Book Review: Ruled Britannia

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Ruled Britannia     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
Harry Turtledove
Class/Genre:   Fantasy   Alternate History
NAL, Nov 2002, $24.95, 464 pp.

On an earth that never was but could have been, The Spanish Armada was triumphant and landed in England. Queen Elizabeth was sent to the London Tower and King Phillip II of Spain’s daughter Isabella and her husband Albert rule the land, forcing the Protestants into hiding and making Catholicism the state religion. Spanish soldiers are an army of occupation and the English Inquisition is a powerful instrument of the church.

William Shakespeare is not a political man. All he wants to do is have his plays produced for the masses to see. Will is approached by Sir William Cecil, Elizabeth’s prime advisor to write a play that will appeal to England’s sense of patriotism so that they will, when called upon, overthrow their Spanish masters. Will rises to the occasion and begins writing a drama while knowing that one mistake will mean his and the troupe’s death by the flames.

RULED BRITANNIA is a fascinating stand-alone work of alternate history as Harry Turtledove departs from his American opus to provide a compelling work that is believable and shows what might have been if the storm and Drake had not caused havoc on the Armada. Using William Shakespeare as the hero and the reluctant catalyst to signal the beginning of the revolution is an inspired plot device, one that guarantees reader interest for more than just Mr. Turtledove’s legion of fans.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner