The Wolf Hunt
A Novel of The Crusades
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- €11.99
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- €11.99
Publisher Description
Betrayal, love, and lycanthropy in the time of the Crusades
When Marie Penthièvre of Chalendrey is abducted from her Norman priory and taken to Brittany's court, she vows never to dishonor her family's ties by marrying a Breton brute. There is only one man who might change her mind: Tiarnán of Talensac, a handsome, skilled, and noble knight indeed. But Tiarnán does not love her, and when he marries a slip of a girl instead, Marie vows to become a nun as soon as she is able.
But Tiarnán has a secret, and that slip of a girl betrays him once she learns of it. When Tiarnán disappears and is presumed dead, his widow marries his one time rival and assumes title to his land, which steadily begins to decline under her unskilled, merciless rule. Marie knows something is wrong, and only she is clear headed enough to rescue Tiarnán and return him to his rightful status. But can she do so before it is too late?
Rich in romance, and intrigue, steeped in history and wonder, The Wolf Hunt is historical fiction at its best, by one of its most skilled practitioners.
Based on one of the Lais of Marie de France, The Wolf Hunt is a breathtaking adventure that showcases, once again, Gillian Bradshaw's respectability as both a historian and as a novelist.
When Marie Penthièvre of Chalendrey is abducted from her Norman priory and taken to Brittany's court, she vows never to dishonor her family's ties by marrying a Breton brute. There is only one man who might change her mind: Tiarnán of Talensac, a handsome, skilled, and noble knight indeed. But Tiarnán does not love her, and when he marries a slip of a girl instead, Marie vows to become a nun as soon as she is able.
But Tiarnán has a secret, and that slip of a girl betrays him once she learns of it. When Tiarnán disappears and is presumed dead, his widow marries his one time rival and assumes title to his land, which steadily begins to decline under her unskilled, merciless rule. Marie knows something is wrong, and only she is clear headed enough to rescue Tiarnán and return him to his rightful status. But can she do so before it is too late?
Rich in romance, and intrigue, steeped in history and wonder, The Wolf Hunt is historical fiction at its best, by one of its most skilled practitioners.
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Bradshaw's refreshingly candid jaunt into the age of chivalry blends knightly honor and maidenly forbearance with fairy-tale overtones while revealing the uglier side of the feudal system. Strong research and a brisk writing style yield a fascinating primer on this European era, giving a glimpse into the routine activities of nobles and peasants alike. Marie Penthi vre de Chalandrey is abducted from her convent by knights of Duke Hoel of Brittany he has his eyes on lands held by her father, who is off fighting in the Crusades. She escapes her captors and flees through dense woods where Tiarn n of Talensac saves her from rape by thieves and wins her heart, but he returns her to the knights and leaves to wed Eline of Comper. Marie later befriends Eline, who, when Tiarn n disappears and is declared dead, tells Marie that he is a monster and she is well rid of him. Eline then claims the estate and weds her true love, Alaine de Fourg res, a handsome but landless knight with no skill at running a manor. Alaine urges his cousin Tiher, a favorite knight of Hoel and suitor of Marie, to organize a hunt for a clever wolf that enters the village and evades all trackers. They corner the wolf but it licks Hoel's boot and is taken as a pet, becoming a court favorite and changing the lives of all those who come into contact with it. Bradshaw (Island of Ghosts) solidly grounds her historical fiction, but still lards it with plenty of fairy-tale excitement. Readers will have no trouble guessing the "secret" of the wolf, but that doesn't detract from the fun.
