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Post by Debi A on Apr 22, 2014 2:08:34 GMT
I read this book about a month ago, and it started me on a Wales kick that I'm still pursuing. I had enjoyed the Cadfael mysteries written by Ellis Peters, and when I finished those, I went looking for other works by the same author, and discovered that her real name is Edith Pargeter and she wrote this wonderful quartet of novels about the time of Llewellyn ap Griffith and his three brothers, and their struggle to form a united and independent country of Wales back in the 13th century. I know a lot about the history of England and Scotland, but not so much about Wales, so this was a great find. It's a very long read, over 800 pages, but that's because it's really four separate books. But Pargeter does a wonderful job of painting the times and the people so that you really feel that you're there. The only complaint I have is that she gets a little too carried away with the details of the battles. Ten pages of clashing swords, screaming men and horses, and blood and guts is a little much for me. I did do a lot of skimming when those came around. It took me the better part of three weeks to read through the whole quartet, and I was really sad when I finally reached that last page. If you're interested in medieval history and have had enough of Philippa Gregory and her ilk for the time being, I'd really recommend this one. It's out of print now, but used copies can be had from Amazon for around $5.00. www.amazon.com/The-Brothers-Gwynedd-Quartet-Comprising/dp/0747232679
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