The Swan in Summer: An epic retelling of the Tristan and Isolde legend, set in dark-age Scotland

The Trystan Trilogy #2

by Barbara Lennox

Love will bind them, seas divide them, war unite them, revenge betray them

Trystan, badly hurt in his fight with The Morholt, is dying, but Corwynal, his older half-brother, will stop at nothing to save him. He’ll risk storm and shipwreck to get Trystan to Dalriada, a Kingdom famous for its healers, but the land of their enemies. Corwynal must keep their identities secret – even from the woman who saves their lives, a woman he comes to love, a woman with secrets of her own.

And when Trystan meets Yseult, a girl sworn to destroy the man who killed her uncle, The Morholt, the tragedy that is the story of Tristan and Isolde begins to take its shape.

Can love survive the secrets they have, the lies they're forced to tell and the choices they must make? And how can Corwynal protect everyone he cares about when Dalriada becomes embroiled in a new war with an old enemy led by a man from Corwynal’s past?

Second in The Trystan Trilogy, The Swan in Summer is an epic journey into the hearts of lovers divided by conflict, set amidst the warring cultures of dark-age Scotland. Perfect for fans of Bernard Cornwell, Juliet Marillier and Jules Watson.

Genres: Historical Fiction

538 pages, Paperback

Published September 26, 2022

About the author

I was born, and still live, in Scotland on the shores of a river, between the mountains and the sea. I’m a retired scientist and science administrator, but have always been fascinated by the early history of Scotland, and I love fleshing out that history with the stories of fictional, and not-so-fictional, characters.

Reviews

[Sarah Em · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the prologue until the final page turns, Barbara's skill pulls you from modern world into deepest, darkest history. The Swan in Summer is brutal and beautiful all at once, often at the same time, often holding you captive with its detail and power even whilst you wish you could look away or at least warn those intent on diving head-first into trouble what lies in wait.

Many books linger after you've read them but only truly good ones linger whilst you read them, every page thick with meaning and placed perfectly to build the bones of a story that roars into life. It's a long book but I didn't mind it - details are necessary and colour in the fabric of a world that feels almost tangible, the smells (yes, all of them!), the sights, the sounds, all too easy to imagine in the way they're brought to life.

To speak of plot would be to spoil the magic but be assured there's something here for many readers; adventure, love, loss, longing, headstrong behaviour, mistakes, misfortune and misdeeds. It's a wonderful piece of craft and again, I come back to it's truest power: picking you up from wherever you are and setting you down in a world of an entirely different time.

I wept for these characters, I laughed for these characters, I willfully wanted to shake these characters and most importantly... I believed in them.

A truly incredible retelling.

[I received a free advance reader copy of this text in exchange for an honest review]

[Em · Rating 5 out of 5]

“One didn’t survive love any more than one survived hate or life or death”.
⚔️🖤✨

The Swan in Summer is the second book in the Trystan Trilogy and a continuation to The Wolf in Winter based off the legendary tale of Tristan and Isolde.

Firstly wow, this was an exceptional read, my mind is so overwhelmed and I have definitely been left feeling speechless.

I loved every bit of this reimagining. You can really tell when an author is passionate about there characters when they can make you feel their pain, fear for their safety and fall in love with there personalities. Barbara Lennox is one of those authors that belongs in the clan with Diana Gabaldon, Juliet Marillier and Bernard Cornwell.

This tale is filled with a rush of adventure, first rate sword fighting, cutthroat tension, courageous women, days of medieval Scotland entwined with a complex forbidden romance.

Lennox’s gift of writing is highly engaging with a perfect flow and picturesque language.

If you don’t know the original tale of Tristan and Isolde I highly recommend you read a book about it before beginning this series so you get the whole experience and see for yourself the ability of Lennox’s imagination and how she has weaved a legendary tale through her own creation. This will undoubtedly make you appreciate and add more thrill and excitement while you are reading.

[Stephanie B. Whitfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another well done adventure for this series. Deep connections, Heart breaking truths, and sword fighting at its finest. A truly great read if you enjoy historical fiction in its early forms.

[Barbara Lennox · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Swan in Summer continues my retelling of the Arthurian Tristan and Isolde legend. Anyone who’s read the first part of The Trystan Trilogy, The Wolf in Winter, will know I’ve taken liberties with the legend, having mixed up events and locations. But in The Swan in Summer I’ve stuck more closely to the classical story. In The Wolf in Winter, Trystan has yet to encounter Yseult (although she’s foreshadowed), but in The Swan in Summer he finally gets to meet her and, following tradition, neither knows who the other really is – until it’s revealed that Yseult is to marry Trystan’s uncle, King Marc.

In the original story, Trystan has to fight a Dragon, but in The Swan in Summer, the Dragon isn’t the winged fire-breathing kind. Instead, I indulged my fascination with the history of Roman Britain to come up with a novel backstory for the Dragon and the Dragon-riders.

But of course The Trystan Trilogy isn’t really Trystan’s tale. It’s the story of Corwynal, a minor character from the classical version of the tale, Trystan’s guardian, companion and more. So, since it’s really his story, I had to give him a parallel love affair with a woman who, like Yseult, has her own secrets, the Swan of the title. And, for those who’ve read The Wolf in Winter, the Angle warrior Aelfric also gets a romantic subplot which was hugely entertaining to write.

The story doesn’t end with The Swan in Summer, however, and new turns will be taken, new characters introduced and old characters develop surprising character arcs in the thrilling conclusion to the Trilogy, The Serpent in Spring, which will be published in 2023.

[RjS · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful - and I mean that literally.
This series really transports me into the past and I love the characters and locations. I have a serious book hangover. Great writing. Thank you!

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

To begin at the end, as is the custom in much good storytelling, The Swan in Summer ends where Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde begins, and Barbara Lennox’s take on the tale is an epic worthy of a Wagnerian approach, should it ever be adapted for the stage or the screen.

In this second volume of The Trystan Trilogy the details of who’s fighting who are largely going over my head—but that’s not a problem as I know whose side I’m on in this heroic tale of love and war. I ought rather to have said ‘where love is war’, because that’s pretty much the case from the night of love which descends into violence at the start of this section of the story. Our old friends are here, together with some new ones, but there’s little time for sitting down and reminiscing over times past as our old enemies have also returned, accompanied by—you guessed it—some new ones.

It's a constant journey therefore, from place to place, on foot, on horseback and on ships as alliances are made and destroyed, as well as battles being fought both on the battlefield and in the bedchamber. It’s fair to say that Love isn’t doing well here—it may be winning the occasional battle, but it’s not winning the war. Own goals are scored, and who knows if they’re sleeping with the enemy? Not Brangianne for sure, and even Corwynal’s surprised to discover the outcome of an encounter which he didn’t even know he’d had.

It's fair to say that relationships don’t fare well against this background of warring tribes and nations. Everybody seems paired with the wrong person, which annoys the hell out of those they’re supposed to be with, although they have little cause for complaint, given that they’re not who they claim to be in many cases. This leads to some explosive consequences, both on the battlefield and off, and it’s touch and go on many occasions as to whether our favourites will make it to the end. Tristan’s all grown up now, although whether his continuing adulthood will get far remains to be seen, on account of his personal catastrophe. Corwynal continues to put both feet in it where women are concerned, although he takes a helping hand from Ferdiad in his quest to make it to the end of the book. Thank heavens for Aelfric, with his rather laissez-faire attitude to life and his Anglo-Saxon lingo.

I have so much respect for author Barbara Lennox for the world she’s created here, and the manner in which she keeps control of her hefty cast of colourful and well-imagined characters. I don’t want to wait for the third instalment, The Serpent in Spring, but I’m afraid I have to as it’s not yet finished. I’ll be first in the queue when it’s ready.

[Sherry Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Swan in Summer, is simply magnificent. The whole experience is made richer by first reading book one in Barbara Lennox’s Trystan Trilogy, The Wolf in Winter, an impressive and brilliant book in its own right. My enthusiasm for this second volume is built on the success of the first. Together they have swept me up into the world and into the lives of the amazing characters she has created. These books are now my favorite works of historical fiction. I eagerly await the third volume.

Ms. Lennox is an impeccable writer. She is both a reader’s writer and a writer’s writer. By this I mean that the reader will be transported into the world she has created and into the lives of her characters; but if you are a writer, you cannot fail to notice and admire the mastery of the writing itself. Her writing is beautiful, no matter how turbulent, or even terrible, the things she writes about may be. And although every page is saturated with everything from intense action, psychological insights, breathtaking descriptions, or terrifying battle scenes, you never feel that she uses words unnecessarily. There is an economical quality to even her most eloquent and descriptive passages. Her language does what storytelling at its best does. You barely feel like you are reading a book. You feel like you are experiencing it. You are transported into the past and the past is moving and living all around you.

As a unique and original retelling of the Tristan and (Isolde) Yseult legend, Ms. Lennox has made her setting that of medieval Scotland. Scotland is also the author’s home. She has researched this period in Scottish history for many years. She walks the moors and hills, along the lochs, through the landscapes and along the coasts of Scotland regularly. Her descriptions of nature are wonderful. You not only see Scotland’s beauty, but you feel it’s weather: storms come and go, thunder rumbles, the crack of lightning, the smell of the storm and the smell of land, or sea…all come to you. And this holds true of more difficult scenes, those that bring horror to not only your eyes, but all your senses, the smell of slaughter, or the sweat of hard labor. You hear a light breeze rustling or the pounding of the waves. You taste ale. You feel a touch, a caress, a slap, a blow. She speaks to all your senses.

But her characters are probably her greatest accomplishment. They’re multi-dimensional and psychologically believable. She works into the story their well-developed personal histories and then, how she reveals them to you, so that you understand motivations, or think you do and then discover there are other layers to surprise you, is astonishing. Their exchanges, dialogue, repartee, all help to bring them to life as individuals. You see as well how their past histories repeat themselves in the present, making underlying psychological traumas and motives a living force in these characters’ personalities.

There are three romances in The Swan and Summer. Each one is quite different from the other, and they are each wonderful and woeful in their own ways. Two take prominence. The romance between Corwynal and Brangianne and the one between Trystan and Yseult. Yes, Trystan and Yseult, play an important role. They are after all at the crux of the legend. You have learned about the young Trystan in book one, but now in book 2 he is a man and you see him grow, falter, grow again. He is courageous and tormented. The conflict between him and Corwynal, who has devoted his life to protecting Trystan, continues, and keeps a taut emotional thread pulling throughout the book. Corwynal still keeps his biggest secret from Trystan. Yseult has come into her own, a fiery and often impetuous young woman, with courage, pride and also much to endure as a pawn in the game of politics, as the daughter of a king. These two repel and attract each other and tensions become heightened as political crises reach a climax. We will have to wait and see how Ms. Lennox brings this legendary romance to a conclusion in the final book of the trilogy.

But in truth, it is Corwynal and Brangianne who are the top protagonists of this book. Corwynal, with all his strengths and weaknesses, his stubbornness, pride and self-loathing and courage, is a man you love and respect, even when he is doubting himself, maybe even then more so. And in brutal times, even men of honor may need to be brutal. The scenes in which he is in the throes of battle, are amongst the best I’ve ever read. And Brangianne, with her own set of strengths and weaknesses, becomes a much loved heroine to the reader. She is a true force, often a moral compass, will even stand up to her brother the king, but she can also be stubborn and willful. She allows herself deep feelings, unlike Corwynal who struggles with feelings. She wants so much to be a productive person, to lead a meaningful life, and she becomes a master healer. She is compassionate. In fact, it is her prowess at being able to heal the wounded that plays an important role in this story more than once. The romance between Brangianne and Corwynal is passionate and constantly sabotaged by obstacles, often political and out of their control. There are secrets, they both feel they must keep, and their own internal doubts and demons interfere as well. Fate seems against them being together, but hope rises and is dashed on and off throughout.


Even Aelfric, the man who swore he would kill Corwynal in The Wolf in Winter, but who instead became his loyal sidekick, has found romance in book 2 with the earthy, bossy and lovable Oonagh.

In Ferdiad, the Fili, or Messenger of King Fergus, (Yseult’s father and Brangianne’s brother) we find a remarkable villain. He is handsome, charming, witty, devious, intelligent, a coward at heart, cunning and cruel (but why?) and often referred to as a snake. Do we hate him or do we like him. It is definitely both. And he has more mysteries to reveal in book 3 which is called The Serpent in Spring. Hmm?

There were times in this book I was so excited to know what happened next, that despite the descriptive and revealing writing, I rushed too quickly and stumbled over the words. I then had to go back and slow down my pace, so that I would fully understand the events and appreciate them. Often these moments were battle scenes or scenes of combat; they were so heightened, and their outcomes so important. Sometimes, it was during scenes between Corwynal and Brangianne, breathless to see what happened between them. And the last was in the grand finale of this book. What a fabulous ending. There is a scene between our villain, Ferdiad, and Corwynal, that I will never forget.

I can’t recommend this book highly enough. If you love historical fiction, or a great romance, or stupendous adventure, this book will delight you. If you like characters that breathe and reveal insight after insight about human nature, don’t miss this book. Now I am anxiously waiting for the last book in the trilogy, The Serpent in Spring. Ferdiad, who are you really and what will you do?

[E Steele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christmas sorted! If you have family and friends who are book lovers then I strongly suggest that you treat them to the first two books in this series written by the best writer they’ve probably never heard of. I gave the first in the trilogy to two friends last year (both avowedly hostile to historical fiction) and they are now firm fans. Why? Well, basically the quality of the writing. The landscape of Dark Age Scotland quickly inhabits your mind and your senses. Then there’s the way in which the complex politics of the time are made not just understandable but relatable. The battle scenes and descriptions of hand to hand combat are amongst the best you’ll ever read yet the heart of the book is none of these things. Rather it’s a set of characters driven by love, passion and honour who find themselves embroiled in a complex set of circumstances which threaten not only their own lives but the lives of those they hold most dear. Best of all, the fast paced plot springs not from a writer set on manipulating the reader but on the desires and motivations of those self same characters who are so well drawn that they will live in your mind long after you have put the book down. A part of me can’t wait for book number three though another part of me is anxious about what might happen to the characters for whom I’ve grown to care so much.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well the 2nd in the series certainly lives up to the brilliance of the 1st book - an absolutely riviting story.

In fact, I loved the book so much having read it twice for a Beta read with the History Quill Book Club, that when it was published I bought the paperback and have read it again.

An absolute joy of a book, the characters are beautifully brought to life, the descriptions of the scenery and the predicaments that the characters find themselves in are so vivid.

I understand that Barbara is now editing the third book in the trilogy - The Serpent in Spring - and I am eagerly awaiting the chance to jump back into her wonderful world of magical intrigue, brutal and cruel, tender and full of vim and vigour.

[Julia Blake · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am trying to write a review that will do this book justice.

It’s five stars, of course, how could it be anything else? But that doesn’t go far enough. I read and enjoyed book one, The Wolf in Winter, last year and thought the trilogy couldn’t get any better. The Swan in Summer ups the ante considerably. Breath-taking in its scope, the research that must have gone into it left me open-mouthed in awe at the author’s commitment to her novel.

I’ll admit, I did struggle with the first chapter or so because it had been so long since I read book one I couldn’t remember who, what, when, where, and why – note to the author, a brief synopsis of The Wolf in Winter at the beginning would have been hugely appreciated – nevertheless, once the rhythm of the tale got a hold of me I could not put the book down. It’s a long book, but I consumed it over three days.

The grim and twisted love story at its core moved me almost to tears, my heart breaking at the hopeless situation the older lovers found themselves in. The Game of Thrones political machinations and manoeuvring between the ancient Celtic kingdoms was fascinating and I read it with a rising sense of inevitability. War will beget war. Peace will shatter because of a careless word or deed. And family ties can be severed in a heartbeat.

The battle scenes were gruesomely effective, and I imagined myself there, smelling the blood and sweat of men gone berserk in the endless fight for supremacy and to right imagined wrongs. This complex and twisting tale of life, love, and death in an imagined ancient Scottish landscape is compelling and unputdownable and illustrates the constant failings of mankind to do right by itself. That a perpetual dissatisfaction with our lot will ultimately be our downfall – whatever century we live in. A stunning five stars and I wish I could award higher.

[Julie Embleton · Rating 5 out of 5]

An epic follow up to The Wolf in the Winter, The Swan in Summer takes the adventure of this fascinating and emotive series even higher as we follow the characters through the next stage of their journey.

With Trystan gravely injured, Corwynal takes them to the kingdom of healers, where he must keep their identity a secret. On this rugged land, Corwynal finds love, but with a woman hiding secrets of her own.

Warring cultures, love splintered by conflict, and the poison of secrets weave through the tale set in the dark ages of Scotland. The author’s knowledge is incredibly impressive, making this gripping story come alive on the pages. As with the first book in this trilogy, I was swept into the landscape with all my senses ignited.

While political machinations and war form the backdrop to the action, it’s Lennox’s ability to hone in on the emotions of her characters that make this book a masterpiece. My heart broke several times over for the characters. By far, this is the most captivating, emotional, and sweeping reimagining of the legend of Tristan and Isolde, and thoroughly deserving of high praise.

Beautifully written and impressively researched, this truly is an epic trilogy in every sense of the word.

[Ian Hornett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so looking forward to jumping back into the Trystan trilogy with the second in the series, The Swan in Summer. I wasn’t disappointed. This is a big, hearty blockbuster of a book with a great plot, a fascinating range of complex characters, and scenery and settings to take your breath away.

It builds on its prequel, The Wolf in Winter, by introducing Trystan and his older half-brother, Corwynal, to new challenges as they try to find someone who can heal the injuries Trystan sustained in his fight with The Morholt. They find themselves in the land of their enemies so must keep their identities secret as Trystan recuperates. Nothing is straightforward though as love intervenes to force Corwynal and Trystan – influenced by pressures of duty and honour – to make some tough choices.

I can’t understate how much I enjoyed this book. The action scenes are bloody but very cleverly described, the love scenes are tender without becoming mawkish, and all the characters, old and new, are beautifully developed.

A super read.

[Steve Griffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

“One didn’t survive love any more than one survived hate or life or death.”

The Swan in Summer is the second book in Barbara Lennox’s Tristan and Yseult trilogy and it is simply fantastic. Lennox has reimagined this Arthurian tale in the beautiful, rugged setting of Scotland. The cultures and strategies of the various warring kingdoms are enough for any Game of Thrones fan. She brings characters from ancient history to vivid life, hurling them into challenging, soul-torturing scenarios, frequently involving sustained deception. There is also a sly humour at work and I loved it when one of the main characters agonised over a momentous life-changing decision, only to find his companions had all been taking bets on how he would choose.

The Swan in Summer is a meticulously researched and exciting book, and I recommend you read it. Get yourself a copy for the holidays and give it to your friends and family too – they won’t be disappointed!

[Caroline Noe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Striving to save his son's life, Corwynal and friends are shipwrecked on an island. What awaits is unfolding destiny.

Steering clear of Excalibur style Arthurian legend, Lennox grounds her medieval narrative in blood, sweat, politics and backstabbing plotting.

Filled with characters we care about and want to smack in the mush in equal measure, we're dragged through every battle, doublecross and soul shredding heartbreak with the inevitability of a looming freight train.

Fabulous, fabulous stuff.

[Nannette Kreitzman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lennox’s masterful command of words and gifted story telling swept me away yet again in The Swan in Summer, Volume Il of The Trystan Trilogy. With immersive imagery and delightful word play, she continues her epic series about Corwynal, Trystan, and a host of other memorable characters as they navigate love, loyalty, intrigue, and medieval warfare. A fantastic series and I look forward to the release of the final book, The Serpent in Spring!

[Janice Coy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was happily lost in the mists of dark-age Scotland the minute I picked up this second book in the Trystan Trilogy. In this installment, Trystan and Corwynal find love on a distant shore and fight for the safety of their loves' kingdom. But will they find their happily ever after with the women who have a different fate in store?

I was impressed once again by the interweaving of fictional stories and the historical research in this series. Looking forward to book three!

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Trystan Trilogy by Barbara Lennox.

I've just spent two weeks totally immersed in this wonderful trilogy.
The Wolf in Winter, The Swan in Summer and The Serpent in Spring complete an immense body of work that is nothing short of a masterpiece. Lennox takes the legend of Trystan and Yseult and recreates and expand on all the known sources to produce an epic tale, or song for modern readers.

All, and I mean all, of her characters are fully developed and have their own arcs. Her writing is rich and steeped in legend and songs of old but with a new charm that is truly spellbinding. This isn't the story of one man and one woman. It's the story of many men, many women, many kingdoms, their histories, their crimes, their redemption, their loves and their losses.

I would put Barbara Lennox right up there with authors such as Bernard Cornwell and Ken Follett. If you dare to invest in this trilogy, I promise that you won't be disappointed.

[Linda Lou · Rating 5 out of 5]

Swan in Summer is a tragic love story of epic proportions set against the dark clouds of warring tribes of old Scotland. This second book has much to offer, grasp and digest while setting the stage for a heart wrenching story of love, friendships, war and bad decisions on the part of my favorite characters. Lennox poses an age old question…”How can you love a liar?”

The author’s character development is superb while effortlessly weaving the threads of the good, the bad and the ugly together. I simply love Brangianne! She comes across as sullen and angry at first; but she soon lowers these self protective barriers thus sowing the seeds for something else. Corwynal, Trystan, Brangianne and Yseult are realistically portrayed and I embraced all of them. However, I do think Corwynal needs to find a new god.

The descriptive world and the flow of the story is intense. I was an observer watching this heart clutching tale of love, conniving, deceit and battles unfold. I kept turning the pages till there were no more pages to turn. Even then, I couldn’t close the book. What’s next?

A Love Story and More ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️