Amazon.com: Here Be Dragons: Sharon Kay Penman: Books

Review

“A masterful picture of Wales in the thirteenth century . . . vividly pictured as grandly beautiful, its people volatile, stubborn, and mystic.” ---The San Diego Union

“There is everything in Here Be Dragons but dragons: princesses held captive in stone towers, bloody wars, princes scheming to dethrone their own brothers, castles under siege, maidens in distress, power struggles for half of civilization, rampant infidelity, lusting, mead guzzling, wine drinking, love affairs that topple kingdoms---how did England survive the thirteenth century? . . . History and fiction bound up together in historical novels have always had their own uneasy alliance. . . . Penman deftly makes the mesh work.” ---The Washington Post Book World

“Remarkable. . . . Her writing is faultless, deftly interweaving the threads of the various story lines into a glowing, living tapestry. . . . This is storytelling at its finest.” ---United Press International

“With a fidelity to historical detail, a deep understanding of the period, a lucid, felicitous prose style, a sensitivity to nuances of character, and a sure sense of drama, the new novel by the author of The Sunne in Splendour is an engrossing tale.” ---Publishers Weekly

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Description
"A masterful picture of Wales in the 13th century...vivdly pictured as grandly beautiful, its people volatile, stubborn and mystic."
THE SAN DIEGO UNION
Thirteenth-century Wales is a divided country, ever at the mercy of England's ruthless, power-hungry King John. Then Llewelyn, Prince of North Wales, secures an uneasy truce with England by marrying the English king's beloved, illegitimate daughter, Joanna. Reluctant to wed her father's bitter enemy, Joanna slowly grows to love her charismatic and courageous husband who dreams of uniting Wales. But as John's attentions turn again and again to subduing Wales--and Llewelyn--Joanna must decide to which of these powerful men she owes her loyalty and love.
A sweeping novel of power and passion, loyalty and lives, this is the book that began the trilogy that includes FALLS THE SHADOW and THE RECKONING.

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Product Details

Paperback: 720 pages
Publisher: Ballantine Books (May 11, 1993)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0345382846
ISBN-13: 978-0345382849
Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.2 x 1.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 1 pounds

Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (163 customer reviews)

Amazon.com Sales Rank: #94,600 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)
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#52 in Books > History > Europe > Wales

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Inside This Book (learn more)

First Sentence:
HE was ten years old and an alien in an unfriendly land, made an unwilling exile by his mother's marriage to a Marcher border lord. Read the first page

Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
plight troth, poor little lass, rebel barons, birthing chamber, border lords, outer bailey, inner bailey

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Hugh de Lusignan, Maude de Braose, Peter des Roches, Fitz Walter, William de Braose, Hubert de Burgh, Will de Braose, Rhys Gryg, Earl of Chester, French King, South Wales, Fitz Warin, Earl of Pembroke, Holy Land, John the Scot, Archbishop of Canterbury, Eustace de Vesci, Christ Jesus, King of England, Prince of Gwynedd, Scots King, King Henry, Stephen Langton, Thomas Corbet, Hugh Corbet

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Citations (learn more)

This book cites 2 books:

Sunne in Splendour by Sharon Kay Penman in Back Matter
Falls the Shadow by Sharon Kay Penman in Back Matter

11 books cite this book:

Cruel as the Grave by Sharon Kay Penman on 4 pages
The Reckoning by Sharon Kay Penman in Front Matter (1), Front Matter (2), and Back Matter
Queen's Man (Ballantine Reader's Circle) by Sharon Kay Penman in Front Matter, and Back Matter
Cruel as the Grave (Ballantine Reader's Circle) by Sharon Kay Penman in Front Matter, and Back Matter
Dragon's Lair (Ballantine Reader's Circle) by Sharon Kay Penman in Front Matter, and Back Matter

See all 11 books citing this book

Books on Related Topics (learn more)

The Reckoning by Sharon Kay Penman

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Sunne in Splendour by Sharon Kay Penman

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The British Stable by Giles Worsley

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Falls the Shadow by Sharon Kay Penman

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What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

	70% buy the item featured on this page: Here Be Dragons 4.8 out of 5 stars (163)
	10% buy The Sunne In Splendour: A Novel of Richard III 4.9 out of 5 stars (157) $12.21
	7% buy The Reckoning 4.9 out of 5 stars (41) $12.21
	7% buy Devil's Brood 4.5 out of 5 stars (33) $8.42

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Customer Reviews

163 Reviews

5 star:		(143)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

Average Customer Review

4.8 out of 5 stars (163 customer reviews)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

195 of 202 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars First of the Wales Trilogy, July 21, 2002

By	Richard R. Carlton (Ada, MI United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)

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 released
1192-1193 The Queen's Man
1193 Cruel As The Grave
1183-1232 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

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84 of 87 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stunningly Beautiful, February 8, 2001

By	T. Burger (Chicago) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)

I was first introduced to Sharon Kay Penman through her so-called Medieval mystery, The Queen's Man. Eleanor of Aquitane was so vivid and real, so drawn was I to that character, that I bought Here Be Dragons just to see more of this most regal of matriarchs. Before doing so I read reviews here on amazon.com that indicated that The Queen's Man was a far cry from her best work, that her best was to be found in the longer, historical work. I scoffed, thinking that these were disgruntled, spoiled readers who didn't know how to adapt to a change from their favorite author. Barely 50 pages into Here Be Dragons, I realized how horribly wrong I was. Every time I set the book down, whether it be to turn off the light to sleep, or finishing lunch at work, or getting off the train in the morning or evening, I felt ripped away, so very much out of place.

Knowing little about the history of the period, I allowed SKP to be my guide, stopping along the way to check facts, names and places, always impressed when I found her accuracy to be perfect. Would that all history read with such passion, such verve!

SKP writes emotion as accurately as she does history. I have experienced the loss of a loved one, myself come too close to death, and when John died, her telling of it kept me up, staring at the ceiling for nigh on thirty minutes, my own memories brought back, real and cold. That tears fell, I am not ashamed to admit. I cried for the death of the evil King John.

A shy romantic in life, I care little for romance in my fiction. Imagine my surprise when I found myself more interested in the relationship between Llewelyn and Joana than virtually anything else. History is stranger than fiction, true, and this was as unlikely a pair as could be imagined. Yet their love was strong, and true, and overcame Joana being torn in two between the father who showed her love when she was orphaned, and the husband who showed her heaven, as well as Joanna's own indiscretions. Since most who read or will read her work know the history, I'm not afraid to give up that little secret: Joanna committed adultery, and yet Llewelyn's love for her was so great that he forgave it. Perhaps not such a great thing in today's day, but a monument in 13th century Europe. Myself, I didn't know the history, and shed tears at the thought of Llewelyn and Joanna forever apart, shed them again when he took her back.

Rarely have I read a book more beautiful, with prose more even and yet evoking such emotion.

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20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars penman has outdone herself with this one!, July 11, 1998

By A Customer

Everyone else on this page seems to have lauded this book quite aptly, but I just had to add my own opinion, so strongly did this work effect me. I grew up on knights and castles, Robin Hood and the Arthur legends, so when this book fell into my hands a few years ago it naturally captured my attention. It wasn't long before it captured my heart as well. I've always found Penman to be a good writer; her other works--"Sunne", "Saints," and "Queen's Man", however, are nothing compared to her Welsh trilogy. Somewhere, somehow, she hit true inspiration, and dammit, it shows. The prose are beautiful--that passage at the end of "Dragons" is so lovely!--her characters are fully realized and completely captivating. Yes, I fell in love with Llewelyn, too! It's like one of those old movie epics--but a GOOD one, for once! It's got everything: battles, politics, romance (!!), and above all, a fascinating, marvelously accurate window into a world so completely unlike our own, and yet people with characters we become so attached to, whether we like them or dislike them. Read it! You'll love it! Only one word of warning: enjoy the happy ending in "Dragons" because it does not get any happier. The trilogy gets even better as it progresses through "Falls the Shadow" and "The Reckoning" but trust me--stock up on kleenexes! You'll need them! This is an excellent series for anyone who has a passion for Plantagenets, history, and above all, romance.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Very compelling series!
Wonderful, heartbreaking trilogy about medieval Wales. I could not put any of these three books down (Here Be Dragons, Falls the Shadow, and The Reckoning). Read more

Published 8 days ago by Robyn

5.0 out of 5 stars Breathtaking! Superbly written.
I have read this book multiple times. Once years ago and just last summer. As a result of the second read, I have been inspired to travel to Wales and tour the north and see... Read more

Published 11 days ago by M. L. G.

5.0 out of 5 stars a very good historical novel
The book is very well written, you can't put it down! I enjoyed it very much.

Published 16 days ago by E.S.

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome read
Here Be Dragons was my first experience of Penman's historical fiction. I read it about a year ago and I still remember it as something wonderful. Read more

Published 28 days ago by Lisa P.

5.0 out of 5 stars An enthralling read
This was a wonderfully written novel set in the time of John I of England. Penman tells the captivating story of John's bastard daughter Joanna and her marriage to Llewelyn of... Read more

Published 1 month ago by Jennifer Rothwell

5.0 out of 5 stars A heartwarming, beautiful historical!
Finally, after months of falling on trashy, cheesy, done-to-death historical romances that I didn't bother reviewing because they weren't worth the effort--even though most of... Read more

Published 3 months ago by P.G. Dawn

4.0 out of 5 stars Here Be Good Reads
Sharon Kay Penman has done a very good job penning a good read in this historical fictional account of the life of King John I of England and the politics of the English/Welsh... Read more

Published 3 months ago by Michael W. Parlett

5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable History Lesson
Here be Dragons, a reference made by early cartographers when mapping unknown and wild lands. 12th century Wales was such a country--its various tribes warring with each other... Read more

Published 4 months ago by Arianna

5.0 out of 5 stars Really enjoyed
I got exactly what I was looking for when I bought this book: a compelling story, a fairly accurate portrayal of historical events, characters and circumstances, and an author... Read more

Published 6 months ago by Dovco

5.0 out of 5 stars Thoroughly Enjoyable
I usually don't read period novels but I've got to say that this book was one of my favorite books I've read. Read more

Published 6 months ago by T. Conk

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Recommendations for a good romance where the main characters don't atomatically fall head over heels for each other?	0	9 days ago
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