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The Cycle of Oak, Yew, Ash, and Rowan #5
The Knight of the Red Beard
Having rebuilt the NordornLand from rubble, Ashen and Gaurin rule justly and fairly over a reinvigorated land. Beloved by their kingdom, they now turn their attention to the next generation of Nordorn royalty.
Responsible Bjaudin, heir to the throne, focuses on his studies and Hegrin, Queen of Rendel, rears her own growing brood. But the youngest siblings, Elin and Mikkel, seem destined to alter the future of the NordornLand—for better or for worse.
Thirteen-year-old Elin craves power, and believes her new alliance with the evil Ysa may help her achieve it.
Eleven-year-old Mikkel stows away on a Sea-Rover ship, hoping for a brief adventure. But when the ship is attacked, Mikkel is taken prisoner, and soon his bonds to the NordornLand are the last thing on his mind.
Through births and deaths, celebration and wars, Ashen and Gaurin have worked tirelessly to bring peace and prosperity to their kingdom. But it appears that this era of peace may be at its end. This final installment of the Cycle of Oak, Yew, Ash, and Rowan brings the series to a thrilling climax worthy of these fascinating characters.
- GenresFantasy
368 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 30, 2008
5 people are currently reading
168 people want to read
About the author
Andre Norton
690 books1,391 followersAndre Norton, born Alice Mary Norton, was a pioneering American author of science fiction and fantasy, widely regarded as the Grande Dame of those genres. She also wrote historical and contemporary fiction, publishing under the pen names Andre Alice Norton, Andrew North, and Allen Weston. She launched her career in 1934 with The Prince Commands, adopting the name “Andre” to appeal to a male readership. After working for the Cleveland Library System and the Library of Congress, she began publishing science fiction under “Andrew North” and fantasy under her own name. She became a full-time writer in 1958 and was known for her prolific output, including Star Man’s Son, 2250 A.D. and Witch World, the latter spawning a long-running series and shared universe. Norton was a founding member of the Swordsmen and Sorcerers' Guild of America and authored Quag Keep, the first novel based on the Dungeons & Dragons game. She influenced generations of writers, including Lois McMaster Bujold and Mercedes Lackey. Among her many honors were being the first woman named Gandalf Grand Master of Fantasy and SFWA Grand Master. In her later years, she established the High Hallack Library to support research in genre fiction. Her legacy continues with the Andre Norton Award for young adult science fiction and fantasy.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
May 2, 2025
Andre Norton's name is on the cover and on the title page, but this is a humble version of the real thing.
Mikkel, youngest son of NordornQueen Ashen and NordornKing Gaurin, stows away on a Sea-Rover ship and has a jolly good adventure among the Wykenigs – that's Vikings to you and me. He also gets ensorcelled to grow up very quickly, but only physically and not mentally, which is unfortunate as a Rock-Maiden falls in love with him. She is alabaster from the head down and as immortal as the mountains – I assume the main cause of death among Rock-Maidens is erosion. How frustrating for Mikkel to be blessed with the physical attributes of sexual attraction and prowess yet have a mind so easily distracted by sailing ships and castles.
His sister Elin drifts in and out of things. She sometimes seems to be gifted with a dangerous form of Power and falls under the sway of Ysa, a lady who seems to be in perpetual search of a Snow White she can entrap. She then becomes a worthy teenage campaigner ready to fight injustice and put the world to rights. It doesn't really matter, however, as she has a very small part in the powerplay of Nordornland and when she leaves with Ysa everyone seems to be grateful that she is safely out of harm's way.
I loved Gunnora the Golden if only because she is the daughter of the Great Foulness. There's a heritage to hang your hat on. The liveliest character by far must be old Zazar with her medicines – whether sedatives or tonics they are liberally laced with her favourite tipple, brandewijn – and her mystery familiar, mysteriously called a summat. Overall she is the real hero, and though she has little more than her wits and herbal remedies, she stands firm against the greatest of challenges.
The story is stretched out to 364 pages, mainly because there are so many groups of characters, each group having its own story to tell. The ending failed to bring them all together and in a heavy-handed way pointed to a sequel. If I had to sum things up and mourn Andre Norton's absence, I would have to turn to a Northern latitude and a Danish graveyard.
“Alas, poor Andre. I admired her, dear reader, a writer of infinite invention, of most excellent fantasy. She has carried my fancy with her words a thousand times; and now, how sorry in my imagination it has become... Where be your battling teenage heroes now? Your damp and dark tunnels? Your wicked monsters? Your flashes of devil-may-care courage, that were wont to set the readers on a roar? Not here, this pretends at your own dazzling creativity.”
Mikkel, youngest son of NordornQueen Ashen and NordornKing Gaurin, stows away on a Sea-Rover ship and has a jolly good adventure among the Wykenigs – that's Vikings to you and me. He also gets ensorcelled to grow up very quickly, but only physically and not mentally, which is unfortunate as a Rock-Maiden falls in love with him. She is alabaster from the head down and as immortal as the mountains – I assume the main cause of death among Rock-Maidens is erosion. How frustrating for Mikkel to be blessed with the physical attributes of sexual attraction and prowess yet have a mind so easily distracted by sailing ships and castles.
His sister Elin drifts in and out of things. She sometimes seems to be gifted with a dangerous form of Power and falls under the sway of Ysa, a lady who seems to be in perpetual search of a Snow White she can entrap. She then becomes a worthy teenage campaigner ready to fight injustice and put the world to rights. It doesn't really matter, however, as she has a very small part in the powerplay of Nordornland and when she leaves with Ysa everyone seems to be grateful that she is safely out of harm's way.
I loved Gunnora the Golden if only because she is the daughter of the Great Foulness. There's a heritage to hang your hat on. The liveliest character by far must be old Zazar with her medicines – whether sedatives or tonics they are liberally laced with her favourite tipple, brandewijn – and her mystery familiar, mysteriously called a summat. Overall she is the real hero, and though she has little more than her wits and herbal remedies, she stands firm against the greatest of challenges.
The story is stretched out to 364 pages, mainly because there are so many groups of characters, each group having its own story to tell. The ending failed to bring them all together and in a heavy-handed way pointed to a sequel. If I had to sum things up and mourn Andre Norton's absence, I would have to turn to a Northern latitude and a Danish graveyard.
“Alas, poor Andre. I admired her, dear reader, a writer of infinite invention, of most excellent fantasy. She has carried my fancy with her words a thousand times; and now, how sorry in my imagination it has become... Where be your battling teenage heroes now? Your damp and dark tunnels? Your wicked monsters? Your flashes of devil-may-care courage, that were wont to set the readers on a roar? Not here, this pretends at your own dazzling creativity.”
February 24, 2021
6/10
I think this book was meant to start a new story arc in the world of Nordornland. After Andre Norton’s death, her co-author Sasha Miller released this book which I suspect they had at least plotted out together. Although there is certainly a conclusion to some storylines, others dangle unresolved and will likely remain so, making for a rather unsatisfying finale to the Cycle of Oak, Yew, Ash, and Rowan. Readers would be better served by quitting after the first four books and skipping this volume completely., not because the book is that bad, but because of the unfinished nature of the story.
I think this book was meant to start a new story arc in the world of Nordornland. After Andre Norton’s death, her co-author Sasha Miller released this book which I suspect they had at least plotted out together. Although there is certainly a conclusion to some storylines, others dangle unresolved and will likely remain so, making for a rather unsatisfying finale to the Cycle of Oak, Yew, Ash, and Rowan. Readers would be better served by quitting after the first four books and skipping this volume completely., not because the book is that bad, but because of the unfinished nature of the story.
January 21, 2010
This was a good book. I liked the story, but hope that the unanswered questions in the book will be answered in continuing books.
October 6, 2011
I liked the story but felt that there was too much detail regarding landscape and intrigue but not enough building of characters.
February 25, 2009
Great read - good ending for an intriguing series.
January 8, 2011
matches the other collaborations in tone and voice...
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews