The Princeling (Morland Dynasty) [Paperback]

Cynthia Harrod-Eagles (Author)

Book Description

Series: Morland Dynasty | Publication Date: November 1, 1993

In the Morland Dynasty series, the majestic sweep of English history is richly and movingly portrayed through the fictional lives of the Morland family. It is 1558, and Protestantism is sweeping the land and threatens the position of the Catholic Morlands, so they must seek new spheres of influence. John, the heir, rides north to the untamed Borderlands to wed the daughter of Black Will Percy, Northumberland cattle lord. But he finds he must first prove himself, and win her heart through blood and battle. John’s gentle sister Lettice is given in marriage to the ruthless Scottish baron, Lord Robert Hamilton, and in the treacherous court of Mary, Queen of Scots, she learns the fierce lessons of survival.

Editorial Reviews

Review

The Princeling, book three of the Morland Dynasty series throbs with life. Courage and love resonant all through the novel... (The Long and Short of It 20101011)

I love the pace the author has set and her portrayal of sights, sounds, textures and emotions will leave you very much satisfied with the outcome of the book. (Yankee Romance Reviewers 20101021)

[The Morlands'] personal stories were riveting, but how they were placed in time and the historical aspects were also compelling. It is a wonderful family saga and great historical fiction. (Laura's Reviews 20101027)

Harrod-Eagles has crafted an extremely well woven tale of love and loss, suffering and achievement in the Morland family. (Rundpinne 20101027)

Harrod-Eagles' descriptions of England under the reign of the Tudor's was very well done. (Debbie's Book Bag 20101101)

I really enjoyed this generation of Morlands and the book held my attention from start to finish. (Passages to the Past 20101108)

We see the likes of Mary, Queen of Scots, Elizabeth I and Francis Drake... you can just imagine the court and political intrigue involved! However, the stars of the show are the new generation of Morlands. (She Read a Book )

Yet again I am transfixed with the Morland Dynasty. Each time I read another installment in this saga, the better it gets. (The Royal Reviews )

It's well-written and researched, yet highly entertaining. History textbook authors should take a lesson from Harrod-Eagles... Fascinating stuff, all woven into a story populated with well-developed characters. (Historical Novels Review ) --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

From the Publisher

In the Morland Dynasty Series, the majestic sweep of English history is richly and movingly portrayed through the fictional lives of the Morland family. The 22 volumes that comprise this elegantly produced series offer entertainment of the most compelling kind.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 410 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group (November 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0751506400
• ISBN-13: 978-0751506402
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,234,011 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thoroughly enjoyable, June 21, 2001

By 

silke cormican (ccormican.aol.com) (München) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Princeling (Morland Dynasty) (Paperback)

Following "The Founding" and "The Dark Rose", this is the third book in the MORLAND DYNASTY series.

A few years have passed and Nanette, having suffered a tragic personal loss, once again returns to court where she witnesses the turbulent years of Elizabeth I.'s reign as the young Queen's confidante and lady-in-waiting.

Meanwhile, in order to increase the Morland family's wealth and influence through an advantageous marriage, John, heir to Morland Place, is sent by his domineering father to the wild Northern Border. In order to prove himself among the savage Northerners and to win the love of the woman he desires, John has to live through hardship and bloody battle.

At the same time, John's gentle sister Lettice is sent to the court of Mary, Queen of Scots. When she is ravished by and marries a ruthless Scottish nobleman, Lettice soon becomes embroiled in court intrigues. Having heard rumours about the mysterious deaths of her husband's first two wives and being unable to give her husband the desired heir, fear becomes her daily fare.

I found this powerful and beautifully written novel thoroughly enjoyable. The characters are believable and it becomes obvious that the author did much research on the subject. Currently, I am reading the sixth book in the series and I have not yet tired of the Morlands.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars I'm starting to see a pattern forming, June 14, 2005

By 

S. Becker "sminismoni" (Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Princeling (Morland Dynasty) (Paperback)

This is the 3rd instalment of the Morland Dynasty saga, tracing to fortunes of an English family from the middle ages to present day.


I enjoyed the first 2 books, "The Founding" and "The Dark Rose". The characters were well rounded, and the historical events delightfully interwoven with their fortunes.

Unfortunately, the Princeling reads more like a recitation of the Morland family tree than a novel with people and events. Sure, John and Lettice Morland are well described, but it's like they are cardboard effigies. We never really care about them except as just another link in the chain of the family which runs before and after them. Births and deaths are described in succinct, predictable passages. One minute a baby is born, the next, the are married. Then they have children and die in an accident of some sort. This pattern happens to so many of the characters that they no longer seem to be individuals.

The historical background is pale too. The influential reign of Elizabeth I, the journeys of Francis Drake, the overthrow of Mary, Queen of Scots all happen "off stage". In the previous 2 books, the characters were actively involved.

All I can hope for the next book is a return to the earlier form. Otherwise, I don't see it worth continuing a predictable series written in "This happened, then that happened" style.

2.0 out of 5 stars Beware the Kindle edition, January 21, 2012

By 

LK (Sacramento CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dynasty 3: The Princeling: The Princeling (Morland Dynasty) (Kindle Edition)

The conversion to the electronic format was not entirely successful. It badly needs editing to get rid of the frequent and distracting typos. This story wasn't as good as the first book but I suspect I would have enjoyed it as a paperback.