Here Be Dragons

Welsh Princes #1

by Sharon Kay Penman

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 dreams of uniting Wales. But as John's attentions turn again and again to subduing Wales--and Llewelyn--Joanna must decide to which of these powerful men she owes her loyalty and love.

A sweeping novel of power and passion, loyalty and lives, this is the book that began the trilogy that includes FALLS THE SHADOW and THE RECKONING.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Medieval, Fantasy, Romance, British Literature

704 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1985

About the author

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.

The Sunne in Splendour, a novel about Richard III of England is one of the most popular books on the Historical Novel Society's list of best historical novels. In 1996, following the success of When Christ and His Saints Slept (which dealt with the Anarchy and the early career of King Henry II of England), Penman ventured into the historical whodunnit with four mysteries set in the court of Eleanor of Aquitaine during the reign of Richard I. The mysteries did not enjoy the same success as her "straight" historical novels, to which she returned in 2002, with Time and Chance, again covering the life of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry II. In 2008, she published Devil's Brood, which was to be the final book in her trilogy about Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. She soon realized that there was still more of the Angevins' story to tell and the result was Lionheart , followed by The King's Ransom. Henry and Eleanor's celebrated and controversial son, Richard the Lionheart is the major character in both books, although Eleanor, John, and Richard's favorite sister, Joanna, also get to spend time on center stage. She has just finished The Land Beyond the Sea, set in the Kingdom of Jerusalem in the late 12th century. It will be published in the U.S. by G.P. Putnam's and in the U.K. and Down Under by Macmillan and co; the publication date is early March, 2020.

Reviews

[Cassy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I used to have a rule: You will read at least 50 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 13 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 rule, along comes Here Be Dragons. And it takes 183 pages to get started. Meaning I pushed through that many pages before the two main characters even meet. To be fair, this story needs a set-up, but does it really have to take that long?

Oh boy, I am glad that I stuck it out. Once I reached that 183rd page, I was captivated. Utterly captivated.

This book reminds me of two other books I thoroughly enjoyed, which I’ll mention in case they help you put this book in perspective. Imagine Outlander with less sex (hey, where are you going?). There is probably the same amount of violence here, but it is less immediate. Instead of fist fights, there are battles being fought off in the distance. It also brought back memories of Daughter of the Forest, yet with more sex and much more violence. So, smack this book right in the middle! In fact, I found it to be more mature than either Gabaldon or Marillier’s novels.

Penman imbued her book with rich emotional complexity. The female lead, Joanna’s loyalty is torn between her father, the English King John and her husband, the Welsh Prince Llewelyn, who are always facing each other in battle. And as the story progressed, Joanna has difficulty reconciling the rumors of her father’s cruelties with the doting figure from her childhood. If this all sounds angst-ridden, it is. Sometimes I just wanted to scream, “PICK LLEWELYN AND BE DONE WITH IT!”

Did I mention this book is heavy on the history? It is honest-to-goodness historical fiction. Joanna, John, Llewelyn, and the other big players are the real deal. Sometimes Penman’s commitment to accuracy and completeness bogs down the story. There would often be a gap of years between chapters. And characters would give these odd monologues to catch readers up on what happened. What a beautiful day. It reminds me of last June when my father, the Earl of Whatever made a pact with Duke of Wherever. Of course, Papa would only consent to such an alliance, because Prince Whoever was taken hostage by Evil Guy. It was exhausting, but I loved it.

Meeting Penman last week confirmed the obvious: this woman knows her stuff. She was out promoting her latest book, Lionheart. Most authors start off talking about their writing process. Penman rather dove into a history lesson. When someone from the audience asked her opinion on a couple of obscure historical figures, she knew exactly who they were and broke down their life in great detail. And trust me, no one was yawning. She was really fascinating.

Wait a second. Or are the facts fascinating? Royal women held captive for years, secret alliances, scandalous marriages, battles, even more scandalous divorces, rescues by ship, crusades. Medieval Europe had considerable drama. For a moment, I questioned how much credit I can give Penman as a writer when her salacious plots are taking directly from the past. But the moment quickly passed and I gave Penman her full due for (a) recognizing the novel-potential in these events and people, (b) doing the difficult research, and (c) filling in the gaps and bringing everything alive so vividly with her writing.

Eventually the audience questions got Penman talking about her writing process. She recommends not jumping around when writing. During her early years, she would focus on a scene until she hit a problem. Then she would set it aside and focus on an entirely different scene forward or backwards in the timeline – only to realize later that, as a result, her characters lacked any development. Then she had to add a caveat. Penman described how she was giving this advice at an event in Scottsdale, Arizona when the audience started grinning. They were familiar with Diana Gabaldon, who lives near Scottsdale, and apparently Gabaldon is a jumper. So now Penman tacks onto the end of her suggestion that it doesn’t work for her, but it can work for certain authors.

Penman also spoke about how her first manuscript was stolen out of her car when she was in her second year of law school. She was so shaken that she would try, but just couldn’t write for the next six years! Later, after receiving an insurance claim, she quit her job as a tax attorney, moved to the United Kingdom, and devoted herself to writing.

I only gave the book four stars, because I cannot find it in my heart to forgive the slow start. But if you prefer your historical fiction to be painstakingly accurate, with a complex love story, this is the book for you.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

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, INTERESTING CHARACTERS: while Penman may have added some components to some of the Historical figures, she did keep the known personality elements of each character. This seems especially so of King John;

(3) FLOW: unlike some Historical novels, the author doesn't try to push too many facts on you at the expense of the story pacing;

(4) HIGHLIGHTS THE BIG CONFLICTS OF HISTORY: some authors gloss over the big moments b/c they're trying to get everything into the Historical novels. Penman doesn't necessarily feel obligated to do this and puts more emphasis towards the structure
and flow of the story. For instance, it isn't unusual for her to cover a year in one chapter and then start three years later.;
and

(5) INTEREST: obviously, you want to know about this period; all the intrigues; the Plantagenet line; the royal Welsh line; how people lived and thought back then; the importance of honor today, etc.

[Leila · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really don't think I need to write a long involved review for the truly magnificent and very well known novel 'Here be Dragons' by Sharon Penman. I have read it quite a few times over the years. I love it and it is my favourite of all Sharon's historical novels. Anyone looking on Amazon will see lots and lots of reviews with most of them giving glowing accounts of this meticulously researched and written books. Even though it is a very long book I never want it to finish for it maintains my full interest and fascination throughout and leaves me always wanting more. I would recommend it most highly for anyone who enjoys top quality historical novels. You won't regret it! Thank you Sharon for years of thoroughly exciting and wonderful reading of all your books but especially this one!

[Gary · Rating 5 out of 5]

An extremely compelling and memorable novel-one of the best in it's genre , about love and lust, passion and power , and the high politics of 13th century Wales and England.
It will stay in your memory , as it brings the subject matter alive.

It is the story about Welsh nationalist hero , Prince Llewelyn Ap Iowerth , who united Wales , and faced up to the corrupt and vicious King John of England , and of Joanna , John's unforgettable daughter, who was married at a young age , to Llewelyn , and who is the key figure in this epic. It is impossible not to fall in love with the spirited , dark-haired beauty, Joanna.

Definitely one of the best mediaeval historical novels out there-a real page turner , that you won't be able to put down. You really get to know the characters ,and live the narrative

[Lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Paul Weiss · Rating 5 out of 5]

In which Llewelyn the Great, much loved husband of King John’s bastard daughter Joanna, takes on his father-in-law for mastery of Wales and Norman England

Richard the Lionheart was an absent king bent on defeating the Saracens in the Holy Land and that suited Llewelyn, an upstart prince of Wales and would be unifier of a patchwork of Welsh provinces and landholdings, just fine! But the recently deceased Richard’s younger brother, King John, although a capable administrator and a skilled military leader was also a heavy-handed, mean-spirited, and (not to put too fine a point on it) cruel, nasty and spiteful monarch of a distinctly different colour. Welsh autonomy, and Gwynedd’s hegemony under Llewelyn’s stern but always disputed leadership, was in for a lifelong struggle against the evil machinations and battlefield tactics of King John.

HERE BE DRAGONS is a story of 13th century England – King John’s heavy handed rule over England, his loss of English landholdings in northern France and Normandy and his struggle to maintain Norman sovereignty over a Wales bent on flexing its own sovereign muscles; a fictionalized biography of Llewelyn (now known as Llewelyn the Great in Welsh history) and his unification of Welsh opposition against King John; the story of 13th century misogyny and the oppressive rules under which nobly born women were made to live; the fascinating drama of Llewelyn’s political arranged marriage to Joanna, King John’s much-loved bastard daughter and, in turn, the story of the breaking of Joanna’s heart and her struggle to find peace and a way to exemplify her love divided between her husband and her father; and, finally, the story of the revolt of King John’s barons against his tyranny and their forcing King John to put his signature to the Magna Carta on the open fields of Runnymede on a summer day in 1215.

As expansive as the historical canvas on which Sharon Kay Penman paints her recreation of 13th century England is - its politics, its landscapes, and its evolution – she keeps a firm and disciplined grip on all of the story lines, all of her characters, and all of the meaningful real-life historical developments. The reader of what is a door-stopper by any definition will never find themselves forced to re-read, or to stop to gather one’s thoughts. The lush drama, the thrill, the gripping re-creation of the real-life historical developments and the heart throbbing romance that Penman has chosen to create between Llewelyn and his child bride, Joanna, is, to say the least, compelling. The female members of the cast – King John’s daughter and Llewelyn’s wife, Joanna; King John’s wife, Isabella of Angoulême; and King John’s mother, the celebrated Eleanor of Acquitaine, (as different as chalk, cheese, and snow), were the ladies through which Penman narrated the story of women’s embattled and distinctly downtrodden place in 13th century Norman England.

HERE BE DRAGONS is unquestionably a masterwork of the historical fiction genre and will doubtless be considered a classic to be loved, re-read, and loved again over the years to come. Definitely recommended.

Paul Weiss

[Sarah Mac · Rating 2 out of 5]

[...loading unpopular opinion...]

I didn't like this book.

I didn't like the author's writing style, treatment of the period, or copious infodumps that were awkwardly wedged into the prose (which was pedestrian at best). Despite the piles of glowing reviews for SKP's medieval books, I kept my expectations low -- but alas. Here Be Dragons plunged through such tissue-weight optimism like a brick through toilet paper. I really did try, guys. I hoped it would improve, or at least hook my attention.

It never did.

Clearly this author's research is considerable. No doubt yours truly would be impressed by the reams of paper, index cards, & notepad documents to support this & every other novel she's written. But why even classify this as FICTION? Why not just write a series of in-depth nonfiction tomes about the medieval period? Because that's what Here Be Dragons wanted to be -- NONFICTION. Refusing to deviate even slightly from anything that's not documented, dissected, or footnoted leads to prose that's bloated, dry, & lacking personality.

As if that wasn't bad enough, the characters stood around & discussed every little thing written on said notecards. The endless parade of stilted infodump conversations made me want to throw the book at the wall. (Example: "He was some 13 years older, treated me like a daughter until I was ready to be a wife. Yes, I was happy enough. But at 36 he died, leaving no heirs, & as you know, his bastard cousin Tancred seized the throne. Tancred not only denied me my dower rights, he put me in close confinement at Palermo. I sometimes wonder what would have become of me, Johnny, if not for Richard." ...And that's only half a paragraph.) Cardboard mouthpieces with familiar historical names question each other & discuss everything while doing nothing -- because how else will the reader learn everything there is to know about medieval Welsh marriage legal procedure?! ENTHRALLING! -- before rushing to another backdrop to do the same thing, because hasn't Llewelyn taken yet another castle in BlahBlahWhatever, Wales? Let's talk about how this does or doesn't affect us right now. Over & over & over. (And yet the oh-so-tragic death of Llewelyn's mistress happens between chapter gaps, causing everyone paroxysms of grief...everyone except the reader, who never even met the woman. *facepalm*)

Such refusal to speculate -- or, god forbid, create fresh plots -- made for extremely flat reading. It was epic, pedantic telling with only the barest sprinkle of showing, & even those moments lacked any real zip -- the few scenes that happened "here & now" were overheard through a wall (literally) or cluttered by purple descriptions that jarred with the bulk of the narrative. (Example: To diminish her pain & prolong their enjoyment, he sought to keep physical needs under mental thrall, making use of all the tricks he'd learned in the twenty years since he had, as an awed fourteen-year-old, discovered how sweet the fruits of the flesh could be, drawing out their lovemaking until he dared delay no longer. She stiffened under him, but did not cry out, & he felt the barrier give way with his second thrust. Joanna was gasping his name. He covered her mouth with his own, & she clung tightly, then turned her head from side to side on the pillow, shuddering, all but blinding them both with the wild tossing of her hair. Yielding to his own need, he let it take him toward satisfaction, toward that ephemeral moment of release, so fleeting & yet so overwhelming in its intensity, in its peculiar union of pleasure & pain. ...Call me crazy, but isn't that the same breed of overwrought sex0rs that's jeered & pelted with soggy lettuce when it's beneath a bosom-clutching Zebra cover? Just sayin'.)

Maybe I'm reading it wrong -- but IMO, this was an overrated snooze. And seeing as how SKP readers rave about how her style remains pure & true to history throughout multiple books, I won't be trying any others.

One final clipping:

"It is easy to understand how people came to use the term 'manhood'," she said, rather breathlessly, "but how explain 'privy member'?"
"How explain any of them, Joanna: cock, shaft, codpiece, pizzle, sword? And in Welsh: bonllost, gwialen, cal...and those are just the polite terms."
"Bonllost," she echoed, amused by the unfamiliar phrasing, and then began to giggle. "I do hope none of our children ever ask me which Welsh word I did learn first!" Llewelyn had taken her into a closer embrace; she could feel his hands under her bedrobe, and she sighed, said softly, "I think, though, that I shall call it Merlin, in honor of the miracles it did work last night."

...I'm not sure which is worse: the linguistic infodump itself, or the cheesy schmoop that's wedged into an otherwise pedantic nonfiction tome. (C'mon, y'all. MERLIN? *barf*)

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Historical fiction writing at its best! This is an epic, sweeping story of 13th century England and Wales. Following Eleanor of Aquitaine’s children fighting for power with a Game of Thrones feel, this is fast paced and thrilling! I felt completely immersed in Medieval life and I can’t wait to read the rest of the trilogy.

[nastya · Rating 1 out of 5]

It might have been a mistake to read this so close after Dunnett.
Just like Dunnett believes in the reader's capacity to use brains and interpret what's happening on the page, Penman overexplains everything to the reader. Every thought, motivation and emotion laid down on the page. And every scene of dialogue can be made as unnatural for the purposes of pushing more exposition down your throat.

Stephen was so woefully ignorant that it was truly a charitable act to enlighten him, he decided, and proceeded to acquaint Stephen with some of the more legendary exploits of his celebrated grandfather, giving his imagination free rein.

“You both know the history of my House, know how my uncles Davydd and Rhodri cheated my father and my other uncles of their rightful share of my grandfather’s inheritance. They carved Gwynedd up between them as if it were a meat pie, forced my father, Owain Fawr’s firstborn, into exile, brought about his death whilst I was still in my cradle.

“Why should you? You were not yet six when Henry confined me in Salisbury Tower, sixteen when next I saw you, twenty-one when Richard ordered my release. How could I love you? I do not even know you. You were ever Henry’s, never mine.”


“You’re beautiful, you know, you truly are. Not at all the skin-and-bones sister I remember! Joanna Plantagenet, Queen of Sicily, Duchess of Apulia, Princess of Capua. Were you happy, Jo, in Sicily?” “Not at first. I was too young, too homesick. But William meant well by me, gave me no cause for complaint. He was some thirteen years older, treated me like a daughter until I was ready to be a wife. Yes, I was happy enough. But at thirty-six he died, leaving no heirs, and as you know, his bastard cousin Tancred seized the throne. Tancred not only denied me my dower rights, he put me into close confinement at Palermo. I sometimes wonder what would have become of me, Johnny, if not for Richard. He landed at Messina on his way to the Holy Land, and when Tancred balked at releasing me, restoring my dower, Richard laid siege to the town, forced Tancred into submission.”

Not one scene will be for reader’s interpretation. Everything will be explained.

Eleanor no longer doubted. There could be no better indication of John’s innocence than this, that he would willingly seek Richard out. When he was in the wrong, the last thing he ever wanted was to face his accusers, to confront those he’d betrayed. Eleanor’s relief was inexpressible. Her easy acceptance of John’s guilt had been prompted as much by fear as by her son’s dismal record of broken faith and betrayals, the fear that she had misjudged him, after all, that he was not the pragmatist she’d thought him to be. Had he indeed been intriguing with Philip, that would mean to Eleanor that his judgment was fatally and unforgivably flawed, flawed enough to taint any claim he might have had to the crown. That was a conclusion she shrank from, for it would signify the end of all her hopes for an Angevin dynasty, and that was the dream which had somehow sustained her even when she’d had nothing else to hold on to.

This is not a novel, it's a historian using characters as puppets to hit every historical event and date she has researched. So her characters do not feel or behave like humans, they behave how the plot needs them to behave.
Dunnett, you spoiled me for a mediocre historical fiction.

And when she tries to do an emotional scene like Joanna meeting her papa John for the first time it veers into schmaltzy Disney territory.
“-Here child, a puppy! -Thank you sir, I always wanted a puppy! Please oh please don't send me to my father! -But child, I am your father! I love you! -I love you too, papa!*hug**tears of happiness*”

The writing is bad:

“Isabelle, listen to me. Forget what your father told you; it does not matter. You do not belong to him any longer. You belong to me, and I do want you. I want you as my Queen, I want you in my bed, and right now I want you on my lap.” John smiled, but she reacted as if to a command, at once settled herself upon his knee, and put her arms shyly about his neck.

“You must be Joanna and Richard.” Isabelle jerked the bed hangings aside and, wrapping herself in the sheet, accepted a servant’s offering, a cup of watered-down wine. “I guess I’m now your mother!” She laughed suddenly. “But do not dare call me Mama!”

150 pages in and I’m not suffering another 550 pages of this tedium.
You can read this 700+ page novel or alternatively just read wikipedia, it will be more interesting and will have better writing. At the very least - don’t read this close to Dorothy Dunnett or Hilary Mantel.

[Sud666 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sharon Kay Penman writes phenomenal historical fiction. I've enjoyed several of her books and was not hesitant to buy this one when I saw it. Penman has a remarkable ability to show a different side to rulers traditionally defamed. She did a wonderful job with her novel about Richard III (The Sunne in Splendour) and in this tome she attempts, with mild success, to tell a tale with context that shows him to not be only a monster known as the infamous King John of England (of Robin Hood fame). Also on a side note, as I assume anyone reading a book like this is a history fan, the term "Here be Dragons" comes from "hic sunt dracones" in Latin. It means dangerous or unexplored territory. It was a medieval practice of putting illustrations of dragons, sea monsters, and other mythological creatures on uncharted areas of maps where potential dangers were thought to exist. In this case, the reference is to Wales. Also, I ought to point out that the term is an anachronism as only three times does it really appear- Theatrum Orbis Terrarum (considered the first true atlas), Da Vinci Globe, and the Hunt Lenox Globe. Earlier maps had mythical creatures illustrated, but those three were the ones that had "HC SVNT DRACONES" placed instead.

Anyways, this book revolves around three people- John, King of England, his bastard daughter Joanna, and finally Llewelyn mab Iorwerth (aka Llywelyn the Great- Llywelyn is the Welsh spelling) of Wales.

While King John is manipulative and greedy, he isn't the monster as is often portrayed. The King John is closer to history. He could be ruthless (Duh he was a king) but he did care for his family members and the way he treated his bastard daughter, Joanna, was quite decent considering he didn't have to claim her at all.

Joanna is a more complex person to me. I didn't care for her. While at the outset I did feel sympathy for her plight, her own actions and insipid behavior soured me on her. Her inability, till near the end, to admit the father she adored could ALSO be a ruthless and manipulative king seeking more territory and power will cause many troubles for her and her family.

The third actor is Llewelyn the Great of Wales (though this term will come later) of Wales. John's scheme to wed Joanna to Llewelyn in order to secure Wales and Llewelyn's move to protect his territory will not only cause tremendous troubles but will also split his family.

I loved Penman's ability to tell the tale of the complex machinations of Welsh and Norman English conflicts as a story. I would have really loved this book, save for the inordinate amount of time spent on Joanna and her troubled relationship with her husband. It felt too much like a romance emphasis, instead of focusing on the truly interesting characters like King John and Llewelyn. Joanna is no Eleanor of Aquitaine and I really could have cared less.

But that is just me. This is a fine historical fiction book and a fine tale. I shall certainly be reading the second book as soon as I get my hands on it. Highly recommended for any history fan.

[Tracey Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

My God! I do not think I have ever read such a more heart-rending and beautiful story in my life! And that is saying a lot as I am 40+ and have been reading since elementary school. I know I will not do this review justice as there are no adequate words for this book and I am writing on high emotions and no planning of my thoughts. I am sitting at work and I cannot concentrate for my mind keeps going back to these characters, one minute I am smiling the next tearing up. SKP has a way of making medieval England and Wales come alive. This was my first introduction to historical Wales and I am devouring google for more information of their history and people. This is the first book in a trilogy and I am diving into the second and have ordered the third. Historical fiction is my first love and I have a feeling in the future I will measure all historical books to SKP’s writing.

If you love a good romp through medieval times then I strongly suggest picking this magnificent book up. I will say it’s a little slow going the first 50-100 pages but do not be discouraged and hang in there for you will be rewarded.

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

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 John become bitter enemies and Joanna is forced to choose between loyalty to her beloved...but ruthless...father or the husband she was commanded to marry for political reasons but with whom she ended up falling in love.

This book was over 700 pages of fantastic reading!! It was like Pillars of the Earth only REALLY GOOD!! :) And lucky me it's the first book in a series. Yay!! I am currently 120 pages into the second book in the saga Falls the Shadow and loving it.

My rating: EXCELLENT

[Krista · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gratifying. There was never a moment in this book that I felt bored getting lectured about the history of 13th-century Wales and a great Welsh prince named Llewelyn. Miss Penman has vividly captured the action, gore, romance, intrigue, and whatnot of this medieval period...and what more can I say? I’m entranced.

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Where I got the book: purchased used on Amazon.

This is the first book I’ve read by Sharon Kay Penman, and it was a product of the Goodreads Effect—I’ve heard so many good things about Penman on Goodreads that I realized I was going to have to get acquainted with her work. This, I believe, was the second book she wrote, after The Sunne in Splendor, and the first book in her Welsh Trilogy. It covers the years from 1183 to 1234 and tells the story of Llewelyn, a Welsh prince determined to keep Wales Welsh by keeping the English (well, Norman French really) King John out of his country, and his wife Joanna, who was John’s illegitimate daughter.

Given its subject matter, it won’t surprise you to learn that the movement of the novel is chronological rather than thematic; it’s basically a straight telling of what happened during the period, primarily from the point of view of either Llewelyn or Joanna (but see below). If you’re the kind of reader who reads historical fiction to learn history, you will learn a great deal about the period, about Wales and about the personalities involved, and since I’m not a historian I can’t tell you whether it’s accurate or not.

Penman writes well, puts words into the characters’ mouths that don’t generally sound either too modern or too deliberately olde-worlde, and covers, as far as I can see, a great deal of the known history of the time. I can’t fault her on any of those points.

And yet…I wasn’t overly impressed. I read this book a few pages at a time over a very long period, which admittedly isn’t probably the best way to do it, but at no point did the story grab me enough that I wanted to bring this book with me wherever I went. I even tried starting it over after the first 50 pages or so, because I’d let a long time lapse, and then after that I kept doggedly perservering, determined to give Penman a fair try.

I should admit, though, that Welsh settings have never appealed to me much, and I had trouble dealing with so many names, character or place, with L or G or W in them. I kept trying to pronounce the names in my head, and since I haven’t spent much time in Wales this was a frustrating bit of OCD that hounded me constantly as I read. But maybe that’s just me.

I spent much of the 700 pages of this book wondering why I simply couldn’t work up any feeling for any of the characters, and it was only toward the end of the book that the answer began to dawn on me. I had a problem with the narrative voice. Penman writes in the third person omniscient point of view which, admittedly, is probably the best choice for a novel involving a great many characters and a large chunk of history—she is able to show us the inside of the heads of any character she wishes at any point in time. I have nothing against the omniscient POV when it’s done well, but I don’t think that Penman had really mastered it in this book. We are very often deep in Llewelyn or Joanna’s head, and I found it disconcerting to suddenly hop into the head of a minor character, as quite frequently happened. It’s like holding a telescopic device when someone else is playing around with the zoom, so that one second you’re looking at things from miles away, the next second you’re right up close, and then WHAM, back to miles away again. To make things worse, every so often she resorted to historian mode to get over long periods of time in which not much happened, or at least not much happened that she intended to show in the book. So suddenly we weren’t in any character’s head—we were listening to a disembodied storyteller.

And that, I figured, is why I couldn’t get to like any of the characters—the narrative technique made them all seem a bit like a cast of marionettes, not acting under their own free will but at the mercy of the narrated Historical Imperative. And that’s a shame because there was a lot of family drama that also, because of who that family happened to be, was historically important. The abiding impression of what I did like turns out to be King John, who doesn’t appear often enough for my liking but casts an awfully long shadow over Joanna and Llewelyn’s lives. I grew up with an impression of King John taken from the Robin Hood stories, and am glad to have received a more nuanced picture of this much-maligned monarch.

All this makes it very hard to rate this book, but I’m going for three stars because of the sheer struggle I had to stay engaged with the story. Which doesn’t mean I’m giving up on Penman—I have another of her books somewhere in the TBR pile, and I’ll admit that if I want to learn something about a period via historical fiction, she seems like a good author to go to.

[Mandy Moody · Rating 5 out of 5]

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 of characters in Dragons, yet I managed to remember them all, because their personalities were so well defined.
Her portrayal of the English King John is the most objective and rounded that I've read. She states (in the afterward) that she tried to strip away the myths that surround John and allow him to be judged on the facts. As a result, she made him sympathetically human - something that no other author I've read has done.
Joanna is a perfect heroine - the kind that makes mistakes and has insecurities. I loved her.
If Joanna is the perfect heroine, Llewelyn is beyond perfect as the hero. Their love for each other and their life together is such a fantastic story - one that I will read again, I'm sure.
The writing is superb. I laughed, I cried, I sat on the edge of my seat...I hated to put this book down for the entire 700 pages. Here be Dragons has it all.

[Maureen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an epic sweeping story of 13th century Wales. Henry and Eleanor Of Aquitaine’s children fighting for power. King John wedded his daughter Joanna to Llewelyn Prince of Wales to secure a truce with England.
Joanna being torn between her love for her father and her husband.
This is book is historical fiction at its best. It is very well written and researched.
It is a captivating story of power and passion.
Highly recommended.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

How do you choose what to read next? For me it is complex. I have lists, I have plans, I have impulses. I first learned about Sharon Kay Penman from a blogger. Helen at She Reads Novels, my favorite historical fiction blog, has reviewed Penman's books over the years. Since her books are often long, as is this one, I kept putting off reading her.

The impulse came when I learned of Ms Penman's death on January 22 of this year. I then felt guilty for not having read her yet because I would no longer be able to tell her if I liked her books. It also happens that I am gradually making my way through Will Durant's The Age of Faith, a history of the Middle Ages.

Here Be Dragons, set in Medieval England and Wales, is a historical fiction lover's dream come true. Solid research; the evocation of time and place, people and customs; dramatic set pieces that bring wars and kings and feuds and families to life; and best of all to me, equal time given to the women.

The story ranges from 1133 to 1216 during the reigns of several Plantagenet Kings: Henry II, his sons Richard I (the Lion Heart) and King John. Eleanor of Aquitaine appears, wife of Henry II, mother of Richard I and John. She does not come across as favorably as she does in other stories I have read but she looms large.

The focus however is Wales and the exploits of her Princes, including both internal feuds and their attempts to keep the English Kings out of their country. When King John marries off his illegitimate daughter Joanna to the powerful Welsh Prince Llewelyn, in an attempt to secure a truce, the stage is set for a grand passion fraught with conflicting loyalties.

I spent many days reading Here Be Dragons. I was never bored. In fact, I was spellbound. I love studying history and then reading the historical novels that bring the key figures and the attendant families and personal struggles down to the everyday particulars.

This was a perfect example of that with a passionate love story that includes great sex and stormy emotions but is never overdone. I will read more by Sharon Kay Penman. She wrote 13 other books!

Have you read this author? If so, which ones are your favorites?

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

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 at the English court. I also liked this slightly more sympathetic portrayal of John. Yes, his bad deeds are all there, but it was interesting to see more of the man behind the tyrannical myth.

Back in Wales, I also enjoyed the story of Joanna and Llewelyn, although they both began to irritate me after a while - she became too whiney, and he was too earnest and two-dimensional. To be fair though, I always tire of the good guy, finding their multi-layered adversaries far more interesting. There were a few surprising twists in Joanna and Llewelyn’s story, and in the hands of another author, I would assume that they were pure fiction, but with Penman, I knew I’d find confirmation that the twists were true.

This is my fourth Penman book, and although The Sunne in Splendour is my favourite, Here Be Dragons has had the most fluidity for me so far. Despite the 800 pages and vast attention to detail, I zipped through it in a matter of days, and had the second book in the series arrived in time, I’d have picked that one up as soon as I put this one down.

[Rio (Lynne) · Rating 5 out of 5]

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 characters are Joanna "King John's illegitimate daughter" and Llewelyn The Great. King John marries Joanna off to his rival and into Llewelyn's Welsh world. This book is so big and informative that I feel like I read 3 books! Penman covers 1183-1234. We re-live through 3 kings and endless wars. There are so many characters that at times it is hard to keep up. My only complaint is that I would have enjoyed a list of characters at the beginning, just to help keep everyone in line. I've already bought the next 2 books in the series Falls the Shadow and The Reckoning.
If you truly want to learn history, this is the book. If you enjoy Elizabeth Chadwick and Susan Higginbotham you will love Sharon Penman. There is no fluff here.

[Mela · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant historical fiction. Exactly like I love.

--> Soaked with historical events, characters - even more, there were few fictional characters. Barb in Maryland summarized it perfectly: Sweeping fictionalized history on a grand scale.

--> Written in a way that allowed me to feel, to see, to be there.

Although to the west a few stars still glimmered, the sky was slowly and inexorably paling, taking on the dull pearl color of coming dawn. The bailey was enveloped in an eerie quiet, men just beginning to stir, to crawl, groaning, from their bedrolls. A few castle dogs prowled about. A sleepy soldier relieved himself against the chapel wall, provoking curses from some of the blanket-clad forms downwind. Up on the curtain wall, guards dozed by empty wine flasks. The aroma of roasting pigeon wafted across the bailey from the gatehouse

--> Asking questions, rarely giving simple answers.

...nothing in life turns out as we thought it would, nothing...

Just because something has always been done a certain way does not make it right.

--> The story of Llewelyn and Joanna... much much better than most of the popular love stories, and so much entwined with 'big politic' of those times.

--> And how heartbreaking were the choices people had to make! Penman wasn't judging them. She 'just' showed us how hard was to be them. How hard it is to imagine what they were going through.

Must-read to every fan of the genre.

PS I admit that I got confused many times with all those people, names, battles. To help myself, I printed even a map to be able to check where were the places.

[Elizabeth · Rating 1 out of 5]

OMG. I LOVE historical fiction. I LOVE this period. But I cannot for the life of me get into this book! And that's disappointing b/c this author wrote many and I was hopeful of having lots of nice, long books to read. It's hard for me to put my finger on what I don't like -- basically, as soon as one gets interested in a character or a situation, the scene shifts dramatically. There are too many characters and too much going on.

And YES, it's history, and there WERE a lot of characters and a lot going on. But writing historical fiction means CHOOSING what to focus on and then, well, FOCUSING on it. Penman doesn't give you enough time with any given person or issue for you to be able to give a damn about it.

I'm not finished with the book, but I think I'm gonna call it quits. I almost never do that, but I'm finding continuing painful.

[Tania · Rating 4 out of 5]

There was one aspect of successful kingship, however, that John had always utterly lacked - luck.

4.5 stars. Many people has recommended that I try a Sharon Kay Penman, but I felt a bit intimidated for two reason - firstly by the size of the books and secondly I was worried it may be too highbrow for my taste. But I'm happy to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. I learned so much about thirteenth-century England and Wales, but it never felt forced. The characters were all fully developed, and even at their worst I still felt sympathy for them. We see them growing up, and so we understand their choices. This is one of the few 700 page books I've read where I didn't feel it could have been any shorter. I even enjoyed the romance and war strategy aspects of the story. I can't wait to read more of her books. Highly recommended to anyone who enjoys Philippa Gregory.

The story: England's power-hungry King John arranges a marriage between his youngest daughter, Joanna, and his rival, Llewelyn, Prince of North Wales, a young leader who intends to unite all of Wales, in a saga set against the vivid backdrop of thirteenth-century Wales.

[Lady of the Lake · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite books ...I don't believe the story she has fabricated within the web of historical figures and happenings but I loved d it none the less. This brought joy toe but it also had me crying my eyes out. I fell in love with the characters most had lived a life similar to what goes on here but much it far from the truth I am certain. I was so sorry to reach the last page. This was the first book in the trilogy and the best of the 3 IMHO. It was the great love she was able to bring to life for me that had this one standing out from the other two. Sigh... I wish I was just starting this book..re reading it never has the same impact for me. Ah well...

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have a bit of a dilemma with this book. It's not the first historical fiction novel I've read that deals with "real" people - historical figures, that is. But it is the first I've read to this scale, and it left me a bit ... perplexed. It's set in 12th and 13th century Wales and England, and is the story of a Welsh prince, Llewelyn, who from the age of fourteen fought to reclaim his father's domain and then, throughout the rest of his life, unite the Welsh princes - a united Wales, he could see clearly, would keep England's kings from absorbing it into England. It is also the story of his young wife, Joanna, King John of England's beloved but bastard daughter, and her struggle to be loyal to be her husband and her father - both of whom she loved.

All of these people were real people, as are most of the other characters. The setting, the customs and laws, the details, the attitudes - it's all been splendidly researched I'm sure. I'm not here to quibble with Penman's story, either the construction of it or the accuracy. What troubled me was how awkward I felt reading it. I vacillated between being deeply engrossed, emotionally effected and full of admiration; and finding it stilted, confined, and depressing because these people's lives have already been lived, their fates decided, their deaths already determined. It put a damper on things, especially when the story got intense on the personal front. It's like reading a mystery that's a true story and knowing how easy it would be to simply look up the facts, find out whodunnit and who died a horrible death etc., and also feeling wretched because here you are sympathising with people long dead. It's not a feeling I've ever had before while reading a book, and I'm not sure how to explain it. But it did effect my enjoyment of the novel and, to be truthful, might influence me against reading similar books in the future. But maybe not. Perhaps the problem here was that Penman stuck too close to history? But how would I even know without studying the period myself? It's irrelevant.

I would get nasty little reminders every time Penman had to tell us, her readers, about things that were happening. She made a valiant attempt to incorporate this exposition into conversations, but it never quite managed to sound realistic. It was like a slightly dry, academic historian was giving a voice-over during a reenactment-documentary, which has the effect of pulling you back to the present and reminding you that it's 2010 and all this is, literally, history.

This completely contradicts the aim of a story, to make you sink into it and bring the characters to life - and sometimes you are so engrossed you even forget where you are and nearly miss your subway stop (my apologies to the lady in the red coat who I barged into as I dashed through the closing doors). It wasn't the neat little paragraphs that would summarise events for us at the beginning or end of a chapter. It was when historical explanations were inserted into dialogue. You just know that these people already knew that. They often say so. And it's hard to get across the information we need without sounding like you character's a mouthpiece for your history lesson, giving us a lecture. So yes, this bugged me.

Regardless, I did get into the story and I did enjoy it. Penman did a marvellous job with such a big chunk of history, bringing it to life and making the characters seem real. Sometimes I couldn't help thinking that they were too real. Their ups-and-downs started affecting my moods. Especially in regards to Joanna and Llewelyn's relationship, which was good and strong and loving but had its moments of misunderstanding (and since they're nobility, misunderstandings can have terrible repercussions), divided loyalties, mistakes. Even though I would have liked Llewelyn to be more fleshed-out as a man (he was too often a prince, a leader of the army, a political figure, or a husband - but who was he?), his emotions still got to me. I had to almost verbally remind myself that he wasn't my husband and these emotions weren't really mine, and I didn't need to apply Joanna's feelings to my own husband! It did my head in sometimes, it really did.

Now, I have to confess that, as well constructed as Joanna was, I didn't like her much. It was interesting to hear her daughter give voice to her own impression of her mother, towards the end, because it made me think "Yes! Glad I'm not the only one!" She was too good, too ... prideful? Not mean, not at all, but too self-indulgent while at the same time too distant from others, from those who would be her friends. Yes, the problem was her divided loyalties - I would not like to be in her position. But she wasn't a woman I could really admire, and my sympathy was almost the pitying kind.

I have to say, reading historical fiction like this is one of the best ways to learn about history, especially since it gains context, is comprehensible, you get to know the people and remember who they are and where they fit into the bigger picture. On that score, I would gladly read more heavy works like Here Be Dragons. But I'm not sure I'll read any more Penman. I'm not sure her style is for me. I may have been expecting something slightly different, because so many people recommended this to me and raved about it. Sadly, I can't rave, though I was impressed, and I'm glad I read it. At 701 pages, it took me the entire month of February to read (I had to read Catch-22 this month as well, which is not a great mix; it was hard to switch back and forth!), but it was worth it.

[Bettie · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book, Here Be Dragons is definitely one of my favourite novels ever.

I very rarely cry reading books but the tears were definitely there for this one ...and I have read the book multiple times before.

Sharon Penman brings the twelfth and thirteenth centuries to life and her characterisations seem so plausible. If you like historical fiction then I highly recommend this book. It is a modern classic.

[Emma Deplores Goodreads Censorship · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

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 think I've found yet another "keeper". So many books. So little time.

[Anneliese Bennion]

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 was one of her top favorites. In the top five. I have to say, that thought kept me going. I really got into the story when Joanna burned Llewelyn's bed. By then I was hooked, but that was at least 250 pages into it. There is a lot of battle in the book. Not so much blood and gore, but political strategies. I wasn't sure by page 600 that I would be able to rate it as high as my friend. I just was not so hooked to J & L. The last hundred or so pages made me change my mind. I loved that last little bit. It was kind of what the whole book was building up to. I don't know if I'd put it in my top five romances, but it would definitely be in the top ten. I am glad I took the time to read it, but it definitely was a commitment.

[Peggyzbooksnmusic · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had read that many readers love this first book in the Welsh Princes Trilogy. Wow! I also loved this! I'm glad that I had read all of the books in the Plantagenet series first as they set up the historical events. This is mostly set after the death of Richard the Lionheart when John becomes King. Ms Penman transports the reader back to a ruthless time in Medieval history; 13th century England and Wales. Actually, whether you were high born or just a peasant, the Medieval era was a time of too many deaths. The Welsh and the Normans each are fighting for control of Wales. The main part of the story revolves around the marriage of Llewelyn, Prince of North Wales and Joanna, John's illegitimate daughter. They eventually have a passionate love for each other although both make unfortunate decisions and mistakes that lead to heartbreak. Ms Penman is masterful at fleshing out her characters; especially in explaining how and why the events unfold. A very emotional read!