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The Brides of Alba #1
Healer
Sixth-century Scotland—in the time of Arthur….
“The Gowrys’ seed shall divide your mighty house and bring a peace beyond the ken of your wicked soul.”
Her mother’s dying prophecy to the chieftain Tarlach O’Byrne sentenced Brenna of Gowrys to twenty years of hiding. Twenty years of being hunted—by the O’Byrnes, who fear the prophecy, and by her kinsmen, who expect her to lead them against their oppressors. But Brenna is a trained and gifted healer, not a warrior queen. So she lives alone in the wilderness with only her pet wolf for company. When she rescues a man badly wounded from an ambush, she believes he may be the answer to her deep loneliness. Healing him comes as easy as loving him. But can their love overcome years of bitterness and greed…and bring peace and renewed faith to the shattered kingdom?
“The Gowrys’ seed shall divide your mighty house and bring a peace beyond the ken of your wicked soul.”
Her mother’s dying prophecy to the chieftain Tarlach O’Byrne sentenced Brenna of Gowrys to twenty years of hiding. Twenty years of being hunted—by the O’Byrnes, who fear the prophecy, and by her kinsmen, who expect her to lead them against their oppressors. But Brenna is a trained and gifted healer, not a warrior queen. So she lives alone in the wilderness with only her pet wolf for company. When she rescues a man badly wounded from an ambush, she believes he may be the answer to her deep loneliness. Healing him comes as easy as loving him. But can their love overcome years of bitterness and greed…and bring peace and renewed faith to the shattered kingdom?
351 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
132 people are currently reading
1440 people want to read
About the author
Linda Windsor
39 books159 followersLinda Windsor is the best-selling, award-winning author of more than thirty novels, with more than a million books in print. Her most recent work includes Healer and Thief, the first two volumes in the Brides of Alba series, and the early Irish Celtic Fires of Gleannmara trilogy.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 123 reviews
July 19, 2010
Joanna, a trained healer, chose to marry for love – and her fateful decision drives a wedge between two once-close foster brothers, leaders of the neighboring Gowrys and O’Byrne clans. When Tarlach O’Byrne’s obsession with Joanna turns violent, his bloody act sets in motion twenty years of bitter clan feuding, fed by Joanna’s dying promise – that her infant daughter would divide Tarlach’s house and usher in a peace beyond his comprehension. In the ensuing decades, Ronan, the O’Byrne heir, has grown weary of the self-destructive nature of his father’s obsession to kill the Gowrys heiress. When Ronan is attacked by a would-be assassin, the one woman he’s been reared to fear and hate nurses him back from the brink of death. Forced into a life of isolation, Joanna’s daughter Brenna carries the knowledge of her mother’s final words heavily on her shoulders – she’s a healer, not the savior the Gowrys clan desires or the wolf-woman monster the O’Byrnes fear. She longs to practice the healing arts and live her faith openly, and hopes the stranger she saves could be the answer to her heartfelt prayers. Bound by decades of fear, guilt, and bloody feuding, both Ronan and Brenna will find their faith and love tested as never before if they are to be the long-promised catalysts for peace between their warring families.
With Healer, Linda Windsor returns to what she does best in my eyes – shining a light into the Dark Ages and illuminating a fascinating period in time, the rich history and traditions of the early church. Windsor deftly weaves a vibrant tapestry of family jealousy, vengeance, forgiveness, and love during a turbulent time when pagan beliefs vied for prominence with the rise of the early church. In my view no one can spin a meaty, substantial tale set during the Dark Ages and fill it with enough passion and danger to keep you turning pages quite like Windsor. What makes Brenna and Ronan’s story even more compelling is that this time, Windsor crafts her story against the backdrop of the only historically documented Arthur, prince of Dalraida in sixth-century Scotland. I’ve always loved the stories and films of King Arthur and his knights, everything from the unabashed romanticism of Knights of the Round Table, to the gritty realism of King Arthur, to the magic and humor of Merlin. Reading about the historical Arthur and his attempts to unite the chieftains under his rule, his wise warrior-queen bride Gwenhyfar, and his advisor Merlin Emrys, a Christian druid and bishop in the Celtic Church, made for utterly absorbing reading. These characters, so familiar to fans of the legends, spring to life in a new and authentic way in the pages of Healer. I loved the authenticity, historical context, and epic feel these figures – the roots of many a beloved legend – lend to the storyline.
In addition to a liberal dose of history – including fascinating information regarding the fate of the Davidic line after the Jewish diaspora at the end of 2nd Kings – I also adore the love story Windsor spins within the pages of Healer. She excels at bringing passionate, wounded characters in search of healing to vibrant life. Brenna, and especially Ronan, are so fully realized so true to the time period, that I found it impossible not to be wholly immersed in their world. Windsor deftly illustrates the delicate push-and-pull between the Christian Celtic Church and the deeply entrenched pagan beliefs still so prevalent during this time period. When it was so easy for superstition to rule the day, the Christian practice of “nature magic” (i.e., the use of herbs and natural remedies to facilitate healing) to be misconstrued, feared, or in conflict with those who practiced spiritually dark arts. Healer is an epic tale of tragedy, love, and redemption set against the unforgettable, turbulent backdrop of early church history. This is Windsor doing what she does best, shedding light into some of history’s darkest eras, and illustrating with an unwavering confidence the transformative, life-changing capability of wild, sold-out faith. I can not wait to read Caden’s story in volume two – Thief releases Summer 2011.
With Healer, Linda Windsor returns to what she does best in my eyes – shining a light into the Dark Ages and illuminating a fascinating period in time, the rich history and traditions of the early church. Windsor deftly weaves a vibrant tapestry of family jealousy, vengeance, forgiveness, and love during a turbulent time when pagan beliefs vied for prominence with the rise of the early church. In my view no one can spin a meaty, substantial tale set during the Dark Ages and fill it with enough passion and danger to keep you turning pages quite like Windsor. What makes Brenna and Ronan’s story even more compelling is that this time, Windsor crafts her story against the backdrop of the only historically documented Arthur, prince of Dalraida in sixth-century Scotland. I’ve always loved the stories and films of King Arthur and his knights, everything from the unabashed romanticism of Knights of the Round Table, to the gritty realism of King Arthur, to the magic and humor of Merlin. Reading about the historical Arthur and his attempts to unite the chieftains under his rule, his wise warrior-queen bride Gwenhyfar, and his advisor Merlin Emrys, a Christian druid and bishop in the Celtic Church, made for utterly absorbing reading. These characters, so familiar to fans of the legends, spring to life in a new and authentic way in the pages of Healer. I loved the authenticity, historical context, and epic feel these figures – the roots of many a beloved legend – lend to the storyline.
In addition to a liberal dose of history – including fascinating information regarding the fate of the Davidic line after the Jewish diaspora at the end of 2nd Kings – I also adore the love story Windsor spins within the pages of Healer. She excels at bringing passionate, wounded characters in search of healing to vibrant life. Brenna, and especially Ronan, are so fully realized so true to the time period, that I found it impossible not to be wholly immersed in their world. Windsor deftly illustrates the delicate push-and-pull between the Christian Celtic Church and the deeply entrenched pagan beliefs still so prevalent during this time period. When it was so easy for superstition to rule the day, the Christian practice of “nature magic” (i.e., the use of herbs and natural remedies to facilitate healing) to be misconstrued, feared, or in conflict with those who practiced spiritually dark arts. Healer is an epic tale of tragedy, love, and redemption set against the unforgettable, turbulent backdrop of early church history. This is Windsor doing what she does best, shedding light into some of history’s darkest eras, and illustrating with an unwavering confidence the transformative, life-changing capability of wild, sold-out faith. I can not wait to read Caden’s story in volume two – Thief releases Summer 2011.
May 21, 2018
As always when reading Christian Fiction, I was a bit hesitant to see how I was going to feel towards this book. Keep in mind that I have enjoyed Linda Winsor's Fires of Glennmara Series immensely. However, I was hesitant to buy her Brides of Alba series because the descriptions are such a cardboard cutout, but once again Windsor did what she does best and weaved a beautiful story.
The plot started off dramatically, and I rode that wave throughout the rest of the book. Windsor's characters were well placed and decently complex. I would have liked to see more depth in Brenna; she was too kind and goodly two-shoes for me, we rarely see her show any serious 'bad' emotions. I felt like the rest of the cast were decent with showing both sides of emotion. I savored the liberties that Windsor took with history. I enjoy seeing other people's views on how historical things might have gone down. Overall this was an excellent Christian fiction book; it avoided the majority of the cliques that plague this genre.
The plot started off dramatically, and I rode that wave throughout the rest of the book. Windsor's characters were well placed and decently complex. I would have liked to see more depth in Brenna; she was too kind and goodly two-shoes for me, we rarely see her show any serious 'bad' emotions. I felt like the rest of the cast were decent with showing both sides of emotion. I savored the liberties that Windsor took with history. I enjoy seeing other people's views on how historical things might have gone down. Overall this was an excellent Christian fiction book; it avoided the majority of the cliques that plague this genre.
November 3, 2014
This was an interesting book. I have enjoyed some christian fiction in the past so I was excited when my friend picked this for book club. The prologue pulls you right in to the story and the characters. And as I continued to read, I really couldn't put it down. I was up late many times reading this book.
The reason it is not 4 stars is because I had a hard time following it at times because of the writing. The narration was in modern English but when characters were speaking it was back to Olden English which was jarring at times.
The reason it is not 4 stars is because I had a hard time following it at times because of the writing. The narration was in modern English but when characters were speaking it was back to Olden English which was jarring at times.
did-not-finish
July 4, 2017I dunno. Not in the mood, I guess?
January 24, 2025
Overall, I really enjoyed this book! The first half to two-thirds were really strong and I enjoyed getting to know the characters and seeing the different relationships (especially Brenna and Ronan). However, while I enjoyed a lot of what the last portion of the book had to say, parts of it felt quite rushed. There was a lot more happening in the latter part of the book and just not as many pages devoted to it. I'm curious to see what happens with in the second book.
Content:
• Language – n/a
• Drugs and Alcohol – several mentions of drinking, a few mentions of people drinking too much
• Sexual Content – a mention of other people being able to overhear a couple’s lovemaking, a woman has to clean a man who is unconscious (though she keeps him covered), a few innuendos between a husband and wife
• Violence – soldiers raid a nearby clan, a man is attacked and thought dead, a woman is attacked and thought dead, an animal is killed (not for food), a man is poisoned, brothers attack each other, fighting breaks out between and within clans a couple of times
• Themes – pagan practices and worship
Content:
• Language – n/a
• Drugs and Alcohol – several mentions of drinking, a few mentions of people drinking too much
• Sexual Content – a mention of other people being able to overhear a couple’s lovemaking, a woman has to clean a man who is unconscious (though she keeps him covered), a few innuendos between a husband and wife
• Violence – soldiers raid a nearby clan, a man is attacked and thought dead, a woman is attacked and thought dead, an animal is killed (not for food), a man is poisoned, brothers attack each other, fighting breaks out between and within clans a couple of times
• Themes – pagan practices and worship
June 18, 2010
I absolutely loved this book. Linda Windsor has just become one of those auto-buy authors for me. That means I’ll buy her books just because she’s the author regardless of the story line, because I know I’m going to be highly entertained with her stories. That’s the impression I got from reading Healer. Although she’s multi-published, Healer is the first time I’ve been exposed to Linda’s writing. It certainly won’t be the last.
In Healer, Linda has seamlessly woven historical fact and fiction together with fantasy to create an unforgettable story. The heroine’s gift of vision reminded me of my grandmother. To some, the gift of visions is unnatural or ungodly, but I believe God grants miracles and visions to aid His children today just as he did 2000 years ago and earlier. And yes, even in the 6th century. My grandmother experienced visions when a loved one was in danger so I’m very comfortable with this scenario. I also believe in the healing power of herbs and would rather take a herb than a capsule of modern medicine. I was thoroughly at ease with these 2 aspects of the story. Wonderful imagery. Highly entertaining.
Healer is set in 6th century Scotland in in the days of King Arthur and Merlin. It’s the classic theme of good vs evil in a highly entertaining scenario.
Brenna of Gowrys is a hunted woman. She lives in a cave far from anyone – not because she’s done wrong – but because a madman has sworn to kill the progeny of the woman who scorned him. Alone, save for the occasional visit by a priest, Brenna has learned to survive by her own skills. Trained as a healer, first by mother, then by her nurse, she has an intimate knowledge of the properties of plants.
Brenna is a follower of Christ and gives Him all the glory for her visions, which include tingling and warnings of impending danger. She has no hope of a normal life as long as the madman and his sons live. Part of the problem is because she never gets out in public to meet someone, and part is because she knows no one will want to live the rest of their days with her and her wolf in a cave.
Then one day, Brenna sees a man being attacked. Before she can stop him, her wolf charges into the melee and chases away the attacker. Arrow wounds have almost ended the man’s life. Brenna drags him back to her cave by his cloak and proceeds to use her herbs to heal him. She doesn’t know who he is, but he’s hurt and needs care so she gives it.
As a child, Ronan O’Byrne witnessed his father’s madness. Now an adult, the images are a constant reminder of Ronan’s lost childhood. He’s sick of the hunts for the missing woman but as the heir to the O’Byrne kingdom, doesn’t know how to stop his father.
Ronan doesn’t remember the attack. He wakes in a cave tended by a young woman who’s the exact likeness of his childhood nightmares – the woman murdered by his father. He’d finally found the daughter yet he is too weak to do anything but watch her minister to him. His main concern is if she’ll continue her treatment when she finds out who he is. But does she really need to know?
Healer is a romance with the same problems young people face today when it comes to in-laws and conventions. Brenna loves God and Ronan doesn’t know Him. Her people starve while his have plenty. How will they ever overcome these challenges? And how will Brenna survive the loneliness once Ronan goes back to his people?
In Healer, Linda has seamlessly woven historical fact and fiction together with fantasy to create an unforgettable story. The heroine’s gift of vision reminded me of my grandmother. To some, the gift of visions is unnatural or ungodly, but I believe God grants miracles and visions to aid His children today just as he did 2000 years ago and earlier. And yes, even in the 6th century. My grandmother experienced visions when a loved one was in danger so I’m very comfortable with this scenario. I also believe in the healing power of herbs and would rather take a herb than a capsule of modern medicine. I was thoroughly at ease with these 2 aspects of the story. Wonderful imagery. Highly entertaining.
Healer is set in 6th century Scotland in in the days of King Arthur and Merlin. It’s the classic theme of good vs evil in a highly entertaining scenario.
Brenna of Gowrys is a hunted woman. She lives in a cave far from anyone – not because she’s done wrong – but because a madman has sworn to kill the progeny of the woman who scorned him. Alone, save for the occasional visit by a priest, Brenna has learned to survive by her own skills. Trained as a healer, first by mother, then by her nurse, she has an intimate knowledge of the properties of plants.
Brenna is a follower of Christ and gives Him all the glory for her visions, which include tingling and warnings of impending danger. She has no hope of a normal life as long as the madman and his sons live. Part of the problem is because she never gets out in public to meet someone, and part is because she knows no one will want to live the rest of their days with her and her wolf in a cave.
Then one day, Brenna sees a man being attacked. Before she can stop him, her wolf charges into the melee and chases away the attacker. Arrow wounds have almost ended the man’s life. Brenna drags him back to her cave by his cloak and proceeds to use her herbs to heal him. She doesn’t know who he is, but he’s hurt and needs care so she gives it.
As a child, Ronan O’Byrne witnessed his father’s madness. Now an adult, the images are a constant reminder of Ronan’s lost childhood. He’s sick of the hunts for the missing woman but as the heir to the O’Byrne kingdom, doesn’t know how to stop his father.
Ronan doesn’t remember the attack. He wakes in a cave tended by a young woman who’s the exact likeness of his childhood nightmares – the woman murdered by his father. He’d finally found the daughter yet he is too weak to do anything but watch her minister to him. His main concern is if she’ll continue her treatment when she finds out who he is. But does she really need to know?
Healer is a romance with the same problems young people face today when it comes to in-laws and conventions. Brenna loves God and Ronan doesn’t know Him. Her people starve while his have plenty. How will they ever overcome these challenges? And how will Brenna survive the loneliness once Ronan goes back to his people?
June 18, 2010
Fascinating. Absolutely fascinating.
Brenna is an unlikely heroine and one who, at times, seems a little too good and perfect. Her history is marked by murder and she lives in hiding, but she is raised in the Christian faith and grows up strong and capable, with a heart full of love for all things and people. As she nurses Ronan O'Byrne, the last thing she imagines is falling in love with him. But, having inherited her mother's healing abilities as well as her ability to see into the future, Brenna also knows what is to come and that she and Ronan have the potential to unite their warring clans. Together they uncover mystery and intrigue as they attempt to persuade his father Tarlach to see reason.
I loved the interweaving of Arthurian legend with the early beginnings of the Christian church and pagan traditions in Celtic Scotland. The use of herbal healing or nature magic was interesting as it was used for both good and bad, often accompanying dark magic. Windsor's research is exhaustive and there is an extensive bibliography at the end of the book, as well as extensive notes.
A bit medieval and Lord of the Rings-ish, this was a compelling story and one I had hard time putting down. I thought that there might be too many characters to keep track of, but that wasn't the case. I am anxiously awaiting the next book in the series.
Thanks to First Wildcard and the B&B Media Group for the opportunity to review this novel.
Brenna is an unlikely heroine and one who, at times, seems a little too good and perfect. Her history is marked by murder and she lives in hiding, but she is raised in the Christian faith and grows up strong and capable, with a heart full of love for all things and people. As she nurses Ronan O'Byrne, the last thing she imagines is falling in love with him. But, having inherited her mother's healing abilities as well as her ability to see into the future, Brenna also knows what is to come and that she and Ronan have the potential to unite their warring clans. Together they uncover mystery and intrigue as they attempt to persuade his father Tarlach to see reason.
I loved the interweaving of Arthurian legend with the early beginnings of the Christian church and pagan traditions in Celtic Scotland. The use of herbal healing or nature magic was interesting as it was used for both good and bad, often accompanying dark magic. Windsor's research is exhaustive and there is an extensive bibliography at the end of the book, as well as extensive notes.
A bit medieval and Lord of the Rings-ish, this was a compelling story and one I had hard time putting down. I thought that there might be too many characters to keep track of, but that wasn't the case. I am anxiously awaiting the next book in the series.
Thanks to First Wildcard and the B&B Media Group for the opportunity to review this novel.
June 22, 2010
I’ve read lots of Linda Windsor’s books—she’s got twenty-nine published—but this one is my favorite by a long shot. Healer is historical fiction at its finest, incorporating fast-paced action, steamy romance, and spiritual warfare.
When thinking of the Dark Ages, certain words come to mind…mystical, superstitious, even downright demonic. Windsor pulls these elements into the story while managing to bring all the glory to God.
I really liked the herbal remedies that were used and explained throughout the tale. Much of the mystery during this time period (think King Arthur and Merlin) can be demystified when applying the science of nature—which is exactly what Windsor does.
But aside from the apparent research, medical and historical, Windsor writes a love story that sizzles. Hero Ronan O’Byrne is one serious hunk of man with a noble heart and muscles to match. Heroine Brenna of Gowrys is a woman who knows her own mind and is not afraid to act on her convictions, yet she displays a sincere humility and desire to please God. After only a chapter or two, I was seriously invested in these characters.
Healer is one of the top three books I’ve read so far this year, and I read a lot. This is definitely one I’ll keep on my shelf and re-visit in the years to come.
When thinking of the Dark Ages, certain words come to mind…mystical, superstitious, even downright demonic. Windsor pulls these elements into the story while managing to bring all the glory to God.
I really liked the herbal remedies that were used and explained throughout the tale. Much of the mystery during this time period (think King Arthur and Merlin) can be demystified when applying the science of nature—which is exactly what Windsor does.
But aside from the apparent research, medical and historical, Windsor writes a love story that sizzles. Hero Ronan O’Byrne is one serious hunk of man with a noble heart and muscles to match. Heroine Brenna of Gowrys is a woman who knows her own mind and is not afraid to act on her convictions, yet she displays a sincere humility and desire to please God. After only a chapter or two, I was seriously invested in these characters.
Healer is one of the top three books I’ve read so far this year, and I read a lot. This is definitely one I’ll keep on my shelf and re-visit in the years to come.
April 5, 2011
"The Healer" by Linda Windsor is a wonderful book of faith and healing, both physically and spiritually. In this book, Linda takes you back to 6th century Scotland. She had done a huge amount of research for this book. The details are done in such a way it takes you back to that time as if you were living it with them.
Brenna has lived her life in hiding, learning the art of healing. She has only one companion, a white wolf. She is being hunted by another clan. Her family was killed by that very clan when she was just an infant. One day she watches as a young man is ambushed and left for dead. Being the healer that she is, she must risk her own life to get him to safety. She tends to his wounds and falls in love. But what will happen when they find out the truth?
Ronan is a brave and strong character who has been through much in his life at an early age. Things a young boy should never have to witness. His father is a man who sought revenge and has passed that along to his sons. Can Ronan and Brenna break that chain in his family? Read and find out.
You will love this book as much as I have if you enjoy going into the past and living life in a different time. I recommend it to everyone. And I can't wait to read the other two in the series.
Brenna has lived her life in hiding, learning the art of healing. She has only one companion, a white wolf. She is being hunted by another clan. Her family was killed by that very clan when she was just an infant. One day she watches as a young man is ambushed and left for dead. Being the healer that she is, she must risk her own life to get him to safety. She tends to his wounds and falls in love. But what will happen when they find out the truth?
Ronan is a brave and strong character who has been through much in his life at an early age. Things a young boy should never have to witness. His father is a man who sought revenge and has passed that along to his sons. Can Ronan and Brenna break that chain in his family? Read and find out.
You will love this book as much as I have if you enjoy going into the past and living life in a different time. I recommend it to everyone. And I can't wait to read the other two in the series.
January 12, 2013
I had received this as a freebie & was very excited to dive in, as the accolades included the book having a ton of historically accurate info. Then I read the author's intro. Oh. Good. Gods. This is all about Christian propaganda. The author took history and turned it into her version of what was Christian before Christianity. I tend to think of myself as a very culturally aware person, but I think in her zeal to make everything in history Christian, this author subverted the cultures of those she's writing about. I'm going to be archiving this one off of my Nook and staying well away from this author.
July 1, 2010
Wow! I absolutely fell in love with this book and the characters! Brenna is a prime example of how everyone should be towards each other. She's so loving and kind regardless of their nature. This book made an impression on me and once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down. I would recommend this book to anyone who's looking for a great read.
March 21, 2017
Years ago I read a book by Linda Windsor called For Pete's Sake. This book, Healer, was nothing like that. I mean how different can you get from 500s to present day?
Healer was set in the 6th century in what I believe was Scotland, in olden Briton. The history of this book is important as it relates to biblical Davidic bloodlines, but also brings in legends of Merlin, Arthur, and Guinevere. Characters are listed in both the front and back, plus a glossary and a forward and after words that help you understand the history and research as well as explanations of character names.. example... Arthur and Merlin are titles throughout fifth and sixth centuries, not just names.
Anyway...
The Healer is Brenna, daughter of another Healer, Joanna, who was a queen. Joanna died just after Brenna's birth and Brenna was whisked away by her nurse and mentor. For 20 years her life was in danger; labeled a witch and hunted by the demented chief of the O'Byrne clan who had always loved her mother but couldn't have her.
The O'Byrnes were on their yearly hunt for the "witch" when an attack is made against an important member of the clan and left for dead. Brenna and her white wolf see it all and take him into her hiding place to try to heal him, putting herself in possible danger. What if he gets away only to bring the clan to her hideaway and reveal her existence?
The rest of the story is of romance, prophecy, healing, forgiveness, salvation, "nature magic" (power of the Holy Spirit) and evil.
Fascinating.
This is one of those books I will remember if for no other reason than that it was so different, and because of all the history of a time in the dark ages I know little about.
Healer was set in the 6th century in what I believe was Scotland, in olden Briton. The history of this book is important as it relates to biblical Davidic bloodlines, but also brings in legends of Merlin, Arthur, and Guinevere. Characters are listed in both the front and back, plus a glossary and a forward and after words that help you understand the history and research as well as explanations of character names.. example... Arthur and Merlin are titles throughout fifth and sixth centuries, not just names.
Anyway...
The Healer is Brenna, daughter of another Healer, Joanna, who was a queen. Joanna died just after Brenna's birth and Brenna was whisked away by her nurse and mentor. For 20 years her life was in danger; labeled a witch and hunted by the demented chief of the O'Byrne clan who had always loved her mother but couldn't have her.
The O'Byrnes were on their yearly hunt for the "witch" when an attack is made against an important member of the clan and left for dead. Brenna and her white wolf see it all and take him into her hiding place to try to heal him, putting herself in possible danger. What if he gets away only to bring the clan to her hideaway and reveal her existence?
The rest of the story is of romance, prophecy, healing, forgiveness, salvation, "nature magic" (power of the Holy Spirit) and evil.
Fascinating.
This is one of those books I will remember if for no other reason than that it was so different, and because of all the history of a time in the dark ages I know little about.
August 1, 2019
This is an excellent story which held my interest throughout. This is my first time reading a book by Linda Windsor and I must admit that I was surprised that she is such an acclaimed, award-winning author. As I said, her story was excellent. It revealed that she had done her research on the time period (6th centure England). However, I was surprised at her poor sentence structure in several places. Examples: "The way his beard clung to the clenched box of his jaw." (p. 121) "The exit wound from the frontal arrow was." (p. 123) Maybe this was just poor editing, but it was distracting to me. There are several other examples, but that is enough for this review. There were also several places where I had to go back and re-read the content to figure out what she was meaning. Still, overall, an excellent book. I will definitely read the next two books in the trilogy.
December 3, 2023
A fantasy-ish book set in the time where Christianity was arriving in England. I wanted to like it. The characters were interesting and made smart choices, and the struggle between pagan and Christian worldviews could make for an excellent story. But the Christian themes were heavy handed in my opinion, and it glossed over much of the interesting worldview and familial conflicts in favor of a “happily ever after” ending. It was a quick, YA read.
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August 5, 2016This was an interesting book, I really liked the medieval feel to it and especially, how the story started. :)
I'm sad that it wasn't quite for me though, and I was a little disappointed in a few things, mainly the romance! *laughs* See, I picked this book up hoping to read a really sweet Christian romance set in this time period. True romantic love to me is when a couple deeply cares and supports one another no matter what.(The obvious) Or quote, 1 Corinthians 13:4–8. ...But reading this romance kinda felt like I was reading a Christian erotica. O____O; Brenna and Rory's relationship was very lusty to me. Not once do I recall any of their point of views NOT being... sexual? Rory kept thinking about what it'd be like to kiss her instead of wondering what she's like as a person, and Brenna was really no different. She cared more about wanting to have babies with him rather than accepting him for who he is, or what his feelings are. They never improved either as the story progress on with their lives. ...and that I had a real problem with, because this is a Christian book and I didn't see any elements of real love in it as I had expected, only lust. ...and we all know how God feels about lust. *laughs* Brenna claims that her relationship with Rory was build and supported on God (or something like that - it was along those lines anyway) but I disagree, it was built and supported on sex if anything... God was probably only 20% glued onto their relationship.
Anyway, I didn't write this to be mean or disrespectful, I just thought I'd give a warning to those who like their romances clean and lust free, as this book may not be for them. (This book is kinda like a censored erotica.) There are still sex scenes, but they aren't very descriptive. ...I wish that Rory and Brenna could have learnt that sex does not = love, hahaha... x'D
I'm sad that it wasn't quite for me though, and I was a little disappointed in a few things, mainly the romance! *laughs* See, I picked this book up hoping to read a really sweet Christian romance set in this time period. True romantic love to me is when a couple deeply cares and supports one another no matter what.(The obvious) Or quote, 1 Corinthians 13:4–8. ...But reading this romance kinda felt like I was reading a Christian erotica. O____O; Brenna and Rory's relationship was very lusty to me. Not once do I recall any of their point of views NOT being... sexual? Rory kept thinking about what it'd be like to kiss her instead of wondering what she's like as a person, and Brenna was really no different. She cared more about wanting to have babies with him rather than accepting him for who he is, or what his feelings are. They never improved either as the story progress on with their lives. ...and that I had a real problem with, because this is a Christian book and I didn't see any elements of real love in it as I had expected, only lust. ...and we all know how God feels about lust. *laughs* Brenna claims that her relationship with Rory was build and supported on God (or something like that - it was along those lines anyway) but I disagree, it was built and supported on sex if anything... God was probably only 20% glued onto their relationship.
Anyway, I didn't write this to be mean or disrespectful, I just thought I'd give a warning to those who like their romances clean and lust free, as this book may not be for them. (This book is kinda like a censored erotica.) There are still sex scenes, but they aren't very descriptive. ...I wish that Rory and Brenna could have learnt that sex does not = love, hahaha... x'D
September 8, 2019
I don't even know where to start. I read this book within 24 hours of starting it, unable to tear myself from it. The combination of so many of my favourite things made it impossible to resist: the setting, the scattered Celtic words throughout, the vivid characters.. But there is one detail that stood above the rest.
I have always had a hard time with the idea of promoting Christian media, because I have often seen it done without excellence. Well, this book knocks that stereotype to the ground. This is excellence embodied. Never have I seen a Christian research so deeply into this time period, without making assumptions, and bring an entirely different perspective than what we are used to reading or seeing in the movies about Arthur and company. It also draws attention to the reality (for it is a reality) that there is more to the world than meets the eye –– a spiritual realm beneath the skin of the physical. There is also the distinction that there are two sides that are constantly warring in the spirit realm –– those of heaven and hell. Linda does not water this down, though she does subtly introduce it (at least, I think it's subtle).
Oddly, I feel I must also mention how I obtained this book. A friend of mine recommended it to me via Goodreads, so I added it to my to-read list. My mom, knowing nothing of the recommendation, bought it on Amazon and mailed it to me. Mind you, I had searched for it in my library's system and found that only an interlibrary loan would bring it to me, as I do not visit bookstores all that often (I know, for shame! A booklover who doesn't visit the bookstore!) –– all this without telling my mom. So imagine my surprise when it appeared on my doorstep! This book and I were surely destined to meet...
I have always had a hard time with the idea of promoting Christian media, because I have often seen it done without excellence. Well, this book knocks that stereotype to the ground. This is excellence embodied. Never have I seen a Christian research so deeply into this time period, without making assumptions, and bring an entirely different perspective than what we are used to reading or seeing in the movies about Arthur and company. It also draws attention to the reality (for it is a reality) that there is more to the world than meets the eye –– a spiritual realm beneath the skin of the physical. There is also the distinction that there are two sides that are constantly warring in the spirit realm –– those of heaven and hell. Linda does not water this down, though she does subtly introduce it (at least, I think it's subtle).
Oddly, I feel I must also mention how I obtained this book. A friend of mine recommended it to me via Goodreads, so I added it to my to-read list. My mom, knowing nothing of the recommendation, bought it on Amazon and mailed it to me. Mind you, I had searched for it in my library's system and found that only an interlibrary loan would bring it to me, as I do not visit bookstores all that often (I know, for shame! A booklover who doesn't visit the bookstore!) –– all this without telling my mom. So imagine my surprise when it appeared on my doorstep! This book and I were surely destined to meet...
February 6, 2011
Healer was a great read. A bit gruesome at times, Healer was also subtle in regards to edgy content, but a compelling novel for sure. The history regarding Briton and the folklore that dated back to the early church was interesting. It's obvious the author knows this time period well.
I loved the romance in this story most of all, but the spiritual thread was pretty strong, too. I loved how Brenna was always showing the love of Christ through how she lived her life. It was cool how the author showed that Brenna's faith changed the people around her. She always gave God the credit for miracles, but she had periods of doubt and loneliness as well, especially prior to meeting Ronan. I loved how the heroine was able to heal not only Ronan's body, but how God used her to heal his soul as well. She made him want to live again.
Seeing their love slowly develop and deepen was probably the best part of the story. Windsor has a gift for writing romantic tension. At the same time, their long-term relationship couldn't be based on a lie. I loved how this whole thread unraveled and brought them closer together in the end.
I though Ronan was a great hero because he was so dedicated to Brenna. Then again, he did owe her his life. She was a true healer and used by God to bless many. That theme was so well done in this book. Parts of the story reminded me of The Healer's Apprentice by Melanie Dickerson. If you read both stories you will see why. I am really looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
I loved the romance in this story most of all, but the spiritual thread was pretty strong, too. I loved how Brenna was always showing the love of Christ through how she lived her life. It was cool how the author showed that Brenna's faith changed the people around her. She always gave God the credit for miracles, but she had periods of doubt and loneliness as well, especially prior to meeting Ronan. I loved how the heroine was able to heal not only Ronan's body, but how God used her to heal his soul as well. She made him want to live again.
Seeing their love slowly develop and deepen was probably the best part of the story. Windsor has a gift for writing romantic tension. At the same time, their long-term relationship couldn't be based on a lie. I loved how this whole thread unraveled and brought them closer together in the end.
I though Ronan was a great hero because he was so dedicated to Brenna. Then again, he did owe her his life. She was a true healer and used by God to bless many. That theme was so well done in this book. Parts of the story reminded me of The Healer's Apprentice by Melanie Dickerson. If you read both stories you will see why. I am really looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
June 20, 2010
"Healer" is a historical romance set in 6th-century Scotland in the time of Arthur. The world-building was good, and the historical detail was woven into the story. The focus was mainly on the political and religious structure of the time period, though, rather than the day-to-day details of living. The romance was a pretty typical romance novel set-up. The falling-in-love felt a bit rushed to me, but I found it believable. The pacing was very good, and the characters were interesting and likable.
The novel explored the religions in Scotland during this time period, especially the difference between between pagan witches and Christian-trained healers in how knowledge was used and who it was used for. This played a very strong role in the novel.
Several of the characters had a strong Christian faith (which was tested). Others grew up with a general understanding of Christianity but never quite decided what to believe about God. Others tried to mix worship of God in with worshiping the pagan gods. And yet others just believed in pagan gods. The Christian elements were worked into the story naturally, but it was a main focus of the story. A non-Christian might feel it was too heavy an emphasis. On the other hand, people interested in Wicca might be interested in seeing the roots of where that religion came from.
There was non-explicit (married) sex. The minor amount of bad language was in the "he cussed" style. Overall, I'd recommend this novel as well-written, clean reading.
This book was an Advanced Reader Copy provided by The B&B Media Group for review.
The novel explored the religions in Scotland during this time period, especially the difference between between pagan witches and Christian-trained healers in how knowledge was used and who it was used for. This played a very strong role in the novel.
Several of the characters had a strong Christian faith (which was tested). Others grew up with a general understanding of Christianity but never quite decided what to believe about God. Others tried to mix worship of God in with worshiping the pagan gods. And yet others just believed in pagan gods. The Christian elements were worked into the story naturally, but it was a main focus of the story. A non-Christian might feel it was too heavy an emphasis. On the other hand, people interested in Wicca might be interested in seeing the roots of where that religion came from.
There was non-explicit (married) sex. The minor amount of bad language was in the "he cussed" style. Overall, I'd recommend this novel as well-written, clean reading.
This book was an Advanced Reader Copy provided by The B&B Media Group for review.
September 10, 2015
I have always enjoyed historical fiction, especially that set in ancient Scotland or Ireland. This book however, indulged way too much on the romance and mysticism front. The root mechanics of Windsor's storytelling withstood the test. In fact, that's the only reason that I rated this book two stars instead of one. Any time an author of Christian historical fiction manages to avoid all the trite clichés and plot devices, I think that should be acknowledge. That, however, is the best thing that I can say about this book.
The things I disliked about the book are a bit more numerous. First, the connection (good or bad) between the characters happens far too quickly. This stretches the suspension of disbelief almost a bit too far. Second, the sensual descriptions Windsor employs for most of the interactions between Brenna and Ronan are sensual in a chaste, Christian way which makes them entirely too awkward and frankly unnecessary. If you're going to describe sex or sexual intimacy, don't try to put a Christian spin on it. Just don't. Third, Windor's use of the prophetic gifts for Joanna and Brenna (and other similar aspects) made it hard to distinguish how the Celtic Christians differentiated themselves from the pagans of the day. I can't quite put my finger on it but something about Windsor's "historiography" feels off.
I don't recommend this book and I actually took the other two books in the series off my "to-read" list. There are too many good books out there for me to waste my time reading mediocrity.
The things I disliked about the book are a bit more numerous. First, the connection (good or bad) between the characters happens far too quickly. This stretches the suspension of disbelief almost a bit too far. Second, the sensual descriptions Windsor employs for most of the interactions between Brenna and Ronan are sensual in a chaste, Christian way which makes them entirely too awkward and frankly unnecessary. If you're going to describe sex or sexual intimacy, don't try to put a Christian spin on it. Just don't. Third, Windor's use of the prophetic gifts for Joanna and Brenna (and other similar aspects) made it hard to distinguish how the Celtic Christians differentiated themselves from the pagans of the day. I can't quite put my finger on it but something about Windsor's "historiography" feels off.
I don't recommend this book and I actually took the other two books in the series off my "to-read" list. There are too many good books out there for me to waste my time reading mediocrity.
June 26, 2011
In the first of the Brides of Alba Series, Brenna is an orphan that is living the life of an outcast because of a prediction that her mother gave. As a gifted healer, she cannot leave the injured man lying by the lake, even though today is the annual hunt for her. As it turns out, Ronan, the heir and enemy, is the injured man that Brenna helps. As they learn to love each other and to break the feud created so many years ago, they must also fight for their lives as there are those who want both dead.
Let me say that I love Linda Windsor's books, and this one is added to my list of favorites. Her characters are well-rounded and there are points that you just want to crawl inside the book and have a wonderfully long conversation with them (granted sometimes that is because you are yelling at the book, "What are you thinking? That is NEVER going to work!!!!"). I love that there is a bit of mystery on who is friend and who is foe, but even your enemy can become a great ally when faced with darkness.
As with her other novels, it is well researched and full of well thought revelations that help us as modern Christians see and think as those who were Christians hundreds and thousands of years ago. I especially love her bibliography and her glossary, both of which are big help if you are unfamilar with 6th century Scottish.
Highly recommend this book, and I have plans on re-reading it.
Let me say that I love Linda Windsor's books, and this one is added to my list of favorites. Her characters are well-rounded and there are points that you just want to crawl inside the book and have a wonderfully long conversation with them (granted sometimes that is because you are yelling at the book, "What are you thinking? That is NEVER going to work!!!!"). I love that there is a bit of mystery on who is friend and who is foe, but even your enemy can become a great ally when faced with darkness.
As with her other novels, it is well researched and full of well thought revelations that help us as modern Christians see and think as those who were Christians hundreds and thousands of years ago. I especially love her bibliography and her glossary, both of which are big help if you are unfamilar with 6th century Scottish.
Highly recommend this book, and I have plans on re-reading it.
March 21, 2013
This is the first book to ever make me emotional during the PROLOGUE! Just by reading that I was hooked. However, that was probably the only part that made me really emotional. After that it was still a good read but I wasn't into it as much.
I feel like the romance was rushed a little bit to much in the beginning, but I love how their relationship grew throughout the book. It was so romantic knowing how much Ronan was in love with Brenna by his actions toward anyone who wanted to hurt her.
I really liked how much faith Brenna had in God and the Holy Spirit, and how she used their power through prayer to heal people, whether it be physically or mentally. I liked how Ronan saw her faith and loved her so much he was willing to believe and wanted to have that happiness for himself too, but I was a little disappointed at the end when he did not quite learn how to forgive.
Overall, this book was a good read. Their was nothing wrong with the book in my opinion, it just didn't capture me throughout the whole book like others have by Linda before. I would recommend this book to people who enjoy reading about love, action, betrayal, and over coming impossible outcomes.
Rating: 3 1/2 stars
Make sure to check out my blog where you can read other reviews at: http://kissedbooks.blogspot.com/
And if like my blog make sure to follow:) Happy reading:)
I feel like the romance was rushed a little bit to much in the beginning, but I love how their relationship grew throughout the book. It was so romantic knowing how much Ronan was in love with Brenna by his actions toward anyone who wanted to hurt her.
I really liked how much faith Brenna had in God and the Holy Spirit, and how she used their power through prayer to heal people, whether it be physically or mentally. I liked how Ronan saw her faith and loved her so much he was willing to believe and wanted to have that happiness for himself too, but I was a little disappointed at the end when he did not quite learn how to forgive.
Overall, this book was a good read. Their was nothing wrong with the book in my opinion, it just didn't capture me throughout the whole book like others have by Linda before. I would recommend this book to people who enjoy reading about love, action, betrayal, and over coming impossible outcomes.
Rating: 3 1/2 stars
Make sure to check out my blog where you can read other reviews at: http://kissedbooks.blogspot.com/
And if like my blog make sure to follow:) Happy reading:)
January 14, 2013
Good for readers: 16 and up
As I read the first third of the book, I was debating between two and three stars. The reason? Most of it takes place where a couple is alone together and the man (Ronan) is too hurt to do ANYTHING for himself. You can imagine some of the things that leaves for the main girl Brenna to do. Although the story pulled me in and kept me turning pages, and the author was put things delicately, I didn't think I was going to like it.
After Ronan recovered, the book got much better in my opinion. In fact, by the end, I was impressed that faith was not only an element story, it was the story. In so many books the faith seems like an unimportant element. In Healer, it was the thread that brought the whole story together.
I really liked how the author pulled in Arthur, Merlin, and others form the stories in a refreshing way.
Overall, though not a story for young readers, I really liked it. I wish the first third of the book had different, but is was redeemed by the rest of the book.
As I read the first third of the book, I was debating between two and three stars. The reason? Most of it takes place where a couple is alone together and the man (Ronan) is too hurt to do ANYTHING for himself. You can imagine some of the things that leaves for the main girl Brenna to do. Although the story pulled me in and kept me turning pages, and the author was put things delicately, I didn't think I was going to like it.
After Ronan recovered, the book got much better in my opinion. In fact, by the end, I was impressed that faith was not only an element story, it was the story. In so many books the faith seems like an unimportant element. In Healer, it was the thread that brought the whole story together.
I really liked how the author pulled in Arthur, Merlin, and others form the stories in a refreshing way.
Overall, though not a story for young readers, I really liked it. I wish the first third of the book had different, but is was redeemed by the rest of the book.
June 15, 2010
I have been highly anticipating Linda Windsor's Brides of Alba series from the moment I heard Linda was writing another medieval series. I fell in love with Maire, Riona and Deidre, her Fires of Gleanmara trilogy when they first released in 2000 so it was with significant expectations that I began Healer. Weaving Arthurian legend into her story of a reclusive healer confronted with an injured warrior, Linda Windsor displays her great storytelling abilities reinforced with fascinating and extensive research. Healer is a captivating story filled with betrayal, revenge, attraction, swordplay and faith in equal measure. Linda is no slouch in the romance stakes either, the magnetism between Brenna and Ronan is palpable. Prophecy and witchcraft collide in a battle of good and evil as Christianity begins to makes its presence known in the Scottish Isles. The only downside is the interminable wait until I can add Thief and Rebel to my bookshelves!
April 25, 2012
This is one of those books that had been on my TBR pile for a very long time. I'd heard so many good things about it that I was sure it couldn't live up to the hype.
I was wrong. lol
I love the time period and setting - but the author manages to give us a fresh take. Part of that is because her storyline feels new and her characters are unique. She doesn't fall back on tired stereotypes.
This book had moments where I laughed, tender moments that stung a little, that romantic tension we all love, action that kept me glued to my Kindle - and some mystery as well.
The only criticism I would have is that the cover has almost a feeling of a YA or graphic novel. I would have loved to see that changed to reflect the insides a little better.
I was wrong. lol
I love the time period and setting - but the author manages to give us a fresh take. Part of that is because her storyline feels new and her characters are unique. She doesn't fall back on tired stereotypes.
This book had moments where I laughed, tender moments that stung a little, that romantic tension we all love, action that kept me glued to my Kindle - and some mystery as well.
The only criticism I would have is that the cover has almost a feeling of a YA or graphic novel. I would have loved to see that changed to reflect the insides a little better.
September 4, 2017
DNF about 40% of the way through.
It's not that I want to dislike Christian fiction. It's not like I'm trying to dislike Christian romance. I think I deserve at least a point on my Good Christian Girl card for repeatedly trying either genre. It's just that Christian writers are generally not good writers.
Windsor has some good ideas, and the interesting concept is why I gave Healer the two stars it got. But Windsor seems to want to have her cake and eat it too. There's a plenty of sexual innuendo and mysticism in this "Christian" tale. The romance wasn't well written, even if the reader assumes Brenna is a sheltered moron. Brenna was a Mary Sue, Caden was a walking trope, Ronan was inconsistent, and there weren't really any other characters in the story so...yeah. Pass.
It's not that I want to dislike Christian fiction. It's not like I'm trying to dislike Christian romance. I think I deserve at least a point on my Good Christian Girl card for repeatedly trying either genre. It's just that Christian writers are generally not good writers.
Windsor has some good ideas, and the interesting concept is why I gave Healer the two stars it got. But Windsor seems to want to have her cake and eat it too. There's a plenty of sexual innuendo and mysticism in this "Christian" tale. The romance wasn't well written, even if the reader assumes Brenna is a sheltered moron. Brenna was a Mary Sue, Caden was a walking trope, Ronan was inconsistent, and there weren't really any other characters in the story so...yeah. Pass.
June 18, 2013
Pretty good, a little heavy on the Christian inspirational side....sometimes the action is a little unbelievable because of this. However I felt that the author had done her homework, and there is enough history interspersed throughout the story to convince me of this. The characters are likeable and the plot interesting, although again, at times unbelievable. Do bloodthirsty men like Tarlach really change? Perhaps they do. It may be good to believe in the unbelievable, in the fact that a leopard can change its spots. A worthwhile read. I love the descriptive passages. I would read this author again.
March 16, 2012
I enjoyed this book a lot. I was pleasantly surprised that it was a Christian book. The title made me think it was a fantasy. The description was intriguing enough for me to read it, especially since it was free on kindle. After reading the dear reader letter, I was happy to have found another Christian writer, but doubtful that the book would keep me guessing. I was wrong. Now I’m trying to decide if I'm going to buy the paperback or the kindle version of the next book in the series. The paperback is actually cheaper than kindle.
July 16, 2011
Loved this book by Linda Windsor. This book has the most vivid, riveting scene I think I've ever read. I'll never forget it. Can't reveal here because I don't want to spoil it for anyone. You'll have to read to find out. But trust me on this.
And the heroine is named Brenna---so is my daughter.
Great read.
And the heroine is named Brenna---so is my daughter.
Great read.
February 17, 2022
I don't want to give this too low of a rating... I really don't but. Sigh. There's going to be a couple of issues here for me to flag up.
Positives: This was a fun Historical Romance and looks like it might be the beginning of an interesting take on the Arthurian Legends, although Arthur and other familiar characters are NOT the primary focus of the story. They're more like secondary characters who come in from the side-lines as needed and then exit stage left.
It was also set during a period of history I am interested in. I did quite like the first half of the story, maybe even the first two thirds, but the last part was the weakest in my opinion, with characters lacking motivation and a lot of increasingly implausible things happening which felt increasingly awkward.
Honestly, I believe if this had been presented as a simple fantasy/fictional tale it would not have been an issue. I could suspend disbelief for that. However, the real issue is that the author seems to think it’s all true. By "it" I refer specifically to:
• British Israelism: What is British Israelism? To put it simply, British Israelism is a belief which was developed by Celtic nationalists and others in the 18th and 19th century who claimed that the "Celtic" peoples of Britain were descended from the so called "lost" tribes of Israel.
Yep, allegedly the Irish, Scots and Welsh are "actually" Jews. Not just that! But apparently, they knew about Jesus, and followed Christianity before anyone else. Mary and various relatives of Jesus were in the habit of hopping across the sea to Ireland and were supposedly born in Ireland.
It all gets very complicated, because supposedly these Celtic peoples preserved the sacred bloodline the knowledge of "true" Christianity down the centuries through their "true bloodline" or some such.
It claimed they also preserved the knowledge of science and the arts, even ... building Universities and hospitals centuries before history tells us any such things existed anywhere on earth. Preserving all kinds of scientific knowledge and the scriptures too.
I am writing that through gritted teeth. I don't have anything against the author, I really do not. She's written a sweet and charming story and I am honestly glad that she was able to use some of the things she is learning during the process of writing to help her daughter. That's wonderful.... just.
Don't expect me to believe all this is true. Don't present this as truth. Its such obvious propaganda and conspiracy theory. You see, apparently the druids also did nothing wrong. yeah, seriously, they were all nice, kind Saintly guys.
There wasn't any human sacrifice, that was all lies and Roman corruption (allegedly). In fact, the Celts believed in the true god since the outset, because they were Jews since like 500BC, and then they knew the Gospel before virtually anyone else through Joseph of Arimathea (the man in whose tomb Jesus was laid soon after the Crucifixion).
Everything was wonderful, and the Celts created a surprisingly modern sounding paradise before the wicked and evil Roman Catholic church came and destroyed everything then rewrote history to hide the truth. Then banned science and all that claptrap. The Venerable Bede and Isidore of Seville might have something to say on that matter.
Are you seeing the problem here now? All this stuff is based on late Medieval Legends written by people who wanted to make the Welsh and Scots seem special, and by 19th century Celtic nationalists. There's no actual contemporary evidence for any of it. Not a shred from before like the 9th century except some vague and very tenuous supposed linguistic connections. (x had a name that sounds like y, therefore X is actually related to Y).
And like good nationalists, they didn't like foreigners. I mean switch out "evil Roman Catholics" with evil "foreigners" who came along and destroyed this incredible and wonderful and Holy "indigenous" British civilization and you get the picture.
Again, I am not saying the author is xenophobic, but the people who came up with British Israelism and the idea that Joseph of Arimathea bought Christianity to Britain, bought various relatives of Jesus to Britain, and preserved true Christianity there certainly were.
Just: enjoy this story and if it helps someone you love then that's great too. Please don't take that other stuff seriously. There were Celtic Christians, but they weren't modern evangelicals, and they certainly weren't descendants of the Hebrews with secret knowledge.
The other minor historical niggle is that its stated in almost every source that the Goddodin, the early Kingdom where the story is set was inhabited mostly by Welsh Speaking Romano- Britons, and not Gaelic Speaking Scots. Seriously just look up "the Gododdin". Google searches even show this up.
Just because it is situated in what is now Scotland doesn’t mean everyone there was always Scottish as we would think of “Scottish” now. Borders change, countries change. Kingdoms rise and fall, people move and migrate, and are conquered. Things aren't static, and early Medieval Britain certainly wasn't.
It wasn't just one homogenous lump of "Celts" vs Anglo Saxons.
Positives: This was a fun Historical Romance and looks like it might be the beginning of an interesting take on the Arthurian Legends, although Arthur and other familiar characters are NOT the primary focus of the story. They're more like secondary characters who come in from the side-lines as needed and then exit stage left.
It was also set during a period of history I am interested in. I did quite like the first half of the story, maybe even the first two thirds, but the last part was the weakest in my opinion, with characters lacking motivation and a lot of increasingly implausible things happening which felt increasingly awkward.
Honestly, I believe if this had been presented as a simple fantasy/fictional tale it would not have been an issue. I could suspend disbelief for that. However, the real issue is that the author seems to think it’s all true. By "it" I refer specifically to:
• British Israelism: What is British Israelism? To put it simply, British Israelism is a belief which was developed by Celtic nationalists and others in the 18th and 19th century who claimed that the "Celtic" peoples of Britain were descended from the so called "lost" tribes of Israel.
Yep, allegedly the Irish, Scots and Welsh are "actually" Jews. Not just that! But apparently, they knew about Jesus, and followed Christianity before anyone else. Mary and various relatives of Jesus were in the habit of hopping across the sea to Ireland and were supposedly born in Ireland.
It all gets very complicated, because supposedly these Celtic peoples preserved the sacred bloodline the knowledge of "true" Christianity down the centuries through their "true bloodline" or some such.
It claimed they also preserved the knowledge of science and the arts, even ... building Universities and hospitals centuries before history tells us any such things existed anywhere on earth. Preserving all kinds of scientific knowledge and the scriptures too.
I am writing that through gritted teeth. I don't have anything against the author, I really do not. She's written a sweet and charming story and I am honestly glad that she was able to use some of the things she is learning during the process of writing to help her daughter. That's wonderful.... just.
Don't expect me to believe all this is true. Don't present this as truth. Its such obvious propaganda and conspiracy theory. You see, apparently the druids also did nothing wrong. yeah, seriously, they were all nice, kind Saintly guys.
There wasn't any human sacrifice, that was all lies and Roman corruption (allegedly). In fact, the Celts believed in the true god since the outset, because they were Jews since like 500BC, and then they knew the Gospel before virtually anyone else through Joseph of Arimathea (the man in whose tomb Jesus was laid soon after the Crucifixion).
Everything was wonderful, and the Celts created a surprisingly modern sounding paradise before the wicked and evil Roman Catholic church came and destroyed everything then rewrote history to hide the truth. Then banned science and all that claptrap. The Venerable Bede and Isidore of Seville might have something to say on that matter.
Are you seeing the problem here now? All this stuff is based on late Medieval Legends written by people who wanted to make the Welsh and Scots seem special, and by 19th century Celtic nationalists. There's no actual contemporary evidence for any of it. Not a shred from before like the 9th century except some vague and very tenuous supposed linguistic connections. (x had a name that sounds like y, therefore X is actually related to Y).
And like good nationalists, they didn't like foreigners. I mean switch out "evil Roman Catholics" with evil "foreigners" who came along and destroyed this incredible and wonderful and Holy "indigenous" British civilization and you get the picture.
Again, I am not saying the author is xenophobic, but the people who came up with British Israelism and the idea that Joseph of Arimathea bought Christianity to Britain, bought various relatives of Jesus to Britain, and preserved true Christianity there certainly were.
Just: enjoy this story and if it helps someone you love then that's great too. Please don't take that other stuff seriously. There were Celtic Christians, but they weren't modern evangelicals, and they certainly weren't descendants of the Hebrews with secret knowledge.
The other minor historical niggle is that its stated in almost every source that the Goddodin, the early Kingdom where the story is set was inhabited mostly by Welsh Speaking Romano- Britons, and not Gaelic Speaking Scots. Seriously just look up "the Gododdin". Google searches even show this up.
Just because it is situated in what is now Scotland doesn’t mean everyone there was always Scottish as we would think of “Scottish” now. Borders change, countries change. Kingdoms rise and fall, people move and migrate, and are conquered. Things aren't static, and early Medieval Britain certainly wasn't.
It wasn't just one homogenous lump of "Celts" vs Anglo Saxons.
April 24, 2012
Excellent story with great characters and plot twists in a magnificiently crafted story world.
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