The Brothers Of Gwynedd book one Sunrise in the West

Title- The Brothers of Gwynedd, The Legend of the First True Prince of Wales, a quartet
Book 1- Sunrise In the West
Author- Edith Pargeter
Publisher - Sourcebooks Casablanca
Publication Date May 1, 2010

A Burning Desire for One Country, One Love, and One Legacy That Will Last Forever.
Llewelyn, prince of Gwynedd, dreams of a Wales united against the English, but first he must combat enemies nearer home. Llewelyn and his brothers—Owen Goch, Rhodri, and David—vie for power among themselves and with the English king, Henry III. Despite the support of his beloved wife, Eleanor, Llewelyn finds himself trapped in a situation where the only solution could be his very downfall...

Originally published in England as four individual novels, The Brothers of Gwynedd transports you to a world of chivalry, gallant heroes, and imprisoned damsels; to star-crossed lovers and glorious battle scenes; and is Edith Pargeter’s absorbing tale of tragedy, traitors, and triumph of the heart.
(from the publisher)

My Thoughts On Book 1- Sunrise in the West

When the book first opens we see a Wales that has been united by the Great Prince Llewelyn. Upon his death we soon discover that his work has been undone by his grandchildren, and the English King Henry III is quickly encroaching upon Wales. Unfortunately rather than coming together for the good of Wales, we see that David and Llewelyn are pitted against each other rather than joining forces. Sunrise in the West is an epic tale of brother against brother, crown and country, novel that focuses on the beginning of the war between Wales and England. Not only does it focus on the relationship of those two countries, it also focuses upon the relationship between people, which adds depth to the story.

Although I enjoyed the way the story was narrated by Samson, who was born the same day as Llewelyn and also a clerk and companion to Llewelyn. I felt that the first part of the Sunset in the West was a bit slow going, and read more as a who’s who in early Wales. Finally by chapter two the flow of the story peaked up and I found out that I could not put the book down.

Not only was the story interesting I enjoyed the fact the it focuses on the Welsh princes and people rather that the normal English based stories. I also found the wording to be rich which enhances the story greatly. The only down side I found was that even though there was a mini-glossary in the back of the book it left out the critical Welsh pronunciation key, which is much needed when reading a book containing a language that words are composed of more consonant than vowels.

Overall this is one of my favorite books and I cannot wait to read the next part The Dragoon at Noonday.

Don’t forget to join our reading group discussion

Remember! Chat 1 will be hosted by Amy on http://www.passagestothepast.com/ on Monday, May 24 from 7pm-9pm EST. Please join us when you can, and join in the conversation in the comments (and remember to frequently refresh the page to see the latest comments!). Amy and I will have some discussion questions/topics to get things started, but bring your own as well. Tell us what you loved, what you didn’t love, and your thoughts overall!

Want to read what other’s have to say about Sunrise in the West.




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This ARC was provided as part of Sourcebooks Summer Reading Club.