The Dragon's Harp (Era Of Dragons: The Lost Tales Of Gwenhwyfar) by Rachael Pruitt

Summary:

ARTHURIAN HISTORICAL FANTASY FOR THE 21st CENTURY

Before Gwenhwyfar became Queen - before Arthur met Merlin - a tribal Welsh princess met a young Heatherlands Mage. Together, they will create a legend.

Inside a mist of beauty and brutality waits the Arthurian legend as you’ve never heard it before. Enter the world of THE DRAGON'S HARP, a realm of blood lust and vengeance, of spellbinding magic from the beginning of time. The realm of Princess Gwenhwyfar: a young girl torn between magic and desire, born with magical powers she can either wield to save her people from destruction - or deny to save her soul.

IN AN ERA OF DRAGONS A YOUNG GIRL COMES OF AGE

First in a five book series of historical fantasy, Rachael Pruitt’s unique take on a beloved legend reintroduces the mythic characters of Gwenhwyfar, Merlin, and Vortigern against the gritty backdrop of sixth century Wales, where scenes of shape-shifting and heartbreaking romance vie with torture, murder, and battle in a dragon-haunted land.
Summary taken from Goodreads.com
Length: 366 pages
Source: Review Copy from Author
Publication Date: February 16th 2012 by Createspace

A few months ago I stumbled upon this book while reading one of my favourite blogs The Owl Bookmark Blog which is run by Siobian one of my Goodreads friends. Since my first love is history you can imagine that I frequent her blog a lot. Anyways, one day I stopped by and found her review (click the link to read her lovely review!) of this book and instantly added it to my wish list. Luckily for me, author Rachael Pruitt saw my tweet on Twitter and generously gifted me with a copy.

As soon as I started the book I knew I was in for a rare treat. Rachael Pruitt gives readers a unique take on the classic Arthurian legends. This time the story is told from Gwenhwyfar's point of view. I n this book we follow Gwen from childhood to the time where she's in the in between world, that of womanhood and being a young girl.

I think I well and truly fell in love with the way that Rachael wrote her novel. The characters especially those of Gwen and Merlin as well as her grandmother really made the story for me. Their mannerisms, personalities and their struggles made them all the more endearing.

The setting was fabulous I think that the author did a wonderful job in world building not that it needed much but she certainly knew how to write scenes. Every time the scene changed I felt as if I were there along side Gwen, it was a feeling that I've only felt when I've read my favourite authors. As you can probably guess Rachael Pruitt has gained a place on that list with her spectacular writing style, imagination, and creativity. She has a rare gift one I haven't seen very often and one that I'm glad to have discovered. She made me fall in love with her story and her characters and for that I'm truly grateful.

This is a tale woven like a spectacular tapestry, one that will make you cringe, laugh, and cry as you experience life through one of the most famous female characters in history. I could not put this book down once I started it it was so good and since I've finished it I've gone back and re-read the last half several times just to make sure I had everything figured out.

This is a book you will not want to miss. With a strong female character and a unique voice Rachael Pruitt is an author to watch out for. I for one cannot wait until the next book comes out (I hope it's soon!) because I'm going crazy wanting to lose myself in Gwen's world again and reconnect with her and her Uncle Merlin. This was an excellent start to what I think will be a promising series.

I would recommend this book to everyone because it's so well written and though it does have some minor aspects of fantasy (minor compared to true fantasy novels) and historical fiction I don't feel it will alienate readers in the slightest because Gwen's character is so likable. I think the mix of the two is done in a tasteful way and in away that the book will be accessible to almost all readers. I hope  if you do buy it that you drop me a line and tell me what you think!

*I recieved a  free copy of this book for my FREE and HONEST review.

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Awesome, I loved it!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★