This Scepter'd Isle

Two sets of sidhe (fairy) twins, one set Seleighe and the other Unseleighe, work behind the scenes to control who becomes Henry VIII's heir. Both sides are driven by FarSeer visions of the future of England. The Unseleighe want Mary to become queen, so the Inquisition and its horrors will provide their court sustenance. The Seleighe work to protect Henry Fitzroy so that a "red-haired infant" (Elizabeth I)can bring a golden age of peace, prosperity, and enlightenment to England.

More likely to appeal to fans of fantasy involving the sidhe than to history buffs. However, it's too rooted in history to feel like a legend, like Marion Zimmer Bradley's The Mists of Avalon or Morgan Llywelyn's Finn Mac Cool. However, it may have cross appeal.

What if the children of King Henry VIII had figured into the politics and machinations of the Elves? And what if Titania and Oberon sent someone to protect and guard the king's older son, the bastard Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Richmond?

This historical fantasy explores the possibility of the Unseleighe and Seleighe faerie courts battling one another, using the children of one of England's most famous kings as their pawns, in a struggle that will affect the future of England.

This series is perfect for fans of Mercedes Lackey's Heirs of Alexandria books, and not yet fans who love historical fantasies. Attention is paid to the prominent events in history, but they're woven into the fantastic story of elven warrior Denoriel, and his task to show more watch over and protect the illegitimate son of a human king, despite the interference of his dark court half-siblings. show less

I got this 2004 hardcover at a library book sale. It took me a while to read this book; there are lots of side characters, many with irritatingly similar names.

It's the reign of Henry VIII, and the story starts Faerie, where there has been a foreseeing of a 'red-haired babe', a child of King Henry, who will bring a golden age to Britain. The Seleighe fae Denoriel has been charged with finding and protecting the child. In human guise, he befriends Henry Fitzroy, Henry's bastard son. Fitzroy is not the child of the vision, but somehow he will be instrumental in protecting the life of the child. The fae of the Unseleighe court will stop at nothing to destroy both Fitzroy and the child of the vision (because they're evil, of course). show more Denoriel develops a paternal love for Fitzroy as he grows up, and protects him from many attempts to corrupt or kill him.

Not the greatest of stories, but the historical context is very interesting! show less

As with past books, when co-authored they are best for light reading. Mercedes Lackey takes a back seat in the overall written word, as can be witnessed in this book. That being said .. the concept is a very good one - Historical fiction with a twist of fantasy and magic.

If you are expecting another Valdemar this one is not for you. If you follow the Tudors and love real history don't read this book - you will be disappointed. If you enjoy quick light historical romantic paperbacks i.e. fluff without substance then this will fit right in.

I confess, I did enjoy it .. it passes the time.

This is a sweet historical tale of two sets of elf twins bent on influencing the future of Henry VIII's England. The plot jumped forward in time occasionally, but overall, I really enjoyed the story.

I haven't read the serrated edge storied in a long time, so I may have missed some allusions to that series.

Reread in 2009, still really enjoyed it

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