SATURDAY, 22 JUNE 2019
#BookReview — The Briton and the Dane: Legacy by Mary Ann
Bernal #HistoricalFiction @BritonandDane
The Briton and the
Dane: Legacy
(The Briton and the
Dane #3)
By Mary Ann Bernal
Whispered by the wise and the learned. Talked of in hushed
tones round luminous firesides. Engraved by awestruck scribes in the scriptoria
of the Chronicles. Against all the odds, great King Alfred defeated a vastly
superior Danish army outside Chippenham.
This victory, the sages prophesied, would guarantee peace
throughout the land. Or so they thought.
Two years later, Rigr the Bastard, vengeful and seeking to
claim his birthright, was defeated in the wilds of East Anglia. His blood
smeared berserker warriors vanquished; no quarter asked for - no quarter given.
Now, a further two years later, the Vikings return. Noble
Prince Sven instigates a seaborne invasion, fuelled partly by blind rage when
he discovers that his brother, Prince Erik, has sworn fealty to the Anglo-Saxon
king.
His own brother: A traitor and a fool.
Erik’s love, Lady Gwyneth, attempts to stop the invasion
before it starts by uniting the two estranged brothers, but her scheming only
succeeds in making matters worse. Indeed, her interference guarantees the death
of thousands of warriors in the freezing, tumultuous North Sea.
So when the horns of Sven’s monumental fleet of warships are
heard off the fogbound coast of Britannia, King Alfred – outnumbered,
outshipped and weary of the fray - must rouse his jaded Saxon warriors and lead
them to sea, to repel his most formidable enemy yet.
For a host motivated by the spilled blood of the fallen, the
spirit of black vengeance, and the delights of a warrior’s reward in Valhalla,
is the most fearsome opponent of all.
Alfred. Sven. Erik. Gwyneth. Amidst the ferrous
reverberation of a battle royale - one or all must die, and the fate of a
nation hangs in the balance, one final time.
“Why must she be forced to choose between a husband and her
son…?”
God against Gods. King against King. Brother against
Brother.
Years of fighting. Years of bloodshed. How many more
husbands, sons, and lovers must die? However, the men from the North keep on
coming to the shores of Briton. Their numbers are as seemly endless as the
tide. There is no peace for Alfred of Wessex, no matter how badly he may long
for it.
One more battle and perhaps the future of a nation may be
decided. Alfred and his men are formidable warriors — have they not already
proven that? However, this time, the battle will not be on dry land. This time
Alfred must meet the invaders where they are most formidable — amongst the
waves.
Only time will tell if Alfred will be victorious. May God
keep them safe and have mercy on their souls.
Filled with intrigue, betrayal, hate and love, The Briton
and the Dane: Legacy by Mary Ann Bernal is as breathtakingly poetic, as it is
sweepingly elegant in its brilliance. This story left me so breathless with
anticipation that I could not turn the pages fast enough. I was utterly
enthralled from start to finish.
I simply adored this book. So much happens that at times it
left my head spinning! There is a cast of very colourful and memorable
characters. Some of these characters I have come to adore over the course of
the series, others not so much! One thing that can never be said is that
Bernal’s characters are dull. They are so unpredictable, and many times during
the course of this novel, I found myself shaking my head and whispering, “What
are you doing? No. Don’t do that! Please… No, you did it!” The impulsiveness of
the characters and the fact that their hearts and not their heads rule many,
made their stories not only believable but wonderfully human in the telling.
Like before, with the first two books in this fabulous
series, Bernal has captured the very essence of the era in which she writes about.
Her compelling narrative and her decision to show every possible side to the
story made this book not only exceedingly engaging, but it is also one that was
next to impossible to put down.
What I liked about this series the most was the way Bernal
has portrayed women. The majority of authors who write their fictional stories
about Alfred the Great and this era in history concentrate their efforts on the
men of this time, and the women take a more sedate secondary role. Not so with
Bernal’s books. The women are centre stage, which I found exceedingly
refreshing.
As with the first two books in the series, I was drawn to
Elizabeth. She is such a warm and wonderful woman who will do anything for her
family, even if it is sometimes a little misguided. Another character who I
particularly enjoyed reading about was Dalla. It has been two years since
Dalla’s husband, Rigr, was killed, but her love for him has not diminished. I
had high hopes that she would find happiness with Loki, but Bernal was not
about to make things easy for her!
As I have already touched upon, the historical detailing of
this book has to be commended. Bernal has chosen to paint a vast canvas in
which to set her story. Within this canvas, Bernal allows us to walk with Kings
and members of the clergy— including the Pope, Norseman and Saxons. Rich or
poor, you can discover them all between these pages. This rich tapestry of life
gave this story an incredible sense of depth. The depiction of the sea battle
was particularly well drawn. This was undoubtedly a violent time, and Bernal
has not shied away from the brutalities of the era, but at the same time, she
has an author’s intuitive understanding of when to stop and change the scene,
therefore, giving her readers a moment to catch their breath.
As with the other books in this series, Bernal has presented
her readers with a vast and wondrous cast of characters and, for this reason
alone, The Briton and the Dane: Legacy is not, in my opinion, a standalone
read. This series thrives on political intrigue and complicated sub-plots, so
it is imperative that you start this fantastic reading adventure with Book 1.
Having read all of the books in The Briton and the Dane
series, I now feel slightly bereft that this wonderful story has come to an
end. I have thoroughly enjoyed not only Bernal’s interpretation of Alfred the
Great but also of the women who are so often overshadowed by the men in this
era. I look forward to reading more books by this author in the future. Kudos,
Ms Bernal.
I Highly Recommend.
Review by Mary Anne Yarde.
The Coffee Pot Book Club.
Pick up your copy of
The Briton and the
Dane: Legacy
Mary Ann Bernal
Mary Ann Bernal attended Mercy College, Dobbs Ferry, NY,
where she received a degree in Business Administration. Her literary aspirations were ultimately
realized when the first book of The Briton and the Dane novels was published in
2009. In addition to writing historical
fiction, Mary Ann has also authored a collection of contemporary short stories
in the Scribbler Tales series. Her latest endeavor is a science fiction/fantasy
novel entitled Planetary Wars Rise of an
Empire. Originally hailing from New York, Mary Ann now resides in Elkhorn,
Nebraska.
Connect with Mary Ann: Website • Whispering Legends Press •
Twitter.
Posted by Mary Anne Yarde at 05:00
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