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    Named of the Dragon
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    Named of the Dragon
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    Named of the Dragon
    Ebook426 pages7 hours

    Named of the Dragon

    By Susanna Kearsley

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    "I've loved every one of Susanna's books! She has bedrock research and a butterfly's delicate touch with characters—sure recipe for historical fiction that sucks you in and won't let go!"—DIANA GABALDON, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Outlander

    From bestselling author Susanna Kearsley comes a story in which romance and the paranormal combine in a suspenseful Welsh setting to inspire one woman to confront the past and face her own ghosts.

    The charm of spending the Christmas holidays in South Wales, with its rich history, crumbling castles and ancient myths, seems the perfect distraction from the nightmares that have plagued literary agent Lyn Ravenshaw since the loss of her baby five years ago.

    Instead, she meets an emotionally fragile young widow who's convinced that Lyn's recurring dreams have drawn her to Castle Farm for an important purpose—and she's running out of time.

    With the help of a reclusive, brooding playwright, Lyn begins to untangle the mystery and is pulled into a world of Celtic legends, dangerous prophecies, and a child destined for greatness.

    Generations of Welsh history haunt Named of the Dragon, but the light that shines through the shadows is sure to draw fans of Diana Gabaldon, Kate Morton and Kate Mosse.

    Also by Susanna Kearsley:

    The Winter Sea

    The Firebird

    A Desperate Fortune

    The Rose Garden

    The Shadowy Horses

    The Splendour Falls

    Season of Storms

    Mariana

    Bellewether

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherSourcebooks
    Release dateOct 6, 2015
    ISBN9781402258657
    Unavailable
    Named of the Dragon
    Author

    Susanna Kearsley

    New York Times, USA TODAY, and Globe and Mail bestselling author Susanna Kearsley is a former museum curator who loves restoring the lost voices of real people to the page, often in twin-stranded stories that interweave present and past. Her award-winning novels are published in translation in more than twenty-five countries. She lives near Toronto. Visit her at SusannaKearsley.com or follow her on Twitter @SusannaKearsley.

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    Reviews for Named of the Dragon

    4/5

    138 ratings15 reviews

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    • 3/5
      What grabbed my attention about this book was the Welsh setting and the Arthurian legend tie-ins. The writing was beautiful, especially the lovely descriptions of Angle, Pembrokeshire, however I never felt truly engaged in the story itself.The main character, Lyn, is a literary agent spending Christmas holiday at Castle Farm in Wales with one of the authors she represents. Lyn's baby boy died five years prior, and the grief still weighs heavily on her. In Angle, she meets a strange young woman with a baby boy of her own. The woman (Elen) believes her son is in danger, and soon Lyn has dreams of a mysterious woman in blue who tries to convince her to protect her own child. While all this is going on, Lyn has a slow-building romance with a curmudgeonly Welsh playwright named Gareth.While I adore Arthurian legends and Celtic myths, their connection to the present-day story wasn't that convincing. Lyn and Gareth were solid characters, but I thought the supporting cast fell flat. I was surprised by the outcome of the mystery (what/who was threatening Elen's baby). While not my favorite book of Kearsley's, I did enjoy experiencing a Christmas in Wales.Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
    • 5/5
      Named of the Dragon is the second book I've read by Susanna Kearsley and I think she is my new favorite light read author! I'm not really sure how to classify her genre-wise. This novel was an atmospheric story about a literary agent who goes to a small village in Wales on holiday with some friends, and gets drawn into the life of a young woman who is afraid for the safety of her baby. There was some light romance and a touch of paranormal, and the plot was engaging and suspenseful. Although this book did not have as significant a historical aspect as the other I have read by Kearsley (The Winter Sea), there was a little bit, related to the paranormal parts. Reviewers have compared Kearsley to both Mary Stewart (historical and romantic suspense) and Daphne du Maurier (suspense, romance, known for Rebecca), and I think both comparisons are accurate. Kearsley's novels are the perfect engaging travel reading and/or comfort read, and she will definitely be a go-to author for me when I am looking for that sort of book!
    • 4/5
      Lyn Ravenshaw takes a Christmas holiday in South Wales with her best client. The death of her baby son devastated her marriage and her life. She is an book agent. She becomes entangled with a threat to a baby with a supernatural twist. Well written, good characters.
    • 5/5
      Finally back in print after being unavailable for many years, this is a terrific book. Unlike Kearsley's later work, this sticks to a contemporary storyline, with hints of history and Arthurian legend in dreams. The characterizations are delightful.Agent Lyn Ravenshaw accepts the invitation of one of her authors to spend Christmas in Wales. Bridget, her boyfriend James, his brother Christopher, and their neighbors are all quite welcoming--except the local playwright, Gareth Gwyn Morgan, who suspects Lyn of plotting to steal him from his own agent. Lyn, still devastated by the loss of her baby five years ago, is initially quite shaken to learn that there is a small child living next door. When Stevie's mother, who fears that he will be stolen by a dragon, latches onto her as his savior, even Lyn's dreams turn strange. But there are hints of real danger, not just the products of a disordered mind. Gareth may be her only hope of saving the boy.Not as paranormal as some of Kearsley's novels, and not as much of a genre romance. But very satisfying all the same.
    • 4/5
      4.5 starsThis is my first Susanna Kearsley book but will certainly not be my last.Mythical, magical, and alluring, I savored NAMED OF THE DRAGON. Quotes from Tennyson, Shakespeare, and others head up the chapters and sections, a foreshadowing of events to come. As a lover of Tennyson and Arthurian legend, with a special fondness for Merlin, the hints of otherworldliness focusing on their lore and actual historical events drew me like a moth to a flame. It’s always a pleasure when the locale is so vividly painted that it and its history are as integral to the story as the characters. Wales is very much alive in NAMED OF THE DRAGONThe characters are realistically drawn and it’s easy to imagine spending time with them, even Gareth. He struck me as not so much a jerk as wary and guarded. He was actually my favorite male character. Lyn is reserved and classy yet relatable. She possesses a sense of humor as well as many other admirable qualities and I enjoyed her immensely. There’s a subtlety that inexorably drew me in and I relished the gradual build up while the parallels between the modern day mysterious doings and mythical/historical “events” had me questioning every characters intentions and actions. The climax was all I could have hoped for and the ending was spot on. Ms. Kearsley’s back list has been added to my list and I can hardly wait to begin our next adventure.Reviewed for Novels Alive TV & Manic Readers
    • 4/5
      London literary agent Lyn Ravenshaw accepts the invitation of one of the her clients, children’s writer Bridget Cooper, to spend the Christmas holiday with her in Angle, a small town in Pembrokeshire, South Wales, at the home of Bridget’s latest boyfriend. This boyfriend happens to be James Swift, an excellent author, and the thought of snagging him as a client adds to the appeal of the sojourn for Lyn. Bridget confesses that she actually thinks James is rather dull, but “James isn’t the only interesting man in Angle.” Bridget is thinking of Gareth Gwyn Morgan, a young reclusive Welsh playwright who has not published anything since “Red Dragon Rising” seven years before. That play told the story of Owen Glendower’s fifteenth-century rebellion. [Owen Glendower, or more properly Owain Glyn Dŵr, was a 15th Century Welsh ruler and the last native Welshman to hold the title Prince of Wales. He led a long-running but ultimately unsuccessful revolt against the English rule of Wales. Upon his death, Glendower acquired a mythical status along with Cadwaladr, Cynan and Arthur as the hero awaiting the call to return and liberate the Welsh people. Fans of Maggie Stiefvater will of course recognize him as the focus of "The Raven Cycle" series.]Bridget had met Gareth on a previous trip to stay with James, and found Gareth intriguing, especially because he didn’t seem at all interested in her.Lyn is widowed; Shortly after her husband died in a car crash, she also lost their child, Justin, who died shortly after birth. This was all five years ago. Since then, Lyn, still only 29, has had recurring nightmares about losing Justin.When Lyn and Bridget reach Angle, Lyn meets James and his handsome brother Christopher, but any speculation on who Lyn might end up with ends when she goes for a walk and comes upon a dog, always a sure sign with Kearsley of Relationships to Come. In this case, the dog belongs to none other than the mysterious Gareth. Of course, the two react hostilely toward one another immediately, another clue.Meanwhile, Lyn’s dreams have taken on a new shape since she arrived at the old house in Angle. These dreams feature a woman who repeatedly asks Lynn to protect a young boy. Lynn thinks these dreams might have been triggered by the fact that there is a young mother and son, Elen and Stevie Vaughan, living next door. Elen, believed by townspeople to be daft since her own husband died in a fishing accident, is convinced a dragon is out to steal her son. The men of the house, however, are all protective of her. Owen, the caretaker, explains to Lyn that Elen isn’t mad at all:"‘No, Elen knows what’s real,’ he told me, certain. ‘She’s just inherited her mother’s way of seeing things, the Celtic way that sees the past and future worlds all blended in with ours. That isn’t mad, it’s Welsh.’”Indeed, that might also be a statement about the dream subplot of the story.While all this is going on, there is still time for sightseeing, and Lyn discovers the area is rich in history. Not only are there many legends associated with Arthur and Merlin in the area, but Henry VII, the first Tudor king, was born at Pembroke in 1457. Thus we learn, along with Lyn, a great deal about early Welsh and Tudor history. As usual, Kearsley manages to impart history lessons smoothly, just making it part of the conversation among the characters.As the Christmas sojourn continues, all the relationships work themselves out, and the meaning of the dreams becomes more clear to Lyn.Discussion: This is one of Kearsley’s earlier books, originally published in 1999. Her books since that time use the same basic structure but are written more skillfully. Still, this is a very enjoyable book. And it is definitely romantic, in spite of not one single kiss between the two main protagonists. As usual, Kearsley provides a lot of history for readers, and it is quite interesting.I’m quite glad Sourcebooks decided to republish this book. Kearsley is an entertaining author, and I always learn a great deal from her well-researched books, while enjoying atmospheric countries and some romance on the side!
    • 4/5
      Lynette Ravenshaw is a widowed literary agent in London, presumed to still be grieving the loss of her son during childbirth. At the request of one of the authors she represents, Bridget Cooper, she decides to head to Wales for the Christmas holidays. They will be staying with an award-nominated author looking for a new agent. What she doesn't know is that Bridget is looking to seduce a local playwright and only wants Lyn to accompany her for the express purposes of keeping company with their host in Named of the Dragon by Susanna Kearsley.Bridget Cooper is a popular author with a reputation of being difficult. Lynette, or Lyn, has been Bridget's agent for four years, and although she finds Bridget taxing at times she actually likes her. It is primarily for this reason that she decides to forego her family's Christmas in Canada and travels to Wales for the holiday with Bridget. Unbeknownst to either of them, the next door neighbor to their host is also widowed and with an infant son. Elen Vaughan might be considered flighty or taken with flights of fancy, but she thinks she's heard the voice of Merlin and dreams that the "white dragon" from the local tower is after her son. Being exposed to an infant is difficult enough for Lyn, but her dreams seem to be mirrors of Elen's dreams. Is this the reason that Elen has latched onto Lyn as the one meant to save her son? Named of the Dragon is a reprint of an older title by Ms. Kearsley and I'm glad it's back in print. This particular story takes elements of Arthurian legend and Merlin's prophecies, mixed with the history of the Tudor family, specifically Henry VII, into a modern story of a fatherless son, a whimsical mother sworn to protect her child, and the mystery surrounding his paternity. Added into the mix is the friendship between Lyn and the local playwright, Bridget's quest to seduce the local playwright, and the author hosting their holiday visit plans to romance Bridget. Yes, it does sound deliciously twisted, but Ms. Kearsley takes these twists and provides a delightful story that borders on being gothic. I found this to be a fast-paced read and was only slowed down by several severe migraine episodes. (I hated putting Named of the Dragon aside, but since it was difficult to hold my head upright I allowed the migraine to override my reading preference.) I enjoyed the history, folklore, and legends provided in the story, as well as the romance and intrigue. If you've never read anything by Ms. Kearsley then Named of the Dragon is a good place to start. If you've read any of her current works, then you'll definitely want to grab a copy of Named of the Dragon. I've said it before and it bears repeating, I look forward to reading more from Ms. Kearsley in the future.
    • 4/5
      Lyn, a literary agent, is invited to spend Christmas with a couple of authors in Wales. The Overdrive description makes this sound sombre and creepy: nightmares that have plagued her since the death of her baby… painful memories… meets Elen, an emotionally fragile widow… mysteriously afraid for her son’s safety. But although Lyn and Elen’s respective backstories are sad, Named of the Dragon is not. It has warmth and a web of relationships like something from a comedy of manners.(Lyn’s client/friend Bridget is spending Christmas with her latest boyfriend and insists that Lyn come too: James wants a new agent and Bridget wants Lyn to distract him, because Bridget’s got her eye on another man. Another writer, who mistakenly assumes that Lyn’s turned up to hound/recruit him. And then there’s Elen and how she fits into this community…)I liked the historical details about Tudor kings and the references to Arthurian legends, and how they were woven in with everything else. I enjoyed Lyn’s confidence in dealing with writers with strong personalities and the delight she finds in exploring the scenery and history of coastal Wales. The mystery of her dreams and Elen’s fears was a good amount of suspense with a hopeful resolution. I still have half a dozen Kearsley novels to read. This is a very comforting prospect.“Oh, brilliant. A fall from up there would be much more impressive.”“I’m not going to fall.”“No, you’re not,” he agreed, “because I’m coming with you.” [...] “That’s far enough,” he said. “You can see all you need to see from here.”But in defiance I went one step higher, spreading my stance to the buffeting wind and enjoying the feel of achievement. I felt like I was standing on the prow of some great ship, with all the other towers bowed beneath me, supplicant. All around me, to both west and east, a muddy-bottomed tidal river flowed and pooled about the castle walls, the water slow and idle now, with nothing to defend.
    • 4/5
      Susanna Kearsley is one of my new favorite authors. I love spending a few hours in her novels. She is very descriptive, and I love her characters. Her books remind me of the really good Mary Stewart gothic romances that I grew up reading (and many of which I still enjoy). This was one of my favorites by this author.
    • 4/5
      This was another good book by Susanna Kearsley, but not in the league of my favourite one by her - Mariana - which would make my favourite books list. There was a good story in this in the current time frame and a good and interesting group of characters had been pulled together; however whilst the back story had good connections to Merlin, Henry Tudor and Owain Glyn Dŵr there was not enough of the historical element in this book for my liking. A very light touch connection compared to what I was expecting and this is why the book is not rated higher, even though I did enjoy the story and there was a surprise at the end of the book.
    • 3/5
      Lots of gorgeous writing about long rambling walks along the sea and moors-- and not much else.
    • 5/5
      Lyn Ravenshaw travels to Wales in the company of one of her clients for Christmas. Bridget is an author and quite a character. She is going to stay with another author named James Swift, who is likely looking for a new agent, but she's in pursuit of another man. Gareth Gwyn Morgan is a reclusive playwright that Lyn's company really, really wants to sign.Lyn finds herself in the middle of Bridget's romantic plot but is more concerned with the plight of a young widow named Elen and her baby named Stevie. Lyn has a problem with babies. She's still grieving the death of her infant Justin. She is alarmed and disturbed to learn that Elen sees her as a protector for her son on the basis of dreams of Merlin and a woman named Margaret.Lyn also finds that the recurring nightmares which have plagued her since the death of her baby are also now featuring Margaret and Merlin. She doesn't want to believe in anything mystical and investigates to see who might be playing mean pranks on Elen who is already emotionally fragile.Lyn is aided in her investigation by Gareth who has named himself Elen's protector because of his friendship with her deceased husband. Lyn and Gareth's relationship is a slow growing one. They get off to quite a bad start since he's reclusive and suspicious of her motives since her company has been very intent on signing him to their literary agency. She just thinks that he's rude even while greatly admiring his work as a playwright.The story is infused with Welsh mythology and is also very emotionally intense. Katherine Kellgren does a wonderful job portraying and ramping up the drama in the story.
    • 5/5
      Couldn't put it down. Saying more is spoiling it for you.
    • 5/5
      Lyn Ravenshaw is a London literary agent whose star client is Bridget, a volatile children’s book author. She’s invited Lyn with her to Wales for the Christmas holiday. While there, Lyn encounters the Swift brothers, as well as Gareth Glyn Morgan, a famous playwright. She also meets Elen, a young widow whose eight-month-old son stirs up feelings in Lyn that bring back memories of the loss of her own child, five years before.Another strong offering from Susanna Kearsley, although not my favorite novel of hers. I love the bleak, desolate setting, and the historical backdrop to the story provides some wonderful atmosphere. I also liked the interplay of historical eras: the ancient Welsh kings and the old Arthurian legends; the more recent Normans; and the even more recent Tudors, one of whom features in Lyn’s dreams. The psychological suspense is also top-notch, though I thought that Lyn’s “turnaround” with Stevie was a little too abrupt. But in all, this was an entertaining read; Kearsley always knows how to suck her reader in. I’ll be looking to read The Splendour Falls next—if I can get my hands on a copy of it.
    • 3/5
      mystery/ fantasy mixed. Most of Kearsley's books are hard to find and very expensive