I am once again working with The Coffee Pot Book Club to introduce you to your next favourite read! You have to check out Cynthia Ripley Miller's third book in The Long-Hair Saga.
AD 455. Arria Felix and her husband, Garic the Frank, have safely delivered a sacred relic to Emperor Marcian in Constantinople. But now, Arria and Garic will accept a new mission. The emperor has asked them to carry the sword of King David of Israel to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem where Arria will dedicate it in her murdered father’s memory.
As Arria and Garic travel into the heart of the Holy Land, they face many challenges and dangers. Their young daughter is missing then found in the company of a strange and suspicious old monk. A brutal killer stalks their path. And a band of cold-blooded thieves is determined to steal the sword for their own gains. But when Arria confronts the question of where the sword should truly rest—old friendships, loyalties, and her duty are put to the test like never before. At every turn, Arria and Garic find themselves caught in a treacherous mission wrapped in mystery, murder, and A Sword Among Ravens.
My Review
I have to admit that I was slightly apprehensive about reading the third book in The Long-Haired Saga, as I had not read the first two books of the trilogy. But the blurb from this novel sounded enticing, and I was ensured that this novel did, in fact, stand-alone. So, I took a chance and agreed to read it. I am so glad that I did!
This story is about a lost relic of the biblical King David. David’s Sword is a relic of great value, and there were many people who longed to possess it for its financial worth - after all such a relic would come with a huge price tag, and a great deal of money could be made by selling it. There is one small issued with the Sword itself, and that is the curse that has been placed upon it. Therefore, it must be taken back to The Holy Lands. Arria and Garic (husband and wife) are entrusted to take the Sword to The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. But getting the Sword to its destination is thwarted with difficulties and danger - which makes this book a-sit-on-the-edge-of-your-seat kind of read.
Arria was a character that I quickly came to love. She is a very brave, very loyal, and also very forgiving—I have to be honest, I would not have been quite so quick to forgive, in some cases, as she was.
There are antagonists aplenty in this story. In fact, there is a huge cast list, but the author is so skilled at storytelling that I knew right from the start who everyone was and what role they were going to play.
Fifth century Jerusalem is not an era that is often depicted in historical fiction, and in truth, it is not an era that I know that much about. The author has undoubtedly piqued my interest in this era.
I thought this novel was fabulous from beginning to end. Now that I know how the story ends, I guess I should really go back and read the other books in the sage so that I know how it begins.
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Cynthia Ripley Miller
Cynthia is the author of On the Edge of Sunrise, The Quest for the Crown of Thorns, and A Sword Among Ravens, books 1-3 in her Long-Hair Saga series set in Late Ancient Rome, France, and Jerusalem. Cynthia lives outside of Chicago with her family, along with a cute but bossy cat.
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Thank you so much for reading my book and your fabulous review. It's much appreciated. Cynthia
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