“Penman’s characters are so shrewdly imagined, so full of resonant human feeling that they seem to breathe on the page.” —San Francisco Chronicle
“Never forget, Llewelyn, that the world’s greatest fool is a Welshman who trusts an English king.”
His father’s words haunt Llewelyn ap Gruffydd, Prince of Wales, who has been ruling uneasily over his fractious countrymen. Above all else, Llewelyn fears that his life and his own dream—of an independent, united Wales—might be lost to Edward I’s desire to expand his English empire.
Alive from the pages of history, this is the hauntingly beautiful and compelling tale of a game poised to play itself out to its bloody finale as English and Welsh cross swords in a reckoning that must mean disaster for one side or the other.
For anyone who has ever wanted to experience the rich tapestry of British history and lore, this bold and romantic adventure must be read.

“Penman’s characters are so shrewdly imagined, so full of resonant human feeling that they seem to breathe on the page.” —San Francisco Chronicle
“Never forget, Llewelyn, that the world’s greatest fool is a Welshman who trusts an English king.”
His father’s words haunt Llewelyn ap Gruffydd, Prince of Wales, who has been ruling uneasily over his fractious countrymen. Above all else, Llewelyn fears that his life and his own dream—of an independent, united Wales—might be lost to Edward I’s desire to expand his English empire.
Alive from the pages of history, this is the hauntingly beautiful and compelling tale of a game poised to play itself out to its bloody finale as English and Welsh cross swords in a reckoning that must mean disaster for one side or the other.
For anyone who has ever wanted to experience the rich tapestry of British history and lore, this bold and romantic adventure must be read.