TEST
With the very first paragraph, Ms. Hendrix’ inventive, imaginative story captured my attention. While this is the third book in the series, I do feel like it can stand on its own. Just be sure to read the page titled The Legend.
The Legend states that Cwen the sorceress cursed nine Norse men who killed her son during a raid. The men are doomed to spend half a day as a man and half a day as their Fylgjur. A Fylgja (singular form) is a spirit usually in animal form that accompanies an individual to show him his fate. Gunnar The Red’s fylgja is a bull, so he spends his days as a bull and nights as a man. Cwen placed the curse on the men’s fylgja amulet. In doing this, she provided a way for the curse to be broken by true love. Realizing this, Cwen hid the amulets across the lands. Two of the men have already broken the curse, which gives hope to the rest.
Gunnar first meets Lady Eleanor after she approaches him as he is warming himself at the hearth of Richmond Castle. He feels irritated that she has brought attention to him. He had evaded notice of the knights, allowing him to escape from the bitter cold that has blanketed England. Who is this young girl that has now jeopardized his anonymity? Later that night, a fire starts in the bower of the castle and Gunnar rescues women and children, including Lady Eleanor and her maid-in-waiting.
With that one act, Gunnar becomes Lady Eleanor’s champion. When Gunnar explains that he has to leave, she begs him to attend the spring tourney. Evading a direct promise, Gunnar leaves a message that he will see her when she is well again. Soon after that incident, Eleanor’s father arranges a betrothal. Calling up the memory of Gunnar, Eleanor prays that he will return and fantasizes that he will claim her as his wife, allowing her to elude marriage to her gaunt, wan future husband.
Four years later Gunnar and Lady Eleanor meet again, after he wins her favor during a tourney. She saw him before the contest – and bragged to everyone that he had come for her – but is humiliated when he doesn’t recognize her. Embarrassed by his gaffe, he helps her save face. During the feast, where he receives belated recognition for saving her life, he is astonished to see a silver comb in her hair with the image of a young girl riding a bull. This is a sign from the fate spinners that Eleanor is the woman who can love him and save him from the curse.
I was very impressed with the setting and the tone of the book. While I am in no way any type of expert on this time period, the book was just written in a way that made me believe that the author did extensive research. Combining fantasy and history provides richness and depth to the story. The political maneuvering by the heroine’s parents also adds a sense of realism and a credible conflict for the story. Cwen and her bitterness and hatred provide another.
I found the relationship between the heroine and hero interesting, but not necessarily romantic. Since the author implied that the fates brought them together, I was left wondering if Gunnar would have pursued the relationship if he hadn’t seen the omen. Both the heroine and hero are motivated by other reasons besides attraction to seduce the other. Gunnar needs to break the curse, and Eleanor wants to be saved from an arranged marriage. The first love scene between the two pulled me out of the story when the heroine came across as more open to sexual foreplay then I expected for a girl her age. I tend to associate medieval times with stricter religious teaching and consequences. Also there is a great disparity in age and experience between the two. While the age difference is due to the mystical aspects of the story, it was still in the back of my mind when the hero first courted the heroine. After she loses some of her naivete it is a non-issue.
While the romance didn’t quite work for me, Ms. Hendrix has written an imaginative story. Her talent as a writer kept me reading. Fans of historical and fantasy books will find a lot to enjoy here.
Grade: B-
Book Type: Paranormal Historical
Sensuality: Warm
Review Date: 19/01/11
Publication Date: 2011/01
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Recent Comments …
Yep
This sounds delightful! I’m grabbing it, thanks
excellent book: interesting, funny dialogs, deep understanding of each character, interesting secondary characters, and also sexy.
I don’t think anyone expects you to post UK prices – it’s just a shame that such a great sale…
I’m sorry about that. We don’t have any way to post British prices as an American based site.
I have several of her books on my TBR and after reading this am moving them up the pile.