The Du Lac Chronicles
By Mary Anne Yarde
A generation after Arthur Pendragon ruled, Briton lies fragmented into warring kingdoms and principalities.
Eighteen-year-old Alden du Lac ruled the tiny kingdom of Cerniw. Now he half-hangs from a wooden pole, his back lashed into a mass of bloody welts exposed to the cold of a cruel winter night. He’s to be executed come daybreak—should he survive that long.
When Alden notices the shadowy figure approaching, he assumes death has come to end his pain. Instead, the daughter of his enemy, Cerdic of Wessex, frees and hides him, her motives unclear.
Annis has loved Alden since his ill-fated marriage to her Saxon cousin—a marriage that ended in blood and guilt—and she would give anything to protect him. Annis’s rescue of Alden traps them between a brutal Saxon king and Alden’s remaining allies. Meanwhile, unknown forces are carefully manipulating the ruins of Arthur’s legacy.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Cover Art: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Mary Anne Yarde’s The Du Lac Chronicles is a rich, sweeping saga set in post-Arthurian Britain — a generation after King Arthur’s reign has ended and the land is fractured into warring Saxon kingdoms.
The protagonist, Alden du Lac, is Lancelot’s son: once the king of Cerniw, he’s now broken and betrayed, his back literally bloodied and chained, awaiting execution.
His salvation comes from Annis, the daughter of his sworn enemy, King Cerdic of Wessex — a brave, complicated woman who defies her father to rescue him.
What makes the book compelling is how Yarde balances political intrigue, romance, and myth. The world she builds feels grounded (drawing on historical fact) yet lyrical, with tensions of war, loyalty, and legacy blending beautifully with Arthurian legend.
Alden and Annis’s relationship is emotionally charged — they’re on opposite sides of a brutal conflict, and their bond forces them to reckon with betrayal, identity, and what it means to rule.
However, it’s not all smooth sailing: some readers feel the language can be too modern for the 5th-century setting, which occasionally breaks the immersion.
And while the romance and adventure are strong, there are moments when pacing slows or character motivations feel repetitive.
But these are relatively minor issues compared to the epic scope and emotional weight of the story.
No comments:
Post a Comment