''Time and Chance'' is a historical novel written by

Sharon Kay Penman Sharon Kay Penman (August 13, 1945 – January 22, 2021) was an American historical novelist, published in the UK as Sharon Penman. She was best known for the Welsh Princes trilogy and the Plantagenet series. In addition, she wrote four medieval ...

published in 2002 and is the second volume in the Plantagenet

trilogy A trilogy is a set of three works of art that are connected and can be seen either as a single work or as three individual works. They are commonly found in literature, film, and video games, and are less common in other art forms. Three-part wor ...

, preceded by ''

When Christ and His Saints Slept ''When Christ and His Saints Slept'' is a historical novel written by Sharon Kay Penman, published in 1994. It is the first of Penman's Plantagenet trilogy, (ultimately five books) followed by '' Time and Chance'', ''Devil's Brood'', '' Lionhea ...

'' and followed by ''

Devil's Brood ''Devil's Brood'' is a historical novel written by Sharon Kay Penman, published in 2008, and is the third volume in her Plantagenet series, preceded by '' When Christ and His Saints Slept'' and '' Time and Chance'', and followed by ''Lionheart'' ...

.''

Plot

''Time and Chance'' is about King Henry II,

Eleanor of Aquitaine Eleanor ( – 1 April 1204; french: Aliénor d'Aquitaine, ) was Queen of France from 1137 to 1152 as the wife of King Louis VII, Queen of England from 1154 to 1189 as the wife of King Henry II, and Duchess of Aquitaine in her own right from ...

, and the rift between Henry II and

Thomas Becket Thomas Becket (), also known as Saint Thomas of Canterbury, Thomas of London and later Thomas à Becket (21 December 1119 or 1120 – 29 December 1170), was an English nobleman who served as Lord Chancellor from 1155 to 1162, and then ...

. ''Time and Chance'' is the sequel to Penman's ''When Christ and His Saints Slept'' and spans a 15-year period from 1156 to 1171. Penman brings alive for the reader the period as King Henry II becomes increasingly estranged from his wife Eleanor of Aquitaine (although Eleanor and Henry have eight children during the eight years), and from his close friend and adviser Thomas Becket. King Henry II's decision to elevate Becket to

Archbishop of Canterbury The archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and a principal leader of the Church of England, the ceremonial head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. The current archbishop is Justi ...

is a fulcrum for discord between Henry and Eleanor. Moreover, Becket must reconcile duty to his sovereign and duty to his God which ultimately leads to his death and martyrdom and stains King Henry II's reign. The novel ends with a detailed description of Becket's death: the knights who pursued him inform Becket he was to go to Winchester to give an account of his actions, but Becket refuses. At this, they retrieve their weapons and rush inside the cathedral for the killing. With the third and final blow, the crown of his head was separated from the head, and the blood dyes the floor of the cathedral.

Development

In her Plantagenet Trilogy Penman chronicles King Henry II's life, beginning with his childhood in "When Christ and His Saints Slept." Of Henry II and his wife

, Penman explains:

Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine were larger than life, legends in their own lifetimes. He was one of the greatest of the medieval kings, and she was the only woman to wear the crowns of both England and France. They loved and fought and schemed on a stage that stretched from the Scots border to the Mediterranean Sea. Their children were branded by contemporaries as "The Devil's Brood," but they founded a dynasty that was to rule England for three hundred years. My first novel in their trilogy, ''When Christ and His Saints Slept'', traces the beginning of their tempestuous union. ''Time and Chance'' continues their story at high noon. From the greenwoods of Wales to a bloodied floor at Canterbury Cathedral, theirs was an amazing story, and I very much enjoyed being along for the ride!

Reception

''Time and Chance'' became a

New York Times bestseller ''The New York Times'' Best Seller list is widely considered the preeminent list of best-selling books in the United States. John Bear, ''The #1 New York Times Best Seller: intriguing facts about the 484 books that have been #1 New York Times ...

References

{{Sharon Kay Penman Plantagenet trilogy 2002 American novels Novels set in the Middle Ages Cultural depictions of English monarchs Cultural depictions of Thomas Becket Cultural depictions of Eleanor of Aquitaine Novels set in the 12th century Martyrdom in fiction G. P. Putnam's Sons books