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Dark Pool is the sequel to Jen Black' Scottish tale Banners of Alba.
In this edition, Black takes you from medieval Scotland to medieval
Ireland with the spirited Eba of Bundalloch, whose life takes and adventurous turn following her brother's cattle raid on neighboring
territory.
The newly crowned king of Alba, Finlay, and his faithful vassal Hareth mac Enna are dragged willy-nilly to rescue Eba, kidnapped by the Vikings
and taken to the dark pool—Dublin. This sequel chronicles the many
problems the fourteen-year-old Gael faces in the heart of Dublin, which is
ruled by the hardy Vikings. The teen, who craves adventure and suitors,
finds more than she bargained for in this new land. First a captive,
nearly a slave, betrothed to a vicious young man and bewildered by the
customs of the neighboring kingdom, Eba matures at the face of grave setbacks in her quest to just go home.
As a romance, this tale is a bit too harsh to handle, but as a
historical and a believable portrayal of the ancient times of
transition where Celts, Gaels, Picts, and Vikings lived together in the isles I give this book a 100 percent. The snapshot of life in
those unsettled times, especially the life of an unprotected young
maid makes for a great read. An informative and interesting tale set in a troubled time in history.
Reviewed by Raakhee Suryaprakash
for The Road to Romance
May 27, 2007
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