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Curse of Clansmen and Kings #2
Dagger's Destiny
A Celtic warrior princess accused of treason for aiding her enemy Roman lover must win back her father’s love and trust
War looms over 24 AD Britannia where rival tribal rulers fight each other for power and the Romans threaten to invade to settle their political differences. King Amren accuses his daughter, Catrin, of treason for aiding the Roman enemy and her lover, Marcellus. The ultimate punishment is death unless she can redeem herself. She must prove loyalty to her father by forsaking Marcellus and defending their kingdom. Forged into a warrior, she must overcome tribulations and make the right decisions on her quest to break the curse that foretells her banished half-brother and the Roman Empire will destroy their kingdom.
Yet, when Catrin again reunites with Marcellus, she is torn between her love to him and duty to King Amren. She must ultimately face her greatest challenger who could destroy her life, freedom, and humanity.
Will Catrin finally break the ancient prophecy that looms over her kingdom? Will she abandon her forbidden love for Marcellus to win back her father’s trust and love? Can King Amren balance his brutality to maintain power with the love he feels for his daughter?
The rich and vibrant tale of Catrin and Marcellus Book 2: DAGGER’S DESTINY continued the rich and vibrant tale of Catrin and Marcellus that began with the awarding-winning novel APOLLO’S RAVEN in the Curse of Clansmen and Kings Series. DAGGER'S DESTINY sweeps you into an epic tale of forbidden love, mythological adventure, and political intrigue in Ancient Rome and Britannia.
War looms over 24 AD Britannia where rival tribal rulers fight each other for power and the Romans threaten to invade to settle their political differences. King Amren accuses his daughter, Catrin, of treason for aiding the Roman enemy and her lover, Marcellus. The ultimate punishment is death unless she can redeem herself. She must prove loyalty to her father by forsaking Marcellus and defending their kingdom. Forged into a warrior, she must overcome tribulations and make the right decisions on her quest to break the curse that foretells her banished half-brother and the Roman Empire will destroy their kingdom.
Yet, when Catrin again reunites with Marcellus, she is torn between her love to him and duty to King Amren. She must ultimately face her greatest challenger who could destroy her life, freedom, and humanity.
Will Catrin finally break the ancient prophecy that looms over her kingdom? Will she abandon her forbidden love for Marcellus to win back her father’s trust and love? Can King Amren balance his brutality to maintain power with the love he feels for his daughter?
The rich and vibrant tale of Catrin and Marcellus Book 2: DAGGER’S DESTINY continued the rich and vibrant tale of Catrin and Marcellus that began with the awarding-winning novel APOLLO’S RAVEN in the Curse of Clansmen and Kings Series. DAGGER'S DESTINY sweeps you into an epic tale of forbidden love, mythological adventure, and political intrigue in Ancient Rome and Britannia.
333 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 26, 2018
15 people are currently reading
81 people want to read
About the author
Linnea Tanner
8 books262 followersAward-winning author, Linnea Tanner, weaves Celtic tales of love, magical adventure, and political intrigue in Ancient Rome and Britannia. Since childhood, she has passionately read about ancient civilizations and mythology. Of particular interest are the enigmatic Celts, who were reputed as fierce warriors and mystical Druids.
Linnea has extensively researched ancient and medieval history, mythology, and archaeology and has traveled to sites described within each of her books in the Curse of Clansmen and Kings series. Books released in her series include Apollo’s Raven (Book 1), Dagger’s Destiny (Book 2), Amulet’s Rapture (Book 3), and Skull’s Vengeance (Book 4). She has also released the historical fiction short story Two Faces of Janus.
A Colorado native, Linnea attended the University of Colorado and earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemistry. She lives in Fort Collins with her husband and has two children and six grandchildren.
You can subscribe to her website: http://linneatanner.com/
Linnea has extensively researched ancient and medieval history, mythology, and archaeology and has traveled to sites described within each of her books in the Curse of Clansmen and Kings series. Books released in her series include Apollo’s Raven (Book 1), Dagger’s Destiny (Book 2), Amulet’s Rapture (Book 3), and Skull’s Vengeance (Book 4). She has also released the historical fiction short story Two Faces of Janus.
A Colorado native, Linnea attended the University of Colorado and earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemistry. She lives in Fort Collins with her husband and has two children and six grandchildren.
You can subscribe to her website: http://linneatanner.com/
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
November 26, 2019
Here we have another enchanting historical fantasy romance set in Britannia during Roman times.
I really wanted this book to be an improvement on its predecessor.
Once again, Kristin James's audio performance is the highlight of the book. Her voices are varied, distinct, and well crafted (even the male voices). Her control of vocal inflections and tempo shifts throughout are nothing short of incredible. She's second to none.
Unfortunately, this book carries over all the same flaws as its predecessor. I still don't believe Catrin and Marcellus are in love. I've seen nothing to suggest they are. It feels more like an obsessive school-age infatuation.
Rather than having any basis in emotion or personality, it is purely physically driven, even at the end of the book.
This book has a deeper plot independent of the romance than the first book did, though there is a new problem.
In the first book, the Celtic king calls Catrin "One of our most skilled warriors" yet in this book we have her going under another warrior's wing to be trained to fight. And it's approached as though she was a soft princess with no combat skills and no physical conditioning.
Why is that?
Elsewise, we have a good story here. Events flow together nicely. There is a decent pattern of twists and reveals. And I don't hold it against the book that I saw every twist coming as (or shortly after) it was initially introduced. It's a common problem for me.
Although there are still things about it that I find a bit ridiculous, I enjoyed the deeper dive into the magic system. It's well thought out and there are many points of connection with the powers historically attributed to the druid priests and sorcerers.
Similarly, huge chunks of the world building are brilliantly assembled and conveyed. It's almost effortless the way the author presents most of the world building.
Just as the first book, however, I have some critiques.
The truth is that if this was a secondary world fantasy I would have nothing negative to say here. However, this is a historical fantasy based on the Celtic world and I find myself wishing the author had done her research a little more thoroughly.
The single biggest, most glaring problem that irritates me to no end is the druids WERE NOT priests. Nor were they sorcerers, as this book purports. The druids were a caste. They were the intellectuals. The educators, the historians, the judges, the poets, the philosophers, the shamans... and yes, the priests and sorcerers as well. But while a druid COULD be a priest or sorcerer, not all of them were.
The term "druid powers" would have been met with confused expressions.
The second major issue also ties in with the druids. This being that THE BRITTON CELTS DIDN'T HAVE A WRITTEN LANGUAGE YET!
(this being set in the year 24 CE)
Sorry, I didn't mean to yell. It had to be done. In Brittany the Celts didn't develop written language until around the 4th century CE.
And finally, the Caste System. While the Celtic caste system was not nearly as rigid as, say, the Japanese or even the Romans themselves, they still had an established caste system that was difficult to break out of and there is not the slightest hint of that caste system in this book.
Apart from the historical inaccuracies, there are a few other problems. First, good chunks of the prose are just clumsy to read. The natural consequence to this is much of the dialogue feels stilted and gets repetitive. There is also a lot of word usage that just feels wrong for the period.
Now, I'm not one of those purists who thinks the language needs to be 100% accurate to the period. But it should hold to a slightly more old fashioned feel. Unfortunately, we end up seeing a lot of modern turns of phrase that throw me out of the story quite regularly.
There were several points where words seem to have been transposed (eg: "in her eye's mind"). There are a lot more of these sorts of occurrences than I would normally expect from a professionally edited novel.
Although it isn't as bad on this book as the first, there is still a major consistency problem with the characters. If these two have pledged themselves to one another for eternity, why are they still so wishy-washy about it?
I'm still really bothered by the fact that the only real connection we see between the couple is physical. Marcellus is ridiculously forceful about it at the worst possible times and with no explanation as to why.
And, toward the end, oh my gods he's a freaking idiot! How did he not know something was wrong?
Finally, the ending.
As with the previous book, some of this seems to come out of the blue. Although the groundwork was there earlier, because of the focus of the novel very little of it is seen until things are brought to the fore.
That said, though, when we finally get to it the ending actually comes together pretty well and ties several (though not all) of our disparate plot threads together into a cohesive close that is at least moderately satisfying.
I really wanted this book to be an improvement on its predecessor.
Once again, Kristin James's audio performance is the highlight of the book. Her voices are varied, distinct, and well crafted (even the male voices). Her control of vocal inflections and tempo shifts throughout are nothing short of incredible. She's second to none.
Unfortunately, this book carries over all the same flaws as its predecessor. I still don't believe Catrin and Marcellus are in love. I've seen nothing to suggest they are. It feels more like an obsessive school-age infatuation.
Rather than having any basis in emotion or personality, it is purely physically driven, even at the end of the book.
This book has a deeper plot independent of the romance than the first book did, though there is a new problem.
In the first book, the Celtic king calls Catrin "One of our most skilled warriors" yet in this book we have her going under another warrior's wing to be trained to fight. And it's approached as though she was a soft princess with no combat skills and no physical conditioning.
Why is that?
Elsewise, we have a good story here. Events flow together nicely. There is a decent pattern of twists and reveals. And I don't hold it against the book that I saw every twist coming as (or shortly after) it was initially introduced. It's a common problem for me.
Although there are still things about it that I find a bit ridiculous, I enjoyed the deeper dive into the magic system. It's well thought out and there are many points of connection with the powers historically attributed to the druid priests and sorcerers.
Similarly, huge chunks of the world building are brilliantly assembled and conveyed. It's almost effortless the way the author presents most of the world building.
Just as the first book, however, I have some critiques.
The truth is that if this was a secondary world fantasy I would have nothing negative to say here. However, this is a historical fantasy based on the Celtic world and I find myself wishing the author had done her research a little more thoroughly.
The single biggest, most glaring problem that irritates me to no end is the druids WERE NOT priests. Nor were they sorcerers, as this book purports. The druids were a caste. They were the intellectuals. The educators, the historians, the judges, the poets, the philosophers, the shamans... and yes, the priests and sorcerers as well. But while a druid COULD be a priest or sorcerer, not all of them were.
The term "druid powers" would have been met with confused expressions.
The second major issue also ties in with the druids. This being that THE BRITTON CELTS DIDN'T HAVE A WRITTEN LANGUAGE YET!
(this being set in the year 24 CE)
Sorry, I didn't mean to yell. It had to be done. In Brittany the Celts didn't develop written language until around the 4th century CE.
And finally, the Caste System. While the Celtic caste system was not nearly as rigid as, say, the Japanese or even the Romans themselves, they still had an established caste system that was difficult to break out of and there is not the slightest hint of that caste system in this book.
Apart from the historical inaccuracies, there are a few other problems. First, good chunks of the prose are just clumsy to read. The natural consequence to this is much of the dialogue feels stilted and gets repetitive. There is also a lot of word usage that just feels wrong for the period.
Now, I'm not one of those purists who thinks the language needs to be 100% accurate to the period. But it should hold to a slightly more old fashioned feel. Unfortunately, we end up seeing a lot of modern turns of phrase that throw me out of the story quite regularly.
There were several points where words seem to have been transposed (eg: "in her eye's mind"). There are a lot more of these sorts of occurrences than I would normally expect from a professionally edited novel.
Although it isn't as bad on this book as the first, there is still a major consistency problem with the characters. If these two have pledged themselves to one another for eternity, why are they still so wishy-washy about it?
I'm still really bothered by the fact that the only real connection we see between the couple is physical. Marcellus is ridiculously forceful about it at the worst possible times and with no explanation as to why.
And, toward the end, oh my gods he's a freaking idiot! How did he not know something was wrong?
Finally, the ending.
As with the previous book, some of this seems to come out of the blue. Although the groundwork was there earlier, because of the focus of the novel very little of it is seen until things are brought to the fore.
That said, though, when we finally get to it the ending actually comes together pretty well and ties several (though not all) of our disparate plot threads together into a cohesive close that is at least moderately satisfying.
September 26, 2018
Dark magic, familial revenge and an illicit romance. This story packs a punch and the author doesn’t hold back on the intrigue or the mystical power of the druids. You may have heard the phrase ‘absolute power corrupts absolutely’, then this story has it in spades. Dagger’s Destiny by Linnea Tanner is the second book in her series, Curse of Clansmen and Kings, a historical fantasy set in Ancient Britain.
The author recaps well on the final events from Book 1, Apollo’s Raven, and the main character, Catrin, has to make amends for her interference at the prisoner exchange. Her actions, is the beginning of catastrophic outcomes for herself, her father--the king, family and her clan. As the story progresses, Catrin, with the ancient powers of the druids, tests her gifts and is duped into believing she can alter the curse as beset by her father’s first wife, a sorceress with dark powers.
Her lover, Marcellus, a Roman who had accompanied his father to Britain to establish Roman rule and alliances, is an unwitting patsy, used by his father and Catrin’s father. Marcellus’ father is set on proving to the emperor, Tiberius, how great his family is and to dispel the misdeeds of his famous and once distinguished pater familia, Marc Antony. Lucius will do anything to restore his family’s name.
In the meantime, Catrin’s half-brother Garrack, is bent on revenge. His father had exiled him after he tried to molest Catrin. Garrack seeks support from Lucius and a rival Celtic king, however this alliance backfires, and now he and his reincarnated mother, use dark magic to wrest the kingdom away from his father.
The author’s knowledge on Celtic Britain shines through in the story, her grasp on the magic of the druids, the landscape of Ancient Britain and of the many tribes is a testament to the research involved. The intricate political scene of Celtic tribes and the invasion of the Roman’s shows the author’s skill in weaving an intricate story that melds history, mystique and romance. What I particularly enjoyed was the interaction between the characters and how well developed they are. I am curious to see how Catrin, the heroine in the story, develops and whether her gifts will be her undoing… or not.
Dagger’s Destiny is a well written historical fantasy that takes the reader on a whirlwind adventure through Ancient Britain. I highly recommend this book for those who enjoy British and Ancient Roman history, and for those who appreciate what is really good storytelling.
The author recaps well on the final events from Book 1, Apollo’s Raven, and the main character, Catrin, has to make amends for her interference at the prisoner exchange. Her actions, is the beginning of catastrophic outcomes for herself, her father--the king, family and her clan. As the story progresses, Catrin, with the ancient powers of the druids, tests her gifts and is duped into believing she can alter the curse as beset by her father’s first wife, a sorceress with dark powers.
Her lover, Marcellus, a Roman who had accompanied his father to Britain to establish Roman rule and alliances, is an unwitting patsy, used by his father and Catrin’s father. Marcellus’ father is set on proving to the emperor, Tiberius, how great his family is and to dispel the misdeeds of his famous and once distinguished pater familia, Marc Antony. Lucius will do anything to restore his family’s name.
In the meantime, Catrin’s half-brother Garrack, is bent on revenge. His father had exiled him after he tried to molest Catrin. Garrack seeks support from Lucius and a rival Celtic king, however this alliance backfires, and now he and his reincarnated mother, use dark magic to wrest the kingdom away from his father.
The author’s knowledge on Celtic Britain shines through in the story, her grasp on the magic of the druids, the landscape of Ancient Britain and of the many tribes is a testament to the research involved. The intricate political scene of Celtic tribes and the invasion of the Roman’s shows the author’s skill in weaving an intricate story that melds history, mystique and romance. What I particularly enjoyed was the interaction between the characters and how well developed they are. I am curious to see how Catrin, the heroine in the story, develops and whether her gifts will be her undoing… or not.
Dagger’s Destiny is a well written historical fantasy that takes the reader on a whirlwind adventure through Ancient Britain. I highly recommend this book for those who enjoy British and Ancient Roman history, and for those who appreciate what is really good storytelling.
November 20, 2018
And the curse continues...
An exciting sequel to the Curse of Clansmen and Kings series. So many twists and turns to the plot one just has to keep reading to find out what happens next. Catrin and Marcellus are lovers from opposing sides. Will they ever get together or are they doomed to be the pawns of the power hungry forces.
An exciting sequel to the Curse of Clansmen and Kings series. So many twists and turns to the plot one just has to keep reading to find out what happens next. Catrin and Marcellus are lovers from opposing sides. Will they ever get together or are they doomed to be the pawns of the power hungry forces.
March 5, 2019
First off I want to thank Linnea for her Facebook contest that won me "Dagger's Destiny".
"Dagger's Destiny" is the second story in the "Curse of Clansmen and Kings" series. As I mentioned in my review of "Apollo's Raven" fantasy was not (i imagined) a genre that I could learn to really like. After Apollo's Raven, I changed my mind and was eager to read Dagger's Destiny (knowing I was going to hold it to a higher standard than the first one). Neither Linnea or Dagger's Destiny disappointed me.
Dagger's Destiny starts with a short recap of Apollo's Raven ending (well done) and moves right into a hurricane of action. The story at this point grabbed a hold of me and didn't let go. This time I saw more of the story from the villains point of view as well as the evil that Marrock is capable of and plans to unleash.
Once again Mrs Tanner (apart from the characters) builds a world that is visually detailed without losing me in that detail. Princess Catrin this time around finds herself with a much bigger problem then being torn between her love for the Roman Marcellus and her duty to her people.
I have to say that quite unexpectedly I met a new character in this story who has caught my attention. Ferrex a loyal warrior to King Amren and very much in love with the King's daughter Catrin. Ferrex manages to embody all the qualities of loyalty, honour, cause and seems to have found the balance which makes him (i think) an exceptional character.
Dagger's Destiny is an excellent sequel to Apollo's Raven and (seems to me) a great introduction to what will be the final story in the series ...
I can honestly recommend Dagger's Destiny (as well as Apollo's Raven) to anyone interested in a well paced action/adventure story with strong characters and well written twist and turns.
"Dagger's Destiny" is the second story in the "Curse of Clansmen and Kings" series. As I mentioned in my review of "Apollo's Raven" fantasy was not (i imagined) a genre that I could learn to really like. After Apollo's Raven, I changed my mind and was eager to read Dagger's Destiny (knowing I was going to hold it to a higher standard than the first one). Neither Linnea or Dagger's Destiny disappointed me.
Dagger's Destiny starts with a short recap of Apollo's Raven ending (well done) and moves right into a hurricane of action. The story at this point grabbed a hold of me and didn't let go. This time I saw more of the story from the villains point of view as well as the evil that Marrock is capable of and plans to unleash.
Once again Mrs Tanner (apart from the characters) builds a world that is visually detailed without losing me in that detail. Princess Catrin this time around finds herself with a much bigger problem then being torn between her love for the Roman Marcellus and her duty to her people.
I have to say that quite unexpectedly I met a new character in this story who has caught my attention. Ferrex a loyal warrior to King Amren and very much in love with the King's daughter Catrin. Ferrex manages to embody all the qualities of loyalty, honour, cause and seems to have found the balance which makes him (i think) an exceptional character.
Dagger's Destiny is an excellent sequel to Apollo's Raven and (seems to me) a great introduction to what will be the final story in the series ...
I can honestly recommend Dagger's Destiny (as well as Apollo's Raven) to anyone interested in a well paced action/adventure story with strong characters and well written twist and turns.
March 20, 2019
Ancient Rome and Britain are the background settings for this epic tale of love, betrayal and political intrigue.
Read full review in the 2019 March issue of InD'tale Magazine.
Read full review in the 2019 March issue of InD'tale Magazine.
March 25, 2019
If you like a mix of history, love, and mythology then you'll be into this series. I enjoyed the second book from Linnea Tanner. The descriptions in the pages had me visualizing the scenes, some of which were action packed! I look forward to the next book.
December 25, 2021
Author Linnea Tanner and Narrator Kristin Jones mesmerized me in the first ten minutes of this story. The tale of Celtic Princess Catrin and her Roman husband Marcellus are from different lands. Their powerful fathers not only fight one another but force their star-crossed heirs to consider sacrificing their love for their kingdom.
Author Tanner continues her epic world building of Southeast Britannia in 24 AD, in vivid detail that commanded all my senses. She artfully leverages the ancient times, places, and events in this historical fantasy. Apollo’s Raven, book 2 of this series, provides the right foundation for the reader or listener. The brutality of the action scenes delivers a realism to the character interactions by both the Romans and Celtics. The additional magical qualities woven in using Catrin’s powers versus those of her arch enemy Marrock felt as natural as rain falling from a darkened thundercloud.
Catrin’s father, King Amren, is a strong ruler. He rules with an iron fist, including the potential to end his daughter’s life because of her treasonous act involving Marcellus. Her ability to change the threads of life saved her man but nearly killed her father. It was this section where I could not stop listening until the end.
“Whose life did you extend? Mine?” asked Amen.
Catrin’s voice cracked with emotion. “I saved Marcellus.”
“Cursed gods!” Amren’s eyes blazed with fire as he pointed to the gash in his belly. “This wound was inflicted by your lover’s blade. He almost killed me!”
A sense of dread overcame Catrin. Marcellus couldn’t have done this! He knows how much I love Father. Why hadn’t I foreseen this?
She averted her eyes from her father. “I never meant to harm you!”
Amren snarled. “But I just saw Marcellus fall with an arrow in his chest.”
“No, Father, he is alive. I rewove his life thread so the death arrow wouldn’t pierce his pierce his heart.”
Amren sunk his fingers into the cave’s dirt floor. “This is the disloyal act of a stupid girl blinded by love—not a noble princess I raised to put family and kingdom first.
Catrin is positioned to forsake her love and gain her father’s forgiveness. She is staged to learn how to fight and lead her kingdom in an unexpected manner. Using the amulet given to her by her love, Catrin must gain support from him for the release of her sister Vala. This epic story has twists and turns leading the reader or listener through a treacherous journey that has high possibilities of death and failure. The ending will make you beg for the next book in this series.
Kristin James does a fabulous job of performing this story. The voices of the characters are distinctive and never miss a beat. It is her smooth voice punctuated with emotion and inflection points that gains immediate investment in constant action contained within this epic tale. There were no issues with the quality of the recording or execution of this audible. WOW.
Author Tanner continues her epic world building of Southeast Britannia in 24 AD, in vivid detail that commanded all my senses. She artfully leverages the ancient times, places, and events in this historical fantasy. Apollo’s Raven, book 2 of this series, provides the right foundation for the reader or listener. The brutality of the action scenes delivers a realism to the character interactions by both the Romans and Celtics. The additional magical qualities woven in using Catrin’s powers versus those of her arch enemy Marrock felt as natural as rain falling from a darkened thundercloud.
Catrin’s father, King Amren, is a strong ruler. He rules with an iron fist, including the potential to end his daughter’s life because of her treasonous act involving Marcellus. Her ability to change the threads of life saved her man but nearly killed her father. It was this section where I could not stop listening until the end.
“Whose life did you extend? Mine?” asked Amen.
Catrin’s voice cracked with emotion. “I saved Marcellus.”
“Cursed gods!” Amren’s eyes blazed with fire as he pointed to the gash in his belly. “This wound was inflicted by your lover’s blade. He almost killed me!”
A sense of dread overcame Catrin. Marcellus couldn’t have done this! He knows how much I love Father. Why hadn’t I foreseen this?
She averted her eyes from her father. “I never meant to harm you!”
Amren snarled. “But I just saw Marcellus fall with an arrow in his chest.”
“No, Father, he is alive. I rewove his life thread so the death arrow wouldn’t pierce his pierce his heart.”
Amren sunk his fingers into the cave’s dirt floor. “This is the disloyal act of a stupid girl blinded by love—not a noble princess I raised to put family and kingdom first.
Catrin is positioned to forsake her love and gain her father’s forgiveness. She is staged to learn how to fight and lead her kingdom in an unexpected manner. Using the amulet given to her by her love, Catrin must gain support from him for the release of her sister Vala. This epic story has twists and turns leading the reader or listener through a treacherous journey that has high possibilities of death and failure. The ending will make you beg for the next book in this series.
Kristin James does a fabulous job of performing this story. The voices of the characters are distinctive and never miss a beat. It is her smooth voice punctuated with emotion and inflection points that gains immediate investment in constant action contained within this epic tale. There were no issues with the quality of the recording or execution of this audible. WOW.
October 15, 2018
Dagger’s Destiny, by Linnea Tanner, is the second book in The Curse of Clansmen and Kings series. The book picks up immediately after the events of the first book in the series, Apollo’s Raven. Set in the year 24 AD of Britannia the young Princess Catrin must save her father, King Amren, from the wounds he suffered during the attack at the prisoner exchange. However, King Amren is more concerned about the curse his first wife, Rhan, placed upon him, and Catrin’s role in sparing the life of the Roman Marcellus. For King Amren these are treasonous acts, for which his daughter must be punished. Meanwhile, Marcellus, also wounded during the prisoner exchange, suffers at the hands of his fellow Romans and his father, Lucius Antonius, who see Marcellus as a traitor to Rome for letting Catrin lure them into an ambush. As Catrin and Marcellus struggle to save their own lives, they try to make their fathers understand the complex love that they have for each other. Each must keep war from breaking out between the Romans and the Cantiaci, while avoiding death for treason. At the same time, the curse placed on King Amren by Rhan has changed due to Catrin’s actions to save Marcellus, with dire consequences for the Cantiaci if the new curse can’t be interpreted in time.
I greatly enjoyed Dagger’s Destiny. Part fantasy, part historical fiction, Linnea Tanner has woven together a wonderful tale of romance, intrigue, mystery, and legend to create an entertaining and complex story. Linnea has done a superb job of creating a detailed and vibrant world of Celtic Britain at a time right before invasion of the island by Emperor Claudius in 43 AD. She has taken the many myths and legends of the Celts and given them life through the characters of Catrin, Rhan, Marrock, and Myrddin. In each of these the mythical powers of the ancient druids are brought to reality. I loved how the magic of the druids was woven into the story, complementing the drama being created between Catrin’s desire to prove her loyalty to her father, and the machinations of Rhan and Marrock. At the same time, the political intrigue is played out in an epic fashion between King Amren, the Romans, and the Cunobelin tribe. Everything meshes together to give the reader a truly entertaining story of love, magic, and betrayal.
I highly recommend Dagger’s Destiny. For anybody with an interest in historical fiction there is plenty to love in the setting Linnea has created. For those with an interest in epic fantasy, the characters and their interactions, each with their personal goals and motivations, and often in conflict with each other, Dagger’s Destiny is a book sure to keep your interest. Both genres are blended together into a seamless whole with outstanding results.
I greatly enjoyed Dagger’s Destiny. Part fantasy, part historical fiction, Linnea Tanner has woven together a wonderful tale of romance, intrigue, mystery, and legend to create an entertaining and complex story. Linnea has done a superb job of creating a detailed and vibrant world of Celtic Britain at a time right before invasion of the island by Emperor Claudius in 43 AD. She has taken the many myths and legends of the Celts and given them life through the characters of Catrin, Rhan, Marrock, and Myrddin. In each of these the mythical powers of the ancient druids are brought to reality. I loved how the magic of the druids was woven into the story, complementing the drama being created between Catrin’s desire to prove her loyalty to her father, and the machinations of Rhan and Marrock. At the same time, the political intrigue is played out in an epic fashion between King Amren, the Romans, and the Cunobelin tribe. Everything meshes together to give the reader a truly entertaining story of love, magic, and betrayal.
I highly recommend Dagger’s Destiny. For anybody with an interest in historical fiction there is plenty to love in the setting Linnea has created. For those with an interest in epic fantasy, the characters and their interactions, each with their personal goals and motivations, and often in conflict with each other, Dagger’s Destiny is a book sure to keep your interest. Both genres are blended together into a seamless whole with outstanding results.
November 18, 2018
This is my review of the audio version as posted on Audible:
In the first book, Apollo's Raven, Catrin, a princess of Britannia, and Marcellus, the grandson of Marc Anthony, fall in love... But it's forbidden love as they come from warring nations. When Catrin saves Marcellus from certain death in battle, in the eyes of her clansmen she commits treason - and punishment for that is death...
This is the starting point for the second part of the series - Catrin undergoing a trial and accepting her punishment, willing to redeem herself in the eyes of her father, King Amren. But nothing is easy in the times of war, and Amren and his family have a formidable enemy, one who can transform into a wolf, one who can weave powerful magic, one who hates them more than anyone else... And there's also Marcellus, trying to save Catrin as she once saved him, loving her beyond reason, and taking great risks to still try and prevent war between Britannia and Rome...
The plot in Dagger's Destiny is full of suspence, full of emotions, and full of surpries. The tale takes you trough a rollercoster of emotions: hope, despair, anger and joy... With every chapter the story gets more complicated; in one moment we feel that maybe there's a chance of a happy ending for Catrin and her beloved only to discover a moment later that the dark forces at play seem to prevail... The nearer the end, the more violent the whole tale becomes, with fearful battles taking place, with heads being severed and women, children and the elderly mutilated... It's a heart-breaking kind of ending, I must say - with almost all hope lost, with all the main characters losing faith and with more questions left unanswered that we would like... But it definitely is a tale you want to continue reading/listening to - I certainly will.
As for the narration by Ms James, it's very good, although I sped it up a little - it's a long book, and Ms James reads it rather slowly. But she is great at interpreting individual characters and adding emotions to the narrative parts. Generally, it's a pleasure listening to her interpretation of the book.
DISCLAIMER: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
In the first book, Apollo's Raven, Catrin, a princess of Britannia, and Marcellus, the grandson of Marc Anthony, fall in love... But it's forbidden love as they come from warring nations. When Catrin saves Marcellus from certain death in battle, in the eyes of her clansmen she commits treason - and punishment for that is death...
This is the starting point for the second part of the series - Catrin undergoing a trial and accepting her punishment, willing to redeem herself in the eyes of her father, King Amren. But nothing is easy in the times of war, and Amren and his family have a formidable enemy, one who can transform into a wolf, one who can weave powerful magic, one who hates them more than anyone else... And there's also Marcellus, trying to save Catrin as she once saved him, loving her beyond reason, and taking great risks to still try and prevent war between Britannia and Rome...
The plot in Dagger's Destiny is full of suspence, full of emotions, and full of surpries. The tale takes you trough a rollercoster of emotions: hope, despair, anger and joy... With every chapter the story gets more complicated; in one moment we feel that maybe there's a chance of a happy ending for Catrin and her beloved only to discover a moment later that the dark forces at play seem to prevail... The nearer the end, the more violent the whole tale becomes, with fearful battles taking place, with heads being severed and women, children and the elderly mutilated... It's a heart-breaking kind of ending, I must say - with almost all hope lost, with all the main characters losing faith and with more questions left unanswered that we would like... But it definitely is a tale you want to continue reading/listening to - I certainly will.
As for the narration by Ms James, it's very good, although I sped it up a little - it's a long book, and Ms James reads it rather slowly. But she is great at interpreting individual characters and adding emotions to the narrative parts. Generally, it's a pleasure listening to her interpretation of the book.
DISCLAIMER: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
November 13, 2019
This is a powerfully written story about Catrin and Marcellus. The forbidden love they shared is the central theme. They came from different kingdoms that were adversarial. They came from different cultures and had different beliefs, but their love was strong. They were ostracized, threatened, and beaten but they survived.
Ms. Tanner is a master at blending history with myths. She has a gift for storytelling that kept my attention. I am anxious to read Book 3.
Ms. Tanner is a master at blending history with myths. She has a gift for storytelling that kept my attention. I am anxious to read Book 3.
September 28, 2018
She is in trouble with her father for helping her lover and their enemy to get away. Now she needs to prove herself or face death. How is she going to do it? What will happen and she sees him again? Can it be possible to have both? Follow her as she tries to sort it all out
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 13, 2020
Excellent continuation of story
This is a very well written story that is a great continuation of the first book. It starts where the other one left off, and I have to say, I’m looking forward to reading the third book in the series. I have to know what happens to Catrin and Marcellus! I was rooting for both of them throughout the story. I’d highly recommend this book.
This is a very well written story that is a great continuation of the first book. It starts where the other one left off, and I have to say, I’m looking forward to reading the third book in the series. I have to know what happens to Catrin and Marcellus! I was rooting for both of them throughout the story. I’d highly recommend this book.
January 12, 2020
This review is also available on my blog: Wine Cellar Library
Dagger's Destiny is the second book in Linnea Tanner's remarkable Curse of Clansmen and Kings series. It is imperative that you read Apollo's Raven prior to embarking on this novel. Not only does Dagger's Destiny pick up right where Apollo's Raven ended, but only minimal summary is provided of the events that occurred in the first book. There are numerous conflicts at play in this series, and I do not expect the majority of them to be resolved until the series concludes. At the time of this review, five books have been promised by the author for this series!
In comparison to the first book, Dagger's Destiny is overflowing with action sequences. I was really impressed by the ruthlessness of the author in the narrative. It was reminiscent of scenes from George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series. The brutality may be difficult for some readers, but it gives the book a realistic quality. Whereas most fantasy novels try to give every character a "happily ever after," this author will not spare your feelings. Consider yourself warned!
Like the first book, this book ends abruptly. It ends so suddenly, in fact, that I did not realize it had even ended until I reached the endnotes! This may be something that turns off some readers, but I quite enjoy it. It can become irritating when every book in a series spends time winding down at the end of one book and then reiterating events for several pages at the beginning of the next book. In contrast, this series reads like one large epic saga broken into several parts.
If you enjoy historical fantasy, Roman history, Celtic history, and/or epic sagas, you will treasure this series!
Dagger's Destiny is the second book in Linnea Tanner's remarkable Curse of Clansmen and Kings series. It is imperative that you read Apollo's Raven prior to embarking on this novel. Not only does Dagger's Destiny pick up right where Apollo's Raven ended, but only minimal summary is provided of the events that occurred in the first book. There are numerous conflicts at play in this series, and I do not expect the majority of them to be resolved until the series concludes. At the time of this review, five books have been promised by the author for this series!
In comparison to the first book, Dagger's Destiny is overflowing with action sequences. I was really impressed by the ruthlessness of the author in the narrative. It was reminiscent of scenes from George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series. The brutality may be difficult for some readers, but it gives the book a realistic quality. Whereas most fantasy novels try to give every character a "happily ever after," this author will not spare your feelings. Consider yourself warned!
Like the first book, this book ends abruptly. It ends so suddenly, in fact, that I did not realize it had even ended until I reached the endnotes! This may be something that turns off some readers, but I quite enjoy it. It can become irritating when every book in a series spends time winding down at the end of one book and then reiterating events for several pages at the beginning of the next book. In contrast, this series reads like one large epic saga broken into several parts.
If you enjoy historical fantasy, Roman history, Celtic history, and/or epic sagas, you will treasure this series!
July 19, 2019
I liked this book even better than the first! The stakes for Catrin and Marcellus increased and kept me reading. Love the intricate plot and ready to see what's next for the characters!
February 11, 2019
In Daggers Destiny, book 2 of the Curse of the Clansman and Kings series, author Linnea Tanner takes her readers on a magical historical adventure. Set in 24 AD Britannia readers continue to experience the forbidden love of the Cantiaci warrior princess Catrin and the Roman enemy Marcellus which took root in book 1 Apollos Raven. Tanner, using her ever expanding Celtic Britain knowledge intertwines political machination, Celtic & Roman formal praxis, mythology and family derangement to captivate her readers. Each page is filled with such detail it's easy to feel like you are right there watching it all unfold before you.
I recommend joining those of us reading this epic series as it expands into an addicting magical ride and leaves you wanting more.
I recommend joining those of us reading this epic series as it expands into an addicting magical ride and leaves you wanting more.
January 21, 2023
See my official review at onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-Stephan...
September 8, 2018
I received this novel from net galley and the publisher. Thank you!
This novel continues where the previous novel left off. Catrin, the daughter of the Celtic king, is accused of treason for saving the life of her Roman lover Marcellus. Catrin and the Celts are still trying to prevent a Roman conquest, though their time is running out. Catrin has the powers of the Raven and Marcellus is believed to be Apollo. However, there are many people who are against Catrin and Marcellus' forbidden love. Catrin's half brother and his mother are planning to destroy Catrin's father and takeover Britannia based on a curse after beheading Armen's first wife. Marcellus loves Catrin and will do whatever is takes to keep her safe. He will sacrifice himself and make bargains to keep her safe. Catrin is torn between duty and love. Within and outside of the kingdom, there are those who will betray Marcellus and Catrin to achieve their desires. Catrin needs to break the curse, but with many enemies about, can she?
This novel continues where the previous novel left off. Catrin, the daughter of the Celtic king, is accused of treason for saving the life of her Roman lover Marcellus. Catrin and the Celts are still trying to prevent a Roman conquest, though their time is running out. Catrin has the powers of the Raven and Marcellus is believed to be Apollo. However, there are many people who are against Catrin and Marcellus' forbidden love. Catrin's half brother and his mother are planning to destroy Catrin's father and takeover Britannia based on a curse after beheading Armen's first wife. Marcellus loves Catrin and will do whatever is takes to keep her safe. He will sacrifice himself and make bargains to keep her safe. Catrin is torn between duty and love. Within and outside of the kingdom, there are those who will betray Marcellus and Catrin to achieve their desires. Catrin needs to break the curse, but with many enemies about, can she?
October 29, 2018
I had a hard time rating this book. Parts of it I disliked, and at other times I was really drawn into the story.
Catrin was the only truly consistent character of all. She stayed true to her heart, even when she had doubts. She fought for what she believed in. I did not like Marcellus. He didn’t have a backbone. He kept going from one leader to another trying to make one more deal to try to placate everyone. He was easily manipulated. King Amren kept changing his mind and is only interested in his own power. None of these characters really had any redeeming qualities in my mind.
The plot was interesting, but somewhat convoluted and not always easy to follow. The visions and other mystical occurrences didn’t make it any easier. After a while it was almost impossible to know who or what can be trusted. Characters will make one decision that leads to betrayal, but then later follow very similar choices that lead to completely different outcomes.
I didn’t particularly like the writing style either. It seemed very abrupt at times and sort of disjointed.
I am curious as to what is going to happen to Catrin after this, but not sure if I really want to continue reading the series. I’ll have to think about it a bit.
Thank you to Netgalley for supplying me with a copy. It was definitely different from what I have read before.
Catrin was the only truly consistent character of all. She stayed true to her heart, even when she had doubts. She fought for what she believed in. I did not like Marcellus. He didn’t have a backbone. He kept going from one leader to another trying to make one more deal to try to placate everyone. He was easily manipulated. King Amren kept changing his mind and is only interested in his own power. None of these characters really had any redeeming qualities in my mind.
The plot was interesting, but somewhat convoluted and not always easy to follow. The visions and other mystical occurrences didn’t make it any easier. After a while it was almost impossible to know who or what can be trusted. Characters will make one decision that leads to betrayal, but then later follow very similar choices that lead to completely different outcomes.
I didn’t particularly like the writing style either. It seemed very abrupt at times and sort of disjointed.
I am curious as to what is going to happen to Catrin after this, but not sure if I really want to continue reading the series. I’ll have to think about it a bit.
Thank you to Netgalley for supplying me with a copy. It was definitely different from what I have read before.
February 17, 2024
It has been a while since I read Apollo's Raven (book 1), but I was swept right back into this world with the first chapter. What an amazing story! There wasn't a moment of inaction throughout the whole book. Every scene added to the ultimate battle, and what a battle it was!
King Amren's daughter, Catrin, fell in love with a foreigner, Marcellus, in book 1. She has mystical powers and is able to merge with ravens to see what they see and to foresee the future. King Amren's outcast son, Marrock, is hellbent on avenging his mother's death, killing his father, and becoming king. King Amren is obsessed with breaking the curse set upon him by Marrock's mother, but nothing he (or Catrin) does prevents the inevitable from happening.
This story is so brilliantly written. Each scene is described so vividly that you can see it play out in your mind. And the characters have so much depth to them. The emotional angst of some and the evil cunningness of others is so expertly created!
This story has Greek/Roman tragedy written all over it, and I loved every minute of it. There are still two more books in the series, and I cannot wait to see what happens next. If you are looking for happily-ever-after, this is not it (lol!), but if you want a story where you are going to be sucked into and held captive until the end, then you will love this book!
King Amren's daughter, Catrin, fell in love with a foreigner, Marcellus, in book 1. She has mystical powers and is able to merge with ravens to see what they see and to foresee the future. King Amren's outcast son, Marrock, is hellbent on avenging his mother's death, killing his father, and becoming king. King Amren is obsessed with breaking the curse set upon him by Marrock's mother, but nothing he (or Catrin) does prevents the inevitable from happening.
This story is so brilliantly written. Each scene is described so vividly that you can see it play out in your mind. And the characters have so much depth to them. The emotional angst of some and the evil cunningness of others is so expertly created!
This story has Greek/Roman tragedy written all over it, and I loved every minute of it. There are still two more books in the series, and I cannot wait to see what happens next. If you are looking for happily-ever-after, this is not it (lol!), but if you want a story where you are going to be sucked into and held captive until the end, then you will love this book!
October 9, 2022
Daggers Destiny Continues where Apollo’s Raven Leaves Off.
Daggers Destiny is historical fiction with elements of a romance novel. The hero and heroine from book one, Apollo’s Raven, are the same, and the storyline continues from where book one left off. You will find a lot of mature audience-only themes in this book, and if you are looking for a happily every romance, this isn’t it. This book takes a heavy stance on druid and mythological religions and focuses deeply on historical elements of the first-century a.d. It is an exciting book, with many plot twists and turns.
I received a free copy of this book to review, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Daggers Destiny is historical fiction with elements of a romance novel. The hero and heroine from book one, Apollo’s Raven, are the same, and the storyline continues from where book one left off. You will find a lot of mature audience-only themes in this book, and if you are looking for a happily every romance, this isn’t it. This book takes a heavy stance on druid and mythological religions and focuses deeply on historical elements of the first-century a.d. It is an exciting book, with many plot twists and turns.
I received a free copy of this book to review, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.
December 15, 2023
A MAGICAL TRIP INTO THE LANDS OF LEGENDS.
After reading Apollos Raven, book one in this series, I couldn’t wait for the next book in this series. I was not disappointed, instead I once again was swept into the Celtic world Ms. Tanner created a place where magic and mythological adventure awaited and I was enthralled. Ms. Tanner’s knowledge of the history of the period is astounding, and the characters, plots, twists and turns, is a remarkably vivid adventure.
Add in a war, forbidden love, an ancient curse and you have a book that is richly colored, full of a story that draws you into it, and an adventure of epic proportions awaits you.
I adore this series.
After reading Apollos Raven, book one in this series, I couldn’t wait for the next book in this series. I was not disappointed, instead I once again was swept into the Celtic world Ms. Tanner created a place where magic and mythological adventure awaited and I was enthralled. Ms. Tanner’s knowledge of the history of the period is astounding, and the characters, plots, twists and turns, is a remarkably vivid adventure.
Add in a war, forbidden love, an ancient curse and you have a book that is richly colored, full of a story that draws you into it, and an adventure of epic proportions awaits you.
I adore this series.
December 20, 2019
Overall I really enjoyed the combination of mythology and history in Dagger's Destiny. It provides an interesting and entertaining glimpse into the time when Britana was ruled by Rome. The characters lacked a bit of depth for me, but I still enjoyed the story.
The performance of the audiobook was superb!
I received this book in exchange for my unbiased review.
The performance of the audiobook was superb!
I received this book in exchange for my unbiased review.
June 1, 2024
The magical world of Dagger’s Destiny follows the adventure from the first installment of the novel’s series Curse of Clansmen and Kings: Apollo's Raven. This enchanting story captures readers with the journey of Celtic Princess Catrin’s pathway to proving her loyalty to her father and people of the Cantiaci Kingdom.
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