The Angel and the Sword [Anglais] [Relié]

Late in the ninth century, Charlemagne's Holy Roman Empire appears heading for extinction. Not only are the Vikings and other barbarians at the gates of Paris, the great monarch's descendent battle with each other. Hope seems futile, as it appears to be days before the empire bites the dust.

While the empire reels, Queen Ingunn of Spain lies dying. She wants her daughter to inherit the throne, but her spouse King Markold has other plans for his child. Markold contrives to marry Ragny. Forced to flee, Ragny wears the disguise of a man and soon earns a deserved reputation as the warrior-savior Roderick. However, will the female soldier in conjunction with the man she loves prove to be enough to save Paris and the reign of Charles the Bald?

THE ANGEL AND THE SWORD is a well-written, exciting epic tale. The story line is fast-paced, filled with action, and loaded with authentic tidbits to give the plot a Medieval feel to it. Ragny is a great heroine and the support cast adds depth to her character. Although Cecilia Holland's basic theme has been used in many novels and movies, she keeps her subject fresh with a powerful writing talent that is sure to gain her many new historical novel readers.

Harriet Klausner

The Angel and the Sword by Cecilia Holland

Amid the bodice-ripping, puerile, and ultimately unsatisfying dreck that passes itself off as historical fiction, there are a small handful of intelligent and literate novelists in the genre, such as Cecilia Holland. The present book takes the popular medieval concept of the maiden warrior and deftly splices a riveting and raucous tale from the French legend of Roderick the Beardless. This marvelous interlacing of fiction, legend, and history is a hallmark of Holland's work and of great historical fiction itself. The author is also an amazingly adroit wordsmith with her customary clever turns of phrase. In the first few pages, she, not for the last time either, refers to a major villain of the piece as "a gross clod of human earth," --- such an incisive, yet witty way of expressing a crude and popular sentiment. There is so much to love and enjoy in this book; even those who do not particularly like the genre could readily learn to do so.

In the middle of the 9th century, a young girl lives in the royal castle in medieval Europe with her mother, the queen, and her dastardly father, Markold. The throne must pass through Queen Ingunn of Roderick's bloodline. Because she has had no sons, her only child, Ragny, is the last descendant of the line. "Queen Ingunn had made a mistake, and paid for it all her life, but now, with her life gone, she saw a way to make amends" (p. 1). The queen lies on her deathbed. Her last wish in order to make amends is to see her estranged daughter-and to proclaim Ragny rightful heir to the throne as the new queen of Spain. Unfortunately, it is not to be for Markold holds sway over the soldiers and servants of the household. Though Markold does not keep Ingunn from giving Ragny a key piece of information, before the queen dies, he does prevent the proclamation of a new queen. Instead, he intends to marry Ragny, his daughter, and force her to bear a son of the Roderick line.

Ragny is young, slender, almost boyish. She hasn't fully bloomed to womanhood, and already she is facing dilemmas of the worst kind. She cannot stay with Markold and claim her rightful place and to flee is a risky proposition, but she chooses the latter course. With the king's men hot on her trail, she begins a journey to Francia disguised as a young man named Roderick the Beardless. Little does she realize at first that she has allies her foes cannot even imagine. Despite her youth and inexperience, within Ragny beats the heart of a champion, a lover, and a just person, capable of inspiring others so long as she is attired as a man. What will happen if she drops the disguise?

I read the first few pages of this historical drama/romance in the bookstore, was utterly hooked on this epic tale, and could hardly wait to get home and read more about this warrior princess with strange powers on her side. The twists and turns the story takes kept me reading long into the night. The cast of characters-priests, the French king, the Viking invaders, Frankish knights, and Seffrid, the sergeant charged by Markold to track down Ragny-are all well-drawn as are the battles and conflicts. Ragny's journey, both external and internal, was illuminated with grace and power by an author clearly comfortable with bringing history to life. I loved this book! I'd have paid a lot closer attention to medieval history in college if it had been this mesmerizing. Highly recommended to anyone who loves a tale well told about knights and kings, lost princesses, and justice stolen and regained. ~Lori L. Lake, author of lesbian fiction and freelance reviewer for Midwest Book Review, Golden Crown Literary Society's "The Crown," The Independent Gay Writer, and Just About Write.com.