With the Black Prince

Stoddard, William O., 1835-1925Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.5

Word count: 294K words
Chapters: 30

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today. With the Black Prince by William O. Stoddard Author: Stoddard, William O., 1835-1925, Language: English, Class: PZ: Language and Literatures: Juvenile belles lettres, Release Date: Jul 9, 2014

Editor's review

This work is a historical adventure novel written by William O. Stoddard for young readers, set against the backdrop of Edward the Black Prince during the Hundred Years' War. Stoddard, a former journalist and author of children's literature, typically emphasized plot momentum and the coming-of-age experience of a young protagonist, and this book follows the same approach: fictional characters' adventures are embedded within a real historical framework, letting readers accompany the protagonist through knightly life, battlefield experiences, and tests of loyalty. As a public-domain eBook, it preserves the typical style of juvenile historical fiction from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries—clear narration, brisk pacing, and unambiguous values—making it suitable as introductory material for understanding this genre and medieval warfare narratives. While reading, note how the author handles the relationship between historical fact and fiction, and how the theme of youthful growth is developed through military adventure. For readers studying the history of children's literature or the evolution of historical fiction, this short work offers a concrete and perceptible sample.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Young readers interested in medieval knight themes and historical adventure stories
Literature enthusiasts who want to understand the writing style of late nineteenth-century juvenile historical fiction
Intermediate English learners who need public-domain English texts for reading practice
Beginning readers studying the history of children's literature or the historical fiction genre

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting rigorous historical verification or an academically annotated edition
Readers who prefer modern fast-paced narratives and lack patience for old-fashioned prose
Readers with weak English basics who need a Chinese translation for support

Reading tips

First learn the basic background of the Black Prince and the Hundred Years' War before entering the story; the historical threads will be clearer.
Read alongside the original English text; when encountering old-fashioned expressions, read the whole paragraph first and then look up word meanings.
After reading, sort out the boundary between historical fact and fictional plot as an exercise in understanding the techniques of historical fiction.
If used for shared reading with young people, organize discussions around the protagonist's choices and the theme of loyalty.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book a historical work or a fictional novel?

According to the catalog labeling, this book falls under juvenile literature and is an adventure novel set in the era of the Black Prince, not a historical monograph. It borrows real historical figures and a war background, but the main storyline revolves around fictional characters; it should be read as literature rather than used as historical source material.

Can I understand it without knowledge of medieval history?

The basic plot is understandable. The author wrote for young readers, and the narration is relatively straightforward. However, prior familiarity with the Hundred Years' War, the knightly system, and similar background knowledge will make it easier to understand the characters' situations and the context of events, and will make for a smoother reading experience.

What are the features of this edition?

This is a free eBook edition from Project Gutenberg, in English, and is a public-domain text. It has no notes or introduction from a modern editor; the formatting is based primarily on the original text, making it suitable for independent reading or as practice material in public-domain English.

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About the author

Stoddard, William O., 1835-1925 Author

William O. Stoddard (1835–1925) is known for historical adventure novels and coming-of-age stories for young readers, and his works hold a modest place in inspirational and growth-oriented reading. His fiction often draws on historical settings such as the Middle Ages, colonial America, and the frontier: With the Black Prince centers on a boy's experiences in the Hundred Years' War, The Noank's Log is set against Revolutionary War privateering, The Talking Leaves deals with Indian themes, and Ulric the Jarl reaches back to older Norse legend. Books such as Dab Kinzer: A Story of a Growing Boy, Ned, the son of Webb, and The Village Champion stay close to the theme of growing up, emphasizing the testing of will and character. Stoddard's narratives typically combine adventure with youthful development in a plain, brisk style suited to young readers. Public information about his life is limited; the collection here contains 13 works, mostly historical and coming-of-age novels for young readers.