1) Intriguing, fast-paced and philosophically engaging, IMO, but unnecessarily complicated. Vaguely Scandinavian, and adequate for a plot-and-character-centred narrative, but the descriptions of Skelling -- the more realistic setting from which the adventurers set forth for an enchanted island -- could have been more detailed. More information about the climate, the flora and the fauna would have been useful, especially since plant magic is a key element. Awesome. Very good, but no passages really stand out, since the style is in service to the plot.
2) While this story started off slowly, it quickly gained momentum and built into something far more complex than I envisioned. To call it another Viking story is doing it a disservice; unsurprisingly from Barbara Ann Wright, there's a fully realized fantasy civilization to discover. The love stories spin out in a way that's simultaneously central to and secondary to the plot. If not for the intense bonds formed between the women, the plot would take an entirely different course, and yet the demands of the story press and harry the women into situations they'd never have dreamed of. I want a sequel!
3) Beautifully written, this fantasy tale of true love in the Viking era will steal your heart.

Lesbian Fantasy Romance
Paperback: 240 pages
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books (September 15, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1626394377
ISBN-13: 978-1626394377
Amazon: Beyond Gold and Glory
Amazon Kindle: Beyond Gold and Glory
Like heroes from an ancient tale, Aesa and Maeve plan to raid foreign shores, claiming gold and glory for their homeland. Young and in love, neither considers what will happen if one is chosen to be a warrior and the other is left behind.
On a mist-shrouded island, Aesa meets Ell, a woman enslaved by an insidious curse. Maeve walks the path of dark magic and finds Laret, a woman well acquainted with pain. Together, they must break the magic surrounding Ell, an act that will force them to choose between their dreams, their homes, and the women they love.
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