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    Kingmaking: Book One of the Pendragon's Banner Trilogy
    Unavailable
    Kingmaking: Book One of the Pendragon's Banner Trilogy
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    Kingmaking: Book One of the Pendragon's Banner Trilogy
    Ebook778 pages12 hours

    Kingmaking: Book One of the Pendragon's Banner Trilogy

    By Helen Hollick

    4/5

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    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    Who was THE MAN
    Who became THE LEGEND
    We know as KING ARTHUR?

    "You are the Pendragon, rightful Lord of Dumnonia and the Summer Land; Lord of less Britain. By all that is right, you ought be seated where Vortigern sitsYou ought to be King."

    Here lies the truth of the Lord of the Summer Land.

    This is the tale of Arthur flesh and bone. Of the shaping of the man, both courageous and flawed, into the celebrated ruler who inspired armies, who captured Gwenhyfar's heart, and who emerged as the hero of the Dark Ages and the most enduring hero of all time.

    This is the unexpected story of the making of a king the legend who united all of Britain.

    • Book One of the Pendragon's Banner Trilogy
    • Includes bonus reading group guide

    PRAISE FOR THE KINGMAKING

    "If only all historical fiction could be this good."
    Historical Novels Review

    "Helen Hollick has it all. She tells a great story"
    Bernard Cornwell

    "Hollick's interpretation is bold, affecting, and well worth fighting to defend."
    Publishers Weekly

    "Compelling, convincing, and ultimately-unforgettable."
    Sharon Kay Penman, Bestselling Author of Devil's Blood

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherSourcebooks
    Release dateMar 1, 2009
    ISBN9781402227172
    Unavailable
    Kingmaking: Book One of the Pendragon's Banner Trilogy
    Author

    Helen Hollick

    After an exciting Lottery win on the opening night of the 2012 London Olympic Games, Helen Hollick moved from a North-East London suburb to an eighteenth century farmhouse in North Devon, where she lives with her husband, daughter and son-in-law, and a variety of pets and animals, which include several moorland-bred Exmoor ponies. Her study overlooks part of the Taw Valley, where the main road runs from Exeter to Barnstaple, and back in the 1600s troops of the English Civil Wars marched to and from battle. There are several friendly ghosts sharing the house and farm, and Helen regards herself as merely a temporary custodian of the lovely old house, not its owner. First published in 1994, her passion, now, is her pirate character, Captain Jesamiah Acorne of the nautical adventure series, The Sea Witch Voyages, which have been snapped up by US-based, independent publisher, Penmore Press. Helen became a USA Today Bestseller with her historical novel, The Forever Queen (titled A Hollow Crown in the UK) the story of Saxon Queen, Emma of Normandy. Her novel Harold the King (titled I Am The Chosen King in the US) explores the events that led to the 1066 Battle of Hastings, while her Pendragon's Banner Trilogy, set in the fifth century, is widely acclaimed as a more historical version of the Arthurian legend, with no magic, no Lancelot, Merlin or Holy Grail, but instead, the 'what might have happened' story of the boy who became a man, who became a king, who became a legend... Helen is also published in various languages including German, Turkish and Italian.

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    Reviews for Kingmaking

    4/5

    84 ratings15 reviews

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    • 3/5
      I was between giving 3 stars or 4 but ended up with 3.

      I liked that the were no shining knights, dragons and such but the first half of the book just didn't get me hooked up. I can't really say why, because it wasn't boring nor was there thing that really annoyed me. It just lacked something.

      I nearly gave 4 starts just for the second half.
    • 5/5
      I love Arthurian legend. It can get a bit silly, with the magic and mysticism. One of my favorite movies of all time is still "Excalibur", despite its over the top Merlin and the obvious historical error of knights wearing such gorgeous armor ( plate armor wasn't manufactured until sometime in the 13th or 14 century, the exact date I admit I cannot tell you).
      This book by Helen Hollick is fabulous. She has written a historically accurate novel relating the rise of Arthur, the Pendragon. I should say it is accurate telling for the time period, since there really isn't much evidence Arthur existed.
      In this book you will not find Merlin, or Nimue, or Lancelot. No cheating (at least in this book; there are two others to go in this trilogy)Guinevere or Round Table. Instead we have a portrayal of Arthur as a strong military leader, who can inspire men to follow him to the ends of the earth. A greedy and somewhat lazy King Vortigern, who has to turn to hiring mercenaries from his enemies' army to protect himself. Former allies turning against each other,and vicious battles with their Saex enemies.
      And then there is Gwenhwyfar, my favorite character in the book. Gone is the pampered and delicate princess. In comes the tomboy that grew up with older brothers, who loved horses and trained in sword fighting with them. She can hack off a head with the best of the warriors. Big hearted and perhaps even more courageous and wise than Arthur. I spent several nights this past week, up WAY past my bedtime because I could not put this book down. It was Gwenhwyfar's fault! I could not wait to see what happened to her. I'm a sucker for a strong woman.
      Read this one, please!
    • 5/5
      Truly amazing book in a new edition!! Must-read for every fan of historical fiction, with deeply moving storylines and heroes who make you want to become a part of their world! My favourite author by the way ;)
    • 2/5
      As the author states in the afterword, this book is culled from the various legends surrounding King Arthur and is written from her own view point of what is fact. So think of this as a novel about King Arthur which only vaguely resembles the king of myth. There is no Merlin, no sword in the stone, no magic that precedes his birth and definitely no knights, no chivalry and no questing. The bulk of the story focuses on Gwynviere and is a completely imagined story of her upbringing and how her and Arthur met and became king and queen. Again the author admits there are no real facts to support her theory so she felt free to create a new telling of the tale.
      So if you enjoy stories of King Arthur with all the magic and myth involved, such as I do, then I would avoid this book.
      If you like a good novel about any average tribal war chief in Britain at the time of the Saxons then they book will appeal to you.
    • 4/5
      Helen Hollick is a master with words; she completely draws a scene using only letters and punctuation that can stun a mind completely. She turned King Arthur into a human being with hopes, dreams, feelings. She gave him the same trials and tribulations any other man in the Dark Ages would have faced and she did it with amazing fan fare.

      The characters in this book are so real the reader can practically reach out and touch each and everyone of them. The reader feels each and every emotion the characters progress through as well as everything they don't show; the reader is situated in the characters' minds and can see everything. Arthur and Gwenhwyfar are perfectly portrayed and expertly crafted in true Arthurian Legend style.

      The plot starts a bit slow and then warms up as the book moves forward. Towards the middle of the book is where the plot starts to thicken and gets even better then, before long you won't be able to tear yourself away from the pages. Everything about this book is amazing, and the best part is, this is only the first of three.
    • 5/5
      This is a fabulous and gritty retelling of the King Arthur legend. No fairies, no sorcery, no Merlin or The Lady of the Lake. Just the legend as it may really have been.
    • 4/5
      I found out about Helen Hollick's Pendragon Banner series because of my love of Merlin the show. I love the love story between Arthur and Guinevere because, before the French got a hold of it and ruined it, it was one of the oldest love stories of the myth of the British Isles. Back before Camelot, chivalry, magic, Merlin and *shudder* Lancelot, the Welsh poems and songs spoke of Arthur and Guinevere. It was much later when the French got a hold of it that the tale was bastardised and Guinevere became a manipulative adulteress, Gawain and Kay's exploits were stolen and given to the French knight, Arthur became a boring, cold, indifferent king and that's what prevailed. I get that there's a market for it, but unfortunately it became so over-blown that no one remembers the origin of the story or the fact that even in the most fanciful tellings, it always ended with Guinevere choosing Arthur. Simple fact - Arthur and Guinevere, if they existed, were destined in every telling of the tale.

      Anyway - this is an interpretation on the myth using it's purest form. Arthur is no king, he's an ambitious warlord. He's ambitious, vicious, cruel, bullying and about as far and away from the age of Chivalry as you could get. He goes to Gwynedd and meets Gwenhyfar and the two bond as children, pledging themselves to each other before he's taken away. ready to take over the Pendragon banner after his father Uthyr is killed in battle. He grows up, becomes for lack of a better word, an insufferably bruttish man whore as he learns the art of war, all the while manipulating the chesspieces around in order to put himself in the ultimate position of strength. This includes marrying another woman and becoming a general in his enemies army.

      Eventually he and Gwynhyfer find their way back together and, as he claims his rights to rule over Britain, it's set up for the next book.

      The battle scenes are brutal and to be honest, Arthur is utterly detestable at times. Despite his deep and honest love of Gwynhyfer, he still can't help but sleep with any willing woman he finds and as someone with no tolerance to infidelity, it is actually pretty hard to take. He's also a liar and a complete bastard at times, yet somehow he still has some sort of charm to him that makes it hard to completely hate him as hard as I try. I don't know, maybe it's because his feelings for Gwen are never in doubt or some deep desire for him to realise that, actually, he's going to come good.

      Rape, dismemberment and torture happen often in the book and although it's hard to read, I guess it's probably bit more realistic than the romanticised versions that we're often sold. The era was called the 'Dark Ages' for a reason.

      Despite it all, I kinda really loved the book. The opposing points of view worked, and even when I wanted someone to please God castrate Arthur before I had to read about more of his man-whoring ways, it was impossible not to root for the romance. Plus, not going to lie, I love that Gwenhyfer kicked serious ass. This is the warrior queen of the legends and I adore that the author used the more traditional aspects of the legends as opposed to sanitising it. I have the other two books ordered and they'll hopefully come this week so I can finish it up.

      After I finish this trilogy and the Dark Materials one though I think I might camp out on chick-lit for a while to catch myself back up in terms of schedule.
    • 3/5
      It's a good read, but not as a King Arthur tale. I don't mind when authors change myths to fit their stories, but I do mind when the change the qualities of the characters that I have grown to love. It's still a good read, I just can't think of the characters in the traditional King Arthur roles.
    • 5/5
      No Merlin, no magic, and no round table. Just swords, fighting, and death. The Kingmaking is one of the most interesting re-tellings of the Arthurian story I've read in years.We meet Arthur and Gwenhwyfar as children when Arthur accompanies Uthr Pendragon to Gwenhwyfar's homeland. Uthr, who has been in exile, comes as war host to fight and attempt to overthrow Vortigern, the current king. When Uthr is killed in the battle, Arthur is finally told that he is Uthr's heir. He is left to carry the Pendragon mantel at a young age, untrained for the role but fully aware of what it means. Gwenhwyfar, knowing she belongs with Arthur, pledges her life to him.Arthur returns home and, to keep peace and build his reputation and forces, he promises his sword to Vortigern. Arthur is not one to be told what to do and constantly disagrees with orders from the king. He is aware of what is expected of him and what others think of his being the Pendragon's heir, but he harbors the need to unite the British and expel the Saxons and is willing to do what he thinks it will take to make that happen. He bides his time but seethes planning to one day overthrow the king.As with most Arthurian tales, there's a huge list of characters. Numerous war lords and Saxons to keep track of and all of their plots and in-fighting to go along with it. The fighting is constant and the living difficult. Treatment of women is despicable and I needed to remind myself several times of the time period and that women were treated at possessions to be bought, sold, and used as peace offerings.Gwenhwyfar stands out in this telling not only as a lady but a warrior but even she is treated as mere cattle at times. I do adore the scenes where she fights though. Let’s just say she gives no second thought to stabbing a man in the heart when necessary.Arthur isn’t the kind, gentle man he is in some stories. He makes quick and sometimes bad decisions, acts before he thinks, and things don’t always work out for him. He’s brutal and can at times be mean and callus --- especially where his first wife, Winifred, is concerned, although in her case it's warranted --- and a womanizer. There are times when you wish he would keep his pants on. All this and I still found him to be an appealing character and I liked that he didn't live a blessed life. He spent his life fighting and it shows.I liked that there was no magic here. It's usually a large part of most Arthurian legends and while you'll find most of the same characters and general story line here, it somehow feels more appealing. I thought it was a great read and it's a fabulous addition to my Arthurian collection. I received this book, and the second installment, Pendragon’s Banner, as gifts and already bought the third. I plan to have no interruptions in my reading of this series. If you’re a fan of Arthurian legend, this one is worth picking up.
    • 5/5
      In this version of the King Arthur story, Arthur is a dark hero. He is young, selfish, ambitious and callous. He makes decisions based on his own desires with little thought to future consequences, making enemies left and right. Yet Ms. Hollick does a fabulous job of letting the reader glimpse just enough of his fears and vulnerabilities to keep him from being unlikeable, and to sway the reader to root for his success. Although there were instances where my reactions to his behavior were so strong I wanted to throw the book across the room, I had to keep reading, dying to find out what would happen next!I thoroughly enjoyed the portrayal of Gwenhwyfar as the young, strong, independent princess of Gwynedd, forced to grow up all too quickly amidst the heartbreak and harsh realities of a chain of events beyond her control; her life on a course so different from that which she'd dreamed of. She is a worthy heroine in this story, and my favorite character in the book.Though it may not be for the faint of heart - abuse against women, rape, murder and gore abound - this is a raw, gritty, realistic telling of the tale as it could have been. Ms. Hollick has done her research on the time period and it comes to life effortlessly within the pages of her first novel. She's also done extensive research on the various versions of the Arthurian legend and has used historical figures and settings to make her story and characters plausible; there are no wizards or knights in shining armor. The Dark Ages in Britain were a time of religious and cultural upheaval as Christianity and other foreign invaders settled on the island and this provides a rich backdrop for the story.Full of heartpounding action, troubled heroes, wicked villains, violence, betrayal and, of course, true love, this well-written book is an intense read and a real page-turner. I look forward to reading the remaining two books in the trilogy.
    • 4/5
      I was one who grew up hearing mystical tales of King Arthur and his magical wizard Merlin so when I first heard what this book was about I didn't think that I would enjoy it. After reading a few reviews it appeared that this book wasn't full of the fantasy folklore and realized I may actually enjoy it. And I enjoyed this novel immensely! Considering the fact that we do not even have evidence that King Arthur actually existed, I think that Hollick did a fabulous job of weaving a story that showed us the life of a young man that would later be the King of Britain.Arthur is introduced in this novel as a fifteen year old that is the son of a menial servant. For some reason Uthr Pendragon has taken a liking to young Arthur and has decided to take this boy under his wing. Uthr's mistress Morgause cannot understand her lord's fascination with the boy and finds herself jealous of the relationship that the two seem to have.When Uthr brings his army to the Gwynedd territory, that is when Arthur has his first glimpse of the lovely Gwenhwyfar. Although she is a young gal at the time, there is something about her that grips his heart. While the army is away at battle their relationship seems to blossom with the time passing. Before Arthur leaves Gwenhwyfar, they pledge their lives and their love for each other.Unfortunately, circumstances and politics seem to have other plans for Arthur. Before too long, Arthur has taken Uthr's place as head of the army that serves King Vortigern. Although Vortigern despises Arthur, he thinks it best to have him in his own employ since he can sense the power that Arthur is developing. As Arthur makes these political decisions, he worries that he may never be able to enjoy the company of his beloved Gwenhwyfar again.I don't want you to think that this book is just a love story between Arthur and Gwenhwyfar, because it is so much more than that. There were many battles that were fought to show his country that he was a worthy king. Many of these scenes were pretty graphic so I found myself cringing in my chair. Especially when Gwenhwyfar was fighting in a couple of the battles herself. She was portrayed as a very strong woman and would do just about anything to serve the ones she loved.As I mentioned earlier, there was only a small amount of magical element in this novel, and that surfaced when Arthur found the sword that he knew he had to possess. I thought this was put into the novel in a way that seemed plausible. Throughout this book you could see the birth of Christianity while the pagan beliefs were falling behind. Many of the characters found themselves practicing both beliefs as they did not want to get rid of their old ways. In one part of the book Arthur was so relieved that he found himself praising his pagan god and the Christian God both in the same breath.The Kingmaking is part of the Pendragon's Banner Trilogy, and the second book, Pendragon's Banner, is now available and I have read plenty of rave reviews of this book also. As I first mentioned, there is no documented evidence that Arthur actually existed, so if you are a reader that prefers accurate historical novels, you may not enjoy this book. If you are looking to read an interesting piece of fiction that sweeps you away to another time and place then I highly recommend it.
    • 5/5
      Not your usual romanticized version of the Arthur legends. The Kingmaking begins in post Roman Britain as the exiled Uthr Pendragon lands in Gwynedd, Wales to join Cunedda in an attempt to overthrow Vortigern and drive the Saxons out of Britain. The battle does not go well, and fifteen year old Arthur is revealed as Uthr's son. Too young and inexperienced to make his claim, Arthur eventually throws in his lot with Vortigern as he learns the arts of war and builds his own army and cavalry. Arthur is in love with the Prince of Gwynedd's daughter Gwenhwyfar, but she is promised to another and he marries Vortigern's delightfully wicked daughter Winifred for her dowry. As Vortigern's pact for peace with the Saxons fails due to treachery, Arthur's time has come to defeat the Saxon Hengest and claim the crown of Britain with Gwenhwyfar as his queen. Although you'll find pretty much the usual characters as you do in other books on the Arthurian legend, what sets this one apart is Hollick's take -- no knights in shining armor, no Merlin and his magic, no Lancelot -- this is a gritty down to earth vision as the author envisions Arthur. Even whilst still young and with a young boy's ideals, Arthur is far from being pure as the driven snow. He drinks, he wenches and when he does lead his army into battle he is a fearsome and ruthless warrior. Winifred and her equally wicked mother schemes both together and behind each other's backs in bids for power were priceless, as well as Winifred's constant plots to get herself back into Arthur's bed, and keep Gwenhwyfar out of it. Gwenhwyfar was nicely portrayed as a young girl growing up a bit of a tomboy in Gwynedd, and while I enjoyed her portrayal as a strong woman there were times she was just a tad bit too independent and feminist. If you're looking for another glorified, romantic version of Arthur with honorable knights, magic and ladies in constant peril waiting for her knight to rescue her then this series is not for you. However, if you're looking for something more down to earth and realistic you might want to give this a whirl - just be warned the battle scenes are brutal and bloody. Interesting side note, apparently Sharon Kay Penman was a friend and/or mentor of Hollick and the book is dedicated to her. I found Hollick's style and sentence structure to be very similar to Penman's earlier work, The Sunne In Splendour - it's a bit different and does take getting used to. Out of print (and some versions quite spendy), but being republished in early 2009. Next up in the series, Pendragon's Banner (Pendragon's Banner Trilogy).
    • 5/5
      Wow! What an amazing beginning to this trilogy and I am hooked. The Kingmaking is Hollick's story of Arthur and the king that he might have been. It begins with our first introduction to Arthur as he meets Gwenhwyfar and finds that someday he might be king. The Kingmaking takes the reader on a journey, both Arthur and Gwenhwyfars', and the struggles and triumphs that may lead to Arthur becoming king. It is a journey filled with blood and battles, love and redemption, and so many other things that make up a great novel. Can I just say right now that I loved this novel? I mean this is historical fiction at its' best and I was entranced. I fell in love with Arthur and Gwenhwyfar's relationship right at the beginning of the story. I felt like Hollick portrayed Arthur realistically so that the reader could see all of his faults along with his strengths. This just helped me to like his character even more although there were times that I wished I could shake him when he was making the "wrong" choices. This was a gritty novel that brought to life the legend of Arthur and made it come across as realistically as possile. Helen Hollick is a very talented writer and the writing flowed for me. For such a long novel (over 500 pages), I found myself knocking off huge chunks at a time as I couldn't put the book down. I flew through this story and when I was finished I instantly wanted more. I'm so excited to read the next portion of this story and can't wait to get my hands on the 2nd book. Here is a taste of Hollick's writing:"Gwenhwyfar smiled at him, her eyes crinkling. She remembered her hand, and shyly withdrew it. She liked him! He made her laugh. With mock sincerity Arthur said, 'I grant you are an exceptional girl, Gwenhwyfar, but a man needs other men.''A man needs a woman to comfort him through the night and to give him sons.' Gwenhwyfar's retort came with a knowing grin."All in all, I absolutely enjoyed this book and am going to highly recommend it. Anyone who enjoys historical fiction should give this one a try as it is an epic tale that kept me on my toes. Seriously, this was a really great read and a huge thanks to Paul at Sourcebooks for sending this one to me.
    • 5/5
      The Kingmaking is Book One of The Pendragon's Banner Trilogy, by Helen Hollick, re-released by Sourcebooks on March 1. An epic undertaking, The Kingmaking is the tale of the mythical King Arthur and his queen Gwynefar, stripped of wizards, magic swords, and mythical ladies rising from lakes. It is the tale of Arthur as he may have been.Many talented writers have spun the tale of Arthur and his knights of the Round Table (Mary Stewart notably comes to mind here), but it took author Helen Hollick to strip away the trappings of myth and magic and write what possibly might be the most compelling account of all.Little is known of England during that murky time period between the abandonment of Rome and the invasion of the Normans in 1066. Hollick takes advantage of this and drawing from what little is known about the Angle, Jute and Saxon warlords that vied for control of England, she paints a vivid portrait of a divided land populated by a widely diverse population caught between their pagan past and the introduction of Christianity .Here we are presented with an Arthur who is a product of these dark times, a complex man who is, in turn, both a brilliant strategist with touching compassion for his people and aHollick acknowledges the guidance of renowned historical fiction author Sharon Kay Penman in her forward - indeed the book is dedicated to her - and the influence shows. A comprehensive afterword to the novel reveals her meticulous attention to historical detail and provides a most satisfying end to this first novel of the trilogy.But perhaps her most impressive strength as an author lies in her development of character, specifically the Pendragon himself. If you are looking for a saint-like Arthur, hoodwinked by his golden Guinivere (Gwynafar), you won't find that here. Arthur is a red-blooded man of his times who takes women at his pleasure, lies and cheats as necessary to take what he feels rightfully belongs to him, yet still manages to remain - by and large - a sympathetic character you will cheer for.Fans of Sharon Kay Penman will appreciate Hollick's complex character development, plot pacing, and attention to historical details while any afficianado of Athurian legend should appreciate this original vision of the myth. This is first-rate writing, indeed.Historical fiction lovers, meet Helen Hollick. Enjoy!
    • 3/5
      Helen Hollick's The Kingmaking is the first of the Pendragon's Banner Trilogy, which will be published in March 2009 by Sourcebooks. Thanks to Paul Samuelson for sending the book along for my review.This first part in the trilogy begins in 450 AD in the midst of the Middle Ages while Britain remained in a tumultous period politically. Arthur is merely a bastard son at the beginning of this novel, and his foster father is kin to Uthr Pendragon. In the first chapters of the novel, Arthur grows into a man while visiting Gwynedd with Uthr and his abusive and cantankerous mistress Morgause. He meets Gwenhwyfar, daughter to Uthr's faithful friend Cunedda, and begins to have deeper feelings than friendship for her. The relationship between Arthur and Gwenhwyfar is rocky in the beginning, but blossoms through understanding and mutual respect. However, there are circumstances surrounding the death of Uthr and a failed attempt to regain control of Britain that hinder the ability of their relationship to grow."The oars lifted then dipped to kiss the white foam. The sail dropped and the ship, tossing her prow like a mare held over-long curbed and kicking high her heels, leapt for the harbour sheltering beneath the imposing fortress that was Caer Arfon." (Page 20)The description in this book helps to set the scene of Britain in the Middle Ages, with its dark and ominous feel, but also its wild beauty. There is more to Britain during this time than readers may remember from their school days. My favorite passage in the book uses description to show Arthur coming into his manhood, along with the other adolescents of Gwynedd."The boys, stripped to the waist, were turning new scythed hay, making idle, breathless conversation as they tossed the sweet smelling, drying grass. Arthur's bruising was a faint memory of shaded yellow against suntanned bronze skin; gone was that weary look of watchfulness and unease, replaced by relaxed laughter and happy contentment. His hair was longer, the close-cropped Roman style beginning to grow, with a slight curl, down his neck and flop across his forehead." (Page 89)Although there is great potential in the descriptive writing, some of the scenes fall flat as the narrative lists actions of the characters rather than showing the characters in action. Unlike the Arthurian legends of old which have mysticism and Merlin at the center of Arthur's rise to power, Hollick's retelling focuses on the realities and abilities of the "real" Arthur and his determination to regain control of Britain after the death of his true father. Readers looking for mysticism and magic will be disappointed with this retelling. However, if readers are easily engaged by books with intrigue, battles, and strategy, this novel will not disappoint.At nearly 600 pages, you can believe Hollick extensively researched her subject and it shows, from her use of place names connected to the regions at the time to the spellings of her main characters. Unfortunately, after 200 pages I stopped reading as certain scenes made me wonder what their purpose was, like when Gwen is aloft in a tree in the prime location to overhear Uthr and Morgause in intimate conversation. Considering the conversation that follows is not integral to the storyline, it makes the reader wonder why Gwen is in the tree in the first place to overhear the conversation. Although portions of the book were a little dry and long, creating nicknames for some of the characters--Gwenhwyfar as Gwen or her brother Osmail as Ozzy--made it easier to become absorbed in the story.