Quest of the Warrior Maiden: Bradamante & Ruggiero Series

Bradamante and Ruggiero #1

by Linda C. McCabe

Two cruel prophecies. A warrior with an impossible choice. Will she doom her people or save her love?

Frankish Empire, 802 AD. Christian warrior Bradamante puts honor above all else. But when she meets handsome Saracen knight Ruggiero on the field of battle, forbidden passion ignites. With her lover pledged to the enemy, she fears duty and honor must keep them apart forever…

When a sorcerer imprisons the knight, Bradamante discovers two prophecies about their future with devastating consequences. She can indeed wed Ruggiero but doing so would seal his death. If she forsakes her love, then she’ll cause the downfall of the Christian empire.

With the fate of her people at stake, will Bradamante choose to doom the innocent masses or the life of her one true love?

Quest of the Warrior Maiden is the award-winning first novel in the Bradamante & Ruggiero historical fantasy series. If you like Arthurian myth, strong heroines, and tales of forbidden passion, then you’ll love Linda C. McCabe’s thrilling epic of impossible devotion.

Buy Quest of the Warrior Maiden to battle for love and honor today.

AWARDS
• Winner - Best Historic Fantasy by the Bay Area Independent Publishers Association (BAIPA)
• Honorable Mention for Genre-Based fiction by the Hollywood Book Festival
•Book of the Month Selection by Medievalists.net in May 2020

393 pages, Paperback

First published April 19, 2011

Reviews

[Scarlett West · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovers of epic magic, adventure, and sweet romance will adore this tale. Every time I thought I knew what would happen, Linda C. McCabe pulled the story rug out from under me making this an unpredictable but wonderful ride. I loved how she naturally mixed this world with the magical one in such a believable way. I enjoyed the innocent love between the admirable warriors, Brandamanete and Ruggiero.

Brandamente reminds me a bit of Brienne of Tarth from Game of Thrones. Fearless, with high morals, and superior fighting skills, Brandamante is a fine heroine. Still, she doesn't have everything she needs because her heart is after Ruggiero.

You don't have to know the historical background of the story to understand and enjoy it, but if you do like history then the way the author included bits of history will please you. Still, it is NOT history "heavy".

When I was a child I loved fairy tales, and if you do too, I recommend this read.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Part of me wanted to give this 4 stars, as revisiting the characters and adventures from 'Orlando Furioso' was so much fun. In the end I cannot go above 3, since you edited out important parts of Ruggiero's story (ie what happened when he rescued Angelica from the orc). I did enjoy it enough to purchase the next book in your series.

[C.M. Riddle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoying every page of Ruggiero and Bradamante’s journey- and the sorcery and magic ✨

[Michael Norwitz · Rating 3 out of 5]

A retelling of the romance between Bradamante and Ruggiero, set in the time of Charlemagne. I had a rough time with the writing style, the 'one damn thing after another' plot, and the brutality of most of the characters, but there is some good stuff here too, including a well-crafted warrior maiden, and the author's love for the material is obvious.