The Sea Beggars: A Novel

Written by Cecelia Holland

Narrated by Tim Bentinck

Against the background of the Protestant Reformation and conflicts between England and Spain, this novel relates the rise of the House of Orange and the beginnings of Dutch nationalism. The factual history of the conflict is long and complex, but Holland tells an insightful, if small, slice of a much bigger picture, through the stories of one Dutch family. Holland brings the reader into the action, fighting alongside Jan & Hanneke against Alva and the Spaniards who seek to crush their revolution.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dreamscape Media Audio
• Release date: Oct 11, 2016
• ISBN: 9781520049328

Cecelia Holland

Cecelia Holland was born in Henderson, Nevada, in 1943 and started writing at the age of twelve. Starting with The Firedrake in 1966, she has published twenty-one independent historical novels covering periods from the middle of the first millennium CE up through parts of the early twentieth century, and from Egypt, through Russia, central Europe, Scandinavia, Great Britain, and Ireland to the West Coast of the United States. Most recently, she has completed a series of five novels set in the world of the Vikings, covering a period of about fifty years during the tenth century and following the adventures of Corban Loosestrife and his descendants. The hallmark of her style is a vivid re-creation of time, place, and character, all true to known facts. She is highly regarded for her attention to detail, her insight into the characters she has researched and portrayed, and her battle scenes, which are vividly rendered and powerfully described. Holland has also published two nonfiction historical/biographic works, two children’s novels, a contemporary novel, and a science fiction novel, as well as a number of historical essays.  Holland has three daughters. She lives in Fortuna, California, and, once a week, teaches a class in creative writing at Pelican Bay State Prison in Crescent City, California. Holland's personal website is www.thefiredrake.com. 

Reviews for The Sea Beggars

[quondame · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I did complete it after trying twice before. I'm not sure why I had a problem other than it is quite grim, particularly at first when the main characters are nothing but leaves in a bitter wind.

[your_local_coyote · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a difficult book for me. The plot was accurate but almost too depressing to continue reading. I just found the disintegration of the family too upsetting and had to stop reading.