What is it about the mighty name of Pendragon that always shoots a tiny, mystical zip through your limbs? When I first was looking over The King’s Favorite as a potential new series to review, I wanted to find that something that set it apart – then I read the series title – Daughters of Avalon – my my my – Avalon, another body tingling word – I’m in…
I started out as always, getting a feel for the characters – wait…Malcolm’s stepmother’s name is Page FitzSimon? Click – The Mackinnon’s Bride…Forgive my tardy awareness of the tie-in (it was 1996 FTLOG)!! So you can imagine Malcolm’s family estrangement surprised me having remembered Ian and Page’s love story (as a side note – I stopped reading mass amounts of Scottish historical romance several years ago, oh I still read some, just not by the ton…I have always remembered Page – her story has rated a spot in my memory bank for 22 years – that is the strength of Tanya Anne Crosby’s writing). Of course, politics have torn families apart for millennia, as it still does today. Malcolm’s story definitely had my attention – surprisingly more so than Elspeth’s.
I do tend to want to focus on the characters who jump off the page early on, and that was Rhiannon and for some strange reason, Seren (I think Morwen’s hint of a future beast???), but not Elspeth, not at first anyway. I would love to dissect some of her earlier decisions that made me go…hmmmm…but alas, this isn’t a spoiler page!! I did end up appreciating Elspeth’s character and her relationship with Malcolm. Before I go…Morwen…she’s one freak you only want to see not hear. Listening to her cold-hearted callousness can certainly crimp the appetite!!
This first book of the series definitely is setting the stage for the upcoming novels (loving the traditional Scottish Historical spiked with Fantasy…well played Crosby) – things are going to get a whole lotta dicey before the end. Looking forward to A Winter’s Rose (Rosalynde’s story) coming out this December! I hope you enjoyed this review and decide to start the series. If this first installment is any indication you are going to want in from the beginning (speaking of which, if it were me, I would read The Mackinnon’s Bride (Free on Kindle right now) as a prequel precursor – not necessary, but it is an amazing story). I am providing links below, which if you use, help support my site! Come see me again!