2 of 5 starsThis is a very short novella, a mere moment in time. It takes place between the first and second book in the Twilight of Avalon series. It is the story of Dera, an army whore who finds herself being offered shelter by Queen Isolde at Dinas Emrys if she would agree to help out with caring for the wounded. Dera has a 2-year-old son to care for and having a dry place to sleep and food to eat is the best she could hope for, and she readily agrees to the arrangement. When a wounded man bursts into the workroom spouting off about traitors against King Madoc, Dera volunteers to go and warn the king on the battlefield that he must return to Dinas Emrys before it is overrun by the traitor Marche.
Not knowing any of the backstory, this tale would have been more enjoyable if I knew the story between Isolde and Dera more intimately. That being said, there wasn't much character development and I found the choppy sentences distracting. I am not a fan of this type of writing and I don't think I'll be buying any of the other books in the series. The book description sounded intriguing so I took a chance on this free novella. Unfortunately, I was disappointed.
Writing a standalone work in a series, especially one tucked between two larger works, is a very difficult thing to accomplish--to do well. It may be something for fans of a series, but certainly can be a let down to those entering it through the between books piece.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree Terry. I'm sure fans of the series loved it, but without any knowledge of the other books, it feel kind of flat to me.
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