Circle of Ceridwen Saga Series by Octavia Randolph

It is the year 871. Of seven Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, five have fallen to the invading Vikings. No trait is more valued than loyalty, and no possession more precious than one's steel. Across this war-torn landscape travels fifteen year old Ceridwen, now thrust into the lives of the conquerors.Epic...immensely satisfying...an impressive achievement - Historical Novel Society The English Adventure loved by over 100,000 readers in 125 countries.. moreIt is the year 871. Of seven Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, five have fallen to the invading Vikings. No trait is more valued than loyalty, and no possession more precious than one's steel. Across this war-torn landscape travels fifteen year old Ceridwen, now thrust into the lives of the conquerors.Epic...immensely satisfying...an impressive achievement - Historical Novel Society The English Adventure loved by over 100,000 readers in 125 countries...Lost in the frozen woods, Ceridwen is discovered by the warriors accompanying young Ælfwyn, daughter of a Saxon lord, sold against her will in marriage as part of a peace treaty with a marauding Viking war chief. Their destination is the captured fortress of Four Stones, a ruin holding glittering treasure. There Ælfwyn must keep her vow and wed Yrling - and Ceridwen must do all she can to support her new friend in the rebuilding of the ravaged village and great hall.But living with the enemy affords Ceridwen unusual freedoms - and unlooked-for conflicts. Amongst them she explores again her own heathen past, and learns to judge each man on his own merits. Yrling's nephews Sidroc and Toki, both formidable warriors yet as different as night and day, compete to win Ceridwen for their own.Through both guile and goodness Ceridwen and Ælfwyn begin transforming the world of Four Stones. But the threat of full-scale war escalates, and a midnight party of furtive Danes delivers someone to Four Stones who destroys the girls' hopes of peace and contentment. Now Ceridwen must summon all her courage - a courage which will be sorely tested as she defies both Saxon and Dane and undertakes an extraordinary adventure to save a man she has never met.. less

Ninth-century Saxon England crumbles under the onslaught of a relentless foe - the Danish Vikings. Ceridwen, a young woman with divided loyalties, watches as the peace and plenty she enjoys at the Saxon stronghold of Kilton gives way to wary watchfulness. Her dearest friend, Ælfwyn, sold in marriage to a Dane in a desperate bid for peace, travels to Kilton and recounts the events that befell the fortress of Four Stones in captured Lindisse... moreNinth-century Saxon England crumbles under the onslaught of a relentless foe - the Danish Vikings. Ceridwen, a young woman with divided loyalties, watches as the peace and plenty she enjoys at the Saxon stronghold of Kilton gives way to wary watchfulness. Her dearest friend, Ælfwyn, sold in marriage to a Dane in a desperate bid for peace, travels to Kilton and recounts the events that befell the fortress of Four Stones in captured Lindisse. But Ceridwen is also confronted by Sidroc, the Dane she ran from, and cannot forget. Ceridwen’s life revolves around her beloved husband Gyric, rendered now unfit for battle and seemingly, for happiness. At the heart of Kilton is Gyric’s brother Godwin, the young lord who struggles both against the Danish invaders and an unthinkable desire. Growing tensions between the brothers mirror the escalating threat to the Saxons from the Danes. The Fate of all at Kilton hangs in the balance at a single terrifying battle, as the Danes attempt to extinguish it and conquer the whole people who would be soon known as The English...Meticulously researched and thrillingly brought to life, here is Ceridwen of Kilton, book two of the historical adventure saga The Circle of Ceridwen Trilogy less

Sidroc the Dane has been in Angle-land for twelve years. The first nine were all hard fighting. He has won treasure beyond counting, and now peace for his men. But there is one thing he still desires….The Claiming, the conclusion of the historical adventure saga The Circle of Ceridwen Trilogy

Over 1800 Amazon Five Star Reviews. Over 1200 pages of action and adventure. The first three novels in the celebrated Circle of Ceridwen Saga. Enter the Ninth Century.The Circle of Book OneIt is the year 871. Of seven Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, five have fallen to the invading Vikings. No trait is more valued than loyalty, and no possession more precious than one's steel. Across this war-torn landscape travels fifteen year old Ceridwen, now thrust into the lives of the conquerors.Epic.. moreOver 1800 Amazon Five Star Reviews. Over 1200 pages of action and adventure. The first three novels in the celebrated Circle of Ceridwen Saga. Enter the Ninth Century.The Circle of Book OneIt is the year 871. Of seven Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, five have fallen to the invading Vikings. No trait is more valued than loyalty, and no possession more precious than one's steel. Across this war-torn landscape travels fifteen year old Ceridwen, now thrust into the lives of the conquerors.Epic...immensely satisfying...an impressive achievement - Historical Novel Society The Historical Adventure loved by over 100,000 readers in 125 countries...˃˃˃ Ceridwen of Book TwoAn uncontrolled passion. A heart-breaking decision. A battle that seals the Fate of all.˃˃˃ The Book ThreeHow long can you fight Fate? How far must you go to claim what is yours?Enter the Ninth Century... less

The Hall of Tyr: Book Four of The Circle of Ceridwen SagaIt is said that every man is haunted by one mistake...The year is 881. Ten years have passed since fifteen year old Ceridwen set out from her Priory home to make her own life. She has known love and loss, triumph and heartbreak. Yet the Circle which has moved about her is largely intact, although the counterpoint has changed, bringing with it the hope of renewed love... moreThe Hall of Tyr: Book Four of The Circle of Ceridwen SagaIt is said that every man is haunted by one mistake...The year is 881. Ten years have passed since fifteen year old Ceridwen set out from her Priory home to make her own life. She has known love and loss, triumph and heartbreak. Yet the Circle which has moved about her is largely intact, although the counterpoint has changed, bringing with it the hope of renewed love. Ceridwen and Sidroc build their new lives together on the Baltic island of Gotland, where they are free and unknown. The bond between them, always strong even when years and wars separated them, deepens quickly into the profound and exquisite love that Sidroc had always claimed was their shared Fate.Their new island home is a place of peace and beauty. They make fast friends of the brew-house keeper Rannveig and her deaf son, Tindr, a young man who is both an expert hunter and deeply dedicated to the service of the Goddess Freyja.They work and plan for next year's sailing season, when they hope to send a shipment of rich goods to trade. They feel protected and safe -- until the shattering arrival of the one person they fear most in the world... less

Book Five of the Circle of Ceridwen SagaThe Lady of the Forest, Freyja, the Goddess of all woodland beasts, appears here on Midgard as a white hind. So great is her love for her deer that she herself comes in their guise. None has ever seen her; but if she permitted man but a glance, that is what they would see...Tindr is handsome, kind, and the best hunter on 9th century Gotland. He possesses a deep empathy with animals, which powers his reverence towards the game he takes to survive... moreBook Five of the Circle of Ceridwen SagaThe Lady of the Forest, Freyja, the Goddess of all woodland beasts, appears here on Midgard as a white hind. So great is her love for her deer that she herself comes in their guise. None has ever seen her; but if she permitted man but a glance, that is what they would see...Tindr is handsome, kind, and the best hunter on 9th century Gotland. He possesses a deep empathy with animals, which powers his reverence towards the game he takes to survive. But he is also deaf, which closes him off from the society that surrounds him - and seemingly, from finding love.Devoted parents and friends can’t protect young Tindr from the bully who taunts him, from jealousy that turns murderous, or from the threat of surrender to the allure of the Lady of the Forest, who might destroy him.Tindr’s haven is the greenwood. It is home not only to the rabbits he snares, and the stags and boar he takes with bow and arrow, but to a rare creature of unusual beauty, a source of deepening fascination and wonder in Tindr’s life.His silent world alters dramatically at the arrival of two strangers on the island - the Welsh-Saxon Ceridwen, and the Danish warrior Sidroc. He finds a new and fulfilling life with them at Tyrsborg. But will he ever find a woman to love him?Tindr tells the story of this strange and haunting young hunter, living amidst a landscape of wild, wind-swept island beauty.Tindr’s magic woods await you... less

A Peace which must be defended. A vow which must be broken. It is the final decade of the ninth century. The Peace between Wessex and the Danes long-settled in the Danelaw erodes. A new onslaught of Danes attacks Angle-land, trying once and for all to destroy Ælfred.Ceric of Kilton, now a young man, travels across Kingdoms to visit his friend, Hrald of Four Stones - and to see Ashild, who he desires for his wife. But renewed hostilities threaten Ceric's hopes for deeper ties between strongholds... moreA Peace which must be defended. A vow which must be broken. It is the final decade of the ninth century. The Peace between Wessex and the Danes long-settled in the Danelaw erodes. A new onslaught of Danes attacks Angle-land, trying once and for all to destroy Ælfred.Ceric of Kilton, now a young man, travels across Kingdoms to visit his friend, Hrald of Four Stones - and to see Ashild, who he desires for his wife. But renewed hostilities threaten Ceric's hopes for deeper ties between strongholds.And hundreds of leagues away on the Baltic island of Gotland, Hrald's father Sidroc the Dane must defy his Gods.The revered Hammer of Thor. The sacred Cross of the Christians. And the conflict that pits two beliefs, two great war-chiefs, and three young people against each other.A New Generation Beckons You... less

Duty versus DesireThe Peace between the Saxons and Danes has collapsed. Viking forces led by the war-lord Haesten strike at will across borders. One more push will destroy Wessex. The Danish warriors settled under the Dane-law are tempted to join with these new invaders, wiping clear the game board as they seek full dominance of Angle-land... moreDuty versus DesireThe Peace between the Saxons and Danes has collapsed. Viking forces led by the war-lord Haesten strike at will across borders. One more push will destroy Wessex. The Danish warriors settled under the Dane-law are tempted to join with these new invaders, wiping clear the game board as they seek full dominance of Angle-land.Sidroc, having witnessed his son Hrald's victory at Four Stones, undertakes the perilous return to Gotland, a journey shadowed by the spirit of his long-dead uncle Yrling. Before his father's eyes Hrald has won the garrison fortress of Turcesig, but can he keep it?Ceric, the son of Ceridwen, rides with Ælfred's ambitious son, Prince Eadward, in their wild pursuit of the invaders. After distinguishing himself in the field Ceric receives a startling order from the King, sending him to Four Stones. There Ashild and her mother Ælfwyn contend with the dual claims of duty and desire, and each come face to face with their past - and their future.At Kilton in Wessex the young lord Edwin, just sixteen, is overwhelmed at the challenges before him both as a warrior and as a man. Yet he is unexpectedly entrusted with a secret which could shatter all he holds dear.The fortresses of Kilton and Four Stones. What binds them together now threatens to tear them apart. less

In an Angle-land riven by contesting Danes…Hrald of Four Stones has fallen in love with Dagmar, the daughter of dead King Guthrum, who once ruled all Anglia. Dagmar is beautiful and poised; very much a King's daughter. Yet she owns nothing but the jewels about her neck – and the secrets she carries with her... moreIn an Angle-land riven by contesting Danes…Hrald of Four Stones has fallen in love with Dagmar, the daughter of dead King Guthrum, who once ruled all Anglia. Dagmar is beautiful and poised; very much a King's daughter. Yet she owns nothing but the jewels about her neck – and the secrets she carries with her.“Are you always fighting Fate and the will of the Gods? Then you will be thwarted at every turn…” Ashild has not forgotten this advice given her by her step-father Sidroc before he sailed for Gotland. Her own desires are contrary to the goals of those who love her best – how much more difficult to make decisions for two?Ceric of Kilton is now a proven warrior, and made second in command to Prince Eadward of Wessex. In the ceaseless attempt to bring the marauding Danish interloper Haesten to heel, the Prince’s small troop crosses into enemy territory. There they are pushed beyond the point of endurance. Deep into Lindisse, both Hrald and Ceric become enmeshed in a fearsome struggle between the marauding Danes and the warriors of Four Stones. The result changes both men forever. less

Two DragonsDragons are said to guard treasure with their lives...Ceric, beset with madness from the trauma of the losses he has suffered, wanders the forests of Kilton. An urgent need to stave off the hunger of his folk calls his younger brother Edwin, Lord of Kilton, to the Kingdom of Mercia, and though he fulfils his mission, finds the greater prize he sought out of reach... moreTwo DragonsDragons are said to guard treasure with their lives...Ceric, beset with madness from the trauma of the losses he has suffered, wanders the forests of Kilton. An urgent need to stave off the hunger of his folk calls his younger brother Edwin, Lord of Kilton, to the Kingdom of Mercia, and though he fulfils his mission, finds the greater prize he sought out of reach.Four Stones now has the second son of Sidroc under its lofty roof - Yrling, come from Gotland to train under the hand of his half-brother Hrald. An unexpected visit from Raedwulf, Bailiff of Defenas, sends Hrald on a journey of vital importance to both Four Stones and to King Ælfred himself.On Gotland, a dragon ship oars steadily for shore, its warriors ready to leap out as soon as the keel strikes the pebbled beach. Sidroc is there to meet them - the man they came looking for.The Kingdoms of Cymru - Wales - have long bedevilled that of Wessex and Mercia. Much of Welsh strength is found in their women. Passion and artfulness is manifest in two, who, driven by their own ends, impact Kilton in ways unimaginable.Take fiery flight. Two Book Nine of The Circle of Ceridwen Saga less

An unpredictable journey with unforeseen consequences…On Gotland Sidroc wakes from a disturbing dream; one of his sons, Hrald or Yrling – perhaps both – are in trouble. Both are in far-off Angle-land, and beyond his reach.Eskil the Svear sails to the island, offering Sidroc a rare opportunity to gain untold riches, with equal risk to life for those joining the venture... moreAn unpredictable journey with unforeseen consequences…On Gotland Sidroc wakes from a disturbing dream; one of his sons, Hrald or Yrling – perhaps both – are in trouble. Both are in far-off Angle-land, and beyond his reach.Eskil the Svear sails to the island, offering Sidroc a rare opportunity to gain untold riches, with equal risk to life for those joining the venture.Edwin, Lord of Kilton, returns empty-handed from his search for a bride, while his brother Ceric knows true delight with his young wife Dwynwen, the Princess of Ceredigion. A royal commission sends the wedded pair off as envoys of King Ælfred, bringing Ceric face to face with his family’s past.At Four Stones a troubled Jarl Hrald maintains leadership of men and lands, while questioning his resolve to move forward in his life.Hrald’s sister Ealhswith, rejected by Edwin as a potential bride, returns to Four Stones. Yet there she finds little to assuage the restiveness and dissatisfaction she finds in her young life.Lady Pega is called to her powerful former guardian, Lady Æthelflaed. A joyous occasion is expected, but the result is a discovery her royal guardian never anticipated.As suddenly as game pieces topple on a board, lives are changed – forever. less