Alice O'Brien's writing delves into the depths of the human psyche, exploring the complex relationships and internal struggles of her characters. Her narrative style is marked by keen psychological insight and a compassionate portrayal of human vulnerability. Through her work, O'Brien sought to illuminate themes of love, loss, and the search for meaning in an often tumultuous world. Her prose is imbued with emotional resonance, leaving a lasting impression on readers.
Full of wild magic, both benign and malign, romance, superstition, wonder, bloody battles and wonderfully well-wrought characters, and written with a fresh, contemporary voice, this novel turns the legend of King Arthur and his mercurial queen well and truly on its head.
Born of the Highlands, along shores washed by northern seas, Guinevere has accepted the power offered to her by the Dragon Throne and been crowned Queen.
A richly atmospheric historical fantasy about shapeshifters struggling to survive in the decadent city of Rome during the Dark Ages.
"A writer with . . . vision and scope . . . breathtaking, shimmering prose."--Anne RiceThe armies of Charlemagne are poised to conquer Italy. The human side of shapeshifter Maeniel owes allegiance to Charlemagne. But the wolf acknowledges no master. Still, it is as both wolf and man that he embarks on a hazardous mission for the emperor. Captured, Maeniel is condemned to death.Now, with the help of a Saxon warrior whose love poses dangers of its own, Maeniel's soul mate, Regeane, will brave the icy crags and crevices of the Alps to rescue her husband, only to find that he is the bait in a trap set for her by a villainous man from her darkest past. But there is another enemy at work. Behind the tangle of ambitions and animosities driving kings and commoners alike, an ancient evil thirsts for a revenge of its own: a revenge that demands the blood of Maeniel and Regeane...and of all humanity."Action and intrigue-filled . . . Borchardt's strength . . . is her deeply researched setting, which brings alive the barbaric era after the fall of the Roman Empire."--Publishers Weekly