The Harrowing of Gwynedd

The Heirs of Saint Camber #1

by Katherine Kurtz

Evil times had come for rthe Deryni, the humans with strange, magical powers. The Regents of the boy-king Alroy sought their destruction. And now Bishop Alister Cullen was dead, depriving the Deryni of their greatest friend. But no one could be sure he was really dead. His body lay unchanged and incorruptible. As those questions remained unanswered, the effort to save Deryni had to continue. In the meanwhile, Camber's daughter Evaine pursued the most perilous quest of all--to find among ancient foribidden scrolls the spell that might release Camber. The price to fail--or to succeed--was unthinkable.....

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy, Magic, Historical Fiction, Historical, Speculative Fiction

432 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1989

About the author

Katherine Kurtz is an American fantasy novel writer. She is best known for her Deryni series. She currently lives in Virginia.

Reviews

[Charles van Buren · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF

As others have pointed out, even though this is volume one of a trilogy, the author has written this book assuming that readers know at least a little about the fantasy world she created in previous books. It reads as if it just begins in the middle of the tale with meager and incomplete explanation as one goes along. The lengthy details of various rituals is incredibly boring. I have too many unread books to struggle through this one.

[Gary Sundell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh that ending...

This book sets the stage for books 2 and 3 and picks up right after the end of the Camber trilogy.

[Jon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been reading Kurtz's Deryni novels for decades now. And in all honesty, I read it more like history or a memoir than fantasy. The "magic" elements are genetically transmitted psi powers and for the most part can't be learned.

However, I'm a sucker for a holocaust story. And the love between Rhys and Evaine is timeless and tragic.

The Harrowing of Gwynedd relates the beginning of the darkest time for the Deryni. The beginning of the persecutions and executions that will last for decades (probably centuries - I'm a bit foggy on the details since it's been years since I read this novel). Bishop Allister Cullen, who is really Camber of Culdi using a shape-changing geis, is unable to stem the tide of the inevitable human backlash against the Deryni. The Regency council for the young king Alroy writes and enacts many anti-Deryni laws, severely curtailing their rights as citizens and the church also prevents them from seeking solace in the clergy. In fact, the church only stops short of excommunication if the Deryni renounces his heritage and lives meekly beneath the boot heal of the humans.

Kurtz is good at political intrigue both in a medieval court and among the clergy. The characters strive to preserve their heritage and struggle to ensure the survival of their race.

I enjoy reading the Deryni novels. Sometimes there is romance, sometimes a mystery, and almost always intrigue.

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Got this on my kindle as a deal from BookBub. Glad it was a deal because it was suppose to be a first in a series, which it technically is. However, if you haven’t read any of this author’s previous series, you would be quite lost at times. It is assumed that you know all about the world she has built around the Dernyeri people and their enemies. She has built quite a complex fantasy world with complex powers and mystical mysteries but not having read the previous books I was left guessing at background stories a lot. For that reason I give it three stars. Better start with the first in the first series.

[Richard · Rating 2 out of 5]

hard to follow i almost fell a sleep reading a book from boredom

[Clare · Rating 2 out of 5]

Finally!!! I thought I would never get this book done. Most stories do not start at the very beginning, but this book just throws the reader into a maelstrom of political and religious turmoil and lets them fend for themselves. Granted, there is an index in the back, but to toggle back and forth while reading makes it a tedious task. The fact that it took me so long to reach the end of this book knowing that it is just the first part of a series, it is a sure bet that I will not be reading any more of the books that make up this tale.

[Key · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5*

I actually think I am enjoying this book more than the Camber series. (But I read those far between eachother, so that doesn't help that my memory is a bit fogged.

Let's start with my negatives?
First of all, the magic. On one hand, yes, I love it, and it's very interesting. But I'm not exactly sure how the limitations and rules work, in all honestly. I get a gist of it but not enough to feel informed. And the rituals can put me to sleep. I can kind of get why they're so informative, but I sometimes wish they were more condensed in description.
Which is a small comment I'd like to note with her writing style: sometimes too descriptive, other times, not enough.

Also... I want to know where this place even exists since it seems to be in our world? Or is it like... another world of our world and there's another heavenly world beyond that? *shrugs*

Other than that... I don't really think I had much qualms with it. Few little things here and there.

Positives:
I really enjoyed being with Javan in this. I love Javan, and it aches my heart seeing the title of the next book and knowing what's going to happen to my baby.
And I really enjoyed a lot of the other characters, including ones I was ''meh'' about in Saint Camber.

The plot? Oh gosh, it's so nice to have such a political and strategic story to follow. It's really fun to try and come up with strategies and guess what the characters are going to say and do next (our protagonists and antagonists alike). But also, it's just a one of those nice changes to see in fantasy. Especially from one written at the time it was.

Overall, I really like how Katherine Kurtz writes. I'm excited to continue on with reading the entire Deryni series!

[Sunni · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an excellent book. I hope that this won't be the end of this generation of characters in the Deryni series. All of Ms. Kurtz novels feature main characters of strong moral value, and this is not an exception. This is a novel full of the usual well written and thought out scenes, and strong characters. It is, as are all of Ms. Kurtz books, enjoyable and believable. It has a fair number of surprises, and a dose of suspense and intrigue. The characters struggle and risk all they have for what the feel is the greater good. They stop at nothing to do what the see as right, and accomplish it while hurting as few along the way as possible. This is a page turner. It won't disappoint.

[David Lamb · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book of a trilogy that is part of the author's Deryni Chronicles series of books. I assume that most readers of this book will not be using it as the starting point to the Deryni world and the kingdom of Gwynedd. Most will probably have started with the stories of King Kelson Haldane. This trilogy is set about 200 years prior to the time of Kelson, and fills in some needed "back story" to the Kelson books, but is intended to be read after them. As a result, most readers will have already learned the history of Alroy, Javan, and Rhys Michael from Kelson's story, at least in the broad brush strokes. I won't give out spoilers except those that were already told in the Kelson books.

This book is set during the reign of King Alroy, but mainly focuses on his brother, Prince Javan, as well as Joram and Evaine. It is a very enjoyable read, and really fills in some key details about Deryni magic and how the things that Saint Camber did were supposed to work. Javan is one of my most favorite characters in these books, and it was really a pleasure to have this book focus on him so much. Also, the book was mostly positive in tone, and seemed to show some hope for the future. Prince Javan must learn to control and use the Haldane magic that is his father's legacy, while trying not to get too much on the bad side of the politics that marks the Regency reign of his brother King Alroy, still underage. He has a strategy to hide in the monasteries for a few years, pretending to be considering becoming a priest. Meanwhile, the Deryni are hoping to end their disfavored status and return to open society again.

But the story continues in two more books of the trilogy.

[Harry Ord · Rating 3 out of 5]

Got this in a start a new series humble bundle back in 2019. The book was ok, strange starting place since it's a new series in an existing larger series of books so sometimes it felt like I was missing some background knowledge.


I liked the way the book went, very different from most fantasy I read at the moment. I have to say the way it ended was a little strange, the two big plot lines wrap up well enough but they feel like they end with a bit of a pop rather than a bang. The magic felt a little undefined at times but that seems to be more like it's explained in other books but you pick up a lot on the way.


I want to read more about magic Wales.

[James]

Evil times had come for rthe Deryni, the humans with strange, magical powers. The Regents of the boy-king Alroy sought their destruction. And now Bishop Alister Cullen was dead, depriving the Deryni of their greatest friend. But no one could be sure he was really dead. His body lay unchanged and incorruptible. As those questions remained unanswered, the effort to save Deryni had to continue. In the meanwhile, Camber's daughter Evaine pursued the most perilous quest of all--to find among ancient foribidden scrolls the spell that might release Camber. The price to fail--or to succeed--was unthinkable.....

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another absolutely splendid work by Katherine Kurtz! Wow! Again, she plays into pretty much every emotion and feeling you might have for these beloved characters. Many horrible atrocities are committed against the Deryni, and we lose Evaine; who is reunited with Rhys on the other side. Prince Javan takes his temporary vows. Archbishop Hubert makes me beyond angry as he is an insult to his very office!

[Sonya · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book hurts. The dual plots of Javan and Evaine each planning and enacting their own intrigues, mostly separately but sometimes intersecting, gives a strong sense of the dire straits the characters are in. The characters are compelling, and the lore hints at far deeper world building than we're shown. The reason I gave four stars instead of five is that it has quite a few dull moments.

[STU · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finding it hard to rate most of these books.
Probably deserves more than 3 stars, but I find it dragging on and I'm just wanting it to end.
Definitely found the development of Prince Javan the most interesting part of the story and looking forward to the next book being (presumably and hopefully) centred around him.

[Jeff J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tough to review without giving spoilers. It was slow going with a big payoff at the end. I’m eager to get started on the next book!

[Paca Sad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Im finding this series more engaging but still too much emphasis on religous ceremony

[Maggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was fun to continue the story of St. Camber. This one ended suddenly but luckily I had the 2nd one in the series nearby!

[Sarah Mac]

I sure hope these Deryni books are good, because I have a ton of them. And somehow they never got archived on my GR list, so maybe now I'll actually remember to read them. 😶

[Deborah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like reading about the Deryni, but I could only read this trilogy once.

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review Coming Soon.

[Sverre · Rating 3 out of 5]

Much like “Camber the Heretic,” which chronologically comes before this one, this is not an attention-keeping tome but even worse. I suppose readers who are not fascinated by the ritualistic episodes, which can go on for ten or twelve pages, will have to endure those elements in the narrative or just scan through them as I do. Kurtz revels in their magical mysticism but only sometimes does she conjure up the unexpected.

These are some of the events played out or brought into play in this volume: The “blocking of Deryni powers” to conceal members of the Deryni race becomes a strategy to fool the Regents who now rule Gwynedd after the death of King Cinhil. The Regents, headed by Archbishop Hubert MacInnis, are bent on cruelly decimating the Deryni race. A new religious order, Custodum Fidei, is established to entrench the demonization of all things Deryni. Evaine and Joram, the children of Camber, and Dom Queron, a healer-priest, go underground where they establish a new Camberian Council to undermine the Regents’ power.

Prince Javan has gained Deryni powers from the ritual performed in the presence of his father Cinhil before his death. His older brother, King Alroy, is just a puppet in the Regents’ power base, following their dictates. Javan comes on side with the Camberian Council to help them counteract his brother’s complicity with the Regents. The prophet Revan, with the support of the Camberian Council, continues his subterfuge as a Willimite cult leader, baptizing Deryni and those who have had close contact with Deryni, to divest them of magical powers and influence. This is a scheme to deceive the Regents to allow the cult to gain followers because it supposedly fulfills their objective to disempower Deryni. Since his death Camber’s body has through a spell stayed in a state of equilibrium, not decomposing. Evaine obtains the forbidden scrolls Protocols of Orin to explore the possibility of bringing Camber back to life.

This is the first book of the “The Heirs of Saint Camber” trilogy and also the fourth book if all the seventeen or so books in the full Deryni epic are read chronologically. It was the tenth of the Deryni books to be published. I do find it peculiar that books by a female author can be so devoid of human kindness and romance. And she offers up only one female hero! The next volume is called “King Javan’s Year.” By its title we can tell that the Regents will de deposed or their influence compromised. Hopefully it will have more excitement, suspense and female influence.

[Todd · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of Kurtz's finer works in her Deryni series of books. This picks up almost exactly where Camber the Heretic leaves off, making the prior trilogy more into a six-book series. Kurtz starts with a brisk pace and maintains it well throughout. By no means is it the great American novel or the finest work of the 20th century, but it is a good story very well told. It was hard to put down, being a real page-turner. As usual, Kurtz enlivens it with such well-researched historical detail, it feels almost like a historical drama with magic added. Also in typical Kurtz style, she throws in the occasional explanatory note in the event the reader missed a book or just had read the previous one some time ago. Still, her books are best read together. Although early along Kurtz's fictional timeline, the later publishing date of this trilogy shows Kurtz's improved skill as a storyteller, resulting in the book's page-turning attraction. It certainly leaves the reader eager to pick up the next in the series. A good read!

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

All the Deryni books are absolutley amazing, but I think that the books focsuing on Camber and his family are the best of the lot. A mixture of historical fiction, religion, ESP and fantasy, this series plunges the reader into the darker and lighter sides of the human psyche in excruciating detail.
The Deryni are a race of humans that possess unusual talents, most of which could be classified as ESP. "Good" Deryni, like Camber and his family, are tyring to explore their own power and potential, and to use that power to help those who need it, humans and Deryni alike. Unfortunately, not all humans believe this, and sometimes what replaces a corrupt regime can be as bad as what went before, especially when fear of the unknown and lust for revenge combine with religion inside those in power.
However, even in the darkest moments of history there is joy as well as despair, and love as well as hate. This book has some of the strongest loyalties I have ever seen, and the conclusin of the one of the best love stories that I have ever read. After reading this series, it is hard not believe that sometimes love truly does survive death.

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harrowing of Gwynedd is the first book of the Heirs of Saint Camber, but it really feels like a sequel to Camber the Heretic. This novel is really about the search of Evaine, Cambers daughter, undertakes to bring her beloved father back from the spell he cast at his death. This book is more intelectual than some of the others, as the Deryni are in hiding trying to come up with solutions to perserve their race. The ending is one I have read several times just to try to grasp what the author invisions, sometimes I think I am close, and other times missing the target completely. Still the mystery remains, what happens to Camber, and what is he really?

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Politics, religion, and a magical race deemed evil by those not of that race (Deryni). What I really love about Katherine Kurtz and the Deryni series is that you never know what to expect. She has no problem killing off anyone at anytime if it serves the story. She has her fair share of happy endings, but sometimes her most endearing characters meet unpleasant ends.

This particular book had a little too much (Catholic) Church ritual details throughout for my taste, but this is easily overlooked. I wish we could give half-star reviews. It's not a perfect book due to the ritual details. More like a 4.5, so I'm rounding up.

[Lorraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

It starts off a bit slow but with each successive incident, the tension ratchets up until you can't wait to start reading the 2nd book. Katherine Kurtz does not disappoint in this follow up to the trilogy, The Legends of Camber of Culdi. The power struggle between the regents and King Alroy's allies as well as the mystery surrounding Saint Camber kept me turning the pages. Kurtz weaves the timeless struggles of intolerance, faith, friendship, and sacrifice with magic and a medieval world that is not like any other. This book sets the stage for a hopeful resurrection of the Deryni people in the 2nd book or will it be war?

[James Swenson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is volume 1 of the "Heirs of Saint Camber" trilogy, continued in King Javan's Year and The Bastard Prince. Start with Camber of Culdi.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this first book of the second of the Camber trilogies, or however you keep track of these things . . . well, things really, really start to suck. And the truth of it is: you care so deeply about these characters that you cannot stop reading. They are as real as any person you've ever met, so when they die, you sob for days. Or when they lose a hand. Or an eye. Or are tortured . . . (I'm just warning you, as a friend. These books are not for the faint of heart.)

[Macey O'Brien · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved all of KK's Deryini tales - but this one - oh my - I have described the ending as having the same emotional punch as losing your best friend - A great read - but I would not suggest this as a stand alone - please read other Camber of Caldi books first...get to know Evaine and Michael and of course Camber...

[Noah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This trilogy is starting to look better than the first trilogy already. There's more of a division between good and evil, so the character's actions make more sense than they did in the first one. Because of that, it is easier to identify and care about the characters. I hope things continue in this vein.