Skull’s Vengeance (Curse of Clansmen and Kings)
Set in Britain and Gaul in 26 CE, Skull’s Vengeance is the saga of Catrin, princess, slave, gladiatrix, druidess. We come in at the middle of Catrin’s story (this is book four of a series); as this segment begins, her evil half-brother, the dark sorcerer King Marrock, has taken over the throne and holds Catrin’s sister hostage. Catrin is in Gaul and has been told by her murdered father that she must return to Britannia and pull a cursed dagger out of a serpent’s stone to fulfill her destiny and destroy Marrock. But Marrock seems invincible, so Catrin must first find allies to help her. She turns to Marcellus—a Roman who is her soul mate and husband, a fact that must be kept secret from both the Romans (who didn’t recognize marriages with barbarians) and the Britannic tribes (who hate the Romans and would consider Catrin a traitor for marrying one). They must fight against both the real and the magical worlds, as well as against both their peoples, before they can turn their forces against Marrock. But vengeance isn’t easily bought, and Catrin faces the loss of all she holds dear if she fails…
This is an action-packed adventure, full of politics and magic; love and hate. The conflict between the prosaic, realistic Romans and the mystical, nature-oriented Britannic tribes forms a strong backdrop to Catrin’s and Marcellus’s story. However, don’t expect a wrap-up of the tale in this novel. As I said, it’s book four of a series, and it may help to read the previous books first. However, I had no trouble following the storyline of this gripping tale. Written with a lot of verve, Skull’s Vengeance should appeal to fans of historical fantasy, as well as to those who enjoy old-fashioned ripping yarns. Warnings for torture and rape.
