The Serpent and the Rose

January 8, 2007
Strong, elegant writing lifts Bryan's fantasy debut. Once upon a time, in the kingdom of Lys, the Young God's forces captured and imprisoned the evil Serpent. Now, a thousand years later, the Serpent's forces are rising again, determined to defeat the Young God's paladins, the Knights of the Rose, and return the great deity to power. Duke Urien leads the opposition against Serpent ally Clodovec, the king of Lys. When Clodovec has Urien poisoned, Urien's daughter, Averil, becomes evil's next target. Averil flees with the Knights of the Rose and befriends Gereint, a commoner whose magical talent could be the greatest in generations—if he manages to learn how to control its tremendous power. In order to stand against the Serpent's forces, Averil and Gereint must bargain with ancient forces long held taboo. Such a bargain, once struck, could leave Averil and her people vulnerable to their own allies. In the crowded epic fantasy field, Bryan's series opener stands out with its intriguing characters and a vivid story rich with potential.

February 15, 2007
As the independent Duchy of Quitaine prepares to defend itself from an attack by the King of Lys, a secret member of the Order of the Serpent, two young peopleAveril, heir to Quitaine and a member of the Ladies of the Isles, and Gereint, a novice of the Knights of the Roseboth wielders of magic, hold within themselves the power to maintain the bindings placed on the Serpent by the Young God they serve. Bryan's debut medieval fantasy reinvents England's Wars of the Roses as a battle between the forces of Order and Chaos. At the core of this series opener lies a tale of two young mages whose personal lives become part of the tides of destiny. Recommended for most fantasy collections.

Copyright 2007 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 15, 2007
A thousand years ago, the Young God defeated the Serpent that ruled the chaos that was then creation but died of his wounds. His followers bound the Serpent and founded the Knights of the Rose and the Ladies of the Isle to keep it bound. Now King Clodovec of Lys' niece Averil is summoned to her duties as heir to the powerful duchy of Quitaine. She must travel secretly, for Quitaine is under subtle attack by Clodovec, an adept who seeks to free the bound god by destroying the Young God's paladins by treachery. In her home city, Averil encounters low-born Gereint, a novice Knight of the Rose with a great gift for magic. A few days later, Clodovec strikes down her father and attacks the paladins in the duchy. She and Gereint are for the moment all who stand against Clodovec and chaos. Bryan uses an archetypal but well-crafted plot and convincing characters and setting to open a series that should please lots of fantasy and romance fans.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2007, American Library Association.)