historical novel. There are tentative attempts to do this, especially near the beginning when Matilda is sent to the court of the French king to tutor William is the magical arts. Although there is an initial antipathy between them, there is again insufficient development.
When marriage is suggested, Matilda is initially dead set against it but is persuaded by those more powerful than she is. Yet this is supposed to be a love match. There are hints and touches but the details are passed over in order to keep the historical path going.
There are some good, set-piece scenes, mostly involving the magical aspects of the story. Often these seem isolated. This may be a function of the narrative, a problem when a large period of time is being considered. There was so much potential here, it is a shame that this falls short of the mark. Tarr can write about historical characters with great feeling and depth. Her Egyptian novel, 'Throne Of Isis', about the relationship between Anthony and Cleopatra, shows brilliantly what she is capable of.
Others writers have done similar things by adding magic to other time periods. Notable amongst them are John M. Ford with 'A Dragon Waiting' and Freda Warrington in 'The Court Of The Midnight King'. Both these authors have taken Richard III as their historical character and imbued them with the magic that Tarr does not quite manage in 'Rite Of Conquest'.
Pauline Morgan
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