The Welsh Warrior's Inheritance: Welsh Warrior Book 2

by Arianwen Nunn, Historium Press

An epic historical novel enmeshed in thrilling Welsh history! For lovers of Cornwell's The Last Kingdom series, you must read Arianwen Nunn's books!! It is 1109 and the Welsh warrior and firebrand, Owain ap Cadwgan abducts Princess Nest from the castle she shares with her children and her husband, Gerald of Windsor. King Henry of England, furious that Nest, who is also his lover and mother of his son, begins a manhunt to find Owain and return Nest to her husband. In Gwynydd Gruffydd ap Cynan and his wife risk everything to hide them and get them to safety in Ireland despite the efforts of Gronwy ap Owain, Angharad's vicious brother who would like to see Gruffydd and Owain dead.King Henry uses Bishop Richard to start kinship warfare in Wales. Madog ap Ithel is the Bishop's pawn and kills both Owain ap Cadwgan's father and Uncle. Another of Owain's uncles, Maredudd pleads with the king for Owain's return and is successful but Owain continues to harass the Normans as does Gronwy in the North. Finally, Henry declares war against the Welsh determining to exterminate them all. As the Welsh hide in the mountains away from the Norman invasion Owain learns from his scheming Uncle Maredudd that Gwenllian has formed an alliance of her own with Griffith ap Rhys, his old lover Nest's brother. Owain turns traitor and Gronwy moves in ready to be the new king of Gwynedd. Can Gruffydd and his family survive the greatest army ever led against Wales?

565 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 21, 2023

Reviews

[Eric Howell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed The Welsh Warrior's Inheritance, the sequel to The Welsh Traitor's Daughter. The characters explode from the page and it has a nice fast pace. It is easy to pick up and hard to put down. The history is well researched and the book explores greed, revenge, love and betrayal in Wales in the Middle Ages.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really compelling novel which has taken me to Wales in 1110. The descriptions of the country, planning of battles as well as its characters were such that I felt being there. I learned a lot about this country subjected to so much violence, and of course they gave it back... I found interesting the topic of honour to the family and Wales. Betrayals were of course a near daily problem. Quite a lot romance which counteracted the reigning violence but also allowed me to have a good insight into family life. A great read!
I received a digital copy of this novel from NetGalley and I am leaving voluntarily an honest review.

[Lesley H · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fabulous sequel to The Welsh Traitor's Daughter. Arianwen has continued to be true to the history of the time, eloquently describing people, places and events. Her style of writing skilfully keeps the novel alive and the reader waiting to see what happens next. I thoroughly enjoyed this second book of Arianwen's and look forward to more.

[Michèle Callard · Rating 4 out of 5]

The magic of Arianwen Nunn's tales never fails to draw you in with its penetrating insight into human nature, subtly woven descriptions and depth of research. My heart went out to Angharad, Gruffydd and Gwenllian, and I seethed with hatred against the awful Madog and Gronwy.
It was a long book and I loved 'Bards sing of love and War' more, hence the four stars. Bringing forth the twelfth century with such realism is a tour de force.

[Candice Reid · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Welsh Warrior’s Inheritance is another intense and immersive dive into medieval Wales from Arianwen Nunn. If you love historical fiction that feels gritty, emotional, and rooted in real history, this one delivers. Set in 1109, the story kicks off with a scandalous abduction that sparks chaos across kingdoms and ignites a chain of betrayal, bloodshed, and political firestorms.
Nunn has a gift for bringing history to life without making it feel like a lecture. The characters here are flawed, passionate, and dangerously human, especially Owain ap Cadwgan, whose fiery choices have consequences that ripple through families, alliances, and an entire nation. The world-building is sharp and atmospheric, full of castle intrigue, shifting loyalties, and the raw brutality of early medieval life. The pacing is strong too, once the story begins, it doesn’t slow down.
My only note is that there are a lot of names and political players introduced quickly, so it may take a few chapters to fully settle into who’s who. But once you’re in, you’re in. The emotional stakes, family conflict, and ruthless struggle for power keep the tension high all the way through.
If you’re a fan of Bernard Cornwell’s The Last Kingdom or love historical series filled with passion, politics, and warrior energy, this book belongs on your shelf.

[Delyth Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Welsh Warrior's Inheritance is a thoroughly enjoyable and captivating read. It is a page turner with a plot that makes it difficult to put the book down! Owain ap Cadwgan continues to fascinate; creating anguish on the one hand and humour on the other. Angharad creates such joy and steadfastness, with her daughter Gwenllian in particular, showing an indomitable strength of spirit.
Having unreservedly enjoyed this engrossing second novel by Arianwen Nunn I am greatly looking forward to her third in this series.

[Anita Dow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superbly crafted plot and quality writing to delight the senses.

Author Arianwen Nunn really hits her stride with this brilliantly plotted second book in the Welsh Warrior series. I couldn't get enough of this book - from the very first page to the last it had everything I hoped for. Building on the foundations of book one, this 12th century story, based around a significant period in Welsh history, is a real page-turner. Gruffyd and Angharad, now king and queen of the area known as Gwynedd, are well settled in their highly respected roles, with a brood of eight children to continue their dynasty – that is if treachery from inside and outside Wales doesn't annihilate their whole population. Author Nunn's writing has become even more assured and it was a joy to savour her rich, vivid descriptions and colourful characterisations. The action that seemed lacking in book one is here in abundance and from the first chapter I was completely immersed in the plot and totally invested in the cast of believable characters.

In this second book, author Nunn manages to convey current and past historical detail through her characters in a seamless way that' is fully in tune with the dialogue, without it feeling contrived. She has really improved the 'show not tell' aspect of writing and there were delights and shocks aplenty throughout the story. One particular chapter had me moved to tears by the poignancy of farewells between three of the leading characters. After being slightly underwhelmed by book one I just didn't want this story to end, and can't wait to read book three. I highly recommend The Welsh Warrior's Inheritance, with its superbly crafted plot, characters to love or loathe, and lush writing to delight the senses. Thank you Arianwen Nunn for an unforgettable story.

[Rosalind · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Welsh Warrior's Inheritance” is the second book in the “Welsh Warrior” series of historical sagas by Welsh author Arianwen Nunn. In medieval Wales, there is an epic clash between the Welsh nobles and English King Henry I, who is greedy for the Welsh lands. King Henry’s massive and well-equipped army is terrifying. However, under the leadership of the Welsh King Gruffydd ap Cynan, the warriors even the odds with their skilled ambushes and familiarity with the forbidding mountains. Meanwhile, King Gruffydd’s beautiful daughter Princess Gwenllian, who is also a skilled fighter, has stolen the hearts of two warriors. What will happen when she picks one fiery warrior over the other? And this is only a sampling of the dramas in this story. Based on historical events and people, this novel is filled with treachery, attacks, doomed love, bravery, and plenty of double-crossing to go around. The Bishop, with his scheming ways and love of fashion, was a scene stealer for me, and I couldn’t help but love him, bad as he was. The author’s descriptions of the Welsh countryside and how the people lived in medieval Wales vividly brought the story to life for me. I especially love Ms. Nunn’s descriptions of the fine clothing with embroidered details worn by the Welsh nobles. I appreciate the extensive historical research Ms. Nunn put into this story. The novels in the series can be read independently, and I read the third book first, so am going backwards in the series. The author includes sufficient background information to fill in any gaps for those reading out of order, like me. Highly recommended for those who enjoy history and captivating sagas with romance and drama.

[Karla Shaffer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been reading a lot of historical fiction lately, and plain history nonfiction, so this caught my eye. In particular, the cover, which I quite like. I am also interested in the Norman Conquest and the period right after 1066, which is when this book is set. These combined made this an ideal read. My first thought on this book is that it is quite well-written. The characters are interesting. I especially liked Gwenllian. The appendix and historical notes at the beginning are very helpful.

Overall, this book grabbed me early. The story breathes life into medieval Wales with its clashes between Welsh nobles and King Henry’s forces. The research shows throughout without being too academic. I can tell the author did some homework to ensure there was a level of authenticity that could not be achieved without it. It is immersive.

In general, the characters were great. They face choices that resonate beyond their time. As I noted, Princess Gwenllian stood out to me as a character, as both a fighter and romantic figure, I found myself invested in her journey. The scheming Bishop added delicious complexity whenever he appeared on the page as well. This is a great story about love, betrayal, and courage, rooted in real history.

[T G Meader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't sure what to expect from a book about medieval Wales but the whole story about this guy abducting a princess and causing massive problems with the Norman king got me hooked fast. What I liked is that nobody's just good or bad, they're all trying to survive and get what they want whether they're Welsh or Norman. The family stuff mixed with political drama kept things interesting, and there's so much betrayal and shifting sides that you never know who to trust. The main character who starts all this trouble is wild because he's supposed to be this resistance hero but he also causes complete chaos for everyone around him.

The female characters actually do stuff and make decisions instead of just standing around looking pretty which was refreshing. The battles and family drama feel real and intense without getting boring with too many historical details. Good read if you like historical books with lots of drama, complicated people, and actual events from history mixed in. Kept me turning pages to see how everything played out.

[Shannon Warner · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re into The Last Kingdom, this book by Arianwen Nunn is gonna hit you right in the historical-fiction sweet spot—except with way more Welsh grit and messy family chaos that feels like it could fill an entire medieval therapist’s journal. It kicks off fast with Owain ap Cadwgan pulling this wild, morally gray move by abducting Princess Nest, and from there, it’s pure mayhem: angry royals, sketchy politics, full-on war threatening to swallow Wales whole. Sometimes the action moves so fast, the characters feel a bit rushed, but man, the scale of it all is gripping. Nunn doesn’t sugarcoat her people—Owain, Nest, Gronwy—they're tangled, flawed, kinda heartbreaking. And while some parts lean a little dramatic, you still feel it. The historical vibe is thick but not suffocating, and there’s this fiery Welsh energy pulsing through it all. It’s intense, but if you're into stories about messy loyalty, freedom, and fire-in-your-belly rebellion, it’s absolutely worth diving into.

[Freya Kissane · Rating 4 out of 5]

My overall opinion is that if you enjoyed the first book in this series then you will definitely also enjoy this one. This book expands the scope and cast of characters from the first novel and in my opinion Gwynedd and Angharad take much more of a back seat. In the first 80% of the novel it feels much more like stuff is happening around them rather than to them. The first 450 pages spend time building to the ultimate conflict and as this novel is long I question whether a tighter focus and some trimming of the plot would have been beneficial. Gwynedd and Angharad’s children feature as prominent parts of the novel but like the first novel the cast of other characters is at times hard to keep straight. Honestly, this novel is what’s advertised on the tin, an epic and sweeping history that delves into the details of Welsh history and transports and entails at the same time. If you like the first novel, I’d definitely recommend picking up the second.

[Rosemary Mairs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the first book in this series, in which the author’s love of Welsh history and traditions shone through. This sequel continues the fictional account of real events and people in the early 12th century, a portrayal of Welsh ire and bitterness towards the Normans who had taken their land. It surpasses the first book in terms of the quality of the writing, characterisation, and plot. A lengthy novel at over 500 pages, kudos to the author for making it a page turner.

The breadth and scope of the narrative is impressive, the story moving seamlessly from rural Welsh strongholds to the machinations of King Henry’s court, where slippery Bishop Richard has the monarch’s ear. Woven amongst the Welsh/Norman hostilities are family rivalries and feuds, with passionate love stories thrown into the mix to create a riveting story.

Strongly recommend.

[Isabelle Durnford · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read The Welsh Traitor's Daughter and realised how little I knew of the history of the Welsh nation. I quickly became involved in the lives of the characters and, thanks to the excellent in-depth research that Arianwen has done, I learnt so much about Wales and its history. I was delighted to see that the second book was published and having now read it I thoroughly recommend it. Again it is wonderfully researched and full of historical anecdotes. It is so interesting to follow the lives of the characters as they develop. It is a very good read and I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.

[Janice Smillie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing read. Steeped in Welsh history you really get a sense of life back in the 1100

I knew very little of Welsh history but this page turning novel surprisingly gives a accurate insight into the lives of the Welsh and English nobles of the time, without detracting from the excellent story

Here’s hoping a third volume is available soon

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really cute and fun book! I read as a stand alone and did not find that to be a problem. I really appreciated that the author included an index of characters at the beginning of the book, it made it so much easier to follow the world building. The book is on longer side, but was easy to read (no old English etc) so one is able to move through it quickly.

[Seema Shenoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. Grabs your attention from page one and never lets it go. Good pacing and excellent character development.