Gwendolyn Beynon

Sacrifice is the first of a trilogy that looks at Welsh legends and the King Arthur myth in a different way. It combines fantasy and romance into a really interesting story about a young woman taken from her family to train to be a Lifebringer – the caretaker of a dragon egg basically.

The author uses the Welsh names for character and places but I’m not going to do that here because I’d have to keep referring back to the book to spell them. Just know going into the book that definitions and pronunciations are provided but if you are anything like me you just learn to recognize the block of letters and you make some kind of noise in your head to accommodate the word. Like “y Ddraig” – I read the pronunciation but that was that and the rest of the book it was “deedeerayg.” Whatever works to keep things flowing, right? I have enough problems keeping characters straight with my memory issues to worry about correct pronunciations in my head.

Our heroine, Mellengel must protect the Creil (the dragon’s egg) at all costs and she is willing to give her life to do so. Arthur is willing to wipe out an entire race to acquire the egg so he can continue his remarkable reign. What neither one of them counted on what Arthur’s brother Cai. A man of legend and principle. Arthur has sent him to capture the Creil and bring it back with a Lifebringer. What Cai didn’t count on was finding a woman who challenged him and intrigued him. Instead of capturing her, Mellengel capture his heart and the course of his life is changed forever.

I don’t tend to go for books in the fantasy genre but I do like the whole King Arthur story. Not that Arthur plays any real role in this book but he is in every corner. I’m glad I did read it because it was nice to leave reality and enter the realm of the ancients. The main characters were all exciting and well developed. Some of the minor ones were just there to serve their purpose and that’s fine. I really did enjoy the story and am looking forward to the next books in the series so I can find out how it all plays out.… (plus d'informations)

Melangell is a Morwyn Ddraig, a Lifebringer to dragons. Once she accepts a dragon egg, the Creil, her life is dedicated to its protection and education. Unfortunately for Melangell, King Arthur is set on defeating Melagnell’s entire race in order to find a capture a Lifebringer of his own in order to raise the dragon egg for his own benefit. Melangell is captured by the King’s brother Cai and must fulfill her duty to the Creil. While Melangell is detained with her egg she begins to notice her captor, Cai in a different way. However, she is sworn to protect the Creil and there is where her obedience must lie.

When I first saw that Sacrifice was a historical fantasy novel that blended dragons and King Arthur, I knew I had to read it. From the very beginning, I was caught up in Melangell’s story and character. She was obviously strong willed, quick-thinking and daring, Melangell lives up to duty to sacrifice. With such a strong female protagonist, I did not even mind the romance between her and Cai. It all seemed very natural and they both grew from each other’s presence. This story also showed King Arthur in a very different light, while not really a character, his influence is that of a usurper, a conqueror and a man who will use any means to get ahead-even stealing and torturing a dragon. The dragon Creil itself and Melangell’s bond with it was another great aspect of the story for me and I loved the combination of dragon lore with historical fiction. The language got me at some points, with the Welsh spellings, I got some of them, and didn't get others. My only complaint is a few slow moving scenes, but these did not detract from the overall plot, message or awesome ending.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review… (plus d'informations)

This is a fictional drama steeped in the mead of Welsh lore about Melangell a young maiden chosen as an infant from clan Mathrafal to guard the Creil (the egg of the dragon). Her mentor is killed and she is left alone to fend off the lords and knights of King Artwr (Arthur) while protecting the egg. She is however no virginal saint and her phallic encounters are vividly described bordering on the bawdy and somewhat distracting. Her adventure moves along with erotic romance and fighting skill with a surprising end and a potential sequel. A good read with an earthy twist on Arthurian legend.

I was provided with an electronic copy and this is my honest review.… (plus d'informations)