Location: United States
Member Since:
Aug. 01, 2010
Leona Olson
Where to find Leona Olson online
Smashwords book reviews by Leona Olson
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The Ash Spear
on Feb. 25, 2011
The Ash Spear is based in medieval Britain in the 6th century, the Dark Ages, and is the third of the series. The other books are Storyteller and Flight of the Hawk written by G. R. Grove. Gwernin Kyarwyd is an apprentice bard, or storyteller, and this is a story of his journeys and trials. He is telling the story which begins in his seventeenth year and his second year of being an apprentice to become a harper and bard from his teacher Talhaearn Tad Awen. Talhaearn is the pencerdd (head poet) and harper to Cyndrwyn, prince of western Powys in mid-Wales. Gwernim has a love, Rhiannedd, who is "the dark-haired delight of my heart" and she is carrying his child. There are a number of characters in this book that have a close connections and loyalty to each other. Some other characters are Taliesin Ben Beirdd, Ieuan, Ugnach of Caer Sean and Neirin. The names are Welsh and hard to understand at first. I had to go back and read the first chapters to get the names straight. I have not read the other two books and think they may have helped but this can be a stand alone book. I began to pull the pieces together. The book is after the time of King Arthur and Taliesin tells the story of when he was the bard for Arthur and the final battle. One character in the book, Neirin, is going to walk the Dark Path and needs the help of three bards. The Dark Path is a Druidic spiritual rite of passage. It is becoming a true bard. They go to the Island of Mon, The Ash Spear was "the symbol of warfare and manhood but also stood for awen, the poet's inspiration of the bards". I had to find this on researching because somehow I missed the definition in the book. I liked the saying after most chapters" O, my children, is a story for another day" which encourages the reader to keep reading. It was like a bard leaving you waiting. G. R. Grove does an excellent job of descriptions and helps the reader know where the characters are and what they feel. There are emotions, pain, food, drinks, people, daily lives and worry. I really liked this book and look forward to reading her other books. I give it a five star because of the details and leaving me to want to do more research. Go to the authors blog on treGwernin.blogspot.com to see what she is writing. Leona Olson
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Again
on March 06, 2011
First, I want to thank LibraryThing and Diana Murdock for the opportunity to read Again by Diana Murdock. This short novel by Diana Murdock is based on two main characters in different time eras. Both of the main characters have men in their lives that are possessive and the women are looking for passionate romance; the knight on a white horse type of man. The story is about a woman's feelings for real love. The men in the novel are all physically fit and are described as such. Eryn is the modern character and is a successful photographer; she is married to Bryce. Lady Catherine is the medieval noblewoman and it is assumed she will be married to Galen, someone she has known since childhood. Eryn has recurring dreams that bring her back to the time of 1501, the time of Catherine. The chapters switch back and forth between the two women. Both of the main characters have similar happenings in their lives. The book is somewhat based on reincarnation. A book called Twin Souls- Life Beyond Life and a necklace sent to Eryn by her brother are some mentions of the view of reincarnation. I liked the short novel but would have liked more substance in the writings. I received this complimentary ebook to read and review from LibraryThing. The opinions are my own. Leona Olson ( )