Historical Books

This follow up to Lord of the Fading Lands is FANTASTIC! I highly recommend this one. This series is so compelling you won't want to put it down. If you don't already have the first one, make sure you buy both b/c you won't want to wait for the 2nd one to come in the mail - its that good!

Followup to Lord of the Fading Lands. The romance between Elysetta & Rain continues, lots of political intrigue and adventure, and Elysetta comes into her powers in a most satifying way (no more wimpy doormat! I feel like singing!).

This is the second book in the series. The first is Lord of the Fading Lands, These books are a must read they are awsome, if you love a great story with lots of turns that keep you guessing you will love them. They are one of the greatest stories I have ever read....

The next book comes out in Sept. of 2008

This book the second in a series by a brand new author. The first in the series is LORD OF THE FADING LANDS, and her next two in the series come out in Oct and Nov of this year.

This book was well written with great character developement between the leading characters. This book starts off at the exact spot that the other one ended.

I won't go into a synops for others have done that. This book would also be a great read for a YA or your teenage daugther for there is only one very very mild love/sex scene at the very end of the book and it is very tastefully done so that you would not be embarrased.

I have recommended this series to everyone I meet. It's a keeper. C.L. Wilson weaves her story where you don't want the book or the series to end, and I still in awe that this is only her second book for she is tht good.

Keep it up C.L. Wilson!!

I am not ordinarily a fan of so called romance novels, but this continuation of the Tairen Soul books is certainly far more than a mere romance. The author creates a fantasy world that is full of intrigue, and characters that are compelling and complete whether good or evil. This should be listed in the fantasy fiction category for while there is compelling romance, it doesn't take over the whole story line. I love it and I can't wait until the next books are available.

I bought this book in hardcover form when I was 18 or 19. It sat on a bookshelf for a decade or more having never been read by me or anyone. Then it disappeared somehow through movings and such. Recently, some 25 years later, I found a used paperback copy at my local library and purchased it. This time I read it and kicked myself for days for having not read it so many years ago. I must agree with many of the other reviews. This is a wonderful book. Full of nostalgia and humor and so many other things. The characters become part of you and you don't want the book to end. I purposely did not read it quickly because I knew right away I was going to enjoy it. And I did. I love stories about nostalgia. I am nostalgic so I guess I identify with George. But all the characters are wonderfully illuminated by Mr Myrer and you feel like you know them personally. The use of the music of the 40's and 50's is great. A nice touch. Particularly if you love this kind of music. Which I do. A must read. Try it.

I read this while in college almost 30 years ago and still recommend it to people from my list of "best books of my life." Myrer is incredible and "Once an Eagle' should be also considered. One of the greatest books in American Literature!

This book really encapsulates the experience of the World War II generation, and brings it alive for Boomers and Gen X readers. I would put this in the top twenty of the best novels I have ever read.

I first read this book probably 15 years ago, and I still pick it up and re-read it once in a while. It's so well-written, it makes me nostalgic for a time I didn't even live through! While it's about a group of college friends starting out in the 1940s, I think the story and its emotions are timeless enough to appeal to anyone. I saw parallels to my own experiences in college during the late 1970s, minus the war. The characters are so real, and they stay with you long after you've finished the book.

The Last Convertible is an esquiste trek through the past. Author Anton Myrer takes us on a journey into the lives of five young men who meet and become friends while attending Harvard in the era surrounding WWII. They are bound by a fantastic automobile - a gargantuan Packard nicknamed the Empress. Each of the men has a unique life backstory and is uniquely created to demonstrate a life of his own. Myrer introduces us to their girlfriends and families as we journey through these war years learning of their lives and loves and adventures.

I first read this novel while in university. I was an English lit major and I neglected my own studies for a period so that I could finish this wonderful book. I passed the book off to all my friends and my girlfriend. We were already living our own version of this comraderie so reading about this "romantic" era's friends only reinforced what we had. It was as if I could smell the same air and feel the same breezes as the characters.

The only problem arises after the characters leave Harvard. Once they move into the real world, their lives seem forced and not as interesting as they did when they are all together as a unit. It is as if the total is not equal to a sum of the parts.

It is still refreshing to read a story that provides us with such a vast landscape, so finely crafted. It is a book filled with prose-like writing that is elaborate and detailed without being bogged down by the words.

I really can't recommend this book enough. I think that you will find this to be a book you can expect to one day be taught in school.

yeas the most popular book on sir winston but mistakes are in it and volume three will appear after a 20 years break .

The finest biography of Churchill (and one of the best biographies of anyone else) ever written. Manchester is unequaled in providing a balanced, thorough and readable product. Only down side is that he died before completing the third and final book on Churchill.

William Manchester is a tremendous writer. A man like Churchill deserved to have his biography writted by a writer as gifted as him.
I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting, not only to learn much about the great man Churchill, but also to have their mind expanded and stretched by excellent literature like this. There are not many people writing like this today, sadly enough.
This is not an easy read, in fact most people will do well to have a dictionary near by - but it is worth it. Drink deeply and you will learn so much more than you would have thought possible about the world from the late 19th century up through WWII.
Drink it up! 6 stars.

This is a very good analysis of Churchill, a thorough and colorfull portrait of a man I consider to be the greatest man of the 20th century. I have only two complaints, first I would have liked to have known more about his life with his wife and children. I also would have liked to have known what he thought of the Lusitania sinking. Not only does Manchester say nothing about Churchill's role in this business but the word Lusitania is not mentioned at all in nearly 2000 pages. Very strange. The letters of Churchill point out the chivalrousness and romantic nature that the public has not seen. All in all - very good and well worth a good read.

This fully lives up to its reputation as perhaps the best biography ever written. Manchester does a peerless, masterful job filling in the background colors and giving a complete picture of Churchill from a young man into his early fifties. As Manchester emphasizes, this background was essentially the decline and fall of the British Empire and the aristocracy who ran it. Manchester's main point, that Churchill was a Victorian who also lived in the twentieth century, is brilliantly made. Churchill himself is presented in all his perplexing, influriating splendor: an impetuous, charming, ambitious genius who all too often jumped out of the plane without a parachute. If you wish to know why he was rejected by the British people at the polls just after his greatest triumph (and job done) this fascinating volume of his early triumphs and memorable failures is indispensible (answer: they needed his boistrous energy in war but they didn't trust him in peace

I have purchased the entire set of these books from Amazon. They were all delivered in great condition, not to mention how exciting it is to read about the "olden" days and how life was lived before trains, planes, automobiles, stupid music and electricity!!! WHAT????..No washer?..Go to the river! No dryer?..Wait for the sun to shine!...No toilet paper?..use your own imagination on that one! And get hooked on these great books.

Though the book does follow the basic formula of the other books in the series, it has quirks and differences that make it absolutely hilarious and engrossing. Not that the book is a comedy, but the way the characters interact is priceless.
I admit, I'm pretty bored with the basic plot of these books -- variations on Young Person Runs Away From Arranged Future (or abusive tribesmember) -- but even if this series has left you cold due to the politics (if that's the case, just ignore the beginning), get this book! A well-turned tale, with wonderful, sympathetic characters and a wonderful tour of maybe a third of North America.

But I have loved all the books in the series. That being said, this one was fabulous. They Gears do a good job of making the stories interesting and entertaining but if you are into the pre-history there is so much information in there well placed in broad daylight but it all blends together beautifully.

I've loved everything I've read by the Gears and I've read just about everything they have published. Wonderful interposing of fiction onto the facts! They use their expertise as anthropologists and as story tellers to combine what really has been found about North American Indians and interpose a very believable story onto it. They really make the past come alive! The inclusion of what has really been found by anthropologists adds tremendously to the books!

If you like the Gears and haven't read it you need to. If you haven't read the Gears try this one. This was the first one I read and I had a bit of a problem at first following there style of writing a book...but I got over that fairly quickly as things progressed and I realized what and how it was written.

These characters are absolutely endearing. Based on historical facts of the Hopewells it is a marvelous journey based on suspense, humor and the supernatural. It made me addicted and craving more of there books! Try it out, as you can see I am not the only one telling you you won't be disappointed!

This book is about a 10 year old girl named Sookan and she lives with her mother, grandfather,aunt, and little brother. They live in North Korea in 1945. Her and her mother and aunt work in a sock factory for the Japanese soliders in World War II. They had a Captain Narita and he came by and it was her sister's birthday and mother went to go get a book from older sister at the convent. Mother gave it to her and Captain Narita told his men to destroy it. Sookan's mother can't even have a garden or else Captain Narita will have his men step on them. Her father is in the military and her sister is in a convent. Also, her older brothers were sent away tp labor camps. The war ends and the Japanese lose. The Russions take over North Korea and brainwash them into loving Russia, so Sookan and her brother must go to South Korea because she thinks that her dad and older brothers and sister are waiting for them. She hopes she will find freedom in South Korea. I think that is really sad to not have your father around or older brothers and to have to work in the sock factory. Also, I liked how her and her brother stood side by side. This book is a Fantasy book and the theme is Fictional.

Sookan is a 10-year old girl living in Korea in 1945. The Japanese have taken over and force communist ideas and laws onto the Koreans. Each day, Captain Narita inspects the house and backyard. Their backyard holds a shack that is used for sock-making. The sock-girls would work day and night trying to meet their quotas. Koreans are deprived of rice and money. The children, including Sookan and her brother Inchun, have to attend a very strict Japanese run school. When the Japanese leave, the Koreans rejoice, but are shortly taken over by the Russians. Things begin to get worse, and Sookan, with her mother and brother, try desperately to escape to the South where the Americans are.

This historical fiction book takes you along the incredible journey of 2 children as they take drastic forms of lifestyles to earn the freedom they deserve. The beginning of this book started out slow, but took fast pace when the Russians were introduced. The author has a wonderful writing style that truly makes you feel like you are part of the story, especially near the end. This is my favorite book and I recommend it to everybody of all ages. Do not miss out on this surprisingly realistic journey.

Sookan is ten years old, living in Korea with her mother, grandfather, aunt, cousin, and little brother. World War II is going on and things are very hard in Korea. The Japanese forces are in control of their country and they treat the Korean people like slaves in their own home, making them give up all valuables to help the Japanese army, putting them to work making clothing for the Japanese and sending the children to schools where they make weapons and learn propaganda about the Japanese army. More than anything, Sookan wishes she were with her father, her older sister or her three older brothers, who are all far away. Her father is working with the resistance forces, her brothers have been taken away to labor camps and her sister is in a convent.

Then after what seems like an eternity of being at war and under Japanese control, the war is over and the Japanese have lost. Sookan and her family think that things will be much better now, but then they find that their country has been divided into two parts. Rather than being helped by the Americans as they'd hoped, they are instead under Russian control, and the Russians seem determined to brainwash everyone into loving Russia. They make everyone go to meetings to show their support and those in authority are constantly looking for traitors. It becomes clear to Sookan's mother that they need to get to South Korea where the Americans are, and where she expects Sookan's father and brothers may be waiting for them. But will Sookan and her little brother be able to make the journey to safety?

I liked the descriptions of what life in Korea was like during the war. It's hard to imagine what was going on in other countries when we mostly hear about what was happening in our country. I also liked the interaction between Sookan and her brother. They were really nice to each other and probably wouldn't have made it without each other's help.

It was sad to read about the lives of the Koreans during the war; it sounds like such a horrible way for anyone to spend a childhood.

You MUST read this book and the two other books by Choi-Echoes of White Giraffe & Gathering of Pearls. All three books are written from Sookan's perspective, as she grows up in the midst of the Japanese occupation, the war and in America, as a foreign college student. Aside from the cultural issues, as well as historic issues, the plot flows very well. The stories are very personal & honest. I really enjoyed these books and I know that when my kids, ages 5 and 9, get a little older, they will also. These are enjoyable and educational stories.

The Year of Impossible Goodbyes is written by Sook Nyul Choi. The book is 169 pages in length. It is about a girl named Sookan who lives in Korea during World War II. At this time, Korea is under control of the Japanese. Sookan and her family are being suppressed by the Japanese. Sookan's mother is a supervisor at a sock factory. But, the workers at the sock factory were sent away to the war, forcing Sookan's mother to close down the factory. Then, Sookan is sent to a Japanese school, where she learns about Japan and nothing else. But soon after, the war ends! Freedom at last! Sookan and her family rejoice! But neither the rest of their family nor the sock girls have returned. Sookan is worried. Also, to make things worse, Russia took over North Korea, and they again are suppressed. But, after a couple of attempts, she and her family make it to liberated South Korea!
Sookan is kind, loving, compassionate, smart child. She takes care of others and has an unbroken spirit. She is resolute and determined.
Sookan faces many conflicts throughout this book. First, she hates her enemies, the Japanese, who have been occupying her country for many years. She is taught not to hate; yet she is unable to suppress these feelings. Sookan knows that if she spoke what is on her mind, her whole family could be executed. Luckily, she is mature enough to realize this and keeps her emotions to herself.
Another of Sookan's conflicts is her attempt to escape from northern Korea. She gets separated from her mother at the passport checkpoint and is left with caring for her younger brother. Sookan is ten years old and has neither currency nor provisions. She is by herself. Escaping is very risky and life hostile. Sookan and her brother stay alive on their own and make it to South Korea; where they are reunited with their family.
Finally, the Japanese occupying Korea is another conflict Sookan has to face. The Japanese suppress Sookan's family, forcing them to do Japan's bidding. The Japanese police take their belongings to help in the war effort and force Sookan's mother to supervise a sock factory. Sookan's patience helped her wait out the war.
The author uses the reoccurring theme of determination in her novel. An example of this theme is when Sookan gets divided from her mother at the identification checkpoint and is left with caring for her youthful sibling. Sookan is ten years old and has no money or food. She is on her own. Escaping is very dangerous and life threatening. Sookan and her brother manage to survive on their own and finally reach South Korea, where they are reunited with her family. This shows determination because she is only ten in an unknown world. She has no money and has to take care of her younger brother.
Another example of the determination theme occurs at the beginning of the story. The Japanese suppress Sookan's family, forcing them to do Japan's bidding. In fact, the Japanese police take their belongings to help in the war effort and force Sookan's mother to supervise a sock factory. Still, Sookan's patience helped her wait out the war. This shows determination because she does not give up her life and try to run away, but is patient.
The style of novel is very unique. Author Sook Choi writes in first person view and adds very smooth sentences. Most of her sentences are like this,"Listening to this boy was as refreshing as diving into a cool stream". In this sentence she uses many descriptive words and there was no comma to slow it down. Choi's sentences are both short and long. Many authors use only one kind of sentence. This is what makes this novel and author unique.
The plot, characters, theme, and style are all good, which makes this book really fun to read. It's filled with adventures and many other thrilling topics. This book is great for most ages. I recommend this book to whoever loves adventure!

Ms. Johnson's book, The Alley of Wishes deserves five stars for her character development, story line and romantic drama and an additional five stars for her poetic writing style which totally engages the reader in this most poignant story of two people broken by war and life. I read Ms. Johnson's Grass Dance several years ago and hoped there would be more wonderful prose coming from this exceptionally talented writer. I wasn't disappointed and you won't be either.

It isn't often that readers fall in love with a book's protagonist before reading chapter one, but that was the case for me with Beck Sanow in THE ALLEY OF WISHES. The author's description in the book's dedication of how Beck came to be in her imagination was enough to establish a permanent place for him in my heart, and he never once disappointed me throughout the story.

The story of Beck and his wounded French songbird Cerise is written in Laurel Johnson's poetic style that reads like a sonnet to her readers. Theirs is a love that transcends the horrors of war, the savagery of evil men, and the debilitating sorrow of losing a piece of one's heart. The amazing thing is how the reader is left with an enduring sense of hope and joy even after enduring so much heartache with the characters, and that can be attributed to the author's gift for lyrical storytelling.

My only complaint is that Beck's parents and their own love story aren't introduced until near the book's end, because I wanted to experience it firsthand as I did their son's. I guess I'll have to hope for a prequel as well as a sequel to this unforgettable book.

The Alley Of Wishes is just one of those books you never want to end! I loved everything about this story and think most readers will agree with me! Buy it today. You'll be glad you did!

A friend gave me her copy of "The Alley of Wishes," to take along with me on my flight overseas. Reading this wonderful story made the long flight seems like only moments in the air. I loved this story and am thrilled to have found a new writer that I enjoy and will now go in search of more books by Ms. Johnson.

Laurel Johnson, is a beautiful woman as well as a beautiful writer...SUCH A TALENT! ~ I have been a fan of this fantastic writer since her first book, "Grass Dance." Ms. Johnson has a way with words that make her stories come alive...so alive in fact that the characters she writes about seem to jump out of the book and come to life in front of the readers eyes. "The Alley of Wishes," by super-writer Laurel Johnson is a book I know you won't want to miss...not in this lifetime anyway! (Highest Recommendation!)

V~

Absolutely fantastic book. Mrs Rogers is a wonderful writer who captures your imagination and compassion.

I read this book over thirty years ago and still love it. It is one of the best novels ever written. Gayle Rogers is a master storyteller. Although the romance between the two main characters is not as intense for me as when I first read it (keep in mind I am alot older now), the book is as fresh and appealing as ever. A tender, haunting, and beautifully written love story.

I, too, read Nakoa's Woman in the early seventies and could never get it out of my mind. I rate is as my all-time favorite and had wondered for many years why there were no other books, I feared she would never write another. I even wrote Dell to inquire about the release date on the proposed movie but they sent me a form letter instead, stating they were glutted with manuscripts. As an author myself, it only strengthened my belief they never really look at manuscripts before throwing letters into slush piles. In December 2004, I learned she had more books out and have since corresponded with her and now own all five of her books. She is a very sweet lady and we've emailed back and forth. Her new publisher is Sojourner Publishers Inc.

From the first time I read Nakoa's Woman at age 15 it has not ceased to live in my heart. The story is hauntingly beautiful, the characters are endearing and come alive to the reader. My whole family have read this book and have loved it as much as I have. I recommend it to anyone who loves to read, men and women alike. I look forward to reading the authors other books, of which I just became aware.

This is a book that is hard to put down once you pick it up. I enjoyed the historical aspect that reflected on the
comparison of the indian way and the white man's way, and how the lives and priorities reflect in very different ways.
The indian people took Maria in and taught her about the circle of life and how we all grow through this circle. As you walk with Maria and Nakoa through this journey you will become engrossed in their lives and will be able to feel their emotions.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who likes to read love stories, historical books, novels for entertainment, or a book that keeps interested.

Luana Kennedy
Marysville WA

The author has a keen sense of ancient history which she is able to bring forth in an interesting manner. Ruth has been characterized in a way which wants the reader to really find out what will happen to her

the promise of ruth was outstanding, captivating, keeps you on the edge of your seat.

The characters in "The Promise of Ruth" feel very real and easy to relate to. The story is historically accurate. Although, the story takes place in ancient times the emotions and feelings of every character are easy to empathize with. A very moving, must read book!

Not being an avid historical fiction reader I wasn't sure what to expect however The Story of Ruth made me want more. The author's vivid words wh describing the special bond between twin sisters and struggles within a family was so eloquent. I can't wait to read the rest of it.

I couldn't put this excerpt down. "The Promise of Ruth" vividly brings an ancient world to life by combining narrative momentum with extremely rich characters. The portrait of sisterly love and loss brought tears to my eyes.

There are so many interesting twists in this embellishment of a Biblical fable. Ruth, the daughter of a king, becomes the wild child. The description of her sympathetic immersion in her sister's death is heart wrenching. It also prepares the reader psychologically for Ruth's rejection of her natural family and for her eventual rebirth as a Jew.

Ms. Rocklin is a writer in command of her craft. I can't wait to read the rest of this moving novel.

This is just a great book. Being born and raised in a Coal Camp in McDowell County, West Virginia really made me appreciate the descriptive style of writing which captures the true spirit of the "holler." When I finished the book I celebrated by cooking up a big pot of pinto beans and baked a big ol' pan of cornbread. Thank you for such a wonderful book.

"Over the course of my life, I have been lucky in that I have seldom managed to get exactly what I wanted; instead, I have most often been able to grow to appreciate what I got." You find out all the things the author strove for during her youth that never seemed to materialize...except for her studies when she always did well except for a very short period of time.

Linda Scott has told about her life that is most revealing and about a place in Appalachia in Eastern Kentucky that is so well explained that you know exactly what her hometown area looks like and how everyone lived. The twists and turns in her life are like a corkscrew where changes are constant, but purpose remains strong. The author is the most down-to-earth academician I have ever known including my brother who is a retired professor. If you want a marvelous reading experience, then get this book. I guarantee it!

I loved this book. It really tells the story of my people.

I was born in Paintsville (home of Loretta Lynn) and had to move away when I was 4. Reading this book took me back to my Grandma's front porch and the well outside. It reminded me of church outhouses and dinner on the ground. Made me want to throw rocks in the creek off the bridge at Grandma's and walk up to the family graveyard to wonder about my ancestor's lives. If you are from Eastern Kentucky, this book will make you proud to say "warsh" and "tard." If you aren't from there, read it anyway. It might make you appreciate us "hillbillies" a little more.

As a long-time enthusiast of Appalachian literature, I was eagerly aniticipating reading 'Creeker'. Though I didn't care much for the stereotypical title, I thought I would be able to make it past it to enjoy a unique brand of literature.

Boy, was I wrong!

This book typifies the apologist mentality that premeates Appalachia and keeps the ignorant serfs on the proverbial feudal land.

If you're a true fan of Appalachian literature, stick with the true masters, Bobbie Ann Mason and Lee Smith.

After finishing McCullough's Masters of Rome series, I yearned for another historical fiction series to fill in the void. I assumed it was a tough act to follow, until I picked up the first book in this trilogy "Here Be Dragons". The narrative sucked me in, mesmerized me, and put in me in complete amazement of the cast of characters that surrounded me. Reading Penman makes you not only a virtual eyewitness to the momentous events of Medieval Wales, but grafts you into the families involved--so much so you mourn and grieve with the deaths as if you've lost a loved one. It's rare for books, for author's to be able to do that. Then you realize these characters were real persons that shaped history, your sense of loss and awe magnifies exponentially. She continues the trend skillfully, without letting up, in "Falls the Shadow". This final installment left me with my jaw on the floor. It's not a happy ending, but Penman's skill is in how she takes tragic events of history, vividly paints them by fleshing out the players involved so that you feel the blood that runs through their veins...you even feel like you bleed when they do. If there were a way to make tragedies beautiful, like a sad symphony, Penman has discovered it. The proof is this trilogy. Everyone I've recommended these books to has become a fellow believer.

Completing the trilogy that began with Here Be Dragons and continued with Falls The Shadow, this novel,almost impeccably historically accurate, depicts the struggle by Welsh national hero Llywelyn ap Gruffydd to maintain sovereignty for Wales against the machinations of the ruthless and unscrupulous Edward I of England.
After Simon De Montfort is defeated and killed, his charter of freedoms is destroyed and King Edward reigns supreme as England's king.
After his bride Ellen , the daughter of the late Simon De Montfort, is captured by pirates hired by Edward and imprisoned by the English king, Llywelyn takes the field against England and is defeated and forced to submit to Edward's humiliating terms.
Meanwhile Llywelyn is hindered by the three-time treachery of his mercurial brother Davydd.
These events lead to eventual tragedy for Wales and for Llywelyn and his family.
Dafydd Ap Gruffyd's execution at the hands of the English was very similar to that of Scottish patriot William Wallace 12 years later, also on command of Edward I.
Edward I was a tyrant who crushed Welsh national self-determination, tried to subjugate Scotland, and expelled the Jews from England.

The book has a glittering cast of characters, and traces the lives of Simon's widow Nell, and her family, as well as Llywelyn's family, including his vibrant niece Caitlin.
It is filled with action and emotion, as the author gets into the heads of the characters involved, making for a truly human drama.
This is historical fiction at it's most alive.
The book mends with a prophecy of the restoration of Welsh sovereignty by the Day of Judgement, that on the Direst Day of Judgement no race but the Welsh would give answer to the Allmighty for this corner of the earth.

The Reckoning picks up where Falls the Shadow ends. Edward "longshanks" the first is waiting to take the throne once his father Henry passes and is in Italy on a crusade. The de Montfort house is regrouping after the loss of Simon and Harry at Evesham - Nell and Ellen are in France, while Amaury, Guy and Bran are in Italy. Llewelyn's grandson is the Prince of Wales still fighting against his brothers to keep Wales united against the English.

SKP once again does a great job in transporting the reader to 13th century Wales and England and reuniting him/her with their favorite characters.

This is a trilogy not to be missed by any historical fiction lover! - Here Be Dragons, Falls the Shadow and The Reckoning.

It has been five years since Simon de Montfort and his followers died at Evesham in their ill-fated rebellion against the English King Henry. Henry's charismatic son rules England in all but name. Simon's family is slowly rebuilding their lives. His wife, Henry's sister, Nell, is seeking a marriage for her beautiful daughter, Ellen. Although betrothed at 12 to Llewelyn, ruler of Wales, her engagement was ended by Simon's rebellion and death. Simon's youngest son Bran still struggles to cope with his guilt over failing to reach his father before Edward's army butchered Simon and Bran's older brother, Harry. In Italy, Bran's clever older brother, Guy, has married the ruler of an Italian province and is gaining fame as a soldier. On the surface, the de Montforts appear to be getting on with life; but the hatred and guilt created by Evesham will prove too strong to save all the de Montforts. In Wales, Llewelyn has reluctantly named his faithless younger brother, Davydd, as Llewelyn's heir. But Davydd's ambitions and his reckless disregard of the dangers of plotting with Edward set in motion events which will destroy Wales. Penman has written a sad, magnificent tale of courage, boldness that illuminates the inevitable clash between two cultures: the proud, independent Welsh and the determined England. She is most adept at creating the minor characters who are swept up in events not of their making: Hugh, the loyal squire to the doomed Bran de Montfort; Caitlin, Davydd's illegitimate daughter torn between her father and Llewelyn, the generous uncle who raised her. Through Hugh and Caitlin, the reader experiences the tragedy of the battle between Edward and Llewelyn. It is the human face of history that endures for the reader; the people who die; the places that are destroyed.

This final novel in Sharon Kay Penman's Welsh trilogy chronicles the last throws of the Welsh resistance to English takeover. The beloved Prince of Wales, Llewellyn ap Gruffudd leads the charge in a final but futile attempt to unite the quarrelsome Welsh to the common cause of defeating the English invasion. He faces down Edward I, the brutal English King who will stop at nothing to make England a complete island nation. Meanwhile, Llewellyn's double-dealing silver tongued brother, Davydd, is the wild card in this equation and changes loyalties whenever the wind blows.

Sharon Kay Penman has created a fast paced, emotional roller coaster. The characters are complex and multifaceted. She brilliantly gets inside their heads to portray how each is convinced of the justness of their cause. There is war, killing, and horrible brutality, yet none of the characters are portrayed as either saints or devils. They are simply human.

The Welsh trilogy begins with Here Be Dragons, follows with Falls The Shadow, and ends with The Reckoning. Individually these are some of the best novel's I've ever read but in order to appreciate them to the full and understand the complexities and depth of the characters, you must read them as a trilogy.