Sword of King James
In the third installment of the ‘Summon of the Sword’ series, we rejoin our time traveling hero Dylan (now firmly fixed in the 18th century) as he comes to terms with his wife’s death and his place in history. The second Jacobite rebellion is in the works, and as Dylan struggles to raise his two children and maintain his household, he must also attempt to persuade the clan to take a neutral path, for he knows that the rebellion will fail. He is under challenge by the continuing harassment and depredations of the English, as well as the power-seeking plays of his young cousin Artair. All is in tumult on the metaphysical level as well, for the goddess Morrigan has taken a strong interest in him and has managed to separate him from Sinann, his faerie guide and protector. Dylan’s story is balanced by that of his mother, who in our present time is dealing with life-threatening challenges of her own. Lee continues to write compelling, well-rounded characters, and to vividly describe the Scotland of centuries gone by. Her storytelling has become surer with each book in the series, and it is a pleasure to watch Dylan come into his own, emotionally and societally. Recommended.
