Two young men land in England and begin their journey home, to the Welsh marches. They are not the cheerful young boys they were nearly two years ago, when they set off for the Holy Land with their lord. They have experienced Hell, in blistering heat and clouds of flies and a desperate stand against the best of Saladin’s army. But if they’ve come back to England expecting peace and safety, they will find neither. The sniveling John is steadily attempting to usurp his brother’s throne, and he has allies in the Midlands soaking the people to increase his coffers, not knowing those allies are more in service to the French than himself. Roland and Declan’s master’s lord has gotten caught up in this devilry, and when they arrive home they find their former household naught but ashes. The bastard de Ferrers, the man who killed Roland’s father for poaching a deer that he never touched, is growing in power and arrogance and has unlawfully seized Cheshire and hangs all who resist him from the walls of Chester. Roland and Declan must find the remains of Sir Roger’s household, who have sought refuge in Wales, and find a way to stay alive and hopefully undermine all his villainry. They are not alone: Sir Roger’s daughter, Millie, is an agent of Queen Eleanor, working to expose all the plotting, and the Queen herself is no less formidable for her advancing age. Oh, and there’s also Robin of Loxley and Friar Tuck wandering around!

This is not a series I’d intended to get into: honestly, after reading No King, No Country, I was just curious as to what one of Grant’s other books might be like, and now I’m three books into it. There’s a lot to like here: we began with a frightened young orphan who is now an accomplished warrior, and increasingly a leader of men. There’s the great drama of politics, of course, both the domestic power plays and the way they’re being inflamed and enveloped into France’s ambitions. Seeing the Robin Hood story slowly percolating here adds a splash of whimsy, but it’s just a splash: Grant is careful to led his leads dominate, with Robin and Tuck remaining extremely minor characters. Although the beginning of this series struck me as written for young teens, all three of the once-minor leads are on the verge of adulthood now, each taking on responsibilities. Both Roland and Declan have moments of command here, and Millie is a key player in the plot, no less courageous than her crusader father and just as wily as the Queen herself. She and Roland’s attachment to each other is also beginning to mature. As this series continues, it’s becoming more of an ensemble with a leading man, instead of being the Roland-and-Millie show, but that’s to its benefit as I enjoy seeing Eleanor work to maintain the peace of the realm despite Johnny-boy’s ambitions. One new character this round is Llewellyn, the exiled king of Gwynedd whose lands are taken by his uncles Owain and Dayffd: I have a feeling he will make a return, as his alliance with Roland’s people is meant to be one of mutual support: I’d bet money one future book is Roland supporting Llewellyn against the conspiring uncles.

Related:
Here be Dragons, Sharon Kay Penman. Welsh drama set during this same time, and also featuring a Welsh Llewellyn.

Highlights:

“Where are the barons?” he asked, with acid in his voice.  “They have the power to control the Prince, not you or I.”
“That’s a good question,” said Tuck.  “If the Queen was sure of where the main pieces on the chessboard stood, she wouldn’t be talking to us pawns.”

He winked at her when he handed over the reins. “The English breed fast horses and beautiful girls, my lady.  I enjoyed sampling one of the two.” Millicent mounted quickly and looked over her shoulder at the bold young Welshman.
“It is well you chose the one you could handle, my lord,” she said, wheeling the horse around and digging her heels into its flanks.

“Did you kill the bastard living in your house?”  Robin shook his head.
“I was going to, but the priest here stopped me,” he said pointing to his companion.  “This is Friar Tuck.”  The big man laughed. “
The church!  Always spoiling our fun.”

“Two days ago he offered me five of his horses, a fine mail shirt and three gold coins [for the roan].”
“Good God, he lusts after that horse like it was a woman.”
“I honestly believe that if he had a woman of his own, he would throw her into the bargain for the horse.”

“If you would have been as charming to the guard, we would not be in this situation.” Roland returned her look with a small smile. “The guard was not as pretty.”