Title: Pavane
Author: Keith Roberts
First published January 1, 1968
277 pages, Paperback
ISBN: 9780345440914 (ISBN10: 0345440919)
Rating: 3.7
Overview
In an alternate world, the year is 1588 and Queen Elizabeth is assassinated. The outcome is a chain of events that leads to the downfall of Protestantism and the rise of the Church of Rome.
Fast forward to the 20th century and the world has transformed into a pastoral existence run by guilds and farming with technology that hasn’t advanced beyond steam locomotives and radio. However, science cannot be suppressed forever and a revolution is brewing.
Follow the gripping tale of a world on the cusp of change, where the boundaries between science and religion are blurred and the consequences of one pivotal event reverberate through time.
About the Author
Keith John Kingston Roberts was a renowned British science fiction author. He kickstarted his career by publishing two stories in the September 1964 edition of Science Fantasy magazine.
These included “Anita,” the first of a series of stories that featured a modern teenage witch and her quirky grandmother, and “Escapism.” During his early days, he used the pseudonym Alistair Bevan for some of his writing.
However, his most famous work is his second novel, Pavane, which is a collection of interconnected stories. This novel is an alternate history tale where the Roman Catholic Church takes over England after Queen Elizabeth I is assassinated.
Roberts went on to write several other novels and short stories, and he also worked as an illustrator. He designed covers and interior artwork for publications such as New Worlds and Science Fantasy, which was later renamed Impulse.
While Harry Harrison was the nominal editor, Roberts served as the editor for the last few issues of Impulse.
In his later years, Roberts resided in Salisbury. Unfortunately, he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1990, and he died from complications related to the disease in October 2000.
His obituaries remembered him as a gifted but personally challenging author, who had a history of disputes with his publishers, editors, and colleagues.
Editoral Review
Pavane by Keith Roberts is an iconic work of science fiction that has stood the test of time since its initial publication in 1968. Roberts, a British author who was at the forefront of the New Wave movement in science fiction, created a world in Pavane that is both hauntingly familiar and entirely foreign.
The book is a collection of interlinked stories that are set in an alternate reality where Queen Elizabeth I was assassinated, and the Catholic Church has remained the dominant force in Europe.
While Pavane is certainly set in an alternate reality, its themes and style are firmly grounded in traditional English culture.
Roberts’ writing is rich with poetic language and vivid descriptions of the pastoral landscapes that are characteristic of the English countryside. The book explores themes such as faith, family, and duty against the backdrop of a world that is both medieval and futuristic.
