Peaceweaver (Legacy of Beowulf)
Barnhouse’s latest historical fantasy is a stand-alone companion to her Beowulf-inspired tale, The Coming of the Dragon (2010). When Hild, the niece of the Shylfings king, has a vision of the crown prince’s assassination, she impulsively murders the visiting lord she knows will be responsible. Unwilling to believe in her far-minded visions, the king claims she has been possessed, and after a frightening imprisonment, she is sent as a peace offering to marry the new king of the Geats. Hild’s scorn for the seemingly barbarian Geats changes during their long, dangerous journey, and she has a difficult decision to make when she learns that her uncle has no intention of honoring the treaty, instead using her journey to plan an invasion. This vigorous Norse saga is rich in details of medieval Scandinavian life, and Hild grows convincingly from a naive, judgmental girl into an honorable, capable warrior-queen as her prowess is tested against both monstrous creatures and all-too-human traitors. Give this to readers of epic fantasy, historical fiction, and Viking mythology. Grades 6-9. --Krista Hutley