THE GOLDEN ROSE

Further adventures of Duchess Averil of Quitaine and farm boy Gereint, aspiring Knight of the Rose, whose powerful bond of wild magic draws them together while their birthrights, high and low, keep them apart.

King Clodovec of Lys has conquered Quitaine with his Serpent magic and army of zombie mages. To keep her independence, Averil promises uncle Clodovec that she will wed within a month, even though she knows that Clodovec will claim her children and raise them as his heirs. But her leading suitor, Prince Esteban of Moresca, though secretly Clodovec’s enemy, is also a devotee of the Serpent magic that Averil, trained on the Ladies’ Isle, regards as anathema. So when Dylan Fawr, ambassador from Prydain, offers her a berth on his ship, Averil seizes her chance to flee both Clodovec and Esteban’s conspiracy. Once reunited with Gereint in Prydain, whence the shattered remnants of the Knights of the Rose have taken refuge, Averil consults with immortal Paladin Peredur. Long ago, the Young God vanquished the Serpent, lulled him to sleep and hid him away. Clodovec intends to awaken the Serpent and overthrow the order-magic that replaced Serpent magic. Averil realizes that the Serpent slumbers within the talisman she wears around her neck. Soon, Clodovec sends a fleet to attack Prydain.

Engaging characters and details, but despite a climactic battle the promised showdown never materializes as the plot pretty much comes off the rails. Still, there’s enough talent on display to keep readers coming back for more.