Queen of Swords

Publisher's Summary

It is the late summer of 1814, and Hannah Bonner and her half brother Luke have spent more than a year searching the islands of the Caribbean for Luke's wife and the man who abducted her. But Jennet's rescue, so long in coming, is not the resolution they'd hoped for. In the spring she had given birth to Luke's son, and in the summer Jennet had found herself compelled to surrender the infant to a stranger in the hope of keeping him safe.

To claim the child, Hannah, Luke, and Jennet must journey first to Pensacola. There they learn a great deal about the family that has the baby. The Poiterins are a very rich, very powerful Creole family, totally without scruple. The matriarch of the family has left Pensacola for New Orleans and taken the child she now claims as her great-grandson with her.

New Orleans is a city on the brink of war, a city where prejudice thrives and where Hannah, half Mohawk, must tread softly. Careful plans are made as the Bonners set out to find and reclaim young Nathaniel Bonner – plans that go terribly awry, isolating them from each other in a dangerous city at the worst of times.

Sure that all is lost, and sick unto death, Hannah finds herself in the care of a family and a friend from her past, Dr. Paul de Guise Savard dit Saint-d'Uzet. It is Dr. Savard and his wife who save Hannah's life, but Dr. Savard's half brother who offers her real hope. Jean-Benoit Savard, the great-grandson of French settlers, slaves, and Choctaw and Seminole Indians, is the one man who knows the city well enough to engineer the miracle that will reunite the Bonners and send them home to Lake in the Clouds. With Ben Savard's guidance, allies are drawn from every segment of New Orleans' population and from Andrew Jackson's army, now pouring into the city in preparation for what will be the last major battle of the War of 1812.

©2006 Sara Donati (P)2006 Books on Tape

Critic Reviews

"A smoothly written, engrossing adventure." (Booklist)

Queen of Swords

I can't believe that I enjoyed this book as much as I did. Recently, I've been reading a lot of George R. R. Martin, J R. R. Tolkien and Diana Gabaldon. This book surprised with its historical reality and it's love stories that aren't so mushy. These characters are writtne like real people with real faults and yet, unlike Reality TV, it's still the place you can escape. Thanks Ms.Donati for a wonderful read--now, Audible, please get the rest in unabridged?

10 of 10 people found this review helpful

I love this series

Since I first discovered "Into the Wilderness", the first book in this series I have been a fan. Each book has been very well written, well researched and throughly enjoyable. The Queen of Swords is no exception, I loved it and was very sad when it came to an end. If you love historical novels you will love this one. This book stands alone, but I am very glad that I read all of the other books in this series before reading this.

I want to also mention that the narrator did an incredible job, as usual. You will not regret downloading this book.

9 of 9 people found this review helpful

Well written AND Well read

I listened to my first period romance novel with the Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon (Awesome listen by the way!!) and can not get enough of them. After listening to a few other dissapointing books I found the "Queen of Swords" - FINALLY!! Very good story, well researched with accurate and believable information of the times and read by a narrator that I have grown to love (I think that she also plays the female psyc doctor on Law & Order but I could be wrong).

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

Entertaining segment of the Bonner tale

You will get to know Hannah as well as a family member in this book. The use of letters throughout the tale help pick up the pace and add different perspectives to the story. There are a lot of details to the personalities and you need to take your time reading this to fully absorb all the aspects.

The reader is wonderful at keeping the voices of the different characters distinct and believable. I really enjoy listening to her.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

ldb

Wonderful story...Well read... A very close 2nd to Outlander (Diana Gabaldon). Problem is that it is the last written in the series. While it stands on it's own, there are references to earlier events that leaves you "wanting to know". I HOPE THEY GET THE ENTIRE SERIES!!!!

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

MY LEAST FAVORITE BOOK IN THE SERIES

As soon as I realized that New Orleans was the setting of this book, I knew the storyline would be one of hardship after hardship, but holy, moley, this novel is just exhausting. The author does not allow the reader a break from adversity. I very much enjoy the history woven throough the story, but the characters are continually beaten up, (often literally). I am currently on a personal program of avoiding unnecessary stress. I avoid media and television as much as possible. I read for pleasure and relaxation. This novel provided neither. I actually found muself skipping forward when characters were nade to endure physical abuse. I must be very thin skinned these days, but as much as I really love this series, I will be glad to finish this book. I must say that Kate Reading has easily risen to the top of my personal list of favorite narrators. She is nothing less than amazine.

5 of 6 people found this review helpful

brilliant

I absolutely loved this book, I was. sad when it finished, no housework done until I finished listening. as good as the outlander series lots of embroidery and knitting completed, did not go out for a week, thank you so very much for the books and the fabulous job of the narrator

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

History comes alive

Terrific story with well researched historical and cultural insights. Ms. Donati and the reader, Kate Reading, make history come alive! This is a "can't put down" type of listen.

4 of 5 people found this review helpful

The best

This is the best one of the serie. The complicated racial issue in Louisiana is richly handled.

Continues to be a good series!!!

I've really enjoyed the entire Donati series. The characters are well developed and the author keeps your interest. I think the narrator does and excellent job as well. I've got one more in the series to read...I love a nice long series with twists and turns. Take a chance on the series...nicely done.