Prisoners of Hope

The Latter Annals of Lystra #3

by Robin Hardy (Unknown)

Under Ares’ command, Lystra has successfully defended her capital from invasion by a Qarqarian usurper who wants the legitimate heir, whom Ares is sheltering, dead. But this defense has come at the heartbreaking cost of many casualties among Ares’ youngest soldiers. In apparent gratitude, the ruler of neighboring Calle Valley invites Ares to inspect the ships confiscated from the enemy, now harbored at Prie Mer. So Ares accepts, bringing his young wife Nicole, a native of Prie Mer. Once there, they discover that their host intends to keep them prisoners, for if he can do away with Ares, then that will end the line of Roman. But Ares and Nicole are harboring their own secret hope, based on a promise thousands of years old. Prisoners of Hope is the third book of the Latter Annals of Lystra, which begins with Nicole of Prie Mer and continues with Ares of Westford.

244 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2005

About the author

I've written a new series! It's a distant sequel to The Annals of Lystra (begun in Chataine's Guardian) and The Latter Annals (begun in Nicole of Prie Mer). This is where it begins:

Thirty-five years after the assassination of Henry, Surchatain of Lystra, the province is no more and its capital Westford a shadow of its medieval greatness. With the fever now ravaging the palace, the army, and the town, a new Surchatain has ascended the throne of Westford, requiring a loyalty oath for all his subjects and soldiers.

Efran, Captain of the Red Regiment of the Army of Westford, is Polonti—a member of the brown-skinned, black-haired race generally regarded with contempt by Southerners on the Continent, including many in Westford. Knowing of the loyalty oath required on pain of death, Efran lays plans to leave once he has recovered from the fever himself.

But Efran is hindered by entanglements with the Surchatain’s two daughters—one who despises him and one who adores him.

He is appointed guardian of one Chataine. When the palace begins crumbling on its foundations, Efran takes his charge and a street urchin to an abandoned fortress south of Westford in the midst of wolf territory. While he gathers more homeless children at the fortress, the other Chataine prepares to lead an army against him for the legendary treasure hidden in the desolate Abbey of St. Benedict on the Sea.

The Stories of the Abbey of St. Benedict on the Sea comprise 36 novellas, each around 50,000 words, that make for one continuous story from the beginning to a definite end. ​To introduce this series, I'm offering free pdf and epub downloads of all the stories. Each pdf includes links, pronunciations, maps, and an illustration with notes.  (The epubs  contain all of the above except maps.)

Reviews

[Kate Joekel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great story by Robin Hardy

I have enjoyed Robin Hardy's books , they are entertaining and touching with an under stated spirituality. This is a re-read for me and all the trials that Ares and Nicole go through I'm seeing g through the lens of brain cancer. I feel God has led me to read this series to strengthen my faith.

[English · Rating 1 out of 5]

A lot of fans have raved about the deep moral and spiritual messages in this story, but, as far as I can see there is little of either. It has been some time since I read this book, so I hope readers will forgive me if I make a mistake, or remember something incorrectly.

The story itself and its resolution is simply corny, cliched and generally implausible. Basically, it concerns Ares and Nicole being invited on a diplomatic visit to another country by a neighbouring ruler- who proceeds to hold them hostage- for little or no apparent reason.



There is plenty of formulaic Political Intrigue, which is apparently essential to the story. The characters behavior, however, considering that they are supposed to be mature sophisticated adults is simply ridiculous.
The Heroine gets upset when the wife of a Rival King criticizes her Fashion sense and dressing style, and her Husband uses the Slutty Princess Renee to get Revenge on her, with some petty insults which are supposed to be funny, but are really just Childish. Such immature behaviour towards social equals and even superiors running contrary to all forms of courtesy and politeness is sadly all too typical of the supposedly 'sophisticated' Lysrans.

Every one of the enemies or rivals of the Lystran Protagonists is depicted as utterly stupid, foolish or Gullible, who can be duped by people donning disguises and assumed identities.
Most of them don't have counsellors or advisers who are able to see through the ploys of the Lystrans, or react to them in any way, or indeed seem to have met or know anything about the royal families and important officials of the neighbouring states. The resolution, without giving too much away is so convenient and clichéd that its hard to suspend one's disbelief and that 'yeah, like that just happens all the time.....'

On another subject, the attitude to, and uses of Religion by the characters Imply nothing more than a Petty and capricious deity who can be relied upon to get his people He likes out of difficult situations, and helps his favourites.
It appears that the author was using some form of politically correct newspeak or self-censorship by terms that may have had specific Christian connotations, opting instead for more broad, vague and neutral terms like 'religious experience' instead of conversion or salvation, and 'malevolent spiritual activity' or 'supernatural evil' instead of demonic.
Fans of this series have tried to excuse this by claiming that Medieval people only had a limited understanding of theology, but any serious examination of Medieval Religion reveals that many people at this time believed in Satan and demons, and that such powers could influence aspects of the Material world. So the avoidance of these specifically Christian terms cannot be justified according to the 'historical' setting.

The Vision scene in the last few chapters of the story is bizarre, obscure and often plain absurd. There are female angels, and others who go around exacting summary vengeance against Adulterous Men (women are apparently exempt), who are the only ones to he held guilty in acts of Marital infidelity, and watching over 'faithful' people who pray. The implications of this? Your 'guardian angel' will take care of people who 'sin against' or even offend you perhaps?

On a Moral level, the behaviour and responses of the characters are don't seem consistent with the common social mores or attitudes of the period.
Princess Renee makes sexual advances towards every man she sees, including openly doing so in front of her husband, and nobody regards her behaviour and chosen representative of the Province and a prominent member of the ruling family as scandalous, shameful, or in any way unacceptable.





Her husband does not become Jealous or her Promiscuity and Infidelity, as would not uncommonly happen in the Real world, or the Medieval times, and none of the other characters become resentful or bitter at the Ruler's favourable Treatment of his friends.
Again in the Medieval world, such behaviour on the part of a ruler would almost certainly cause resentment and be perceived as unjust.
I seriously question whether this author has any real depth of Knowledge of the Medieval era, aside from Clothes and food.

Altogether this gives the stories a cheap, poorly written, unoriginal and unimaginative feel, with each as more of the same. A poor fantasy novel, and a poor Christian story, the same can be said for all of the series thus far one to avoid..