Sun Horse, Moon Horse by Rosemary Sutcliff | The Uffington White Horse ”on the highest wave-lift of the Downs”
The Horse People of The Eagle of the Ninth different from the Horse People (Epidi) of Sun Horse, Moon Horse
Rosemary Sutcliff imagined the story behind the magical White Horse of Uffington for her 1977 children’s book (historical fiction) Sun Horse, Moon Horse. It involved the Epidi (meaning “Horse People”), a tribe that had also appeared in her earlier 1954 novel The Eagle of the Ninth. In the author’s note to the original publication she wrote:
If any of you who have read it have also followed the adventures of Marcus and Esca in The Eagle of the Ninth, and think that Lubrin’s people are not very like the Epidi who they found when they went north to rescue the eagle of the lost legion, I can only say that when I wrote that story, I had not read (T. C. Letherbridge’s bokk) Witches. And if I had, I would have made them a slightly different people. Though, of course, they might have changed quite a lot in more than two hundred years.
Earlier she explained the origins of her story, in a book by T. C. Letherbridge and an unusually old White Horse:
By Singing Light blogger thinks Rosemary Sutcliff’s Sun Horse, Moon Horse prose “amazing” but …
The Singing Light blogger has recently been reading Rosemary Sutcliff, loving the prose but not finding the book as good as The Mark of The Horse Lord.
Sun Horse, Moon Horse by Rosemary Sutcliff: Sutcliff’s prose is amazing as always–the descriptions of the land, of the seasons, of the drawings are simply gorgeous. This is a slight little book, and it shares many of the same themes as Mark of the Horse Lord, and yet it’s simply not as impressive as Mark, perhaps because we don’t have as long to get to know the characters, perhaps because Lubrin Dhu isn’t Phaedrus.
‘Rising star of historical fiction’ Ben Kane invites Rosemary Sutcliff to his dream dinner party
The Irish Times has recalled that Ben Kane has been “described by Wilbur Smith as ‘the rising star of historical fiction’ “. He has written nine novels—and is a great fan of Rosemary Sutcliff. (The latest book, the fourth in his Hannibal series, is Hannibal: Clouds of War). He answered various questions on his writing life, at two points referring to Rosemary Sutcliff.
What was your favourite book as a child?
I read so many, and it’s long enough ago that it’s hard to remember. Either The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff or Sir Nigel by Arthur Conan Doyle.Which writers, living or dead, would you invite to your dream dinner party?
JRR Tolkien, Rosemary Sutcliff, Rene Goscinny, Albert Uderzo, Christian Cameron, Wilbur Smith, Guy Gavriel Kay, Michael Scott Rohan.
Intriguingly, Rosemary too was a fan of Asterix (by Uderzo and Goscinny).
Source: Brought to Book: Ben Kane on his writing life | The Irish Times – Mar 24, 2014
All Rosemary Sutcliff Titles: Original Publication Dates | Adult, young-adult and children’s fiction; children’s books; retellings; picture books
Listed here is every title by Rosemary Sutcliff, the author and writer of historical fiction and children’s books. (Regular followers—and other visitors—you may like to check that this accords with your understanding. All comments about inaccuracies and additions are very welcome, below)
Eagle of the Ninth and similar
The Eagle of the Ninth (1954), illustrated by C. Walter Hodges
The Silver Branch (1957), illustrated by Charles Keeping
The Lantern Bearers (1959), illustrated by Charles Keeping
The Capricorn Bracelet (1973), illustrated by Charles Keeping
Three Legions (1980), omnibus edition containing the first three books Read More »
ROSEMARY SUTCLIFF (1920-92) 