The Chalice and the Blade (Mass Market Paperback)

by Glenna McReynolds (Author)
Key Phrases: alchemy chamber, weir gate, aqua ardens, Cam Merioneth, Dain Lavrans, Druid Door (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Kirkus Reviews
A first hardcover in which a love affair of erotic discovery and passion is staged against a background of horror and ancient rites in 12th-century Wales--and brought to a gripping conclusion in a chase through fantastic underground caverns. In the Prologue, two small children, the boy Mychael and his twin sister Ceridwen, are lost in the caves beneath the castle of Carn Merioneth as their mother, descendent of a priestess, is about to perform a rite to ``open the door between worlds.'' But then death and horror arrive in the terrifying person of the vicious Caradoc, ``the Boar,'' who kills all and becomes the new lord of Carn Merioneth. The children are whisked away by a Druid's daughter and sent to be raised in the homes of devout Christians. When she's mature, Ceridwen is affianced to Caradoc but flees into the forest, where she's captured and taken to the Castle Wydehaw. There, she's derisively tortured and displayed. The sorcerer Dain, who works his ``magic'' in a tower of the castle, has no interest in Ceridwen but hates Caradoc, and so rescues the girl and begins to heal her. Mutual uninterest, even dislike, evolves into a fascination with the delicious complexities of each other. Onward, then, comes Caradoc. A ruse, planned by Dain, derails his pursuit, and the pair escape, on the way becoming lovers in some luxuriously steamy scenes. The chase is lengthy and studded with such elements as: the strategy and antics of the allied ``Quicken-tree'' people, of ancient (perhaps faerie?) origins; struggles through caves of ice and utter darkness; fantastic beauty and horror; the pryf (giant sea worms); and a magic door leading to the sea. By the close, there have deaths of varying nastiness (how about being ground between walls and a pryf?)--and a lovers' escape. A heated romance and chase in a splashy, scary setting. And those pryf are a gas. -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description
In one of the most original and stunning debuts of the season, Glenna McReynolds brings historical romance readers the experience they've been waiting for: a novel of dark magic, stirring drama, and fierce passion that weaves a wondrous, unbreakable spell...

In a land of forbidding castles, sacred prophecies, and unholy betrayals, mystery surrounds the one woman who holds the key to an ancient legacy. She is Ceridwen, an orphan unaware of her immense power--until fate leads her from a secluded abbey into the tower of a feared sorcerer.

Dain Lavrans has no magic in himself, only the secrets of medicine he uncovered while a soldier in the Crusades. But he finally beholds true enchantment in the spell of passion innocently woven by the ethereal Ceridwen. Yet there are many who seek the maiden, all meaning to wrest her power for themselves. Now Ceridwen and Dain must struggle to escape the snares set by friend and foe alike, even as they discover a love that promises to bind them forever.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 512 pages
• Publisher: Bantam (August 3, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553574302
• ISBN-13: 978-0553574302
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 3.8 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #316,988 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pure enchantment., September 1, 1999

By A Customer

This book is so superbly written, it belongs in a class/category that is far beyond the "plot by the numbers" books I am often stuck with. Because I am an omniverous reader, I finish even the poorly conceived and written romance books. The stunning writing and story in The Chalice and the Blade make it worth while to read a few mediocre books. This book is a gem among many. I can't wait for Ms. McReynolds's new book to come into paperback. I don't understand how anyone could give this wonderful book a poor review. But, to each his/her own.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent!!, November 26, 2005

By	somewhere in time "Suzanne" (GA USA) - See all my reviews

AS an avid reader, I found this book to be one of the best I've ever read. I find fantasy and romance, if well done, are the best of books. Throw in some sexual tension, and there you have it. I wish she would write more of Dain & Cedric. I'm about to try several of her other books; hope I'm not disappointed.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ONE OF MY FAVORITE BOOKS, June 26, 2000

By A Customer

This book is beautifully done. It has action, romance, escape, and magic. The romance between Ceridwen and Dain come to life and jump right out of the pages. There was never a dull moment and I felt like I was right there with them. I can't believe the reviewers who said that it was boring. This book is very well written and the only thing that I hated about it was that it had to end! This story is recommended for anyone who craves wild imagination and it is for anyone who loves to get caught up in fantasy worlds which they dread escaping. Enjoy!