Here Be Dragons

First book I read by this author and since then I have read all of her books. If you want a good read get this.

A blend of solid history and inspiring story telling. The characters really come to life. No one dimensional heroes or villains, but fully fleshed out characters.

Sharon Kay Penman is a remarkably gifted writer. Her impeccable historical research, attention to detail and superb storytelling ability make her novels consistently excellent. "Here Be Dragons" is one of her best efforts. It is the second book in her Plantagenet series, which include "The Sunne In Splendour," "Falls The Shadow," and "The Reckoning." Each of these wonderful historical novels stands on its own, however, and while it is an extraordinary experience to read each book in order, one does not have to do so to appreciate the history, the characters or the period.Ruthless, power hungry King John Platagenet ruled 13th century England with an iron fist. He was determined to bring Wales, a country divided, under his thumb and into his power. Charismatic Llewelyn Farr, Prince of Northern Wales fought to unite his country's nobility and provide a strong front against the English. He finally succeeded in securing a tentative truce with England by marrying King John's beloved illegitimate daughter, Joanna. Initially wary of her new husband, her father's enemy, Joanna grew to love Llewelyn passionately over the years, but she was constantly torn between the politics of Wales and England, and her love for her husband and her father.This is a complex saga of historic characters, politics, intrigues, betrayals, bloody battles and wars, romance, lust, power struggles, princesses held captive, revenge and forgiveness. Yet once begun, this extraordinary epic is almost impossible to put down. Ms. Penman portrays Wales, its people, culture and landscape vividly with glorious detail. It is fascinating to become involved with the characters and realize how linked they are by common ancestry. Not only is Welsh history tied to that of England's, but the royal families, Kings John's and Prince Llewelyn's, are linked by blood as are their descendants. Ms. Penman joins the histories and characters of these two countries to give the reader, not just a superb tale but a look at the bigger historical picture also.This is truly one of the best historical novels I have ever read, and the four book series by Ms. Penman is absolutely outstanding. She paints an unforgettable picture of medieval England and Wales and the characters who made history. I cannot recommend these books highly enough.JANA

This is the first book in the Wales trilogy (the others are Falls the Shadow and The Reckoning). Penman emerged long ago as one of the best historical novelists and continues to solidify her reputation with each new release. Her special genius lies in the bright and shining historical detail that she can weave into both plot and dialog (she's a very good student of history and at times is absolutely brilliant in conveying to us the workings of medieval minds).There is no doubt that Penman's novels will stand as great reads for ages to come. Her plots are always complex (because the history of these times was quite convoluted). She does an excellent job of keeping it all straight for us as she leads us through the maze of characters. If you read the history of these times you quickly come to see what a great job she does in her design of the story.There may be a bit too much time spent on the romance of Llewelyn and Joanna, but there does seem to be a calculated story line running that proves itself as the bond between the two weaves itself into the historical facts of the complex relationship between King John and Llewelyn. Penman's true genius is the broad historical scope that is painted on top of the shimmering details of brief moments. It truely does feel as if you are living the story yourself, and it is this bringing us readers in as witnesses that stands as Penman's contribution to the art of the historical novel.If you prefer to read in chronological order:1101-1154 When Christ And His Saints Slept (Vol 1 of Trilogy)1156-1171 Time And Space (Vol 2 of Trilogy)12th Cent Devil's Brood (Vol 3 of Trilogy)- not yet released1192-1193 The Queen's Man1193 Cruel As The Grave1183-1232 Here Be Dragons (Vol 1 of Welsh Trilogy)1231-1267 Falls The Shadow (Vol 2 of Welsh Trilogy)1271-1283 The Reckoning (Vol 3 of Welsh Trilogy)1459-1492 The Sunne In Splendour

. . . from the very beginning to the very end. Ms. Penman grabs hold of you and never lets go. Her writing is flawless, and both her description of Wales and her characterizations make her story come vividly alive, evoking 13th century England and Wales in all its horror and glory. It's impossible not to fall madly in love with Llewelyn, and Joanna is a heroine for all times. Ms. Penman even makes King John so passionately human that I found myself feeling sorry for him. I wanted the book to never end, but am thrilled that I have yet to read her next 2 books in this series. Ms. Penman has a truly remarkable talent for weaving history and fiction into a brilliant story. I can't recommend it highly enough.

'Here Be Dragons' was first recommended to me by an aunt on my 16th birthday. That Christmas I bought the book on a whim and have never looked back since. I've always been an avid reader, but no book has captured my imagination as much as 'Dragons'. Like almost every other reviewer here, I fell in love with Llewelyn as well; he is probably the most endearing literary character I've come across, alongside Joanna, and surprisingly enough, King John. Sharon Penman's characterisations are exceptional, revealing both the character's strengths and weaknesses, and her depictions of 12-13th century Wales are breath-taking. What appealed to me most about this book as whole was the historical accuracy in dealing with the period (although missing out on Llewelyn's war with his uncles was a little disappointing). I'm half-Welsh myself, and 'Dragons' brought the oft-forgotten Celtic country to life, and made me very proud to be able to say I have Welsh blood running in my veins. A must-read.