The Anvil Stone
Kathleen Cunningham Guler
Bardsong Press
ISBN: 0-9660371-5-4
Historical Fiction, Fantasy
Reviewed by Nancy Flinn Ludwin

This is an exciting, heart thumping tale of 5th century Britain and the prophecy of Merlin the Enchanter and the birth of Arthur, “the one and future King.” Filled with legends and lore it centers on two people, a spy and master of disguise, Marcus ap Iorwerth and his clairvoyant wife Claerwen.

Marcus fights against invading tyrants that steal land and riches as they try to overpower each other for the title of ruling high king. In the dark days of lawlessness, brothers fought brothers, sons overthrew fathers, family and friendships were torn apart when sides were taken and the quest for supremacy was sought. Marcus and his beautiful wife are caught in the middle of the action as they take sides with Uther, the high King and future father of Arthur.

Hiding in dark castles and thatched peasant huts, Marcus must survive the price put on his head. When a dark hooded stranger delivers a frightening and bloodstained effigy of himself, he realizes Claerwen and he are in morbid danger. Escaping into the night disguised as a bard their lives are forever changed as they battle the odds and the fates to survive.

Blood churning clashes are the order of the day when the Saxons, the Picts, the Celts and other stray rival factions fight over the right to rule and control of the remnants of Roman occupation.

Also at stake is the search for the sacred sword lost for decades by the ancient high kings. Britain’s future rests on the fate of the magnificent sword and the prophesied Arthur as the king who will come to bring the Dark Ages into light.

After Marcus and Claerwen are caught in the middle of the fray and they are separated from each other and kept in protective custody for five long years in far away fortified castles. During this time, their love for each other remains strong and Claerwen pines for the day to be reunited with her beloved Marcus. Her second sight allows her to see her destiny and that of the legendary sword with the hope it brings to their divided country.

Even as a hostage, Marcus’s acute cunningness manages to help save the high king from threatening danger and his spy tactics divert the potential course of history. However, even though he can save his country and himself from the onslaught of the enemies, he cannot save the one thing he loves most of all, his wife, because of his own inner torments and his self-indulgence of mead.

As Claerwen lies dying, the truth begins to unfold and the real identity of the people hunting Marcus is finally revealed. Once more they battle for the final destiny that their fate decries.

This is a very exciting well-researched story written by an expert in Arthurian and Celtic history. The Dark Ages come alive, not only in legends and myths, but in the historical data of places and battles and kings. The reader is swept into the heart stopping battles and can feel the danger lurking on every page.

The Anvil Stone, as the third book in the four part series of Macsen’s Treasure can be read alone, but it is recommended that the books written prior to this one, Into the Paths of the Gods and The Shadow of Dragons be read first to get an even deeper sense of place, time and history.