A Review of DAWNFLIGHT by Kim Headlee

A Review of DAWNFLIGHT by Kim Headlee

Reviewed by A.C. Haury

Overall Rating: 4/5 stars

Print Length: 512 pages

• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• Purchase Link: 
• http://www.amazon.com/Dawnflight-Dragons-Dove-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B00BLNN6XS/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1381674698&sr=1-1&keywords=dawnflight

Synopsis: 

Gyanhumara “Gyan” nic Hymar is a Caledonian chieftainess by birth, a warrior and leader of warriors by training, and she is betrothed to Urien map Dumarec, a son of her clan’s deadliest enemy, by right of Arthur the Pendragon’s conquest of her people. For the sake of peace, Gyan is willing to sacrifice everything...perhaps even her very life, if her foreboding about Urien proves true. 

Arthur map Uther is the bastard son of two worlds, Roman by his father and Brytoni by his mother. Denied hereditary rulership by the elders of Chieftainess Ygraine’s clan, Arthur has followed Uther’s path to become Dux Britanniarum, the Pendragon: supreme commander of the northern Brytoni army. The Caledonians, Scots, Saxons, and Angles keep him too busy to dwell upon his loneliness...most of the time. 

When Gyan and Arthur meet, each recognize within the other their soul’s mate. The treaty has preserved Gyan’s ancient right to marry any man, providing he is a Brytoni nobleman—but Arthur does not qualify. And the ambitious Urien, Arthur’s greatest political rival, shall not be so easily denied. If Gyan and Arthur cannot prevent Urien from plunging the Caledonians and Brytons back into war, their love will be doomed to remain unfulfilled forever.

"Intense." Jessie Potts, USA Today, May 2013

For anyone with more than a causal interest in English history, DAWNFLIGHT is a must read. Ms. Headlee has brought her own interesting style to this new telling of the age-old story of Guinevere and Arthur, and the ancient people from whom most or our modern ethics, religion and laws came from. -- Joann Thompson, Rhapsody Magazine, 8/99

I've always been a fan of the Arthurian legends, and I thought I'd seen them approached in just about every possible way -- That is, until I read Kim Headlee's "Dawnflight - The Legend of Guinevere."

Headlee takes the legendary characters Arthur, Guinevere, and Merlin, among others, and transforms them into believable historic figures. This book tells the story as it actually could have happened -- not behind the shining, pristine walls of mythical Camelot, but in our own world.

At its heart, "Dawnflight" is a love story, but don't let that scare you away. This is no sappy, sentimental romance -- quite the opposite. It is actually a gritty tale of war and conquest, and not all of it is between nations.

Gyanhumara is a Pictish cheiftaness who is bound by a treaty to marry a Brytoni lord and ally her conquered tribe to the Roman Empire. She chooses Urien map Dumarec, one of her people's worst enemies, in hopes of bringing peace. She soon regrets her choice. Some of her misgivings are due to Urien's nature, but most are because she loves another man. She loves a man she once thought she hated above all others -- the conqueror of her people -- Arthur the Pendragon. That love could mean a civil war between Arthur and his arch-rival, yet unsteady ally, Urien.

Headlee says in the notes following the book that she feels Guinevere has gotten a "bad rap" in other tellings of the tale. Headlee intended to represent Guinevere a woman of "true power," and she has indeed succeeded. Chieftaness Gyanhumara is not a simpering lady of the court, nor a traitorous schemer as Guinevere has been portrayed in other versions. Instead she is a warrior-queen, as strong in will as in body.

She refuses to be subjugated by Urien, who obviously feels that no woman is even close to the equal of a man. Despite her revulsion, though, she still fully intends to honor her agreement to marry him. Her sense of duty to her people won't allow her to do otherwise.

The events that follow -- as Arthur and Gyanhumara attempt to come together, despite seemingly the whole world being against them -- puts a whole new face on the classic tale of betrayal that leads ultimately to Arthur's downfall in other adaptations. Definitely food for thought for any fan of the Arthurian legends. This isn't just another re-telling of those same stories. "Dawnflight" will make you re-think all the tales of Guinevere and Arthur you've ever read.

As for the writing itself -- it is superb. Headlee makes you care about her characters, and forget the countless other stories you've read about the same characters. She also has a knack for keeping the reader up past bedtime. The first night, I was able to put the book down, but once the action really started, it became tougher. Headlee has a talent for ending every chapter on a note that makes you say "just one more chapter before bed." Then, before you know it, it's 4 a.m. and you're beginning the final chapter.

On a personal note, this book came along at just the right time for me. When I started it, I was at a point where I didn't think fantasy could excite me anymore. Then, I picked it up. It has been quite a while since I devoured a novel the way I went through this one, and even now, I'm planning on giving it a second reading very soon.

In these days when every fantasy has to be at least a trilogy or more likely a watered-down drawn out saga, it's rare that I look forward to another series of books. In this case, I think "Dawnflight" is just the tip of Excalibur, and there's a lot more to the tale. I look forward to hearing it, and I hope Kim Headlee will stay with them until they're done. -- Fred Phillips, The Bookwyrm, 7/26/99

Very Highly Recommended. At the Battle of Aberglein, the Roman forces led by Arthur the Pendragon of Brydain defeat the combined armies of Caledonia. Among the defeated is the Chieftain of Argyll, Ogryvan, who forces his fellow Picts to agree to the peace treaty. A clause contained in the pact leads to Ogryvan's son Per serving under Arthur's leadership and his daughter Gyanhumara marrying a Brydain lord of her choice. Since Arthur has not been recognized as a Bryton noble due to his questionable birth, he cannot marry Gyan.

Urien, whose charge won the day at Aberglein, is the leading contender for the hand of Gyan. When they meet, there seems to be an attraction between them. However, Urien despises the warrior ways of his intended bride and plans to tame her. When Gyan meets Arthur, sparks fly. He does not want Gyan to change one iota. Instead, he informs his uncle Merlin that he plans to have Gyan at his side even though it may cause big trouble for the Brydains and the Picts. If she picks her cherished Arthur, civil war will follow. If she selects Urien, he will crush her spirit forever.

Sometimes the rewriting of the Arthur legend leaves fans with a classy romance that has the audience clamoring for more from the author. Kim Headlee provides a heady saga that tells the tale of Guinevere, a character that readers will fully understand. Arthur is also cleverly done as he is part of a Roman-Brydain world at odds with the Picts. The story line of DAWNFLIGHT moves forward with plenty of detail that makes for a fabulous historical romance that begs for more novels from Ms. Headlee. -- Harriet Klausner, Under the Covers Book Reviews, 8/2/99

Review: 

I received a copy of DAWNFLIGHT in exchange for a fair and honest review. 

DAWNFLIGHT takes you into a world headlong and makes you almost forget about your own. Her characters and settings are so well-rounded, you feel as if you've been there yourself. In addition, her language and prose is beautiful and flowing, which moves you flawlessly from one scene to the next. Before you know it 500+ pages is not enough. Headlee did an amazing job with DAWNFLIGHT and I look forward to reading more of her work. A definite read for fantasy lovers.