"Terrific fantasy"
Knights Templar Commander Renaud de Bracineaux kills
his enemy without a second thought of remorse. The
daughter of his latest victim, Caitriona is heartbroken
that the merciless Renaud killed her father, a Celtic
Crusader. Seeking vengeance for this unnecessary murder,
Caitriona purloins a letter from Renaud that claims to name
the location of THE MYSTIC ROSE, known in many circles as
the Holy Grail. Caitriona decides to find THE MYSTIC ROSE in Spain, but
Renaud gives chase. War between the Infidel Moors and the
Pope's Army of God occurs on the Iberian Peninsular adding
danger to Caitriona's quest. However, ultimately the real
peril is when Renaud and the Templars catch up to battle
with Caitriona and her Celtic soldiers even as she drinks
from the Holy Grail. The deep descriptions of this novel are a two edged
sword. They give readers a wonderful look at the past in
fascinating yet extrinsic locales rarely used in
literature, but also slows down the action. The story line
is deep and for the most part moves forward rapidly though
a modern day subplot seems bizarrely out of context. Still
Caitriona is an intrepid soul whose actions make the plot
succeed for those readers who relish a rich historical
novel. Harriet Klausner
Reviewed by PNR Group Member
Posted September 12, 2001
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