Here Be Dragons (Welsh Princes Series #1)

Tired of the Tudors? Immerse yourself in an unfamiliar court!

This fascinating novel is a must for any lover of court intrigue. It's based on the life of Joanna, the illegitimate daughter of King John. She is married off at an early age to help cement the peace between her father and Llewelyn the Great, king of Wales. Once in Wales, she must establish herself as a wife and a queen in a culture whose rules are quite different from those of England. What follows is as captivating as any romance novel. Even better is knowing that the story, though fictionalized, is based on real people and events.

"Here Be Dragons" is highly recommended for readers of Philippa Gregory and anyone who likes their historic fiction to be firmly grounded in historic fact.

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

A great historical novel.

This is one of my favorite books. It was great to reread this book. She is a really good and writes historical fiction with the best of them.

Sharon Kay Penman writes a wonderfully rich story. She makes th

Sharon Kay Penman writes a wonderfully rich story. She makes the scenery come alive. In this story she has made history an easy read. I definately recommend this book.

Stunning!

Beautiful read...simply sorrowful to put it down. (Deep and satisfied sigh)

Couldnt put it down.

Only read this if you can dedicate the hours it takes to complete the book. It is an amazing time suck. Sadly I learned more about history (minus the authors character liberties) than sitting for an entire semester through Western Civilization pt. 1

Really enjoyed it

Really enjoyed it. You can tell she researched her material thoroughly.

Highly recommended - a must read!

If you love rich characters in a historical setting, this book is absolutely great! My wife and I have been reading this to each other and keep saying to one another how much we are enjoying it. Don't pass this book up.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Interesting

Loved this book, it was so interesting and informative. Never had I realized what Wales went through at the hands of the British--I thought it was just Ireland. It was a book I found hard to put down. I love historically accurate novels and this is one of my favorites.

Enjoyable.

I+like+reading+fiction+that+is+based+on+history.++

Wonderful

Sadly I never knew much about Wales and now I am fascinated. This story and the entire saga was addicting from start to end. I couldn't get enough. Sharon Kay Penman has out done herself again.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

amazing author

I have been reading historic fiction since I was about 12. Penman has ruined me for any author. She is that great. That fact she uses so very few fictional characters makes her books all the better. I always say she does not romanticize the story, but instead humanizes these people from the past and makes them so alive. I believe they said and did these things she has written. Her woman are so contemporary and vital. The men so human, flaws and all. I hate whenever I finish a book, but love to start the next. Unfortunately, I've read them all.

Sharon Kay Penman is an absolute master of historical fiction

I stumbled upon Sharon Kay Penman's books when looking for historical fiction about Eleanor of Aquitaine. What a find! I am only sorry that I have now read most of her books, so don't have too much to look forward to. She brings the characters and medieval times to life and I have a real problem putting her books down. If you enjoy historical fiction, you will love this author.

Why can't I get this as an eBook

This was the first of Penman's books that I have read. I have since read and loved them all, but this is my favourite. Have had to purchase this book once because I wore the first copy to shreds from rereading and again when it was lost during a move.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Worth the read

I will admit that it took about 75 pages before I started to 'get into' the book but once I did, I could not put it down. I am now wanting to read the other books in this series. Penman does a great job of bringing a history with spare written accounts to life. I enjoy reading historical novels and overall was impressed with her ability to write an intriguing story.

What can I say....

Excellent and I just did not want the book to end. I realize this is historical fiction, but I loved the way Penman developed the characters and I can't wait to read the rest of the trilogy. I find myself googling a lot of the events in the book just to get more background and Penman is always right on target with the historical events. I knew nothing about Welsh history until I started this book, which has caused me to look up more information on the time period and events. I will say I'm glad I read the Penman's Henry and Eleanor of Aquataine trilogy first because it helped a great deal to lay the ground work for the Welsh trilogy and a glimpse of the Welsh history prior to Joan going to Wales. My goal is once I finish this trilogy is to read the rest of Penman's books.

Fabulous read!

This was the first Penman novel I read and it's a whopper. I had serious doubts about it in the first chapter...I wasn't certain I'd be able to keep all of the historical figures straight and my unfamiliarity with anything Welsh made it difficult to follow at first. But as it turns out, after that first chapter, I simply could not put this book down. This is not a cheap romance book, folks. Rather, it is an extremely compelling historical novel in which Penman takes real-life people and fills in the historical blanks (personal details which we have no way of knowing for certain). Her research is absolutely meticulous and where historical mistakes are made, she acknowledges them on her website. Whether you are a medieval historian or just curious about this period of history, Penman will deliver a first-rate history lesson and a great tale at the same time.

Wow what a great book!!

I picked this book up our library which sells donated books. It looked interesting, so I gave it a try. I was hooked and read it in 3 days. Then I went out and got all of Sharon Kay Penman's books. I can't wait to read the newest one. Her books arefilled with mystery, intrigue and yes, accurate historical facts.

Incredible

I saw all those reviews of people who had read this book only three times and well I have read it so much that the book is falling apart. I absolutely think that this is the best book for someone needing a good get away read. The characters are enchanting and their lessons still hold true today.

A Great Start To a Great Series

Mary Kay Penman, in my view, has a golden touch with her research, study, and historical fiction about a period that still captures many around the world. I couldn't put it down, and upon finishing it, I had to scarf up all the others. Mary, Great Job, Thanks, Please consider other periods as well. Although the misteries are great, your historical fictional ones capture many hearts, it has mine....

Fictional History at it's best

Read this book at least 3 times. I am from Wales and just loved how the author described the Welsh people and Landscapes, all so true. A really good read into life of the 12th century.