It is said that long before the Dark Age king of the Britons called Arthur was ever heard of, his golden reign was prophesied, and after decades of invasion and civil violence had wracked post-Roman Britain, his presaged leadership offered a rare promise of future peace. Events leading to that time — some of them full of hope, more often full of sacrifice — inevitably began to fall into place…
When the mysterious druid Myrddin Emrys — known in legend as Merlin the Enchanter — is certain the high king is in imminent danger of yet another assassination attempt, he summons iron-willed spy and master of disguise Marcus ap Iorwerth to unearth the conspirators and destroy their plots. Marcus reluctantly agrees to help after his wife Claerwen, driven by her otherworldly gift of visions, insists that she must accompany him on the quest.
It is soon discovered that Pascentius, the youngest son of an earlier and well-hated king, is allied with dreaded Saxon mercenaries and readily poised to reclaim his father’s throne. But before Marcus and Claerwen can spoil his plans, a second conspiracy of personal revenge closes in on them. Falsely declared fugitives by the very ones they had sought to help, they become trapped in a labyrinthine intrigue between their accusers and the traitors. In a desperate race against time, they must endure hardship and profound personal loss, while pushing Britain towards freedom, peace and the future called Arthur.
In the Shadow of Dragons continues the spectacular four-part Macsen’s Treasure series, blending Dark Age Celtic history, Arthurian legend and extraordinary original characters into an unstoppable, heart-thumping adventure.
Excerpt
"...You have spoken of symbols. They are passed around and celebrated for the glory they represent. But glory is false and fades more quickly than light at sunset. Rather, seek freedom, which is far more important and far more difficult to achieve. It is kept only by day to day, year to year, hard, backbreaking work. It is a matter of survival, not glory. All I have ever wanted is freedom, and for now, we still have it. Nor will I give in as long as I am in this lifetime..."
~ Marcus ap Iorwerth to the high king
Professional Reviews
From Libarary Journal 9/15/01
Answering a call from the druid Myrddin Emrys, also known as Merlin, master spy Marcus ap Iorwerth and his magically gifted wife, Claerwen, embark on a journey to discover the identity of a would-be assassin and track down one of Britain's legendary treasures. Continuing the historical fantasy begun in Into the Path of Gods, Guler brings a new interpretation to pre-Arthurian legends. Blending characters from myth with fictional men and women, she creates a richly detailed Arthurian adventure that belongs in most fantasy collections.
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
From Geoffrey Ashe, author of the acclaimed The Discovery of King Arthur
Modern revelations of what King Arthur's Britain was really like, in the aftermath of Roman rule, have inspired many fictional treatments. But Kathleen Cunningham Guler, portraying a deeply troubled time when Arthur was prophesied but not yet come, succeeds in finding a new approach... This is a very original story, carefully researched and skillfully written.
From Midwest Book Review, Dec 2001
The sequel to Into The Path Of Gods, Kathleen Guler's epic fantasy, In The Shadow Of Dragons, is the second volume in the "Macsen's Treasure" series and continues her superb blend of Dark Age Celtic myth and Arthurian legend in this devious tale of magic, politics, and intrigue. When the enigmantic druid Myrddin Emrys, known in fable as Merlin the Enchanter, becomes certain of yet another assassination plot against the rightful king, he summons a master of disguise to find and destroy the diabolical plots of hidden conspirators. Yet there are more layers to the woud-be coup than even a divine seer can foretell, and the fate of a monarch, his land, and its people lie in the knife-edge balance. A compelling, entrancing, and highly recommended high fantasy -- the kind of book so easy to pick up and so hard to put down!
