Well-written, well-plotted, and mostly well-paced, a feisty addition to the historical fantasy genre.
Haltom’s debut novel follows Gwendolyn de Cardinham, who, upon discovering that she may be King Arthur’s fabled heir, finds herself caught in the middle of a clash of crowns.
In defiance of proper ladylike behavior, Gwendolyn not only carries a sword, she knows how to use it. Upon encountering a band of mercenaries loyal to the would-be usurper Prince John, she draws her sword in protection of her estate, Penhallam. While on their way to deliver one of the captured mercenaries to a nearby gaol, Gwendolyn’s taciturn constable William Rufus takes her to see an aged prior, who gravely informs her that she is the descendant of King Arthur and thus the rightful heir to his mythical sword, Caliburn. When Gwendolyn discovers that Prince John, angling for his brother King Richard’s crown, has been hunting for Caliburn, she realizes that she’s uniquely poised to thwart John’s rebellious efforts. Under the command of Eleanor of Aquitaine, the dowager queen, Gwendolyn puts herself in the middle of the brothers’ duel for the crown. The queen’s plan takes Gwendolyn and William on a perilous journey to the castle of Arundel, where Gwendolyn must ultimately confront her own skepticism about her mythical heritage. Haltom creates likable heroes (feisty Gwendolyn and loyal William stand out) and enjoyably detestable villains. The author shows a meticulous concern for historical authenticity, evident in the little details, such as Gwendolyn’s struggle to conceal a sword in a lady’s gown. Though history buffs will undoubtedly appreciate Haltom’s thoroughness, the attention to detail can at times reduce the novel’s pace to an almost agonizing slowness, particularly in the many traveling scenes. Despite these shortcomings, the author’s writing style is smoothly readable throughout, especially in scenes heavy with action and dialogue. As Gwendolyn’s story builds to its tension-filled climax, Haltom draws the storylines together into a cohesive, largely enjoyable whole. The addition of magical elements in the forms of William’s visions and an evil sorcerer add a welcome layer of adventure and intrigue. Plus, Haltom wisely leaves room for a sequel.
Well-written, well-plotted, and mostly well-paced, a feisty addition to the historical fantasy genre.Pub Date: May 1, 2014
ISBN: 9780996307307
Page Count: 328
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: March 23, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2015
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Wacky plot keeps the pages turning and enduring schmaltzy romantic sequences.
Sisters work together to solve a child-abandonment case.
Ellie and Julia Cates have never been close. Julia is shy and brainy; Ellie gets by on charm and looks. Their differences must be tossed aside when a traumatized young girl wanders in from the forest into their hometown in Washington. The sisters’ professional skills are put to the test. Julia is a world-renowned child psychologist who has lost her edge. She is reeling from a case that went publicly sour. Though she was cleared of all wrongdoing, Julia’s name was tarnished, forcing her to shutter her Beverly Hills practice. Ellie Barton is the local police chief in Rain Valley, who’s never faced a tougher case. This is her chance to prove she is more than just a fading homecoming queen, but a scarcity of clues and a reluctant victim make locating the girl’s parents nearly impossible. Ellie places an SOS call to her sister; she needs an expert to rehabilitate this wild-child who has been living outside of civilization for years. Confronted with her professional demons, Julia once again has the opportunity to display her talents and salvage her reputation. Hannah (The Things We Do for Love, 2004, etc.) is at her best when writing from the girl’s perspective. The feral wolf-child keeps the reader interested long after the other, transparent characters have grown tiresome. Hannah’s torturously over-written romance passages are stale, but there are surprises in store as the sisters set about unearthing Alice’s past and creating a home for her.
Wacky plot keeps the pages turning and enduring schmaltzy romantic sequences.Pub Date: March 1, 2006
ISBN: 0-345-46752-3
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Ballantine
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2005
A strict report, worthy of sympathy.
A violent surfacing of adolescence (which has little in common with Tarkington's earlier, broadly comic, Seventeen) has a compulsive impact.
"Nobody big except me" is the dream world of Holden Caulfield and his first person story is down to the basic, drab English of the pre-collegiate. For Holden is now being bounced from fancy prep, and, after a vicious evening with hall- and roommates, heads for New York to try to keep his latest failure from his parents. He tries to have a wild evening (all he does is pay the check), is terrorized by the hotel elevator man and his on-call whore, has a date with a girl he likes—and hates, sees his 10 year old sister, Phoebe. He also visits a sympathetic English teacher after trying on a drunken session, and when he keeps his date with Phoebe, who turns up with her suitcase to join him on his flight, he heads home to a hospital siege. This is tender and true, and impossible, in its picture of the old hells of young boys, the lonesomeness and tentative attempts to be mature and secure, the awful block between youth and being grown-up, the fright and sickness that humans and their behavior cause the challenging, the dramatization of the big bang. It is a sorry little worm's view of the off-beat of adult pressure, of contemporary strictures and conformity, of sentiment….
A strict report, worthy of sympathy.Pub Date: June 15, 1951
ISBN: 0316769177
Page Count: -
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Nov. 2, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 1951
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