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Roman England, 366 AD Minna, a Roman serving girl, loses family and home and is flung out into the brutal world to fend for herself. Desperate to reach her soldier brother at the northern frontier, she falls in with Cian, a tribeless youth with no loyalty to anyone but himself. A terrible mistake sees them thrust into the wilds of barbarian Scotland, a land in chaos. The Romans have sent scouts north from their frontier, seeking to subdue Scotland by any means possible. The dark Picts retaliate, raiding and pillaging Roman farms. And caught in the middle is Cahir, King of the Dalriadans in Scotland. Year by year he has watched his people fall under the Roman yoke, and wounded by shame, his power dwindles. At Cahir's fort, Cian and Minna must struggle to survive. Cian retreats into the pain of his hidden past, while Minna has an entirely unexpected path open before her. What are these visions and dreams of Scotland - full of battles and bloodshed - that plague her? Minna's visions reveal a destiny that she shares with the wounded king Cahir. Yet her journey to heal them both has far-reaching consequences.… (more)
I'd already read the first two books in the trilogy, The White Mare and The Dawn Stag, so I was already familiar with Jules Watson's style, of bringing spirituality - in the form of alternative healing, visions and the like - into what were sweeping historical dramas. The characters were interesting (once Rhiann had stopped wailing about how unworthy she was); and the descriptions of place and events well drawn. But this book, the third and final in the trilogy, took a different and unexpected turn. I expected it to carry on where the second left off, with the characters who survived the first two books and/or their descendants. The third however has moved on 300 years to Roman Britain in 366AD. Minna, a young Roman serving girl, has lost her home and her family and has to fend for herself in a world that until now she had been protected from. She is desperate to reach her brother, a soldier at the northern frontier. While there are repeated references to Rhiann and Eremon, the main characters from the first books, there is a bit too much "priestessing" for me in this one - and unfortunately the mystery and magic of the earlier stories were replaced by a what for me was a far less credible environment. ( )
The whole historical fantasy spans three centuries and covers settling of West Scotland, known as Dalriada, the Alban resistance to Agricola's invasion with the warlord Eremon, and Pictish king, Calgacus, uniting tribes to resist the Romans. The 3rd volume takes place right before the Roman final abandonment of the island and we follow descendants of Eremon and his wife Rhiann, a seer and prophetess. Fascinating to follow this story. Strong characters and very good battle scenes, but so much portrayal of graphic sex in the first two volumes spoiled my complete enjoyment.
This novel can be read as a standalone. Highly recommended. ( )
I was worried at first that the disconnect of hundreds of years would make this last in the trilogy more difficult to love. But as soon as the plot tied the story to that of Rhiann/Eremon, I loved it every bit as much. While the characters were not as detailed, and therefor harder to become as attached to, the end of a tale that began centuries before made up for it.
Information from the Dutch Common Knowledge. Edit to localize it to your language.
Voor Alistair, voor Schotland
First words
Information from the Dutch Common Knowledge. Edit to localize it to your language.
'Moge de Christus in liefde bij u zijn,' wist de oude priester piepend uit te brengen, terwijl hij zijn steun zocht bij het altaar van zandsteen.
Quotations
Last words
Information from the Dutch Common Knowledge. Edit to localize it to your language.
En toen kwam de dag dat er zelfs niet meer het geringste spoor van rook te bekennen viel, en dat het hooggelegen plateau van golvend gras van niets anders meer getuige kon zijn dan een eenzame wind en de roep van de torenvalk.
Roman England, 366 AD Minna, a Roman serving girl, loses family and home and is flung out into the brutal world to fend for herself. Desperate to reach her soldier brother at the northern frontier, she falls in with Cian, a tribeless youth with no loyalty to anyone but himself. A terrible mistake sees them thrust into the wilds of barbarian Scotland, a land in chaos. The Romans have sent scouts north from their frontier, seeking to subdue Scotland by any means possible. The dark Picts retaliate, raiding and pillaging Roman farms. And caught in the middle is Cahir, King of the Dalriadans in Scotland. Year by year he has watched his people fall under the Roman yoke, and wounded by shame, his power dwindles. At Cahir's fort, Cian and Minna must struggle to survive. Cian retreats into the pain of his hidden past, while Minna has an entirely unexpected path open before her. What are these visions and dreams of Scotland - full of battles and bloodshed - that plague her? Minna's visions reveal a destiny that she shares with the wounded king Cahir. Yet her journey to heal them both has far-reaching consequences.
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Watson's heroine, Minna, is a nursemaid for a Roman family living south of Hadrian's Wall that separates Roman Britannia from barbarian Alba (present-day Scotland). A half-caste with unnatural eyes and strange ways, Minna runs away after the death of her beloved grandmother. Traveling north where her brother serves with the legions, Minna is captured by slave traders and sold into slavery. Her new owner, Queen Maeve, the wife of King Cahir of Dalriada—one of the tribal kingdoms of Alba—assigns her to tutor royal children. King Cahir soon realizes that the new tutor is a 'sign of the prophecy' that it is his destiny to free Alba of Rome. King Cahir forges an alliance among the usually fractious northern tribes and marches south to confront the Romans. Standing in their way are the hated Roman legions, their despised Wall, Minna's split allegiance to her Roman roots and her captors, and treachery among Cahir's family and allies. Watson's work is as inventive, eloquent and exotic as ever; her fans will relish this rousing conclusion.
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But this book, the third and final in the trilogy, took a different and unexpected turn.
I expected it to carry on where the second left off, with the characters who survived the first two books and/or their descendants. The third however has moved on 300 years to Roman Britain in 366AD. Minna, a young Roman serving girl, has lost her home and her family and has to fend for herself in a world that until now she had been protected from. She is desperate to reach her brother, a soldier at the northern frontier. While there are repeated references to Rhiann and Eremon, the main characters from the first books, there is a bit too much "priestessing" for me in this one - and unfortunately the mystery and magic of the earlier stories were replaced by a what for me was a far less credible environment. (