Come Back to Me

October 22, 2001
The alliance forged between the Saxon and Norse in the first two installments of Litton's medieval-era trilogy (Dream of Me; Believe in Me) is bolstered by another arranged marriage in this spirited tale of love and betrayal. Frightened by the prospect of having to marry a fierce Viking lord, Rycca, the fiery daughter of a callous Saxon lord, disguises herself as a boy and escapes from her home only to run unwittingly into her husband-to-be, Dragon Hakonson. Despite her attraction to the mysterious and surprisingly gentle warrior, Rycca flees, taking with her the heady memory of their brief but passionate tryst. Dragon eventually finds her, but when he realizes that his "warrior woman" is really his errant betrothed, he feels betrayed. Nevertheless, he marries Rycca and takes her back to his settlement. His initial uncertainty eventually gives way to a deep-seated love, but their relationship is put to the test when someone sabotages the community and leaves evidence incriminating Rycca. The novel's conclusion, which assembles the protagonists from Litton's earlier entries, is anticlimactic, but their joyful reunion will please fans. Litton excels at depicting realistically flawed, charismatic protagonists, and this tale, despite its one-dimensional secondary characters and predictable plot, is a fitting finale. (Nov. 6)Forecast:Hitting bookstores only a month after Litton's debut, this novel will likely benefit from the hype surrounding the release of that two-in-one volume. Although the recent political events may dampen readers' enthusiasm for this final entry, Bantam is clearly confident that it's holding on to a gem of an author. Indeed, Litton's next novel,
Dream Island, is already in the hopper for February 2002.

September 15, 2001
In late-ninth-century England, King Alfred is on the throne, and an uneasy peace reigns between the Norse and Saxons thanks to his efforts. What better way to ensure this alliance than to forge marriages between the two? This is the foundation of Litton's trio of engaging novels. "Dream of Me" begins the saga with the tale of the infamous Viking, Wolf Hakonson. Wolf wants peace for his people and offers marriage to Cymbra, sister of the powerful Lord Hawke of Essex. "Believe in Me" tells the story of Hawke and his intended Norse bride, the fey Lady Krysta; and the final volume, "Come Back to Me," involves Dragon Hakonson, Wolf's brother, and the strong-willed Saxon, Lady Rycca. Although suspension of disbelief is required a bit more in the second book than in the other two because of some dabbling in magical realism, all three share the same wonderful characteristics as they take the reader on an enjoyable journey through a well-drawn period of history. The setting, an integral part of the stories, comes vividly to life and is skillfully woven into the fabric of the characters' experiences. The characters themselves are magnetic and fully dimensional. The large and powerful men and the women, each different but with her own special "gift," are smart, funny, and believable. Readers will be captivated as each relationship unfolds, and as the series closes, they'll be anxious to devour Litton's next trilogy. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2001, American Library Association.)