Caiseal Mor

The Watchers — (2000-2003) Publisher: Brave, copper-haired Aoife was the daughter of a king, a bold young woman full of life and mischief. But on one winter's night she and her brothers took part in an act of careless mischief with consequences they could never have imagined — and a deadly blood price must be paid. In the forests to the west, a deadly force is stirring. Off the shores of Innisfail, a new enemy is fast approaching. The druid Dalan has been sent to unite two squabbling kings in the face of this overwhelming force, but chaos and confusion confront him at every turn. As dangerous bargains are made and broken, and truces struck and disregarded, Dalan begins to suspect that an even greater enemy is moving against Innisfail. The last of the Watchers are growing bored. But mortals are an interesting game.

The Meeting of the Waters: How can a swashbuckling Celtic epic be BORING?!?

With its gorgeous knotwork cover art and the back-cover blurb about "brave, copper-haired Aoife," the publishers evidently mean to recommend Caiseal Mor's The Meeting of the Waters to readers who've read and loved Marillier's Sevenwaters series, the popular trilogy of Celtic epics featuring strong female protagonists. That's why I bought this book myself. I expected a similar kind of story, complete with adventure, love, war, and magic. The setting is the time of the Gaelic conquest of Ireland, among the Danaan and Fir Bolg tribes who resist the invasion.

Unfortunately, for about the first 500 pages of this book, the love and war and magic are there, but seen from a distance. It's as if Daughter of the Forest had been told from the POV of the cook Janis, or something. We never get to know any of the lead characters very well, and most of them are unsympathetic. Aoife is a spoiled brat, and a minor character to boot. Her father, King Brocan of the Fir Bolg, is insufferably stubborn; Queen Riona lives only to humiliate her husband. Of their two sons, one is dull and the other foolish and gullible. On top of everything else, most of the exciting events take place "offstage" during these first 500 pages. Mostly, we see the characters arguing about the events in the mead-hall. So, for 500 pages, a bunch of jerks sit around and bicker, and refuse to actually get anything done, for fear of accidentally benefiting their old rivals, the Danaan. At one point, the "wise" Druid judge assigned to deal with the situation comes up with a solution that could make the Danaan and Fir Bolg work together. I, the reader, had thought of it some 100 pages earlier. And I'm no all-wise Druid. I spent most of the book yelling at the characters to grow up.

It gets a little better in the last hundred or so pages. The characters spend a truly creepy night in a Fomorian wood, and after that there is a battle. However, the result is sort of anticlimactic; if feels like we could have gotten there several hundred pages ago.

And by the way, how does the Quicken tree work? At the beginning, it was said that its berries would provide immortality only if the user consumed them once a year for the rest of his/her life. By the end of the book, Mor seems to have forgotten that, and the berries confer instant immortality on anyone who takes them. It changes the meaning of the ending quite a lot.

Caiseal Mor's style just isn't for me. —Kelly Lasiter

Stand-alone novels:

The Tilecutter's Penny — (1998) Publisher: It is the time of Richard the Lion Heart, the time of the Crusades. Donal, an Irish chieftain, and Robert, his Norman lord, travel to the Holy Land as their fathers did before them. But before Donal Leaves, he gives his wife Eilish a token — half of a penny broken by the tilecutter. Should she receive the other half, she will know he is dead. As Donal and Robert become entwined in the dangerous intrigues of the Knights Templar in the Holy Land, Eilish must also deal with intrigues at home.

The Harp at Midnight — (1999) Publisher:

Carolan's Concerto — (2001) Publisher: A joyous romp full of music and magic to warm your heart as well as any fine Irish Whiskey... Ireland in the 18th century. Fervent young rebel Edward Sutler is on the run from the English redcoats and there is a price on his head. When all seems lost fate steps in and help comes from an unexpected quarter. Edward finds himself sitting by a fire beyween two old blind men — Hugh O'Connor the distiller and Denis Hempson the harper, both fond of a drink, a story and a bit of mischief. And a captive audience. Hugh begins the rollicking tale of Turlough O'Carolan, one of Ireland's best-loved harpers, whose music was said to have been a gift from the King and Queen of the Faeries. Little by little, as Denis's harp-playing and Hugh's wicked home-made whiskey start to take effect, Edward finds himself seduced by the magical life of Carolan... not to mention the feminine wiles of the distiller's pretty grand-daughter Mhairghead. But the young rebel had best be careful. If the English don't ensnare him, an intoxicating web of Irish enchantment will...

Lady of the Lamp — (2007) Publisher: The noble quest for the Holy Grail lay at the very heart of the Order of the Knights Templar. What could have inspired a brotherhood of warrior-monks to search the four corners of the world for such a thing? Forget, for a moment, all those clever Christianised diversions involving secret genealogies, clandestine inter-breeding and blood royal. It's true; all Grail romances speak of a woman who guards the sacred vessel. Some claim the Grail preserves a royal house; a few hint that the vessel itself is a woman. But the Grail has many other attributes. If you read the tales carefully you'll find that whoever possesses it can scry the future. It was explicitly spoken of as an actual artefact that can bestow limitless wealth and immortality. If you dig deep enough you'll discover the Grail existed long before the Christians and their holy wars. Alexander the Great conquered the east looking for it. Indeed, the Grail is a mystical object so ancient, some stories claim it was uncovered when the Persians founded the great city of Persepolis. That's the Holy Grail the Knights Templar travelled near and far to find. On the borders of the Forest of Keak a mighty host of Templar warriors is assembling. At their head is a ruthless warlord who has devoted his life to the Quest. Garamond de Lusignon once had the Grail within his reach but it was snatched away from under his nose by a band of audacious thieves. It's taken him twenty years to track them down and in all that time the fire of his rage has never diminished. He knows exactly where it's concealed and who kept it from him. Eager for revenge, as much as to claim the Prize, Garamond sends his lieutenant to the Castle of Montsalvasch. He offers an ultimatum to the noblemen who rule the forest. Surrender the Grail or suffer the consequences of a holy war. Give up the Treasure or every living soul within the forest will be branded a heretic and put to the sword. Prince-Bishop Arnulf of the Forest of Keak is left with no alternative. He summons a conclave of his nobles to prepare their domains for war. Will Arnulf meekly pass the sacred object over to the Templars, avoid conflict and perhaps claim a reward for his efforts? After years of searching Garamond seems certain to claim the ancient artefact. Only one person stands between him and the terrible, awesome spirit of the Grail. She is the Guardian. Lady of the Lamp.