Protector [Tapa dura]

Madeline Hunter writes excellent medievals, and this book is no exception. While not as emotionally wrenching as "By Possession" or unique in character as "By Arrangement", "The Protector" is a well-told tale with a wonderfully strong hero and heroine and rich historical detail.

"The Protector" is the story of Morvan Fitzwaryn, brother of the heroine of "By Arrangement" and a knight who has sworn to regain his family's lost lands--lands that he had been forced to surrender as a young boy. He encounters the lovely and unconventional Lady Anna de Leon when she rescues him from a group of fearful Breton villagers about to torch the cottage where he is sheltering with his plague-infected squire. Anna has been left as the political and military leader of her Breton castle following the deaths of her father and brother and the devastation of her own people by the plague. When Morvan himself is infected with the plague, Anna (who has survived the plague previously) nurses him and supports him emotionally and a special bond is forged between the two. In gratitude, Morvan vows to protect Anna and lends his sword when Anna's enemies attempt to take over her castle. Morvan is fascinated by Anna's strength and beauty, but Anna has vowed never to marry as she does not want to be in any man's power.

Anna is a wonderfully unusual heroine, marvelously strong and capable of holding her own with the men on the battlefield, she is insecure about her own attractiveness and cannot believe that the gorgeous Morvan would want her for herself and not for her lands and wealth. I found Morvan to be a hero worthy of Anna--strong enough to control her wilder impulses but gentle with her as well. There is an onslaught of negative reviews on this site about Morvan (strangely, most dating from January 6th and 7th, 2005), criticizing him for being too domineering and crushing Anna's spirit, but I saw that part of the book as two *very* strong people learning to accept each other and redistribute the balance of power. Anna really had the majority of the power at the beginning of the book, and I would not have been happy to see her marry someone that she could ride roughshod over. Morvan's rules and restrictions were primarily to protect her from her enemies and to maintain harmony in the castle. The power clashes were inevitable and very realistic considering the very strong willed heroine and alpha male hero and the compromises that both ultimately make for their love are touching.

In summary, this is a very well-written medieval with an unusually strong heroine and hero. The historical details about the plague are interesting and well done.

Highly recommended.

Madeline Hunter has done it again. She has crafted a compelling romance with fascinating characters set against a rich historical tapestry. THE PROTECTOR will add to her growing reputation as one of the most promising authors to come on the scene in quite a while.

THE PROTECTOR is Morvan Fitzwaryn's story. Morvan was introduced in Hunter's first book, BY ARRANGEMENT. He is the son of a baron whose holding was seized by the Scots during one of the many border skirmishes that plagued the north of England. The loss of his patrimony means that he must earn his way with his sword and he has spent several years as a mercenary, fighting in the endless wars between England and France. Now he is on his way home, but he is forced to take a detour when Black Death strikes his troop.

Morvan is taken in by Anna De Leon, the daughter of a Breton lord. Anna's father and brother died of the plague but she survived. She nurses Morvan through the illness (yes, it was possible to survive the plague with good luck and good care). Morvan believes that he must protect his savior from the dangers that beset a Brittany engulfed in civil war. He also feels a deep attachment to this unusual woman who can ride and fight better than many men. But as a property-less knight, he can aspire to be no more than her protector.

How Morvan and Anna become husband and wife, how he convinces her that she is not - as she thought - unfeminine and unlovable, how a strong man and a strong woman work out their relationship and how they defeat her long time enemy is the basis of the story.

Fans of BY ARRANGEMENT have clamored for Morvan's story. I am certain they will be completely satisfied with this tale of how he finds love.

Full disclosure compels me to admit that Madeline Hunter is a friend of mine. But I have no hesitation in staking my own reputation as a reviewer on my evaluation of THE PROTECTOR. This is an excellent medieval romance.

The main characters - Anna and Morvan - were well shown. I enjoyed the way the story unfolded and the tricks and turns Ms. Hunter included throughout. Both survivors of the Black Plague, these two medieval warriors battle both on the field and off! Their story is poignant and yet at times humorous. It has a nice balance of scenery, characters, and history. Some of her people believed Anna to be a saint, others were not sure about being led by a female "lord". Then you have Morvan who was English which was not the thing to be at that time in that place! Which is the lesser of the two evils - female or English. Ahhhh, that is the question and it was answered over many wonderful chapters.

I was glad to see Morvan back and look forward to the next book (I believe the title from the excerpt was, "A Thousand Knights"). From what I read, it looks to be another installment as it mentions Harclow (Morvan's home lost by a siege in which his father was killed).

An adventurous read which can keep you glued to your chair late into the evening! I recommend this one to all Madeline Hunter fans and anyone looking for a good escape for an evening. I found it went quite well with M&M candies. Please just don't tell my son where his little bag went!