Bran ap Brychan is the sole
heir to the throne of Elfael, a commot in Wales. When his father is
viciously murdered along with his warband by the invading Normans, he
is understandably angry. Securing his people with the local clerics, he
takes off for Lundein, accompanied by his father’s Champion, and a
local Monk. They arrive in Lundein demanding justice for the heinous
act, only to find the King of England gone to Normandy on business of
his own, and the Cardinal acting in his stead to be less than helpful.
As they return to Elfael they are ambushed by a group of Normans, and
Bran is captured.
Negotiating with the new lord of Elfael, Bran
secures one day to collect a ransom for his own life. Unable to collect
the needed ransom, he runs. Nearly caught, with nothing but a cliff
left for escape, Bran prepares to be captured--but fate intervenes.
Bran falls to the pool below, and thinking him to be dead, the soldiers
break off the chase. Nursed back to health by a strange old woman, Bran
learns to be a king, and what’s more, a man. His people made slaves or
forced into hiding in their own lands, Bran finds something worth
fighting for. But how to gain the land back, and force the Normans out?
What seems at first to be a strange
setting for Robin Hood quickly becomes believable amidst the intrigues
of the day. In the back of the book, Lawhead provides detailed
information on why he chose Wales to set his story. He even provides
verbal pronouncements of some of the more difficult names on his
website. If you don’t see the word you’d like to hear pronounced,
there’s a spot to enter the word for future consideration.
Stephen R. Lawhead reaches back to his roots in the Pendragon Cycle
to turn a well known, and well loved, story into a real, plausible, and
at times, gripping tale. But if you’re seeking a magic filled fantasy,
this book may not be for you. Magic is in short supply in many of
Lawhead’s books, and more so in this one.
All of the characters are well developed
with realistic motivations, and Bran is no exception. For Bran, this is
not about being king and having control, this is a fight to free his
people from the oppression of foreign invading peoples who steal their
land, belongings, and even their lives.
Copyright Lori Fox. All rights reserved.
