The Circle of Ceridwen

The Circle of Ceridwen Saga, Book 1

De: Octavia Randolph

Narrado por: Nano Nagle

With Nano Nagle, 2018 Audie Award Nominee, Best Female Narrator - Silver Hammer, Golden Cross (Book 6)!

It is the year 871, when England was Angle-Land. Of seven Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, five have fallen to the invading Vikings. No trait is more valued than loyalty, and no possession more precious than one's steel. Across this war-torn landscape travels 15-year-old Ceridwen, now thrust into the lives of the conquerors.

Lost in the frozen woods, Ceridwen is discovered by the warriors accompanying young Aelfwyn, daughter of a Saxon lord, sold against her will in marriage as part of a peace treaty with a marauding Viking war chief. Their destination is the captured fortress of Four Stones, a ruin holding glittering treasure. There Aelfwyn must keep her vow and wed Yrling - and Ceridwen must do all she can to support her new friend in the rebuilding of the ravaged village and great hall.

But living with the enemy affords Ceridwen unusual freedoms - and unlooked - for conflicts. Amongst them she explores again her own heathen past, and learns to judge each man on his own merits. Yrling's nephews Sidroc and Toki, both formidable warriors yet as different as night and day, compete to win Ceridwen for their own.

Through both guile and goodness Ceridwen and Aelfwyn begin transforming the world of Four Stones. But the threat of full-scale war escalates, and a midnight party of furtive Danes delivers someone to Four Stones who destroys the girls' hopes of peace and contentment. Now Ceridwen must summon all her courage - a courage which will be sorely tested as she defies both Saxon and Dane and undertakes an extraordinary adventure to save a man she has never met.

Download the free accompanying PDF with maps, list of characters, glossary, and more: https://octavia.net/audiobook-accompanying-materials/

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©1995 Octavia Randolph (P)2016 Octavia Randolph

Precious!

I adored this lovely book! Ceridwen shows every endearing character of a fine young woman. You will come to love this girl! I know I did!
The story is beautifully written! It takes a surprising turn that shocked me but it didn't change how the story kept me enthralled.
I loved how this book takes one to a time you could hardly imagine, with the daily struggle just to survive. I read many historical novels not many that take you this far back in time.
I don't understand why some didn't rate this book well. I have listened to a couple hundred audio books and this is one of my true favorites. (The only critique I'd have is that the narrator isn't that great at executing the men's voices).
I am not even going to wait for my credits to buy the next in the series. I can't wait to see how life unfolds for young, delightful, precious Ceridwen!

Pretty good

Original. I liked it. The wedding night is a little gross with words “furry” and “tangled”... ew. Otherwise I liked it. The narrator gets high praise in other reviews, and while I think she’s okay, she’s not my favorite. She takes weird pauses that makes it seem like she has lost her place or doesn’t understand what she’s reading. I hated her voice for Yrling, just awful. Actually I didn’t really like how she did any men really. Just not natural.

Great adventure.

Would you consider the audio edition of The Circle of Ceridwen to be better than the print version?

I did not read the print version, the audio version is great.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Circle of Ceridwen?

The characters were well developed.

Historical insight into 9th-Century Saxon England

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, most definitely, I think they would enjoy this saga! A fun and interesting read, and you learn a lot about living in 9th-Century Saxon, England, as well as their customs and lifestyles. The author, Octavia Randolph, masterfully keeps the story moving as she weaves a path of intrigue along the way!

What other book might you compare The Circle of Ceridwen to and why?

The Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon.

What about Nano Nagle’s performance did you like?

She did a very nice job in the first book, which only got better in the second.

Who was the most memorable character of The Circle of Ceridwen and why?

Most definitely the protagonist, Ceridwen! Fun and interesting learning how Ceridwen's character, who literally started out with no apparent family and just a few meager possessions, grows throughout the story. She decides she needs more in life than just settling for the "prescribed lifestyle" stringently outlined for young women at that time! Ceridwen masterfully navigates her way through and overcomes many dangers throughout the story. Some a result of her actions—others she's literally thrown into due to her unconditional loyalty to her friends.

Any additional comments?

The unexpected circumstances sprinkled throughout this story help to make this a very interesting read!

Accents

The book was alright, the performance however, left something to be desired. The accents, particularly the Danish, were far off the mark.

The Circle of Ceridwen

This saga begins well. The characters and plot are original and particular, the narration very well done. I am looking forward to the rest of the books.

Intriguing story

I really like the story, I will likely listen to the other two in the saga, but I truly didn’t like the way the narrator read it. She made ceridwen and other ladies sound childlike and surprised all the time.

Entertaining historical fiction, slow narration

A very enjoyable historical novel set in 9th-century Britain, with Danes, Angles, orphans, ladies traded in marriage for safety, daring rescues, and a romance. (There's even a little sex thrown in.) The formal English narration by Nano Nagle is quite slow-paced with some unusual inflection, but played at 1.25x it was fine.

Terrific story

Wonderful story, riveting from beginning to end! Immersive and full of great characters, suspense and adventures!

Not a favorite

This drug on a bit the performer was at points almost annoying. It’s hard to tell if it was the story or performance