Book I in The Heart Stone Trilogy
Raven Wakes the Dawn
AD 1099, Alba (Scotland). Raven Wakes the Dawn is the story of young Marsaili, raised by Druids to be a healer and midwife. At a time when Christianity had already swept over most of Europe, she reluctantly accepts the charge from the Goddess of the Moon to "save her Druids from extinction." When she makes a mistake that leads to accusations of murder, she must leave her Druid family and step into the heart of the Clan MacAoidh stronghold. There, she discovers magical powers she never knew she possessed.
Marsaili also discovers a feisty twin sister and meets a brooding warrior in need of love and forgiveness. Together, the three set out to slay the ultimate evil and make the world a safe place for the Druids once again.
But will it be enough to save them in their changing world?
“Magic. Romance. Treachery. Plot twists. Sword fights! Laine Stambaugh offers all of it and more in her impressive debut novel in a trilogy steeped in fantasy, adventure and Druidism. The genre is not one I typically turn to, but I read a little of this book while killing time before a blazing fire in a mountain cabin this week, and I soon found myself hooked. The author is clearly a scholar, skilled not only at research but in the craft of writing. Her forte is surely the creation of expert word paintings, describing the natural environment in which her fanciful tale unfolds. And she clearly understands the storyteller’s trick of dropping little bread crumbs into her plot to keep the reader turning pages. She also succeeds in creating a strong, appealing protagonist and a truly despicable antagonist. I confess to becoming enchanted with this well-edited book and looking forward to the next one in the series.”
--Doug Bates, Pulitzer Prize-winning writer and editor