The Swan Maiden

by Susan King

Book Overview

In the second book of her Maiden trilogy (The Stone Maiden, etc.) King revisits medieval Scotland in the days of Robert the Bruce's rebellion against England. Scottish-born Gawain Avenel, who fled to... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0451202139
• ISBN13: 9780451202130
• Release Date: January 2001
• Publisher: Signet Book
• Length: 337 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 4.2" x 6.7"

Customer Reviews

Another Beautiful Story

If you want to spend some time being swept away to another time and world, experience deep love and devotion between a strong/handsome/gentle/sexy male and a strong willed, sensible female and meet lively supporting characters, if you want to laugh and cry, if you want to be pulled in deeply between the covers of the book and emerge at the end with a smile on your face read Swan Maiden or any of Susan King's books. I am an avid reader and I have never found an author better than Susan King at creating worlds and people you cherish long after the book is closed. She is a very gifted author. Don't cheat yourself and pass her by. You won't regret the time spent.

Scottish Historical Romance

The Swan Maiden Another beautiful love story from the magical pen of Susan King.This is the story of Gawain Avenel an English knight born in Scotland and a beautiful Scottish rebel Juliana Lindsay. After saving her life when the english set fire to her families castle and calling her the Swan Maiden they met up again at the English court after Juliana had been captured and taken to London in chains dressed as the legendary Swan Maiden.Gawain once again saved her life and they were married by order of the King. Having been forced into a marriage neither wanted they agreed to work together and fell deeply in love. They both have secrets and the unveiling of those secrets makes for very interesting readingIt is wonderfully written and historically accurate. This book is a must for readers of historical romance

Magical and Mesmerizing

I don't normally read romances, but I'm so glad I picked this one up! Susan King is an excellent writer with a good grasp of both history and ancient Celtic folklore. Her heroine is strong and independent, and her hero is honorable and admirable. She writes with feeling and the reader easily sympathizes with her characters' plights. Walter De Soulis is a believably wicked villain, and the corrupt nature of King Edward I's court is depicted extremely well. Susan King has definitely earned herself a new fan. I'm interested to read her novel "Laird of the Wind" now to get the "backstory" behind Sir Gawain.

Thanks to great reviewers

I want to thank all of you who gave great reviews for this book. I bought it. I loved it. And now I have another favorite writer. The book holds you from cover to cover, you can't put it down.

A beautiful tale, poignant and enduring

In 1286 Gabhan MacDuff was 100-proof Scottish until his father died and his mother remarried an English noble. Traveling with his mother and stepfather to England, Gabhan becomes Gawain once they cross the border. For the next several years, he is raised under the English chivalry system and ultimately pledges loyalty to the King of England.In 1300, Gawain returns to his homeland for the first time since his mother remarried. Though he travels as a member of King Edward's dragon banner, Gawain secretly remembers his grandfather stories and wants to help his fellow Scots. At a nearby loch, he persuades the English that a woman apparently drowned and flew out of the water as a swan. When Gawain finds the woman, Juliana Lindsay, he keeps her safe and calls her THE SWAN MAIDEN. Not long afterward, Juliana becomes a rallying cry for the Scottish rebels who are supporting THE SWAN MAIDEN. Gawain and Juliana fall in love, but they support different sides of the fight, testing loyalty, honor, and love.The key to THE SWAN MAIDEN is Susan King's ability to interweave the typical medieval romantic story line within a Scottish legend, leading to an invigorating tale. The story line never slows down, and Gawain and Juliana are a delightful star-crossed duo struggling to overcome the usual problems of dysfunctional fealties and treachery. However, the myth takes on a persona of its own as it turns the novel into an enchanting historical romance and Ms. King comes closer to legendary status as one of the genre's leading rulers.Harriet Klausner