Dawnflight (Sonnet Books) (Mass Market Paperback)

by Kim Headlee (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
Chieftainess Gyanhumara (Guinevere) and Urien map Dumarec must marry to form a treaty, per the Pendragon of Brydein (otherwise known as Arthur). However, when Arthur and Gyan fianlly meet sparks fly! Now Arthur tries to find a way to claim Gyan as his own.

***No sexy bed scenes in THIS novel! War with the Scotts and pure adventure only! Lots of sword fights and battle fields. Plots and clever maneuvers mixed with some treason displays this version of the Legend of Guinevere. Guinevere is as much a warrioress as Arthur is the warrior. Watching them together was breathtaking! In my opinion, this one will hit the best seller lists quickly!*** -- Detra Fitch, Huntress Reviews, 6/26/99

For anyone with more than a causal interest in English history, DAWNFLIGHT is a must read. Ms. Headlee has brought her own interesting style to this new telling of the age-old story of Guinevere and Arthur, and the ancient people from whom most or our modern ethics, religion and laws came from. -- Joann Thompson, Rhapsody Magazine, 8/99

I've always been a fan of the Arthurian legends, and I thought I'd seen them approached in just about every possible way -- That is, until I read Kim Headlee's "Dawnflight - The Legend of Guinevere."

Headlee takes the legendary characters Arthur, Guinevere, and Merlin, among others, and transforms them into believable historic figures. This book tells the story as it actually could have happened -- not behind the shining, pristine walls of mythical Camelot, but in our own world.

At its heart, "Dawnflight" is a love story, but don't let that scare you away. This is no sappy, sentimental romance -- quite the opposite. It is actually a gritty tale of war and conquest, and not all of it is between nations.

Gyanhumara is a Pictish cheiftaness who is bound by a treaty to marry a Brytoni lord and ally her conquered tribe to the Roman Empire. She chooses Urien map Dumarec, one of her people's worst enemies, in hopes of bringing peace. She soon regrets her choice. Some of her misgivings are due to Urien's nature, but most are because she loves another man. She loves a man she once thought she hated above all others -- the conqueror of her people -- Arthur the Pendragon. That love could mean a civil war between Arthur and his arch-rival, yet unsteady ally, Urien.

Headlee says in the notes following the book that she feels Guinevere has gotten a "bad rap" in other tellings of the tale. Headlee intended to represent Guinevere a woman of "true power," and she has indeed succeeded. Chieftaness Gyanhumara is not a simpering lady of the court, nor a traitorous schemer as Guinevere has been portrayed in other versions. Instead she is a warrior-queen, as strong in will as in body.

She refuses to be subjugated by Urien, who obviously feels that no woman is even close to the equal of a man. Despite her revulsion, though, she still fully intends to honor her agreement to marry him. Her sense of duty to her people won't allow her to do otherwise.

The events that follow -- as Arthur and Gyanhumara attempt to come together, despite seemingly the whole world being against them -- puts a whole new face on the classic tale of betrayal that leads ultimately to Arthur's downfall in other adaptations. Definitely food for thought for any fan of the Arthurian legends. This isn't just another re-telling of those same stories. "Dawnflight" will make you re-think all the tales of Guinevere and Arthur you've ever read.

As for the writing itself -- it is superb. Headlee makes you care about her characters, and forget the countless other stories you've read about the same characters. She also has a knack for keeping the reader up past bedtime. The first night, I was able to put the book down, but once the action really started, it became tougher. Headlee has a talent for ending every chapter on a note that makes you say "just one more chapter before bed." Then, before you know it, it's 4 a.m. and you're beginning the final chapter.

On a personal note, this book came along at just the right time for me. When I started it, I was at a point where I didn't think fantasy could excite me anymore. Then, I picked it up. It has been quite a while since I devoured a novel the way I went through this one, and even now, I'm planning on giving it a second reading very soon.

In these days when every fantasy has to be at least a trilogy or more likely a watered-down drawn out saga, it's rare that I look forward to another series of books. In this case, I think "Dawnflight" is just the tip of Excalibur, and there's a lot more to the tale. I look forward to hearing it, and I hope Kim Headlee will stay with them until they're done. -- Fred Phillips, The Bookwyrm, 7/26/99

Very Highly Recommended. At the Battle of Aberglein, the Roman forces led by Arthur the Pendragon of Brydain defeat the combined armies of Caledonia. Among the defeated is the Chieftain of Argyll, Ogryvan, who forces his fellow Picts to agree to the peace treaty. A clause contained in the pact leads to Ogryvan's son Per serving under Arthur's leadership and his daughter Gyanhumara marrying a Brydain lord of her choice. Since Arthur has not been recognized as a Bryton noble due to his questionable birth, he cannot marry Gyan.

Urien, whose charge won the day at Aberglein, is the leading contender for the hand of Gyan. When they meet, there seems to be an attraction between them. However, Urien despises the warrior ways of his intended bride and plans to tame her. When Gyan meets Arthur, sparks fly. He does not want Gyan to change one iota. Instead, he informs his uncle Merlin that he plans to have Gyan at his side even though it may cause big trouble for the Brydains and the Picts. If she picks her cherished Arthur, civil war will follow. If she selects Urien, he will crush her spirit forever.

Sometimes the rewriting of the Arthur legend leaves fans with a classy romance that has the audience clamoring for more from the author. Kim Headlee provides a heady saga that tells the tale of Guinevere, a character that readers will fully understand. Arthur is also cleverly done as he is part of a Roman-Brydain world at odds with the Picts. The story line of DAWNFLIGHT moves forward with plenty of detail that makes for a fabulous historical romance that begs for more novels from Ms. Headlee. -- Harriet Klausner, Under the Covers Book Reviews, 8/2/99

Product Description

Among the misty lochs and glens of ancient Scotland, duty wages war against love on the battlefield of opposing cultures, religions, and political agendas.

After Caledonia's devastating loss in the battle of Aber-Glein against Arthur map Uther, Pendragon of Brydein, Chieftainess Gyanhumara ("Gyan") nic Hymar is obligated by treaty to marry a Brytoni nobleman. She chooses as her betrothed Urien map Dumarec, son of her clan's worst enemy, in hopes of bringing in lasting peace to her people. Arthur must honor this arrangement, even though he knows that Urien, his arch rival, will gain greater power from it.

When Arthur and Gyan meet, the love that develops between them escalates to legendary proportions. But with her clan's future in her hands, Gyan would forsake her heart's bidding and go through with her obviously ill-fated marriage to Urien. For unless she and Arthur can avert the civil war that is sure to erupt, their love will be doomed to remain unfulfilled -- forever.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 512 pages
• Publisher: Pocket (October 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671020412
• ISBN-13: 978-0671020415
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,010,514 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Someone made it gold, July 25, 2001

By	E. A Solinas "ea_solinas" (MD USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

After slogging through the ghastly "Queen of the Summer Country" and the beautiful but rather whiny "Guinevere," I was beginning to wonder if anyone could actually manage a good story, containing a semi-intelligent Queen Guinevere with honor and integrity, a tight plot, and a good writing style. Then I got my hands on a copy of "Dawnflight." Kim Headlee delves into history and humanity to produce a realistic (but not painfully so) story, something that you can envision actually happening.

The story centers around Pictish chieftainess Gyanhumara. When Roman forces defeat the armies of Caledonia (Scotland), Chieftain Ogryvan heads a general signing of a treaty with the Brydain lords - and among the conditions is that Gyanhumara must marry a Brydain noble.

The chief seeker of Gyanhumara's hand is Urien, who finds her attractive and is attractive somewhat himself. However, he is annoyed by the relatively emancipated manner of Gyanhumara, who is as comfy on the battlefield as in a hall full of ladies (more so, I thought). Gyanhumara is disgusted by his plans to tame her down, but in the interest of peace for her people, she agrees.

Then she meets Arthur, the Pendragon. With his questionable background, Arthur is not really acceptable as a potential husband for Gyanhumara, under the treaty. But the moment they meet, they love each other and, importantly, Arthur does not want to change Gyanhumara in any way. He intends to marry his beloved even if it causes conflicts -- but can she choose between her love and spirit, and the uncertain fate of her people?

Perhaps it's the author's excellent outlook toward Arthurian legend -- passing by religion, nationality, status, mythic background -- that causes her to do such a stellar job creating Gyanhumara as a strong, intelligent heroine. Her portrayals of the characters and politics of the time are excellent (as far as I can tell, I know virtually nothing about the clashes of the time) and the descriptions of fighting are easily-envisioned.

Too many supposedly strong heroines in Arthurian literature fail, becoming preachy and irritable. Gyanhumara thankfully doesn't fall into that trap, remaining a believable young woman who has simply been raised as an equal and excellent counterbalance to the strong men around her. I like the idea of Merlin's relationship to Arthur in this book, as I like Arthur himself. Too often, as Guinevere is seen as a slut, Arthur is seen as a wimp; fortunately, he's the young warlord he's expected to be.

Headlee's descriptions are more filled with metaphors than usual; "No nectar was as sweet as the joy of winning" is my personal favorite. The descriptiveness is slightly lower than I am used to in an Arthurian novel, but nevertheless it gets the images across.

Overall, this gains the label of "classic," simply for being the one Guinevere novel that portrays her as a real person. Bravo, Ms. Headlee!

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A New Twist On An Old Tale, December 5, 1999

By	Kemberlee (Cork Ireland) - See all my reviews

Sit back and prepare yourself to be amazed as first time author Kim Headlee recreates an amazingly believable tale of Arthur and Guinevere in "Dawnflight". For centuries these lovers have created great controversy spawned countless theories and became amazing legends. Many authors have written their own interpretations of the Arthurian legend, but none so clever as Ms Headlee's. She takes this legend back to its roots, back before the mighty Great Britain was established, back to when Rome was Europe's super power and the Pope ruled man and country with a heavy hand. We see Arthur not as the knight in shining armor but a Roman warlord. Guinevere is not the demure wife of Arthur whose heart is tugged at from both sides but as Gyanhumara nic Hymar, chieftainess of Clan Argyll of Caledonia and a Pict warrior-queen.

The battle of Aber-Glein sees Gyan's country of Caledonia fall into the hands of Roman warlord Arthur map Uther, Pendragon of Brydein. In the treaty that has been drawn up, Gyan is obliged to marry a Brytoni noble in order to keep peace in Caledonia. Barely given a choice she finds herself betrothed to Brytoni nobleman Urien map Dumarec, the son of her clan's worst enemy, Clan Moray of Dalriada. She must honor this treaty or suffer the Pendragon's wrath. When she consults with the clan priests she's told of a grave prophesy and battles within herself how to change the its ultimate end. But when her gods refuse to listen to her cries for help Gyan finds herself looking for answers in other religions, which could ultimately cause her fall from power and be branded as a heretic.

When both Urian and Gyan are summoned to Cael Lugubalion to join Arthur's legions it's there that Gyan learns of Urien's true crueler nature. And it's here that she meets the man she's vowed to loathe until her dying breath, Arthur himself. But there's "something" about him that she finds alluring and she can't help herself as she falls deeply in love with him. She must now find a way to break her betrothal to Urien without her clan suffering the retaliation Urien's is sure to exact. He wants her and she knows just how badly. Gyan's choice is made though. She must marry a Brytoni noble of her choice by Arthur's own treaty, and Arthur is that choice. And it's Arthur who has the final word on the treaty, and it's Arthur who must approve of Gyan's choice, regardless of who she chooses.

Arthur the Pendragon is a mighty Roman hero of legendary proportions. Though still young he's a man to be reckoned with as his position carries much power. Add to that his mighty sword, Caleberyllus, with its mystical powers and it would be a fool's journey to cross Arthur's path. Bastard son of Uther the Pendragon, Arthur has been denied his rightful heritage and has been forced to carve a life for himself. This he has done, and very well. It's a brave and noble Pict chieftainess who will be his undoing though. He's watched her in battle training, engaged her in intelligent conversation and has been bested by her in a sparing match, and his heart has been pierced by her cupid's arrows. Thoughts of her fill his mind to distraction, which could be his gravest mistake should Urien have his way. It's no secret how Arthur feels for Gyan. She is the bravest and most noble woman he's ever met and he's vowed to have her for his own, and Urien is none too pleased about it. How to get Urien to break the betrothal agreement peacefully while trying to convince Gyan that he loves her will be one of the most difficult battles Arthur has ever had to face. He doesn't know that Gyan is thinking the same thing as he.

"Dawnflight" is as seamless a story as they come. Historical and legendary facts blend as one with the creative use of Celtic terms to give this story a richness rarely seen in a recreation. This story takes us back to a time nearly forgotten 1400 years in our past. Back to when the Celts ruled the lands we know as Great Britain and Ireland. The Roman's brought the word of the One God. And lands were overtaken by warlords on a whim. Brilliantly this telling enfolds all of the characters that we've come to love, as well as hate, in the more common legends of Arthur and Guinevere. Merlin is Arthur's cantankerous advisor and Bishop who goes by the name of Merlinus Dubricius Ambrosius. Morghe is a disguised Morgana, half sister to Arthur and rival of Gyan's. And Lancelot is a wee lad by the name of Angusel, a member of Gyan's clan and her greatest admirer, only second to Arthur. First time readers of Arthurian legend will find "Dawnflight" packed full of action and adventure with a generous dollop of romance. Well read readers of this legend will find themselves enthralled, sitting back to contemplate the validity of the this new theory on Guinevere's legend, as well as Arthur's. "Dawnflight" has been compared to "Mists of Avalon" by Marion Zimmer Bradley; no truer a compliment. All I can say is "Wow! "

~ Kemberlee Lugo, CompuServe Romance Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars At least 4.5! Romantic and adventurous fun!, August 10, 2002

By	Melusine (www.FantasyLiterature.net) (Columbia, MO United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

Kim Headlee puts a new spin on the Arthurian legends with this exciting book. Borrowing a few key concepts from Norma Lorre Goodrich's truly weird "biography" of Guinevere, Headlee presents us with a bold new imagining of that legendary figure. Gyanhumara is her name, and she is the intelligent, resourceful, and brave chieftainess of Clan Argyll, a Caledonian/Pictish tribe. Her wits are as sharp as her sword as she faces her destiny.

Gyan promises to marry the neighboring lord, Urien, to fulfill the terms of a treaty, but her clan's High Priest warns that a Brytonic chieftain will be her death. Gyan fears her marriage now, but resolves to go through with it. She also seeks the aid of her clan's gods, but when she receives no response, she begins to turn to the Christian god worshipped by her family's Brytonic slaves. (In other words, if you can't stand novels where Christians are allowed to be "good guys", read no further.)

Gyan still keeps her resolution regarding the betrothal even when Urien reveals himself to be a chauvinistic jerk, bent on taming Gyan and breaking her to his will. But her heart is shaken when she meets Arthur Pendragon. Their chemistry is fierce from the start; moreover, he loves her wild courage and has no intention of trying to change her. The two fall in love.

But Gyan knows breaking her betrothal will provoke war with Urien's clan, so she tries to forget Arthur when she goes away to her schooling on the Isle of Maun, after which she plans to marry Urien. There, she meets Arthur's haughty sister Morghe, and also the 12-year-old Angusel, who adores her with a little brother's admiration. When the island is attacked by the Irish, Gyan, Arthur, Urien, Morghe, and Angusel will all be thrown together in the fight to save it. Legend will be born, and history made. And much swashbuckling adventure will occur along the way.

I hope Headlee plans a sequel, since this book is great fun. Morghe, Urien, and Cuchullain still have trouble up their sleeves, so the story ain't over yet. I can't wait to find out how the feisty Gyan faces the challenges of the Arthurian era.