Review - The Brothers of Gwynedd, Book Two: The Dragon at Noonday

The Brothers of Gwynedd: The Legend of the First True Prince of Wales by Edith Pargeter

Book Two: The Dragon at Noonday

Paperback: Second Book 193 pages of 772 total pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark; Reprint edition (May 2010)
ISBN-10: # 140223760X
ISBN-13: 978-1402237607

Rating 5.0

Product Description

A Burning Desire for One Country, One Love, and One Legacy That Will Last Forever.
Llewelyn, prince of Gwynedd, dreams of a Wales united against the English, but first he must combat enemies nearer home. Llewelyn and his brothers-Owen Goch, Rhodri, and David-vie for power among themselves and with the English king, Henry III. Despite the support of his beloved wife, Eleanor, Llewelyn finds himself trapped in a situation where the only solution could be his very downfall...
Originally published in England as four individual novels, The Brothers of Gwynedd transports you to a world of chivalry, gallant heroes, and imprisoned damsels; to star-crossed lovers and glorious battle scenes; and is Edith Pargeter's absorbing tale of tragedy, traitors, and triumph of the heart.

Review: This reading is not fast but the rich history just wraps around me!  I only wish that there was a map to identify the placement of the castles and towns.

Book two continues with Samson serving as clerk and friend to Prince Llewelyn. Although Llewelyn is able to gather loyalty of many of the lords of Wales, there is heartbreak as he loses the support and fealty of his own brothers.

A large part of this book revolves around the English rebellions and struggles to establish a Parliament to give voice to the common people. This reformation movement is led by Earl Leicester, Simon de Monfort.  Llewelyn assigns Samson to serve as clerk and courier to Lord Simon.


Samson describes Simon as an upright and saintly man with this wonderful vision of justice and right. There is a spiritual sense of blessing on one particular victory where Simon captures King Henry, Lord Edward and many others.  Simon is a good military strategist but he does not have a killer instinct.  Always his goal is conciliation, as he seeks peace to negotiate terms of the reform. Although Simon is honorable and steadfast, his position is weak in contrast to the envy, greed, lying and cheating that he has to contend with.

The description of the final battle is gripping and painful and I was struggling with the emotions of despair and grief.  Fortunately the story does not end in that sorrow but there is triumph for Wales.  Llewelyn and King Henry finally enter into agreement acknowledging Wales in its own sovereignty.

Another beautiful aspect of this story is the love that is acknowledged between Samson and Cristin.  In the first book when it is discovered that her husband lives, Samson was surprised to learn that it was his true brother, a fact that Cristin alone knew and a  relationship that is not revealed to anyone else.  Neither Samson nor Cristin will dishonor their love by physical longings but they agree that they cannot deny its existence and vow to always love and cherish, even if it must be apart.

This book ends with Llewelyn determined to reach his second goal: to marry Lord Simon’s young daughter, Eleanor.  This had been agreed to between Lord Simon and Llewelyn when they met before the battle that broke the reform. I look forward to watching this meeting and courtship in Book Three, The Hounds of Sunset.

 xxx

Also see my review of Book One, Sunrise in the West. 

This book was provided by Sourcebooks for review and participation in Summer Book Club.