The Oath

This book is a richly described journey that will enthrall readers. While it starts off slowly, the author quickly develops the main characters and provides the context for the underlying story. This is a story of a clash of cultures at its best. The Druid Caelym is attempting to succeed in his mission to "rescue" Annwr and his children. The Druid priestess/Saxon slave/nursemaid Annwr struggles with her memories of the life she was ripped away from compared to the simplistic life she currently has. Aleswina the Christian novice grapples with the knowledge of Annwr's past, life outside the convent, and all that Caelym exposes her to. The ever present threat of politics looms over the trio as they seek safety.
The author skillfully wove Druid traditions into the character development of both Caelym and Annwr. There is also a glimpse as to the persecution of the Druid way of life by their Christian counterparts. The continuing travels of the companions prove to be fodder for some epic storytelling in the future installments of this series.
I received an advanced copy of this title via the publisher.

This is an imaginative book! It's filled with Druid and Saxon wisdom and hilarious characters. This is historical fiction that keeps you riveted to its pages. The British Dark Ages are a very dangerous and intriguingly irresistible time.

Our priest is very funny with his inner thoughts and mannerisms. His ideas kept me throughly entertained. I wanted to cheer him on in. I absolutely enjoyed him. I laughed aloud at his antics.

Our princess was sweet and dutiful. She didn't want a forced marriage and so she turned to her servant for help. They embark upon a perilous journey. Watching these two make their way was also very amusing in how they dealt with situations.

This is a slower paced book but it makes up for that with the inner musings and ideas of its characters. If you want a book that will make you think as it entertains you, this is it!

This is a beautifully imagined story that immediately captured my attention. Though I love history, this is a time I know very little about and I relished immersing myself in the period. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the small cast of fascinating characters, each with their own ideas of how approach their adventure.

The story felt a little slow in the middle, but I kept reading and I’m glad that I did. This is a fascinating historical chronicle and the cover perfectly represents the book.

This is the first in a five-book series called The Druid Chronicles. I’m definitely looking forward to the second installment.

Thanks to NetGalley and She Writes Press for the free copy.

The Oath is the first installment of a five novel series set during Britain’s Dark Ages. It tells the story of two druids and a Christian. Annwr is the chief priestess’s sister who was abducted by Saxons fifteen years ago. Caelym is a priest who is sent to rescue her. Before they leave to go back to their kingdom, they are joined by a Saxon princess named Aleswina, who is desperate to escape a horrible suitor. The three of them embark on a dangerous mission that none of them could have anticipated.

The three main characters are Annwr, Caelym, and Aleswina. Each of these characters are very complex and are fully fleshed out characters. Annwr and Caelym have very tragic backgrounds. My heart ached for them through their pain. I thought that Annwr was a very capable and strong woman. She was very wise. I thought of her as a survivor who endured a lot of pain. Caelym had a lot of grief. Two of his sons were taken by the Saxsons and their whereabouts are unknown. Therefore, Caelym has a strong determination to find his missing sons. He was the most sympathetic of the three characters, and I kept hoping he would find them. Aleswina is probably the most fascinating and developed character in the novel. She starts off as a damsel in distress, but later grows stronger over time. Thus, all three of the main characters were very compelling.

Overall, this novel is about loss, prejudices, and religion. All the other supporting characters were developed well. The story does start slowly but later on it picks up speed. I was disappointed with the ending because there were some loose ends. Still, this was mostly a journey story that had a touch of intrigue and mystery. I also thought Ms. Linden did an excellent job in depicting Britain's turbulent Dark Ages. I like how she discussed the religious conflict of the era. Thus, this novel was meticulously researched and the writing was lush and evocative. The Oath is an exceptional start to a promising series! I recommend this novel for fans of Signe Pike, Melanie Karsak, and Nicole Evelina!

Many years ago, Annwr, the sister of a Druid cult’s chief priestess was kidnapped by Saxons. And yet, the prophecy of an oracle says that Annwr still lives, and Caelym, a young druid priest, is sent to find her, and bring her home.

What Caelym doesn’t expect is that Annwr might be reluctant to return to a life she hasn’t lived for years. Annwr was given the role of caring for the orphaned Saxon princess, Aleswina, and Aleswina has become like a daughter to Annwr. Aleswina is in a convent, with Annwr living nearby, and Annwr does not know if she can simply leave Aleswina and go home.

However, there is no need for Annwr to do any decision-making, for Aleswina makes the choice for her. Aleswina finds out that her cousin, a simply dreadful man, plans to marry her, and she will not stand by and let that happen. The Saxon princess joins the two Druids, and they flee together.

This book does start out a little slow, and I found my attention starting to wane a little in the first few chapters. When the story really got started, though, once the three characters start on their journey, I found I couldn’t put the book down. It did take a little while, but once I got into it, I was hooked. I read the entire book in a day.

My absolute favourite character had to be Caelym. He is on a mission, not only to find Annwr, but also to find his two young sons. He is certainly determined, and nothing will stop him. Caelym’s inner monologue is hilarious to read, for he is incredibly sarcastic. Annwr is equally sarcastic, and their conversations were enough to make me laugh out loud as I read. Caelym is always doing what he can to help, and gain some praise, and Annwr is incredibly reluctant to give it to him, always managing to see the things he does as attention-seeking, rather than helpful. Together, they make a very humorous pair.

Aleswina is set a little behind Caelym and Annwr. She is not in the spotlight so much, but she is also completely out of her comfort zone. She is a Saxon princess, and yet, she is living on the run with two Druids, who have different customs, and know how to survive in the wild. She is completely dependent on them to keep her safe. And yet, Aleswina is an incredibly loving and kind person, who would do almost anything to keep Annwr safe, although she would be, perhaps, a little more hesitant over what she would do to keep Caelym safe – they do not exactly have the most conventional way of getting to know each other!

The historical detailing of this novel is fabulous. The author has done an excellent job in making you feel like you are traipsing through the woods with the characters, and listening to Caelym and Annwr bicker. I don’t think that I’ve read many books starring druid priests before, and I certainly do not know much about their culture. I know decidedly more about Aleswina’s religion, and I almost felt like I was by her side, slowly learning as she learnt.

The characters’ backstories are revealed slowly, with information coming to light as and when it is required. This was an excellent way to do this, for not knowing everything definitely keeps you invested in the story, and there is no information dump to bore you. Instead, you are kept desperate for more snippets of, in particular, Caelym’s past, and what happened between Annwr being abducted, and Caelym coming to find her.

This is the kind of book you are not sure you need in your life until you read it. Caelym quickly became a favourite character, and I simply adored the humorous thoughts and conversations. If you are interested in this era, or want a book you can really get invested in, this is the one you need.