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Here be Dragons (Welsh Princes #1)

by Sharon Kay Penman (Goodreads Author)

4.31 of 5 stars 4.31 · rating details · 9,140 ratings · 689 reviews

Thirteenth-century Wales is a divided country, ever at the mercy of England's ruthless, power-hungry King John. Then Llewelyn, Prince of North Wales, secures an uneasy truce with England by marrying the English king's beloved, illegitimate daughter, Joanna. Reluctant to wed her father's bitter enemy, Joanna slowly grows to love her charismatic and courageous husband who dr...more

Paperback, 704 pages

Published May 11th 1993 by Ballantine Books (first published 1985)

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The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory

Best Historical Fiction

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The Sunne in Splendour by Sharon Kay Penman

When Christ and His Saints Slept by Sharon Kay Penman

Historical Fiction: The House of Plantagenet

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Oct 16, 2011 Cassy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: physical-own, 2011, fiction-historical, region-europe, event-met-author, lawyers-turned-authors

I used to have a rule: You will read at least fifty pages before you decide to quit a book.

Then a few years ago, I vowed to completely finish every book I start. The unintended consequence of this stricter policy is that my “currently-reading” shelf exploded. I am up to thirteen books – most of which I lost interest in a few months (or even a year) ago, but feel pressure to pick back up. Honestly, looking at that shelf fills me with dread.

Just when I was considering reverting to my fifty-pages...more

40 likes · like · see review

May 02, 2013 StoryTellerShannon rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: my-very-best-reads, need-reviewing, books-reviewed, historical-fiction, owned

Most medieval fiction, other than Follet's PILLARS OF THE EARTH, fell short of my expectations so I never went out of my way to read much in the genre. But then, a few different people recommended Penman, I tried her out and she's now on my list of authors worthy of reading!
Here are some good reasons to read Penman:

(1) EVOCATIVE IMAGERY: the words flow with apparent ease, opening the reader's mind to a new world; you can see this mentioned in some of the more popular reviews below;

(2) VIBRANT, I...more

17 likes · like · see review

May 09, 2008 Lucy rated it 5 of 5 stars

I love to read other people's favorite books. Amy M. recommended this to me, although I don't think she described it as her favorite. Just a book she had read a long time ago that she remembered loving. Having never even heard of it before, I pulled out my super reading powers and gave it a whirl.

First, this is NOT an easy read. The edition I checked out contained more than 700 thin pages of small print. Second, it's historical fiction about a time in history I had no prior knowledge of - 13th c...more I love to read other people's favorite books. Amy M. recommended this to me, although I don't think she described it as her favorite. Just a book she had read a long time ago that she remembered loving. Having never even heard of it before, I pulled out my super reading powers and gave it a whirl.

First, this is NOT an easy read. The edition I checked out contained more than 700 thin pages of small print. Second, it's historical fiction about a time in history I had no prior knowledge of - 13th century England and Wales. Lastly, there are many, many characters to keep track of, most with unusual names and many being interrelated.

All these difficulties aside, I really enjoyed this story. At its heart is the love story between Llewelyn, Prince of North Wales who later became known as Llewelyn the Great, and his bride, Joanna, the illegitimate daughter of England's King John. Its development and conflict anchors a story that is forced to span war after war after battle after skirmish after war. Really, these ancient leaders never stopped fighting.

The title, Here Be Dragons, describes a map making technique used long ago. When map makers had limited or no knowledge of certain areas, they wrote, "Here be dragons" on the area with drawings of the mythical creatures to describe this unknown danger.

Both the Welsh people and the Norman-french, who currently held the English crown (really, it's all very interesting) were suspicious of the other and held strong prejudices against any of its citizens. The marriage, which could have and should have brought about peace between the two nations, only put Joanna, who loved both her Norman-French/English father and eventually her charismatic Welsh husband, in the middle.

After I finished reading, I spent a good deal of time researching the accuracy of the facts presented in the book. Many, if not most, are true. Obviously, the fiction comes from the interplay between characters and description of feelings, which can't ever be wholly known, but I think the author did a great job of infusing historical figures with life. The struggles over choosing heirs and the family feuds that any transfer of power creates, were believable and likely.

Most importantly, when applying this history lesson to our current times, I realized human nature doesn't change much...even eight-hundred years later. The names of the countries may have changed but we still believe there are dragons over in the unknown. We still use power and ignorance to fuel our wars and pride and wounded egos to justify them.

Will the human race ever grow up? Time with continue to tell. In the meantime, I'm happy I read this smart, complex and excellent book.(less)

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May 02, 2012 Anna rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: british-royalty, historical-fiction, medieval, 4-stars, read-in-2012

I really liked this. Penman is a meticulous researcher, but in some of her other books, I’ve thought she’s been too fact-heavy at the expense of great storytelling. For me, she got the balance right in this book, it’s an equally entertaining and informative read.

I read a lot of English history books, whereas this is my first foray into Welsh history. Perhaps that's why I preferred the goings-on in King John’s court to that in Llewelyn the Great’s; I was more familiar with the people and events a...more

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May 19, 2013 Rio (Lynne) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction

This book was so packed with years of information where do I begin with a review?
First all of I was excited when the book came in the mail and it was a version I had not seen. I loved the cover and the fact that it was the imported paperback. I know this has nothing to do with the writing, but I'm a sucker for a nice cover.
When you read this book, you need a quiet corner with no distractions. You need to be able to emerge yourself into Penman's saga to enjoy it to it's fullest. The main chara...more

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Jan 03, 2009 Kristin rated it 5 of 5 stars

How refreshing it was to read this book after the dreadful The Virgin's Lover. Here is well-written, wonderful, historical fiction at it's best!! Sharon Kay Penman is a fantastic author and she took me to a time and place that I haven't read much about...13th Century Wales.

The book tells the story of Llewelyn, the Prince of North Wales, and his rise to power and fame as Llewelyn the Great and his great love, Joanna, the illegitimate daughter of King John. In the quest for Wales Llewelyn and King...more

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Jun 16, 2008 Annalisa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Annalisa by: Amy

Shelves: historical-fiction

Although it took me 3 weeks to read this novel, I actually really enjoyed it. Unlike other historical fiction that seemed more fantasy that truth, I had a hard time pulling apart what was fiction and what was fact translated into dialogue. I believed these characters, that Penman selected personalities that were the obvious choice and the scenes could have very easily taken place.

Despite a time period anchored and defined by war, Penman does a good job of giving you a few snippets of exciting w...more Although it took me 3 weeks to read this novel, I actually really enjoyed it. Unlike other historical fiction that seemed more fantasy that truth, I had a hard time pulling apart what was fiction and what was fact translated into dialogue. I believed these characters, that Penman selected personalities that were the obvious choice and the scenes could have very easily taken place.

Despite a time period anchored and defined by war, Penman does a good job of giving you a few snippets of exciting war strategies instead of lengthy descriptions of tedious war so she could focus the bulk of her 700 pages on the conflicting passions and motives that drive war, particularly those of King John of England, Llewelyn the Great of Wales, and Johana, John's daughter and Llewelyn's wife. I related to Johana and enjoyed the complexity of her relationship between the two men in her life.

I thought Penman very appropriately defined the difference between Welsh and English traditions with only occasionally sounding as if she were explaining history and not just following a story. I learned quite a bit from her recreation and became fascinated with a more accurate history of king John (beyond what Robin Hood would have you believe) and even more so Llywelyn whom I'd never heard of or even been that educated on the history of the Welsh and their battle to remain sovereign to a much larger England.

I didn't realize until the author's notes that the book was named Here Be Dragons because that was the annotation mapmakers denoted on unknown territory and as the Welsh were misunderstood by the English (and it was the Welsh national emblem) it made a cleverly poignant title choice. Penman obviously did a lot of research and took great pains to hold to historical accuracy, which I greatly appreciated.

My one complaint would be the description of the legitimization of Johana which she describes as obtained by her brother, king Henry, an illogical choice since it could potentially--though unlikely--give her claim to the crown. It was her husband Llywelyn who sought it out because of his great love for her and I would have enjoyed that expression of love in the story.

At first I was doubtful of Pullman's idolization of Llywelyn's, particularly as a husband, but he was a skilled fighter and political schemer, he did love his wife tremendously, and he appeared to be kind and insightful. I think he made a fascinating historical figure to define and I grew to admire him as much as Penman seems to.

I did find all the minor characters frustrating to follow. So many floating in and out of court and trying to track them down was dizzying. There were only a handful of names during the 13th Century so names like Will were credited to at least four characters and two of them with the same last name since children were given their parents' names (I can't even remember how many Rhys characters there were). Throw in interchanging titles and Penman's alternating between the two without a heads up reminder of which character each one was particularly when they were only mentioned once a 100 pages ago and many times I was completely lost on minor issues. But I'd rather she threw in so many authentic characters than make up a few false ones. If there were a list of characters in the index it would have been visited as often as the map with its ever changing borders to track down which castle was being conquered at the time.

And now you understand why it took me so long to get through the book. I guess knowledge takes time. A worthwhile read, just know it is not a quick breeze, but one well worth the investment.

So I dedicate a Brand New song the John and Llewelyn: we're concentrating on falling apart. We were contenders. We're throwing the fight, but I just wanna believe in us.(less)

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Nov 14, 2007 Anneliese Bennion added it Recommends it for: historical fiction fans

It has taken me a month to read all 700 pages. I haven't taken that long to read a book since The Lord of the Rings trilogy. At first I wasn't really impressed with it. It wasn't getting to the romance quick enough for me and it was a little confusing to remember all of the characters. It also was a little disturbing to have older men marrying very young women. Most of them were still girls. Eventually, I wrapped my mind around it. My friend Jill told me the romance between Llewelyn and Joanna w...more

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Jan 06, 2009 Barbara rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Let's just say I lost sleep to keep reading this page-turner of a historical novel. Set in England, Wales, and France, and starring the aristocracy and royal families of the late 1100's and early 1200's. The main story line surrounds Joanna, a daughter of John I of England. Most of us remember him as Robin Hood's nemesis... Robin supported John's brother Richard Lionheart. But old Robin's not in this tale. It's told from a wholly different viewpoint.

A co-worker recommended this author. So far, I...more

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Jan 15, 2009 Mandy Moody rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, english-royalty, i-own, favorites

I can't say enough good things about this book.
Sharon Kay Penman is absolutely amazing. The characters in Here be Dragons live and breath like I would never have thought possible for people that died almost 800 years ago. Almost all of the major characters are factually based, and Penman says that she also cast her secondary characters from real-life molds. Maintaining historical accuracy in how these people thought, spoke and lived makes their vivid reality even more amazing. There are dozens o...more

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Jan 27, 2008 Smokey rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Hystorical fictionists, lords & ladyes born 800 years late, Mary Stewart/George R.R. Martin fans

Here be Dragons is a novel based on the events and important figures of Wales, England, Scotland, and France from ~1180 - 1240AD. This telling of the reign of King John of England and the ascendancy of Prince Llewellyn of Wales (and his political marriage to John's illegitimate daughter) winds its way through many pivotal events in history, including the signing of the Magna Charta, and the loss of English holdings in northeastern France to King Phillip. The book even touches on the crusade of R...more

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Mar 04, 2010 Shelbi rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: best-fairy-tale-fantasy, books-worth-re-reading, favorite-books-of-all-time

Surprisingly enough, I was able to find this (semi) rare book in my scant city library, and it was completely worth it.

At first, I had a real problem 28 year old men marrying 12/14 year olds, but after I got over it, I became completely engrossed in the book. I love being able to make English connections and this swashbuckling novel is no exception. It features King Richard the Lionheart and his "cowardly" brother King John. The more I read about John Plantagenet, the more I don't like him, des...more

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May 28, 2009 Ikonopeiston rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle

I did not like this as well as "Sunne" mainly because of its incoherence. There is a lack of focus which seems to rise out of the material itself. The story wanders back and forth with neither side earning my allegiance. I did not like Joanna at all. She is a bit of a liar and a fool, not a proper follower to Eleanor of Aquitaine. I fear I am not really all that fond of great love stories and do not believe in happy ever after. I am sorry for this; I had looked forward to other of her books, now...more

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Mar 01, 2009 Alisonleonard1 rated it 4 of 5 stars

LOVE this author- Just discovered her- She is a truly amazing historical fiction writer. If you like stories of the English/Normal/Wales/French drama of the 13th and 14th century and even some centuries before and after, she is a great find.

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Apr 05, 2009 Kathryn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical, 2009, favorites

Wow. What a book!
To be honest, this book took me about a month to plod through. The difficult names and interweaving of families made the characters a bit difficult to keep straight, and the 700 paged tiny typed aspect didn't help. That being said, this is truly a beautiful book written about 1300 England and Wales. The book carefully balances historical fact with compelling plot points without tying the book to boring battles or bogging it down in overly graphic romance. The last 200 pages sped...more

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Sep 19, 2009 Heidi rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction-contemporary, historical-fiction, romance

My favorite Penman book is still When Christ and his Saints Slept, the first I read. Although the history covered in Here Be Dragons was very compelling, I kept thinking it felt more like a high-end romance novel than legitimate historical fiction. Perhaps the love story of Llewelyn and Joanna was meant to be the primary theme of the novel, and I admit it was a nice story; I just kept wishing the author would keep to more historical fact than conjecture (although I grant that the intervening 800...more

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Mar 09, 2013 Bettie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: britain-england, historical-fiction, medieval5c-16c, revenge, war, britain-wales, published-1985, one-penny-wonder, paper-read, spring-2013, plantagenet-1154-1485, bedside

Opening: July 1183, Shropshire, England

He was ten years old and an alien in an unfriendly land, made an unwilling exile by his mother's marriage to a Marcher border lord. His new stepfather seemed a kindly man, but he was not of Llewelyn's blood, not one of the Cymry, and each dawning day in Shropshire only intensified Llewelyn's heartsick longing for his homeland.

#61 TBR Busting 2013

Why did I wait so long before reading? This was lovely.

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Jan 21, 2009 Heidi rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Dedicated Readers

Shelves: books-to-read-over-and-over

This book is not for those who are looking for a bit of light reading. It's a tome, but a really good one. And although it is categorized as historical romance, it's not one of those fluffy, "damsel in distress is rescued by the big, husky pirate/cowboy/warrior" novels. It's steeped in real history. Most of the characters were real people. Most of the key events really happened. And the two principle characters were believed to have truly shared a passionate, enduring romance. Similar to the Sha...more

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Jan 14, 2013 Miranda Kelly rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: history buffs, men and women alike

Shelves: historical-fiction-read

Penman does it again! A superb novel with astounding historical facts woven to tell the story of the life of Llywelyn Fawr. Or in English.... Llyewlyn the Great (c. 1172 – 11 April 1240) was a Prince of Gwynedd in north Wales and eventually de facto ruler over most of Wales. By a combination of war and diplomacy he dominated Wales for 40 years.

It also tells the story of his wife Joanna, the bastard daughter of the much hated King John...

This book is excellent and I can't recommend it enough. B...more

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Sep 09, 2012 Philippa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

Right, it took me MONTHS to get through the first 200 pages of this book. I borrowed it from a friend who'd given it the highest of recommendations, and I was trying so hard to perserve, but, honestly, it was just really boring. It was far too difficult to keep track of the myriad of background characters, and none of the varying storylines seemed tied together, and to be honest the only character I vaguely cared about was LLewelyn running wild in the welsh hills.

And then, all of a sudden, just...more Right, it took me MONTHS to get through the first 200 pages of this book. I borrowed it from a friend who'd given it the highest of recommendations, and I was trying so hard to perserve, but, honestly, it was just really boring. It was far too difficult to keep track of the myriad of background characters, and none of the varying storylines seemed tied together, and to be honest the only character I vaguely cared about was LLewelyn running wild in the welsh hills.

And then, all of a sudden, just when I was about to give up entirely and either return it to my friend with the vaguest of comments orrr point her in the direction of better reads, it got REALLY GOOD. I mean, couldn't put it down, stayed up too late, read the last 600 pages in two days sort of good.

My knowledge of historical events is only just this side of nonexistent, so I must admit that some of the finer plot points - particularly on the political side of things - went a bit over my head. But thankfully, as long as you can keep track of the main characters, you can muddle through the rest of the book with only a mild sense of occasional confusion. And it is so, so very worth it.

Joanna and Llewelyn both had my heart pretty much from the first time they appeared on the pages. I'm rarely one for romance reads, but their love story had me gripped, and I found myself dearly rooting for their marriage to survive everything thrown at it.

The other area this book really triumphed in was its portrayal of the welsh lands and the welsh spirit. Although there aren't that many descriptions of the wild landscapes (at least not considering its 800 pages), those that remain are spot-on. Joanna's fear and awe and amazement at her first glimpse of them is perfect. And the characteristations of the welsh people: spirited, untamed and deeply, deeply passionate about their land and their culture and their people, particularly when it comes to defying the English - I'm struggling to think of any books (outside of welsh fiction) which grasp that so wonderfully.

I wouldn't recommend this if you're looking for a light, easy read. This is a spectacular, epic work of historical fiction, overflowing with facts and nuanced characters and complex political alliances. I enjoyed it immensely, and I'm looking forward to reading the next...but only after a bit of a break with a couple of less-absorbing novels.

PS Disappointingly, not a single dragon featured. The fleeting appearance of even one might have pushed this up to five stars. Hoping Penman will reconsider this for her future novels.(less)

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Feb 25, 2012 Elfscribe rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jan 21, 2012 Camie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-bookgroups

First off, it took me six months to finish Here Be Dragons. You read me right. It feels decievingly light, small enough to fit in a handbag. Although it couldn't be construed as a "light" read—all you have to do is flip through to realize that it's quite substantial—this book reads heavy.

Penman chronicles the lives of Llewelyn the Great of Wales and King John of England. These two leaders connect themselves through the marriage of John's illegitamite daughter, Joanna, to the much older Welsh Pri...more First off, it took me six months to finish Here Be Dragons. You read me right. It feels decievingly light, small enough to fit in a handbag. Although it couldn't be construed as a "light" read—all you have to do is flip through to realize that it's quite substantial—this book reads heavy.

Penman chronicles the lives of Llewelyn the Great of Wales and King John of England. These two leaders connect themselves through the marriage of John's illegitamite daughter, Joanna, to the much older Welsh Prince. She lives with Lewelyn and learns the customs and ways of the Welsh. Family ties are strained however, as Lewelyn's existing children try to accept his new wife and when English interests conflict with Welsh ones, leaving Joanna caught in the middle.

Penman's extensive research of her chosen topic could not be better demonstrated. She could never be accused of not being thorough. This skill has pros and cons, however, because it makes some sections read more like a history text than a novel. But, after awhile—because you'll have the time—Penman's storytelling style becomes more comfortable. The first onslaught of names and titles causes disorientation, but then it becomes more of a parade of people, gently making their way in the background, and only the most important and memorable characters stand out. They make themselves known; there's no need to "keep track."

What I love about Here Be Dragons is similar to why I love Tracy Chevalier—an author who takes a piece of artwork, together with a few loose facts, and lets the imagination run riot. Penman does the same thing with a list of names and dates. She takes what history provides and adds motivations, political ambitions, loyalties, love. And the result is a plethora of amazing characters and carefully entangled relationships. She leads us through the spectrum of emotions: the contended bliss of a happy marriage to the endless despair of betrayal to the urgent violence of war to the heartbreaking frustration of disappointment. And I have to say that I don't know that I've ever felt so enveloped in a new world as I did in this book. I've been sucked into books before, but never have a felt so at home there, so informed. As if it were natural for me to be there, watching the events unfold.

This is not a story of a couple incidents, tied together by a few main characters. This story is a saga. And really, when you try to boil it down (if that's even possible), Here Be Dragons is about the tested and tried love between Llewelyn and Joanna. A love that thrives in the cracks of the concrete, flourishing under impossible circumstances, nurished only because neither will accept failure. Fraught with hardship, they find a way, and in their determination, a hope for the future is born. Although, in the end, I suppose the same could be said of Llewelyn and his fierce loyalty to the land, Gywnedd, to his people—in a way, he was wed to her, too.

This book is one of those that you could never sit down and read hour upon hour, although I wouldn't call it one that was easy to put down. More because of its sheer density. It's one that had to be digested in sections. It requires time to ponder. Just “one more chapter” before bed will find you reading in the wee small hours. For me, it was absolutely worth the commitment, and I am looking forward to tackling the other two books in the trilogy—sometime soon.

epibloguer.blogspot.com (less)

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Apr 06, 2011 Emma rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 4-stars, historical-fiction, england, wales, historical-women

I usually shy away from historical fiction starring real people, finding that such books are often dry--that, or widely derided for inaccuracy. This is one of those rare books that is neither, that is thoroughly researched but never reads like biography; the characters and their inner lives and relationships are fleshed out in a way that would make any novelist proud.

Here Be Dragons spans 51 years of Welsh and English history (from 1183 to 1234), focusing on the lives of three main characters:...more I usually shy away from historical fiction starring real people, finding that such books are often dry--that, or widely derided for inaccuracy. This is one of those rare books that is neither, that is thoroughly researched but never reads like biography; the characters and their inner lives and relationships are fleshed out in a way that would make any novelist proud.

Here Be Dragons spans 51 years of Welsh and English history (from 1183 to 1234), focusing on the lives of three main characters: Llewelyn, the Prince of Gwynedd; King John of England; and Joanna, John's illegitimate daughter and Llewelyn's wife. The character development is excellent, with nuanced portraits of each. I found them all ultimately sympathetic, but there's a lot of gray area and controversial decisions, just what I like in fiction. The time span, though, is both good and bad. On the positive side, we get a broad view of the historical picture and see the characters grow and mature; the love story, instead of just showing the courting phase, covers a decades-long marriage, which is especially refreshing because the portrayal is neither excessively idealistic nor depressingly dreary. The downside is that timeskips tend to be jarring; so much happens offstage in both the personal and political realms that constant exposition (often thinly disguised as dialogue) is required to keep us up to speed. I often felt like I lost track of the characters due to their rapid aging; Llewelyn, for instance, pops in and out of the narrative for the first 20 years covered, remaining distant from the reader up until his marriage with Joanna. This novel might have worked better as an entire trilogy! Without question, I thought the best part was the 50% or so in the middle, which spanned only 10-15 years and slowed down enough to allow the reader to become truly involved.

But any book with this many 5-star reviews has obviously hit on something, and Here Be Dragons has a winning combination: excellent history, but wonderfully readable, turning the characters into people who are fully realized and sympathetic. There's some action, and a fair number of events and situations that are truly bizarre--all of these, of course, grounded in the historical record. Overall, it's good stuff, and I would certainly recommend to historical fiction fans and those interested in sampling the genre. (less)

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Jan 05, 2011 Karen rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites-historical-fiction, medieval-500-1299, favorites

This is a great story that really pulls you into the 12th and 13th century Wales. There are a lot of characters in the beginning of this book, but keep reading and they will all cross paths. There is a lot of political upheaval, intrigue, deception and fighting in and among royal families of modern day Wales, England and France. The country lines were not that defined in those days and there were constant battles to keep possession of castles and the lands they controlled.

The four male sons of H...more

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Jul 16, 2010 Amanda rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: bought-copy, series, historical

This work is a sweeping historical epic concerning Llewelyn Fawr - the first self-proclaimed Prince of Wales - and his enduring love affair with Joanna, the illegitimate daughter of John, King of England. The book covers the period between 1183 and 1234, and deals in both micro and macro events. We see the world not only in terms of the major historical events that shaped that period of time but also from the point of view of characters in terms of their own relationships.

The characters are memo...more

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Nov 12, 2009 Margaret rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, wales, plantagenets, authors-op

Here Be Dragons is the first in Sharon Kay Penman's Wales trilogy, which follows the ruling families of Wales in the thirteenth century, a turbulent era for the small country on the borders of England, as their princes fought to protect Welsh independence from the encroaching English. Llewelyn ap Iorwerth makes an uneasy truce with King John of England by agreeing to marry John's illegitimate daughter Joanna, who is initially reluctant to marry Llewelyn and go to a land of which she knows nothin...more

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Sep 14, 2009 Kevin rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book was ridiculously good. I picked it up because every review I saw was gushy and I wanted to be able to stick it to all the believers, but now I find that I'm joining their ranks. I'm not someone who loves historical fiction -- or at least I thought I wasn't -- but maybe I am because I enjoyed this from the first to the last. It's an absorbing account of the lives of Llewelyn and Joanna -- he perhaps the greatest of the Welsh princes and she an extraordinary woman who ruled by his side....more

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Aug 01, 2009 Mary Campbell rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anglophiles, readers of hist. fiction

Recommended to Mary by: My brother, John Campbell

It isn't easy to keep track of English royalty, but reading good historical fiction helps a lot. For example, I learned, and will probably even remember, that bad King John (called LACKLAND, because he managed to lose most of the English territories in France) wasn't THOROUGHLY bad, and that he was the brother of Richard the Lion-Hearted, who was probably gay, who didn't speak English, and who spent most of his time either fighting wars or raising money for them; and that their mother, Eleanor o...more

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Aug 10, 2009 Zoe rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is hands down my favorite book. Ever.

It is multi-layered. On the one hand it's about the power struggle between England and Wales in the 1200s. On the other hand it's about the relationship between Joanna (illegitimate daughter of King John) and Llewelyn (prince of Wales).

I have never read a book with better characterization. The people are real and complex. There isn't a bad guy, per se, and that adds to the reality. You can always see the situations through everyone's eyes, so you can s...more

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Feb 04, 2010 Andrea rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is one of my all time favorites. It is the first in Sharon Kay Penman's trilogy of the 12th and 13th century Welsh princes known as Llewelyn The Great and his grandson, Llewelyn ap Gruffydd or Llewelyn The Last who united their people to fight for independence from English rule. Ms. Penman's meticulous historical research and her ability to make the reader feel they are in the room listening to history unfold is just addictive. I have always been an Anglophile, but knew nothing of Welsh his...more

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Historical Fiction

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Historical Fiction > Medieval

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Fantasy

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Romance

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European Literature > British Literature

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Romance > Historical Romance

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Science Fiction Fantasy

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Literature > 20th Century

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About Sharon Kay Penman

Penman received her bachelor's degree from the University of Texas at Austin, she majored in history, and also received a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from Rutgers University School of Law, and later worked as a tax lawyer. Penman suffered from an eighteen month bout with mononucleosis.

The Sunne in Splendour, a novel about Richard III of England is one of the most popular books on the Historical Nov...more

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Books by Sharon Kay Penman

When Christ and His Saints Slept (Henry II & Eleanor of Aquitaine, #1)

Time and Chance (Henry II & Eleanor of Aquitaine, #2)

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Trivia About Here be Dragons

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Quotes from Here be Dragons

“Poor Wales. So far from Heaven, so close to England.” — 13 people liked it

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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/77449.Here_be_Dragons?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1298192964l/77449.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/77449.Here_be_Dragons?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Here be Dragons by Sharon Kay Penman[/url]

Here be Dragons (Welsh Princes #1)

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