Customer Reviews

The Protector

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(26)

 

 

Madeline Hunter writes excellent medievals, and this book is no exception. While not as emotionally wrenching as "By Possession" or unique in character as "By Arrangement", "The Protector" is a well-told tale with a wonderfully strong hero and heroine and rich historical detail.

"The Protector" is the story of Morvan Fitzwaryn, brother of the heroine of "By Arrangement" and a knight who has sworn to regain his family's lost lands--lands that he had been forced to surrender as a young boy. He encounters the lovely and unconventional Lady Anna de Leon when she rescues him from a group of fearful Breton villagers about to torch the cottage where he is sheltering with his plague-infected squire. Anna has been left as the political and military leader of her Breton castle following the deaths of her father and brother and the devastation of her own people by the plague. When Morvan himself is infected with the plague, Anna (who has survived the plague previously) nurses him and supports him emotionally and a special bond is forged between the two. In gratitude, Morvan vows to protect Anna and lends his sword when Anna's enemies attempt to take over her castle. Morvan is fascinated by Anna's strength and beauty, but Anna has vowed never to marry as she does not want to be in any man's power.

Anna is a wonderfully unusual heroine, marvelously strong and capable of holding her own with the men on the battlefield, she is insecure about her own attractiveness and cannot believe that the gorgeous Morvan would want her for herself and not for her lands and wealth. I found Morvan to be a hero worthy of Anna--strong enough to control her wilder impulses but gentle with her as well. There is an onslaught of negative reviews on this site about Morvan (strangely, most dating from January 6th and 7th, 2005), criticizing him for being too domineering and crushing Anna's spirit, but I saw that part of the book as two *very* strong people learning to accept each other and redistribute the balance of power. Anna really had the majority of the power at the beginning of the book, and I would not have been happy to see her marry someone that she could ride roughshod over. Morvan's rules and restrictions were primarily to protect her from her enemies and to maintain harmony in the castle. The power clashes were inevitable and very realistic considering the very strong willed heroine and alpha male hero and the compromises that both ultimately make for their love are touching.

In summary, this is a very well-written medieval with an unusually strong heroine and hero. The historical details about the plague are interesting and well done.
Highly recommended.

Madeline Hunter has done it again. She has crafted a compelling romance with fascinating characters set against a rich historical tapestry. THE PROTECTOR will add to her growing reputation as one of the most promising authors to come on the scene in quite a while.

THE PROTECTOR is Morvan Fitzwaryn's story. Morvan was introduced in Hunter's first book, BY ARRANGEMENT. He is the son of a baron whose holding was seized by the Scots during one of the many border skirmishes that plagued the north of England. The loss of his patrimony means that he must earn his way with his sword and he has spent several years as a mercenary, fighting in the endless wars between England and France. Now he is on his way home, but he is forced to take a detour when Black Death strikes his troop.

Morvan is taken in by Anna De Leon, the daughter of a Breton lord. Anna's father and brother died of the plague but she survived. She nurses Morvan through the illness (yes, it was possible to survive the plague with good luck and good care). Morvan believes that he must protect his savior from the dangers that beset a Brittany engulfed in civil war. He also feels a deep attachment to this unusual woman who can ride and fight better than many men. But as a property-less knight, he can aspire to be no more than her protector.

How Morvan and Anna become husband and wife, how he convinces her that she is not - as she thought - unfeminine and unlovable, how a strong man and a strong woman work out their relationship and how they defeat her long time enemy is the basis of the story.

Fans of BY ARRANGEMENT have clamored for Morvan's story. I am certain they will be completely satisfied with this tale of how he finds love.

Full disclosure compels me to admit that Madeline Hunter is a friend of mine. But I have no hesitation in staking my own reputation as a reviewer on my evaluation of THE PROTECTOR. This is an excellent medieval romance.

The main characters - Anna and Morvan - were well shown. I enjoyed the way the story unfolded and the tricks and turns Ms. Hunter included throughout. Both survivors of the Black Plague, these two medieval warriors battle both on the field and off! Their story is poignant and yet at times humorous. It has a nice balance of scenery, characters, and history. Some of her people believed Anna to be a saint, others were not sure about being led by a female "lord". Then you have Morvan who was English which was not the thing to be at that time in that place! Which is the lesser of the two evils - female or English. Ahhhh, that is the question and it was answered over many wonderful chapters.

I was glad to see Morvan back and look forward to the next book (I believe the title from the excerpt was, "A Thousand Knights"). From what I read, it looks to be another installment as it mentions Harclow (Morvan's home lost by a siege in which his father was killed).

An adventurous read which can keep you glued to your chair late into the evening! I recommend this one to all Madeline Hunter fans and anyone looking for a good escape for an evening. I found it went quite well with M&M candies. Please just don't tell my son where his little bag went!

I have mixed feelings about this book, but overall I think it is getting short shrift from a lot of the other readers. It isn't perfect, but I think Hunter is an engaging writer willing to take risks - when was the last time you read a historical romance with the bubonic plague as a backdrop?

The first half of the book to me was excellent. Morvan seemed arrogant, yes, but we are in medieval times here folks -- what knight isn't arrogant? I do agree that Anna seemed surprisingly 21st century in her attitudes, however, unlike some historical novels that rely on your suspension of disbelief completely (as if a medieval village is going to turn over the reins to a 20 year old girl?), this town has literally been destroyed by the plague -- she's all that's left. Plus, they give you the "crazy" Breton wife of the revolutionary leader at that time who was also leading armies as some evidence that this could happen - granted it's unlikely -- but if you've read a Johanna Lindsey lately, at least Hunter makes an effort.

Mostly I thought Hunter did a good job portraying what it must have been like to basically wait for your death. In a time without modern medicine, no one knew who was going to live or die, or why. The bond that Morvan and Anna form seemed beleivable. It was also reasonable to me that Morvan would be accepting of Anna when he thought he was going to die, but then not when he realized he was going to live ---> again a medieval knight is not going to let a woman be in charge. Obviously because we're 21st centrury women readers, we know he's going to have to give in/change ---> but it is nice to see that it takes some effort on both their parts to compromise.

I liked it -- I think you would too, it is worth a read if for nothing else than an interesting background and characters.

Madeline Hunter's romance novels are the best historicals that I ever read and this one is no exception. A honorable knight Morvan is nursed back to life from Black Death by a female warrior and saint (so believed by locals in Breton), Anna. Then he swears to protect this beautiful but innocent heiress from the greed and lust of other men. And he does so by making her falling in love with himself.

It is less angst-ridden than previous ones such as By Possession and By Design but the bleak description of Black Death and war rampaging the Medieval Europe casts the lives of characters fragile and vunerable and makes the love between Morvan and Anna more passionate, urgent, and sweet. Villains are believable combined with the intelligently-provided historical background information, and protagonists are not so overly grandiosed as to become unbelievable as we often find in other romance novels.

Madeline Hunter's greatest strength is her talent of seamlessly weaving a love story in a vivid and accurate description of history with an uncanny balance that satisfies both romance and history readers.

The Black Death is the catalyst for the English mercenary knight Morvan's arrival at a Breton coastal stronghold, and his subsequent interaction with its lady, Anna de Leon. But the political setting for this story is not just the Hundred Years' War (a struggle for control of the French throne between England and France). The key to the story is a local power struggle over the succession in Brittany, one of the many semi-independent duchies that make up the feudal kingdom of France. Since Brittany is on the coast, its control is crucial to both the French and the English.

I don't want to give away key plot elements (for those of you who have not read the other reviews). But readers should keep the political story in mind as they read the book. Without it, the actions of the king, of Anna herself, and of other characters make little sense. [I also recommend taking a look at Madeline Hunter's website for further information].

Enough on the background. On to praise for the book, but where should I begin? This is a wonderful and thoroughly well-crafted sequel to my favorite medieval romance (BY ARRANGEMENT). Readers of Hunter have eagerly awaited this book, especially since the more knowledgeable fans know that she wrote Morvan's story first. This book more than meets my expectations for a good read this summer. I have to say that the published description didn't make the book sound very exciting, which is a bit unfortunate - the book kept me up until 3 AM (an automatic 4 stars therefore, at least).

The story begins with Morvan facing a likely death from the Black Death. During this phantasmagoric time, he meets the one woman who can turn him from thoughts of regaining his ancestral home and family honor. Unfortunately, the lady has other ideas . I can't give away any secrets by saying that Morvan and Anna do get married (since this is expected in a romance). But their courtship takes unexpected turns, as does their marriage.

What I liked about this book: 1) I don't usually like alpha-male characters, but Morvan somehow crept through my defenses (as he cuts through those of court ladies). Must be those sparkling black eyes. Well, a fantastically handsome hero is easy to dream about - and his dominating ways make some sense given the dangers faced by Anna and her household.

2) The heroine is remarkable. This is not the place to discuss whether Anna's actions and beliefs are really anachronistic. Her desires, fears, and needs seemed ageless to me - they boiled down to the desire for "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" as she defined them, and not as society or her overlord defined for her.

3) Hunter has her usual skill in weaving historical details into a rich tapestry of sights, sounds and smells. I am no medievalist, but I have detected no errors in her settings - and I know (from writing to her) that she takes considerable pains to get the details right but not too overwhelming. I do wish that she would cut out the "Aye" and "Nay" in her dialogue. Since the rest of the dialogue is modernized, I find these words a bit more jarring as I keep reading and re-reading.

4) Hunter is very creative in her love scenes. As it happens, in this particular book, the physical relationship is not consummated until the wedding night, but there is plenty of sensuality and "hot stuff" before then. And we learn enough to realize that Morvan is a consummate seducer and is used to getting his way with sweet talk... which makes subsequent developments all the more interesting. The love scenes, while detailed, are not quite as explicit as in BY ARRANGEMENT - although there is plenty going on.

5) The motivations of the hero and the heroine are quite credible. Anna wants to live life on her own terms, and initially, she will not accept a loveless marriage anymore than she will accept a marriage in which she is anything but an equal (or the superior). Morvan wants both the woman and the riches she represents, but on his terms. The battle of the sexes between them draws the reader right in - all the way to the delightfully surprising end.

6) The flaws of the main characters make the story more suspenseful, by raising the stakes in certain situations and by shifting the reader's sympathies in other situations. [Put yourself in Morvan's place when he rescues Anna in the stream, for example]. Morvan's love for Anna does not change his innate character, and he must in fact work on some of his flaws before his marriage will be truly happy. And Anna herself can let stubbornness do her in, and lead her into some hair-raising actions. Her capacity for risk tolerance (to put it mildly) is far higher than that of her husband and their household. She also underestimates potential dangers at times, due to her limited world-experience.

The pairing of two nobles as hero and heroine is a bit unusual for Hunter. Her first three books have featured cross-class romances, which I have come to identify as Hunter's special area. By contrast, this fourth book features a landless knight marrying a great heiress. While this story works beautifully, I look out for (and recommend) Hunter's books in part because of her cross-class romances. I am not sure if Hunter has decided to move into the "mainstream" of medieval romance plots.

I am delighted that more readers are discovering Hunter. As for the problems that some readers detect, yes, there are flaws. Unlike in BY ARRANGEMENT, we read little about the needs and desires of other characters. But it is hard to argue that with characters such as Duke Jean (the young duke), Edward III, and several of Anna's vassals and servants, that all the secondary characters are cardboard cutouts with no inner life (I beg to disagree). Hunter writes romances, not historical fiction, and the limitations in her work are those of the genre. I have some minor criticisms here and there, but overall, I enjoyed the work tremendously. The book rates a 4.7 from me.

I rather fell in like with Morvan when he was first introduced in the prequel - 'By Arrangement' - a little overbearing but so wonderfully protective of his sister. But, my oh my, when you really get to meet him in The Protector, wow...you can fall in love. He is one of those big, strong, take control kind of guys with honor. The kind that you can really depend on.

The rub to this was that his heart's desire, Anna de Leon, was something of an Amazon type and well able to take care of herself. Just watch the sparks fly!

This novel is sensually powerful, and wonderfully written as are the rest of her series set in this medeival era. Ms. Hunter just keeps getting better and better and is a must on my buy list for anything else she comes out with. A real keeper - loved it!

Courtesy of CK2S Kwips and Kritiques

If one wants a delightful medieval tale, full of adventure and romance, this is the book to read.

Morvan Fitzwaryn thought he was about to die. The beginning stages of The Plague had just manifested in his squire, William and now the townsfolk of Brest, in Brittany, are after them. Morvan takes up refuge in an old longhouse, preparing to await his fate, preferring to die at the hands of angry peasants rather then in the throes of this most dreaded disease. Just as his fate seems sealed, she comes roaring to his rescue.

Anna de Leon was a unique woman in her time. She answered to no man, rather they answered to her, as the commander of the castle and its men. She is not like any woman Morvan has ever known. Anna has already suffered through, and survived the illness now stalking Morvan and his men, so she calls the villagers off, telling them to leave him be and she will take care of him. Thus begins a special relationship between them, as she fights for his life beside him.

The time they spend together bonds them in a way neither understands, yet both treasure. A reluctant friendship grows that turns into something more. But the idyllic time as he recovers is short-lived. Anna believes no man could ever be attracted to one such as herself, for she acts and looks more man then woman, in her eyes. When a past enemy, Gurwant de Beaumanoir, returns to conquer her home, and herself, she cannot just stand by and let others fight her battles for her, and Morvan finds out first hand what an amazing, but individual woman she is. All he wants is to protect her, and all she wants is her freedom and independence to protect herself. So begins Morvan's real battle, the battle for the love of a special woman. But can he accept her for the woman she is or will he tamp down the fiery spirit that makes her who she is, and what he really loves?

Ms. Hunter has written a wonderful medieval tale, with everything one expects from a good romance. Morvan and Anna are powerful individuals who in the beginning can't decide if they would rather be adversaries or allies. Her fiery spirit is the perfect tempering to his dominating presence. Passion flares so brightly the reader has no choice but to be drawn under its spell. Gurwain is brilliantly done, coming across as a brutal and malevolent man. One feels the blackness of his soul which needs defeating. All of the characters are skillfully rendered, from the gentle-hearted Ascanio, a warrior priest, to Anna's younger sister, Catherine, who is experiencing her own first love, to all of the vassals and servants of Anna's family. Every single soul is a delightful addition to the tale unwinding.

The action is well-paced, with several pivotal moments leading up to the final climactic battle scene. This reviewer likes how each thread of the tale is woven, with its own culmination, so the story can slow down just enough to prepare the reader for the next turn of events to unfold. The full plot ebbs and flows, reeling one in, to let go, only to real the reader back in for an even more exciting stage. Ms Hunter also brilliantly captures, without over-glorifying, or over-dramatizing, the feel of the time period and the people. This was a violent time in history, as the Bretons try to prove their independence and wade through the battles between king and pretender to the throne of England. However, she also focuses on the happiness and simplicity of the people, in the midst of a war.

This was an enchanting book, and proves why Ms. Hunter is fast rising in popularity, to become a household name in the romance world. This book is guaranteed not to disappoint.

© Kelley A. Hartsell, August 2003. All rights reserved.

I like Madeline Hunter's romances very much, although BY POSSESSION really put me off with the alpha-plus male (yes, I know men were like that in those days, but I don't read historical romance for 100% reality). One of this author's trademarks is her attention to historical detail, in that she makes the period more than a backdrop or wallpaper for her plot and her characters. Both BY ARRANGEMENT and BY DESIGN rank high among my list of "will re-read happily" books. Hunter does not hesitate to show us morally ambiguous heroes (as in BY ARRANGEMENT) and morally conflicted heroines (as in BY DESIGN). Nevertheless with only four books to her credit, it is hard to say whether Hunter is a winning name for the long hault. I certainly hope so - and I have not been disappointed in her more recent books, unlike with so many other authors.

Having said that, I have some doubts about THE PROTECTOR, which is her fourth book. For one, it is somewhat different from her previous books which focused on romance across classes, and even made a marriage between a lord and a serf somewhat believable (although some suspension of disbelief was required). This fourth book is the story of a landless knight winning the hand of a great heiress, which is a plotline used by other authors such as Elizabeth Lowell (in her medieval trilogy). Of course, Hunter's story is different - there is a clearer sense of the domestic and international politics, thanks to the setting at the time of the Black Death.

After reading the beginning, I wondered why other authors don't use the theme of the Plague (a constant fear in this century, and in later periods) more often. The beginning is marvellous, with Morvan (brother of the heroine of BY ARRANGEMENT) facing almost-certain death, because he has stayed behind to care for an ill squire. Not only is the Black Death a problem for him, but England and France are at war (the Hundred Years War) and Brittany itself is torn apart by civil war. In both wars, the succession is disputed. This theme is carried to some extent into the heroine's story, where it is uncertain who will ultimately inherit her father's lands.

The first part of the story is fantastic. Although Anna is strong-willed and stubborn, there *were* highly highly independent noblewomen, notably Eleanor of Aquitaine who lived in the 12th century. And these women certainly experienced problems because they did not fit into the conventional mould. But then, in the medieval period, women were not as passive as later. A knight or lord would leave his wife in charge of his manor or castle, and expect her to manage for months or years without him. Wives were certainly expected to obey their husbands, but a noblewoman whose husband was absent had considerable freedom in some aspects.

The problem for me comes in the second half of the book - and I have to admit that it occurred to me only slowly. Anna's innocence about relations between men and women makes some sense, given a traumatic experience and her decision to enter the convent. However, her continued innocence even when she has been in charge of the castle for some time makes less sense, unless she has willfully closed her eyes to this aspect of life. This indeed is hinted at by Morvan and some others, but it is never properly addressed.

Did her naivete about her looks and sexual attractiveness stem from her near-rape by her betrothed, or from the way in which her mother perceived her as less than conventionally beautiful? This too is not really addressed in the book which focuses more on Anna in the here-and-now.

Anna's wish to remain in the convent makes sense, given her nature and her unwillingness to submit to any man. But she would also face problems. Noblewomen in religious orders did have greater autonomy than if they were married, but then they would also have to submit to the abbess or prioress and later to (male) priests and abbots or bishops. This problem is only partially hinted at, with only Anna's inability to hunt in the cloister discussed as a drawback.

Yes, Morvan is rather domineering, but he is actually relatively gentle considering the typical behavior of a man of his day. [For a fine portrayal of the typical noble couple in medieval times, I recommend Roberta Gellis's KNIGHT'S HONOR set in the 12th century. Medieval histories focusing on the lives of women offer real-life examples as well].

The second half of the book is somewhat disappointing for me. Yes, the love scenes are nicely done - this is one of Madeline Hunter's strong points. Anna's rebellions against her husband are realistic (given her nature) but also rather stupid (given the social mores and constraints of the period, plus the very real dangers facing her). While I felt for Anna, I felt that she was a woman out of place - a 20th century woman, as it were, living in the 14th century. I am not saying that such women did not exist, but it makes the plot harder to believe.

One of my regrets was that three crucial plot devices - the Black Death, the Hundred Years War, and the Breton Civil War - all became a backdrop for the romance. From that point of view, the book lost historical interest for me. The denouement was attractive but not particularly realistic (in historical terms). Then again, the author was apparently limited by the constraints of the genre she writes in - where the relationship must assume central focus, and where the chronology is limited to a year or so. After I had time to reflect, I kept comparing the relatively easy resolution of Anna and Morvan's relationship with the more complicated plot lines in Roberta Gellis and Elizabeth Chadwick (the British writer of historical fiction). In their books, relationships develop, unwind and re-form over years.

This is a good read for lovers of medieval romances, but it is definitely more for the American market and for romance readers. Readers who want more history will find this book relatively disappointing.

The storyline and the amount of happenings that take this story from go to whoa really made me enjoy this book. The historical detail added to my historical interests. I find that Ms Hunter's character developement with Anna was excellant. She was formed by her childhood experiences which distorted her view of herself and the world's reaction to her. Sir Morvan's character wasn't as well developed and I wouldn't have fallen in love with him. He lacked the depth required to understand Anna's personality and 'hang-ups'. But he does an about turn in the end which is accredited to his time spent in a dungeon which leads to great compromise on his part. Unfortunately we don't get in on much of this internal dialog which I would say attributes to the lack of character developement on Morvan's part. But you can't have everything... it was still a really good read.