Monday, March 26, 2012

The Dragon's Harp Virtual Book Tour


Welcome to the virtual book tour for The Dragon's Harp by Rachael Pruitt!




ENTER THE WORLD OF THE DRAGON’S HARP ARTHURIAN HISTORICAL FANTASY FOR THE 21st CENTURY Before Gwenhwyfar became Queen - before Arthur met Merlin - a tribal Welsh princess met a young Heatherlands Mage. Together, they will create a legend. Inside a mist of beauty and brutality waits the Arthurian legend as you’ve never heard it before. Enter the world of THE DRAGON'S HARP, a realm of blood lust and vengeance, of spellbinding magic from the beginning of time. The realm of Princess Gwenhwyfar: a young girl torn between magic and desire, born with magical powers she can either wield to save her people from destruction - or deny to save her soul. IN AN ERA OF DRAGONS A YOUNG GIRL COMES OF AGE First in a five book series of historical fantasy, Rachael Pruitt’s unique take on a beloved legend reintroduces the mythic characters of Gwenhwyfar, Merlin, and Vortigern against the gritty backdrop of sixth century Wales, where scenes of shape-shifting and heartbreaking romance vie with torture, murder, and battle in a dragon-haunted land. ERA OF DRAGONS: THE LOST TALES OF GWENHWYFAR: BOOK ONE JOURNEY INTO THE WORLD OF THE DRAGON'S HARP YOU WILL NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN!




ABOUT RACHEL PRUITT


My name is Rachael Pruitt and I’m a writer, storyteller, and teacher with a lifelong fascination for Celtic mythology and the Arthurian legend.

My new novel, The Dragon’s Harp, tells the story of the coming of age of the famous Queen Gwenhwyfar (the Welsh spelling for Guinevere) in a dark and frightening time. Merlin is her Uncle and, although she is a tribal Celtic princess who possesses both power and magic, she is in great danger from both the human and supernatural realms.

Dragon’s Harp is just the beginning! I have plans for four more books about Gwenhwyfar and Merlin’s lives. The books are called Era of Dragons: The Lost Tales of Gwenhwyfar.


Visit Rachael at her website, Facebook, or Twitter!

Review:


The story of Gwenhwyfar (or Guinevere) is fairly familiar to most people. This particular story may be different though. This is the tale of Gwenhwyfar's early years. She is surrounded by old magic and legends, and she is growing up in a harsh world. There is constant fighting between different groups. As Gwen grows, she discovers danger is truly around every corner. With help from her Uncle Merlin, Gwen will continue to grow into a strong young woman with a grand destiny ahead of her.

What a fantastic book! It combined two of my favorite things, history and fantasy. This was definitely a new take on an old legend for me. There was a lot of detail about the old Druidic beliefs. It was a wonderful combination of magic and nature. Of course, there is also great danger in her world. At times I feared for her life even knowing she would live to do other things. I loved the idea of Merlin being her kind and wise uncle. Gwen really needed this grounding force in this story, and Merlin was able to help her in ways no one else could. Naturally, I wonder what role Merlin's relationship with a young Arthur will play in Gwen's future.

I found there to be a beautiful lyrical quality to the writing. Written entirely from Gwen's point of view, you really feel for her as she goes through so many things in her young life. You get to gradually see her lose her innocence, especially as it relates to her relationship with her parents. I really didn't want the book to end as I wanted to see what would happen next. Fans of fantasy and history will really enjoy this book. Although the subject may be familiar, this story is all new and sure to hold your attention. The author also does a fabulous job of noting where she got her information and why she made some of the story choices she did. All this research made for a fabulous story, and I really look forward to reading more.

Book provided for review.


Be sure to check out all the stops on the tour!


3 comments:

Rachael said...

Dear Lisa,
Thank you so much for your gracious review of DRAGON'S HARP! I'm thrilled that you liked it & your kind words made my day. It's "all about readers", I believe, & I'm honored that HARP & it's cast of characters have made the grade in your eyes :) Thanks again--and have an enchanting day!

Heidi Ruby Miller said...

Lisa, you are so right about Rachael's writing having a lyrical quality. Just beautiful!

Rachael said...

Thanks to you both, Lisa & Heidi for giving me such gracious feedback! Have an enchanting day--& best wishes from Merlin, Gwenhwyfar, & "their" dragons :)