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The Cross and the Dragon

by Kim Rendfeld (Goodreads Author)

4.14 of 5 stars 4.14 · rating details · 21 ratings · 14 reviews

Song of Roland, Roncevaux, Charlemagne, romance, medieval, France, Spain A tale of love in an era of war and blood feuds. Francia, 778: Alda has never forgotten Ganelon's. vow of vengeance when she married his rival, Hruodland. Yet the jilted suitor's malice is nothing compared to Alda's premonition of disaster for her beloved, battle-scarred husband. Although the army inv...more

Paperback, 356 pages

Published July 15th 2012 by Fireship Press

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Shadow on the Crown by Patricia Bracewell

Her Highness, the Traitor by Susan Higginbotham

Historical Novel Society 2013

25th out of 39 books — 34 voters

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

Historical Fiction - France

94th out of 99 books — 85 voters

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May 03, 2013 Lucy rated it 3 of 5 stars

MY REVIEW:

The Cross and the Dragon by Kim Rendfeld flourished from The Song of Roland (11th c.) This beautiful poem and remarkably, the oldest piece of literature in France, was based on a hero during the battle of Roncevaux Pass in 778. History buffs will delight in this novel that brings back the chivalry, honor and love in the time of Charlemagne. The details of everyday life, battles and more are remarkably captured in its true authenticity.

Alda, our bold heroine of the 8th c. is nearly for...more

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Feb 23, 2013 DelSheree rated it 4 of 5 stars

Arranged marriages are a way of life in 8th century France. Alda knows this, but the thought of marrying the abusive and hateful Ganelon puts thoughts of joining a convent into her head. Serious thoughts. The only chance of escape seems wrapped up in Hruodland, the only one to show her respect and kindness. Plans begin to form in her mind to escape Ganelon and capture the attention of Hruodland, but this will put her on a path she never expected; one of love, pain, and difficult choices that may...more Arranged marriages are a way of life in 8th century France. Alda knows this, but the thought of marrying the abusive and hateful Ganelon puts thoughts of joining a convent into her head. Serious thoughts. The only chance of escape seems wrapped up in Hruodland, the only one to show her respect and kindness. Plans begin to form in her mind to escape Ganelon and capture the attention of Hruodland, but this will put her on a path she never expected; one of love, pain, and difficult choices that may break her heart for good.

The depth of reality captured in this book is commendable. The details of the homes, character's dress, politics, and religious beliefs were all carefully crafted. I had no problem putting myself in the time period and believing the events of the story.

The importance of this diligence to story was that decisions and reactions that may have seemed strange to modern readers made sense because the background and setting were so well developed. Even for those readers who are religious, some of the choices Alda makes based on her religious beliefs are hard to take. I was begging her to rethink her choices at times, but I knew she wouldn't, and couldn't because of the world she lived in. Even though I didn't want her to make certain choices, I would have been disappointed if she hadn't. All of the characters were very believable and realistic, which made their story so much more compelling.

The story overall was not what I expected at first. I had expected the courtship between Alda and Hruodland to last the majority of the book. There were several complications presented early on that it could have made it last, but in reality their courtship was actually a much smaller portion of the book. The rest focused on the struggles they faced after their marriage. For a while, I wasn't sure what the main theme of this book was. It took until about halfway through the book before I felt I really got to the meat of the conflict, but even though the pacing was a bit slower than I usually like, I was interested in their journey thanks to the great characters and well crafted development.

Aside from many of the characters' names being difficult to pronounce and a few fragmented scenes, my only real problem with the book was that I had a hard time connecting with Hroudland. He seemed to have quite intense mood swings that didn't always make sense to me and he was often easily swayed. His reactions were frequently hurtful to Alda. Others were able to see this, but he did not. This seemed to be more than a character flaw that made him more human. Alda made many choices that were difficult to take, but made sense because of her station and the time she lived. Hroudland just seemed slightly unstable at times and it made it harder for me to like him.

Would I recommend this book? Yes, it had a strong background and well developed characters that readers will enjoy.

Who would I recommend this book to? Mainly historical fiction readers. I think this would be a harder book for readers new to historical fiction to start with because the pacing is a bit slower than most commercial novels and the complexity of the historical aspect.

Check out my other reviews at The Edible Bookshelf (less)

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Aug 20, 2012 Tinney rated it 5 of 5 stars

In Alda, Kim Rendfeld has created a woman who seems genuinely to be of her time, rather than the refugees from the 21st century one often sees populating historical fiction. Alda is intelligent and independent, but shares in the beliefs and prejudices of her culture.

This well-researched novel is filled with rich, evocative descriptions of the natural environment, and the author shows a particular sensitivity to both sound and silence. The reader will come away having learned a great deal about...more

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Jul 11, 2012 Jessica Knauss rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: edited

The Cross and the Dragon is the story of Alda, wife of Hruodland, the Roland of medieval epic poetry. Rather than focus on the epic battle at Roncevaux, the book allows the reader to see what life was like for the women who stayed behind while the men went off to war. The author brings incredible, historically accurate detail into the service of place and character, so even if you know nothing about the Middle Ages, this page-turner will be a painless learning experience.

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Feb 23, 2013 Erin Al-Mehairi rated it 4 of 5 stars

I just finished reading The Cross and the Dragon, a debut historical novel by author Kim Rendfeld. She quite amazingly takes the legend and the poem, Song of Roland, and crafts it into her own romantic tale with her own original outcome. Not only is her book phenomenally researched, it also shows a tremendous amount of thought and creativity, not to mention storytelling ability. Though there is much historical detail, the reader is never impeded by it and her tale is smoothly weaved with a flow...more I just finished reading The Cross and the Dragon, a debut historical novel by author Kim Rendfeld. She quite amazingly takes the legend and the poem, Song of Roland, and crafts it into her own romantic tale with her own original outcome. Not only is her book phenomenally researched, it also shows a tremendous amount of thought and creativity, not to mention storytelling ability. Though there is much historical detail, the reader is never impeded by it and her tale is smoothly weaved with a flow that dripped satisfying like honey melting on my tongue.

I read it almost in one sitting, during which I could not bear to put it down for fear I would fail Alda, her female protagonist, in her pursuits and that I’d lose the momentum of the exhilaration I was feeling of reading such a wonderful novel. Yes, I loved it!! I was swept away into a glorious tale of a strong young woman and her man, who equally loved her as much during a time when men didn’t always love women as romantically as would be desired.

I felt happiness, romance, sadness, anger and then I was even overcome with tears toward the end. I felt connected to Alda and her husband, Hruodland (or Roland), which means that Rendfeld wrote with superb character development. Her supporting characters were just as endearing (and hated) and I loved how Hruodland and Alda’s family members understood Alda’s strength, will, and courage.

I also was encouraged to read between the lines with Rendfeld’s writing, mostly through her character of Ganelon–a former suitor of Alda’s who seeks revenge and has a blood feud with Hruodland–that common treatment in history that alluded to women being slaves to their husbands, without thought or independence (even beaten and raped), was abominable. I was extremely pleased that Rendfeld showed, through Hruodland, how men should love and respect a woman. I loved Rendfeld’s use of Alda as a brave, resilient, and educated woman able to make her own decisions based on her freewill.

Rendfeld shows us in her writing how politics could outweight and outmaneuver feelings during these decades, but shows us the emotional love affair between Alda and Hruodland as an example of how a relationship could properly overcome these bonds of culture and religion. Of course as religion was a very distinct part of life in the Middle Ages (even to the point many battles were fought over it), Rendfeld was true to how their religion would facilitate their decisions and schedule their lives, emotions, and beliefs; however, she also showed us how religious zealots could sometimes misinterpret the Scriptures to suit their own purposes or go to extreme measures for salvation. Alda was a character who fought against all norms.

The Song of Roland is known as France’s oldest surviving piece of literature and is a poem of heroism stemming from the battle of Roncevaux Pass in 778 in which Hruodland (Roland) was a commander of the rear guard of Charlemagne that was defeated by a Muslim army. Historically, Hruodland died during this raid. The tale of this battle was passed down as legend and propaganda over the years and was later romanticized into The Song of Roland in the 11th Century. It’s the love story of Roland, and this poem where he is mentioned briefly, that propelled Rendfeld to turn this legend into a storytelling masterpiece of her own.

If you like strong female leads in history that are feisty, courageous, and bold in a time where women were used mostly as political pawns and child-bearing vessels, you’ll love this novel. It’s more romantic legend than the common historical literature. Rendfeld’s smooth prose, character development, and tight detail really make this book elegant historical fantasy that could be passed down through the centuries with anyone wishing to tell a tale with a lute and harp in tow. Oh, I was lost in time…….in reality, certainly one that anyone would love to have in their collection.

Giveaway~*until March 2, 2103 ONLY*

Kim Rendfeld is graciously giving away one (1) SIGNED print copy The Cross and the Dragon. With a beautiful cover and superb storytelling, this is a book you’ll want for your library. Open to United States residents only. Please leave a comment with your email (to contact winner) or email me to hookofabook(at)hotmail.com.

For an extra entry into the contest, you can follow my blog and let me know. The giveaway is open until 11:59 p.m. EST on March 2, 2013.

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Oct 29, 2012 Meg - A Bookish Affair rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, europe, fiction, historical-fiction

The Cross and the Dragon is a retelling of the legend of Roland, who is called Hruodland in this story (it's his Frankish name). I was not familiar with this legend at all before I picked up this book. This story is really the love story between Hruodland and Alda. In the 700s, these two are irrevocably attracted to each other. Thus begins a lifelong love that will sustain both Alda and Hruodland through distance and a whole host of other issues. These are two people torn apart by the circumstan...more

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Feb 08, 2013 Anne rated it 3 of 5 stars

I had heard of The Song of Roland but had never read it so I was excited to read this book. I love books that are variations of older tales and this one was an enjoyable read. What I liked about it the most was the amount of historical details that were a part of the story. It was one of those books that made you feel like you where there with the characters because of the little details that brought the story to life.

The main focus of the book is the love story between Aldo and Hroudland and I...more

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Nov 11, 2012 Angela Rose rated it 3 of 5 stars

Title: The Cross and the Dragon
Author: Kim Rendfeld

Set during the reign of Charlemagne, The Cross and the Dragon is a beautifully written love story that masterfully weaves history, romance and magic into a time and era of uncertainty.
I have never read a book set during the early medieval times, and Ms. Rendfeld did an amazing job throughout the book to keep the reader thoroughly informed with her well- researched details of this time period.
Kim’s heroine, Alda was amazingly depicted and did n...more

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Jan 03, 2013 Jo at Jaffareadstoo rated it 4 of 5 stars

The history of the Middle Ages in bound in folk lore and legend, and in The Cross and the Dragon, set during the martial reign of Charlemagne, the author Kim Rendfeld, takes the story of Alda, wife of the military leader, Hruodland, and blends together a story about the effects of war on the women who were left behind, and about the men who loved them.

With quite harsh realism the author has blended fact with fiction and has created a story which is rich in historical detail and alive with atmosp...more

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Jan 06, 2013 Lisa Yarde rated it 4 of 5 stars

In Kim Rendfeld’s debut novel, set in eighth-century Europe, the heroine Alda faces a dilemma common to many marriageable heiress of the Middle Ages: submission to a husband chosen for her by others. Alda is a spitfire with a sharp wit and keen intelligence to match her spirited personality. She relies on an inherent strength and a charmed dragon amulet to fortify herself against the proposed husband, the ruthless Count Ganelon, and protect Hruodland, the proud Breton warrior who has likewise cl...more

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Jan 13, 2013 The Lit Bitch rated it 4 of 5 stars

An original story based on legend and set in a unique period.This book really intrigued me when I read the summary. There aren’t many historical fiction novels set in this era…some or the most popular eras are Regency, Tudor, Victorian, WWII etc. So seeing a novel set in the time of Charlemagne, really perked my interest!

I thought the setting/period brought a lot of interest to the story for me. Rendfeld clearly did her research on the time period and I thought it was exciting to read about the...more

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Oct 03, 2012 Casee Marie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, reviewed

My full review on Literary Inklings.

Inspired by a medieval legend of the historic Roland – known here by his native Frankish name, Hruodland – Kim Rendfeld’s The Cross and the Dragon offers a new imagining of his world, one drawn through the creative possibilities of fiction. Alda takes the majority of the story’s focus, and it’s through her world that the reader comes to know Hruodland; their love story plays a leading role in the novel, with the vast historic elements of 778 presenting a strik...more

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Oct 14, 2012 Darlene Williams rated it 4 of 5 stars

Full review available at http://darleneelizabethwilliamsauthor...

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Apr 13, 2013 Kathleen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A very readable book about an era new to me. I recommend it and will look for more about Charlemagne.

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May 11, 2013 D.M. Denton rated it 4 of 5 stars

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About Kim Rendfeld

Kim Rendfeld has a lifelong fascination with fairy tales and legends, which set her on her quest to write The Cross and the Dragon.

She grew up in New Jersey and attended Indiana University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and English, with a minor in French. If it weren't for feminism, she would be one of those junior high English teachers scaring the bejesus out of her students...more

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