3.5 stars

The Hag of Hills by J.T.T. Ryder was definitely a well thought out book. It is filled with mythological beings through out.

Brennus does not want a quiet life, he wants adventure, to make a name for himself. To be remembered. But after an encounter with the Hag of the hills, he learns the hard way that everything has a price. He's been told to beware of the Hag. But Brennus wants that glory and if she can offer all his desires, all the glory, the gold and the women. How do you say no?

I said everything comes with a price.

The Hillmen are invading and Brennus is nothing really but a farmer, with warriors blood in is vain but no real training.

Everything comes with a price, so much destruction and death.

I enjoyed what I have read there is a lot of potential for this series and I am interested in reading the next book. The author did a great job with the battle scenes, and I do a good battle.

The writing has moments where it comes across as weaker then other times, I tend to my prose a little more wordy so to speak. I have some issue with some repativeness and the way to many chest references both male and female, it was a bit much for a just over 300 page story. But over all a an enjoyable story that had my eyes fill a little.

So if you historical fiction/fantasy, especially involving the Celts and Roman's then I really think you will the Hag in the Hills

Originally posted on ICanHasBooks
book-tours historical-fantasy historical-fiction8 s Joshua ShuhAuthor 1 book19

Hag of the Hills was my pick for this month as an independent book to review. I know, I’ve really been slacking on that, but life has been busy.

I found this book to be very interesting. The main plot revolves around a Faustian deal with a devil and the conflicts that surround such an arrangement. I not only thoroughly enjoy this type of plot, but it’s always interesting to see how authors weave it into the narrative. Mr. Ryder does this quite effortlessly in his work and I believe it is his shining achievement of the novel.

The strengths of this book are numerous, but I will list four.

First, there is Mr. Ryder’s obvious wealth of knowledge regarding history, culture, and day to day life of people who would live in such a period. Given his background, he does this so well I felt I was reading a more interesting version of a documentary on the history channel. I was honestly so interested in the world that sometimes the story became secondary. I have to say, this is an achievement. World building, for me, can sometimes feels a bit of a grind when reading. I never felt that during this book even one time.

Second, I have read the that say this depicts women as one dimensional. I agree with this statement. The book does do this. And I believe, this is great story telling. The book is told from a first person narrative and it’s that of a man, Brenn. I have to imagine, this is how a man would view women in such a time period.

Third, the pacing of the book is excellent. It slowly reveals more and more while slowly hooking you in.

Fourth, the prose is well done, in my opinion.

My main critique of the novel is this - I feel that Brenn is often a passive observer in this world. He’s not passive physically, he fights and is involved in plenty of conflict. Emotionally, I felt he was a little lacking. Often times, I felt he was just describing the action that was happening around him. There was not much detail to his thoughts concerning those things or the emotions that arise from them. In that sense, Brenn sort of reminded me Shadow from American Gods. I both characters, but I wanted a bit more from them.

All in all, I would give this book a well deserved 4/5 stars.
5 s Richard613 51

A long time ago, at the edge of the known world a grizzled veteran recounts his past.

Brennus is a young man at the crossroads of boyhood and manhood. Growing up listening to the heroic adventures of his far roving father, Brennus dreams of being a warrior. Although, all he seems destined for on this sleepy island is a life of farming. His brother, Fennigus, chaffs at this staid life. He talks his brother and several other young men into a cattle raid, an act the druids have expressly forbade. In the aftermath of this misadventure, Brennus begins to question what he really wants in life. Lost within himself he heeds the siren call to Slighan Hill. What he does there will change his life forever.

The sidhe will guide you. They will guide your path, and that path of yours will be the warrior’s path. You will know all the pride and the pain, the death and honour, all the blood and battle, and the gold, and glory, and girls. That is what you want. Now go home and face the druids with comfort in knowing they shall not grant you death – go on the new thread we spin for you.

At first Brennus is a callow youth. He experiences several encounters, both ordinary and supernatural, that leave him shaken and questioning what he knows and wants. Fate shuffles him from one bad situation to another in which he finds very little control of the outcome.
After being at the mercy of others for far too long, Brennus puts away his boyhood and becomes the man Vidav. Finding his place in the pecking order of a motley band of mercenaries is difficult with many setbacks. Against all odds, proving himself and leading his newfound brotherhood against the hill men.

Harsh realities are realized, and dire decisions are made. Some men are fickle with their oaths faced with their own mortality. Some never waver. Oaths are given and upheld even faced with possible betrayal and faulty knowledge. I personally feel I am a man of my word, but I would not be able to hold an oath in one particular instance Vidav finds himself involved in.

Ryder is an archaeologist specializing in the Viking Age and Celtic Iron Age. The knowledge this background brings to his writing does not go unnoticed. Hag of the Hills is book one of a duology. While there is some closure at the end of the novel the story continues in The Lion of Skye available August 1st. Also be sure to check out Tomb of the Blue Demons the prequel novella to the Bronze Sword Cycles Duology available now.
ancient-world fantasy historical-fiction5 s TheBookDude169 23

I wish there were more historical fantasies this. It is just SO well researched. And I mean not just adequately researched, or pretty well researched, but so well researched that it just feels you are right there. The places are real the names are real the world is real. I found myself fully immersed in this almost instantly. I was not the least bit surprised when I found out the author was an archaeologist. His Love and knowledge of history and the area and its culture just oozes out of each line.

You can see the influence of the Táin Bó Cúailnge (one of my favourite ever myths) throughout, not only is Cúchulainn mentioned numerous times but cattle raiding is literally an intrinsic part of their lives. There is an entire season for cattle raiding. I also love all the Gaelic names throughout.

I literally want to go to the Isle of Syke after reading this even if the weather was ‘awful with rain and fog and seldom can one see far away.’

I’m not gonna talk much about the plot as what really made me fall in love with this was the setting, the level of immersion in a totally alien, but vaguely familiar culture and setting that the author achieved, that is what you need know. You will be immersed, the plot then flows organically from that.

5 stars. Fabulous. Best historical fantasy I have read in quite some time. Its pure, its real, its right… and its bloody brilliant.5 s Carly Rheilan153 17

Faux-Celtic worlds are a favorite setting of fantasy. Romantic, thrilling, poetic. Ye olden days in pure culture, with fiercely glorious heroes, fascinating heroines and touches of wizardry. Historical fairyland.

I opened this book imaging it might be one of those. It has plenty of those components. It has a warriors, druids, a maiden to be protected. There are feasts and a great deal of fighting. And there are encounters with fantastical creatures. At its heart is a faustian deal between a would-be warrior and a supernatural being: he can have what he wants, but there will be a price. The story is the working out of that price.

So far so familiar, but it soon became evident that JTT Ryder is actually doing something very different. He is an archaeologist writing meticulous fiction to put blood and sinew on a real world constructed from fragments and relics that he knows better than any of us. He is not using 'ye olden days' as a vehicle for fanciful adventures. He is writing about a specific period and place: around 200BC, at the start of the iron age, on the isle of Skye. It’s a remote and barbaric world, but its people are aware of a wider geography and politics. On the edges of their geographical horizon there are Greeks and Romans, Egyptians even. There are travellers’ tales of Africa and Asia. These are people without written history, but they are tethered in oral lineages that reach back into a time that was ancient even to them. These are people whose world is dominated by conflict – survival requires scrabbling for scant resources: cattle grabs, land grabs, power grabs. And politics cannot be separated from technology: different groups, on slightly different trajectories, are making the transition from bronze weapons to iron - hot on the heels of the transition from stone to bronze, and these transitions entail shifts in power, social order, life chances. On the edges of this world, there is also the transition to the technology of writing… a technology whose absence from this novel fits well with its style of storytelling. Presented as a life-story told by one man to another, the narrative is episodic, its arc slow and low slung, more engaged with the battle than the war. I was reminded of the Odyssey and of the Orkneyinga Saga. In such a history the supernatural components are at ease: it is a world where everything is alive.

In depicting this world, Ryder is seeking create not just a historically possible world, but a historically possible consciousness. He is trying to depict, through fiction, what it may have been to inhabit that world, to see it through eyes which have seen no other, to be born and die in it. So (un the Hollywood version of the period) his characters are not modern people with familiar sensibilities, fancifully adorned with flowing clothes and archaic weapons, elecuting olde english.

They are very different from us. They see the world very differently. The emotional landscape is shockingly unfamiliar.

Did I this world? No. This is a book about men, told from a male perspective. The hunting dogs appear to have more personality than the women, possibly more value, with the mules and cattle not far behind. There is much too much fighting – and relish in it – than suits my tastes. Certainly too much blood and gore and death. I did not our hero’s world view: his desire for vengeance at the death of his brothers seemed far more intense than any affection for his brothers in life; his determination to protect the heroine is motivated by the protection of his own honour rather than any real interest of hers. The crystalline moments in his memory are not moments of reflection or tenderness or even grief – they are moment when a man is slashed open in battle, and his viscera pour out in a cascade and he slips on them. No, I didn’t enjoy my visit to this world.

All the same, I was utterly compelled by it. This is a story that grabs you by the hair, doesn't much care if you it, but simply holds on. As the slow arc of the story progressed, the consciousness of these distant people began to make sense to me. I began to understand them, to inhabit them. I began to want what they wanted. In the end I did not even want to leave.

This is a consummate achievement of storytelling.5 s RichardAuthor 5 books449

ARC kindly provided by the author.

This novel tells of a Celtic warrior trying to save both his homeland of Skye and the beautiful daughter of a Druid from enemy invaders. Brennus son of Biturix lives in a volatile and violent pre-Christian world where gods and fantastic creatures influence humans by pressuring them to act on their basic instincts, or not as the case may be. One can rise from abject slave to war hero in a shockingly short time. One's oath is one's bond, unless one can find a way to get out of it. And if one has the second sight, it can be a blessing or a curse.

The author spices up his archaeological and historical knowledge with a lot of imagination to produce a gripping fast-paced tale. It's also a pretty great effort to produce the mindset of the people of a particular time and place.

You might even say the Skye's the limit.2022 by-gr-twitter-friends ebooks-kindle ...more3 s RobinAuthor 3 books14

Set on the Isle of Skye around 200 BC, this heroic fantasy novel tells the story of Brennus, a young man who, stifled by pastoral village life, wishes to follow in the martial footsteps of his late father. He has an encounter with the titular Hag of the Hills, a wicked sidhe who promises that his wish will come true—but at a cost. Brennus' life is immediately thrown into chaos as mysterious invaders sweep across the island. He manages to survive the initial onslaught, but a doomed druid's final wish saddles him with a heavy burden.

This novel is exciting and action-packed, featuring plenty of both ancient warfare and bizarre encounters with the supernatural. The author has an archaeological background, and that clearly has enriched the story. Ancient Celtic customs and religion feature prominently; oaths possess an inviolable importance for the characters in the story and slaves are casually sacrificed to the gods in an effort to seek their favor. While the characters presented are largely relatable, I appreciated the occasionally alien mindset revealed by their actions.

First in a duology, this book tells a fairly self-contained story, but certain framing passages hint about a larger, more epic tale. I look forward to reading the forthcoming sequel.fantasy3 s K.E. AndrewsAuthor 11 books149

I'm going to start my review by saying that this book contains some things not suitable for every reader: bloody battles, gore, torture, killing of animals, nudity, human sacrifice, slavery, and some things that could be viewed as sexual assault. This is a corner of fiction I haven't delved into much, but I was interested to read more Celtic fiction. This story follows a young man named Brennus as he struggles with losing his home and upholding an oath, while also making a deal with the hag of the hills. It's evident that Ryder knows his stuff with Celtic history and wove a story together that meshes both history and mythology in a cool way. I was interested to know who this mysterious person was that Brennus was talking to and think the revelation/hint about who it is at the ending is interesting. Verc was one of my favorite characters. This author is also unafraid to unalive dogs, so don't trust him if you see a dog in his books lol. What mostly made me give this book 3.5 stars was some of the depictions of the female characters. I felt they could have been fleshed out more, especially Myrnna who is the one we see the most of in this story. While I know this is historical fiction and that women in this society weren't treated well most of the time, she felt more an accessory to the story rather than her own person. Brennus' relationship with her didn't feel as fleshed out as it could have, and he went from viewing her as his charge to just someone who was good-looking. There were moments where I really wanted him to talk with her more, but it didn't always happen. This was also the case with the slave women in the story. The two that I felt were more well-defined as characters were Aunee and the Hag herself (she intrigued me from the beginning). There were also times in the story that I wasn't sure how much time had passed or really what Brennus was feeling about things, his reunion with his brother. I didn't dis him but I suspect it wasn't the author's intention for most of the characters to be seen as solely good or solely evil. One thing that was very unique to this story is that it reads more an ancient heroic tale Beowulf. With the revelation in the epilogue, that writing style makes sense and works well for the story. This story may not be for everyone, but it does offer an interesting look at prehistoric Celtic culture. 3.5/5 rounded up. This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.Show full review2 s Theartsyreader90 19

The writing pulled me in from the start. Give me anything mythological (Celtic especially) and I will be interested, mention a fairy or other mythological being and I will be super excited, but something about the way this book is written kept my eyes glued to the page and I didn’t just want to, I NEEDED to read on.

This is historical fantasy as it should be done. The places are real, the myths are ‘real’ and instead of feeling a modern day person writing for a modern audience with modern sensibilities we instead get something which ‘feels’ more real, feels we are actually there in ancient Scotland and not in some made up, completely unrealistic, sparkly Hollywood fantasy version of it.

Now, that is not to say there isn’t fantasy in this, but the fantasy is fantasy that meshes with and comes from the actual ‘real’ myths and is grounded in the historical world. It is not the usual stuff you get in book after book these days of some MC getting magic powers and brief mentions of some Scottish place or myth to loosely link to it for the sales and spark interest. This book NEEDS to be set where it is, because it lives and breathes there.

Something I really appreciated was that the author shares his list of place names as well as non-English words in the fore- as well as afterword. An index at the end is cool, but not very handy when you have an ebook in my opinion (so I really d this!!).

I also d the way the story unfolds. Main character and warrior son Brennus is telling his friend Luceo about his life. He can see the sidhe, the fair folk. The time (about 200 BC) as well as place the story is set in is laced with mythology and superstition, something that heavily influences the MC’s story and his narrative. Since Brennus can see and interact with beings of the ‘other side’, his interaction with the titular hag of the hills – his wish to fulfil his dreams is at the forefront of the story. But everything else that has to do with magical beings, her help comes with a price…

If you are a fan of fantasy, epics, mythology, history and archeology and stories set in Scotland, this is a book you absolutely have to pick up!

5 stars from me – and highly recommended! Head over to my blog for my full review:
https://theartsyreader.com/book-revie...fantasy historical2 s Brenda Marie1,122 48

Hag of the Hills is the first book in the series. And it wasn't long enough - bring on the next!
Brennus is tired of living a quiet, farmer life. He seethes to become a warrior.
And he gets his wish - after visiting the Hag of the Hills. A group of invaders decimates his clan - leaving him the task to escort the Druid leader's daughter to a village. Lots of trials to overcome.
Then his life takes another direction.
Very well written.
#hagofthehills
#historicalfantasy #randomthingstours #fantasyfiction #warrior2022-books-i-own-library-ku-reads2 s Marian ThorpeAuthor 11 books84

Complex and detailed. Hag of the Hills is a hero’s journey with a difference. In the second century BCE, Brennus of Skye is a warrior’s son who isn’t allowed to be a warrior, until invasion changes that fate. But his journey to heroic status spirals around the geology and mythology of his island. His forward momentum is inexorable, driven by the words of a local deity and his own conviction that he must honour both his oaths and the visions granted to him – but with many mistakes, fears, denials and reversals.

Hag of the Hills is not a conventional Celtic-based fantasy book. I’d hesitate to call it fantasy, rather than a form of magic realism. The Sidhe are a real part of Brennus’s world, whether is it is the Cailleach or giants or the shape-shifter who speaks in words later attributed to the bard Taliesin. But they are not earthly beings, as often in fantasy, but remain other-worldly, real but inhabiting a different realm to which Brennus is given occasional access.

In The Wayfinders: Why Ancient Wisdom Matters in The Modern World, ethnobotanist Wade Davis wrote:

“The world can only appear monochromatic to those who persist in interpreting what they experience through the lens of a single cultural paradigm, their own. For those with the eyes to see and the heart to feel, it remains a rich and complex topography of the spirit.”

And this is what J.T.T. Ryder, an archaeologist specializing in Iron Age northern European cultures, has attempted to show us: that rich and complex topography experienced through a different cultural paradigm. Is it successful? In my opinion, yes, for the most part.

Brennus’s world is one in which Cuchulainn walks in memory and stories are told of war-elephants crossing the Alps; where men leave Skye to fight in Thrace, where the stone tools found in caves are left by the Sidhe and the bronze sword in a barrow belongs to an ancestor: a world both intensely rooted in its geography and conscious of a wider world beyond, known through trade and commerce in soldiers and slaves. This duality is echoed in others: as well as the Sidhe and the everyday world, there are few shades of grey in Brennus’s world: he is either an oath-keeper or an oath-breaker, a free man or a slave, a warrior or a coward.

Whether purposely or not, this sense of duality is echoed in Ryder’s prose, which frequently changes tenses within a paragraph, creating for this reader a feeling of dislocation. Jarring at first, as the novel progressed I found it added to the veracity of Brennus’s experiences. Unconventional to 21st century prose, perhaps, but echoing the blending of past and present that Brennus’s cultural paradigms encompass. Time is a construct not experienced by all cultures in the same way.

(What was less effective for me was the use of modern words and terms, which took me out of the immersive and different world I was experiencing and returned me to ours. ‘Fetal position’ is one example.)

We are used to epic hero’s journeys, from Odysseus onward. Brennus’s is not epic; it is extremely local, both in geography and psychologically. Much of what he works towards may make readers uncomfortable: honour, revenge, a glorious death – and while there is near-constant action, the real journey is in Brennus’s mind – not a comfortable or familiar place to be, but one I found worth experiencing.2 s Mario Cari?Author 6 books1 follower

(Historical) heroic fantasy is alive and well! A fellow archaeologist by trade, Ryder provides the reader with deep descriptions and understanding of the 200 B.C. Celtic culture, and as someone who had visited Scotland (also in the archaeological context), I can only say he did an amazing job at it.

Though it may seem too dense at times, Ryder's writing needs to be understood from his professional perspective; it is something akin to Stephen King's description of Robert E. Howard's prose—where Howard's writing (especially Conan) seemed to be 'tripping over itself' in the frantic need to get everything out, Ryder's own style semi-mirrors that in the sense that the author tries to cram as much (historically correct) details within the narrative as possible in order to provide us with rich world building. And he does just that. Indeed, the Isle of Skye and the entire ancient world depicted in the Hag of the Hills can be easily read as a Tolkienesque story set in some imaginary, secondary world, which furthermore demonstrates the author's ability to convey the richness and difference of the olden days compared to our own, modern age. In addition, Ryder's stroke of genius comes in the form of a glossary at the beginning of the novel which elucidates the less known terms from that period and place, furthermore adding to the perception of a far off, fantasy land.

In terms of plot, the author delivers what the book promises—drama, action, and sorcery rounded up with well-defined character-driven moments. It would have been impossible to create a slow-burning, but ultimately thundering heroic fantasy without a well-thought out road map of character development, and in this the author succeeds as well.

Hag of the Hills provides a rich experience in the manner of the old adventure novels of the past century, though adapted for the new sensibilities. In that it proves that the classic storytelling applies in every age, but only if the author possesses enough knowledge and skill to present it in the new and fresh way, and J.T.T. Ryder is certainly one of those.2 s A.D JonesAuthor 6 books31

“I am not afraid of anything except the sky falling down on my head, and the ground opening up under me. “

Wow, this takes the level of fantasy that I love, and doesn’t force me to sit through a 100 pages of forced world building; we’re off to a winner.
Fantasy doesn’t always have to be this grandiose affair: it can be heroes with rough swords, caked in mud, fighting for their lives against similar foes.

I really enjoyed the plot for this novel in that it wasn’t some super over the top story, it was grounded quite well while still having some elements that clearly placed it in the fantasy bracket. The writing was beautifully descriptive and easy to visualise and carried the story along at a pace that didn’t feel bloated at all, leading to a satisfying finish with room for a sequel.
There was definite growth within the characters and while the places within could be entirely fictional, the foreword actually shows that the author has fully researched and used real geographic places and language accurate to the time period, which adds depth for sure.

If I was to look for things I didn’t (and I always do), I would struggle; short of the potential for a “drink when you see the word nipple” drinking game.

I would recommend this to fans of low fantasy/mythology/adventure novels and will be picking up the sequel for sure.2 s Stephen BabbAuthor 2 books14

This is a must for fans of sword and sorcery. Excellent storytelling!3 s Rowena AndrewsAuthor 3 books75

I will say that I am glad that I had read that the author was an archaeologist before reading Hag from the Hills because it meant that I went into this one with the right frame of mind, and I think that is important because this book should not be mistaken for ‘conventional’ (whatever that is) Celtic-based fantasy although I do think it will appeal to fans of that. Instead, Hag from the Hills leans very strongly into the historical side, and the fantastical elements are more magical realism and belief than pure fantasy, and I have to say that the depiction of the Sidhe here is one of my favourites that I’ve seen depicted in a while. Ryder has not just tried to capture the geography and historical accuracy of the setting, but also its heart and mind, where aspects such as belief in the Sidhe are interwoven with everyday life.

The influence of that archaeological background can be seen most strongly in the worldbuilding because Ryder has created a richly realised world, that uses the relics and fragments of archaeology to anchor itself in a specific time and place. I loved the marriage of adding story to the bones provided by evidence, the fantastical elements of the sidhe and the feeling that this was an oral telling which worked beautifully with the period and setting. Hag of the Hills is incredibly grounded in the local, and yet in many ways, it is epic in scale, because there was an awareness and an acknowledgement of the wider geography of the world, from culture to politics and commerce, and again it built into the richness of the world and made for an interesting duality between the local and the wider world, the familiar and the other (a mirror in some ways of the interactions with the Sidhe).

I very much enjoyed the writing style although it did take a little getting used to because it is a life story told to another, it was somewhat episodic with tense changes. While it was a little jarring, to begin with, it worked very well with what was being done here – whenever you recount a tale, you jump around in time, and considering the melting pot that Brennus experiences, it is fitting that is mirrored in the recounting.

Brennus was a complicated character. I can’t say his viewpoint or his hunger for vengeance was something I agreed about, but his character voice, and the dichotomy of his place in the world at different points in his life. He is a man that has gone through many roles, who has fallen from honour and risen to its heights. What, he was, regardless of how you view him, is an incredibly compelling character. And I think the same can be said for the book in general – it was incredibly compelling, it’s action-packed both in terms of drama and battle, and sometimes it’s not the easiest world to read about or spend time in – fitting for the period, and yet Ryder makes it so consuming that you’re just swept along and enjoying every moment.

Hag from the Hills is a wonderful take on the hero’s journey in that it is not a sprawling epic, although the world is epic in context, but rather a localised tale – both in the geography of where the events occur, but also because much of the journey is within Brennus. I really loved the writing once I had got used to its flow, and the worldbuilding was absolutely fantastic, and I honestly can’t wait to see what Ryder will do in the second book of the series.fantasy historical indie-self-published1 Iseult MurphyAuthor 28 books122

I absolutely loved the first half of this book. It was an easy 5 stars for me, and I almost rushed out to buy the other books in the series. The author realistically depicts a pagan world. Life is cheap, there are slaves and human sacrifice and women are for sex, but there is humanity and connection and a very believable way of life. I loved the Celtic gods and traditions, and even the fact that the main character is relating his story to another gave it a very Celtic feel. The turn of phrase of the main character as he described his life felt authentic and I loved every minute of the descriptions, characters, action and peril.
Unfortunately, the second half lagged for me. While the first half had a drive and purpose, and excellently balanced the brutality of the world with the relationships of the characters, the second half seemed to stagnant, with repetitions of the same scenes between the main character and the mercenaries he has aligned with, before finally just ending without any resolution.
I was particularly disappointed in the character of Myrnna, a druid taught daughter of a chief druid who seems to be wanted by everyone. I had hoped that her character would develop and she would at least speak to the main character, but she never speaks and is little more than a macguffin. I understand that this world was hard on women, but one of the things I loved after the first half of the book was that it showed women were more than sex slaves. It was disappointing therefore that the female characters in the second half of the book were literally that.
The second half of the book reminded me very much of day in the life iron and Bronze Age books I read as a child, except this book has more sex, violence and swearing.
I admire the author for his research and historical accuracy, as much as possible, and for creating a believable picture of Skye in 200 BC. I particularly loved how learned, well travelled, and colorful the characters were, which I think is often forgotten by authors when they write about the past. I loved the details about what was going on in the rest of the world and the Easter eggs, if you will, hinting at what was to come.
From a story point of view, however, I wish that the strong character development and narrative drive from the first half of the book had continued into the second half.
Thank you to Blackcoffee book tours and the author for giving me a free copy of the book. I’m
voluntarily leaving an honest review of this book. 1 TaniaRina1,589 99

What a difference reading a fictional book written by an author with relevant professional experience and knowledge.
I’m not an author, so cannot fathom the amount of research that goes into historical fictional. But to be able to harness all the scientific and archaeological information in order to craft a novel (or series) that lay readers can understand and even appreciate? Wow, just wow.

So many disparate cultures lived in proximity to each other – sometimes at peace and sometimes at odds. The varying mindsets leading to misunderstandings and war are mind-boggling. Then add the slave mentality and the institution of bonded servants. Not to mention religious practices…

Humans have change soooo much since this book’s time period; one example is the meaning of names.
Unfortunately, we have lost the power of making and keeping an oath (especially one of protection). And we’ve also lost touch with nature and our role in it.

Fave quotes:
‘Nothing is unconquerable. Even our gods can die.’
‘The sea is where you go when you die and one should not eat from it.’



Looking forward to reading The Lion of Skye.
zz-culturalheritagefic-read zz-ficthist-read zz-fictmilwar-read1 Becky • bookmarked by becky 520 24

?This faux-Celtic world is filled with deities, heroes and villains - giants, serpents, fairies, shapeshifters which makes the book feel almost Tolkienesque. But the epic battle scenes as Brennus tries to recapture his homeland and seeks vengeance for his family feel similar to Game of Thrones - very descriptive and very fast-paced. If you are a lover of either, I think you’ll really enjoy this series.

Others who would love this book?
?People who love the history channel - the vivid descriptions felt I was transported back to 200 B.C.
?Readers who dabble in fantasy - the world-building is easy to follow, almost more magical realism.
?Fans of Celtic Mythology and Celtic folklore - my favorite part of the book!1 ???86 31

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