From Publishers Weekly
Prolific historical romance author Drake's (The King's Pleasure) hardcover debut is a swashbuckling tale of warring factions in 12th-century Scotland. It chronicles the coming-of-age of a young nobleman whose feats of bravery earn him a royal but troublesome marriage. During a borderland battle, 13-year-old Waryk de Graham uses his father's sword to impale the last standing enemy, a Norman lord, as his father and uncle lie dead. Scottish King David has seen the act, and assumes guardianship of the robust boy. Ten years later it is 1137 A.D., the English monarchy is in chaos and Scotland is wary of attack from the Vikings and Normans. The king summons Lady Mellyora MacAdin of Blue Isle, whose father has recently died, to the Scottish royal seat of Stirling. In a strategic move to keep the Viking island secure for his kingdom, he has arranged for Mellyora to marry Sir Waryk , now his most respected warrior knight. She defiantly objects to the marriage, since she is already in love; while Waryk is equally dismayed, having been poised to wed his beautiful mistress. The narrative follows the war of wills between calmly intelligent, war-scarred Waryk, who accepts the king's command, and wily, irate Mellyora, who is trained in swordsmanship and repeatedly tries to escape to her utopian Blue Isle. Waryk is faster, but his expertise in outwitting the enemy is tested by this Viking sprite. Drake's characters are richly detailed; their romantic interplay is set among the vividly rendered skirmishes and treachery of medieval Scotland.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
Mellyora McAdin hoped to be the mistress of Blue Isle after her father's death, but is stunned when King David announces that she is to marry Waryk de Graham, who will be given control of the stronghold. Mellyora fights the decree, but both she and Waryk soon find that they are (however reluctantly) kindred spirits. This rousing, passionate romantic adventure, set in 12th century Scotland, is set afire by Burr's intense narration. Her Scottish accents are on the mark, and she does well with both male and female voices. A few older men have voices a bit rougher than is totally convincing, but all other characters are grand. Burr reads the sensuous love scenes with conviction and does equal justice to the sometimes bloody battle sequences. She conveys the spirit of the time and the essence of the characters and fills the principals so full of life that even the many battles between Mellor and Waryck (which might have seemed a little repetitious in print) merely leave the listener anxious to reach the (inevitable) conclusion (as love triumphs). M.A.M. (c) AudioFile, Portland, Maine
