The Shining Company

Written by Rosemary Sutcliff

Narrated by Johanna Ward

A white stag and a dagger transform the life of Prosper, a Welsh chieftan’s son. With Conn, his bodyservant, he leaves his isolated valley and joins the war band of King Mynyddog the Golden as a shieldbearer. For the Saxons have returned to threaten the northern tribes of Britain, and the Shining Company-a brotherhood of three hundred chosen warriors-must make a desperate attempt to repel invaders.

And with the Company travels the minstrel Aneirin, who will keep their names and their glory alive forever more.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Blackstone Audio
• Release date: Sep 30, 2008
• ISBN: 9780786120031

Rosemary Sutcliff

Rosemary Sutcliff (1920-1992) wrote dozens of books for young readers, including her award-winning Roman Britain trilogy, The Eagle of the Ninth, The Silver Branch, and The Lantern Bearers, which won the Carnegie Medal. The Eagle of the Ninth is now a major motion picture, The Eagle, directed by Kevin MacDonald and starring Channing Tatum. Born in Surrey, Sutcliff spent her childhood in Malta and on various other naval bases where her father was stationed. At a young age, she contracted Still's Disease, which confined her to a wheelchair for most of her life. Shortly before her death, she was named Commander of the British Empire (CBE) one of Britain's most prestigious honors. She died in West Sussex, England, in 1992.

Reviews for The Shining Company

[mutantpudding · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I liked this style of historical fiction, though the writing does feel dated (in a decades old way, not centuries old). Epic battles and heroes mix with more everyday stories. Its a war story really so it is somewhat gruesome but not overly so. I had a hard time remembering who the heck everyone was but I got the main plot points ok.

[amanda4242_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I read Y Gododdin a few years ago and mostly just took away that it's elegies for a band of warriors who feasted for a long time and then promptly got themselves slaughtered. Sutcliff's retelling of the story really fleshes out character and the logic behind the forming of the company, as well showing off her masterful ability to evoke historical periods.

[dinadansfriend · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

One of my favourite Sutcliff's. Though not part of the Dolphin cycle, this redacton of "the Poem of Goddoddyn" remains a good tight story with fleshy characters. Someday I mean to gety to Catterick just to pace it all out. One of her last books, I think.

[schant-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

She writes wonderfully about Dark Ages Britain.

[gwernin · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the story of Y Gododdin - of the three hundred British warriors who rode from Dun Eidyn (modern Edinburgh) to Catraeth (possibly Catterick in Yorkshire) in order to fight the Saxon incomers there, perhaps a hundred years after King Arthur. Their tale survives only in the long poem, or rather collection of poems, written by Aneirin their bard. The story is told here by one of the shield-bearers - secondary fighters who supported the warriors, rather like squires to a knight. Long may they all be remembered!