June Wilson has created a wondrous mythological world in Middengard and her 'Middengard Sagas', five books aimed at readers aged 11+, are peopled with Norse deities, demons, fairies and beings with superhuman powers. 'Gloriana' is the first book in her new series, 'The Chronicles of Albion', aimed at older readers, which continues the story of some of those characters, though the author assures us that it isn't necessary to be familiar with her earlier work to appreciate this new tale, a historical fantasy, set very realistically and atmospherically in Elizabethan London.
An unlikely and fragile alliance between Mae, Queen of the Fae Folk and Isolde, the last of the ancient race of Vanir, sends Josh and Molly to 1571 to find a secret key, thought to be in the possession of Elizabeth I, aka Gloriana. This key has properties, unknown to it's owner, which could bring chaos to the world if it's power fell into the wrong hands. Aided by Balthazar, a Fae warrior and shape-shifter, and Cat, also gifted with powers she is only just learning about, they gain access to the Queen's court and hatch a plan to secure the key.
However, the forces working against them, who want to bring about the destruction of the human race, are not going to give up without a fierce fight and the story ends on a cliffhanger. We'll have to wait till later this year for the next book in the series to find out if and how that which has been lost can be recovered.
This book combines two of my favourite genres, historical fiction and fantasy, so I enjoyed it very much. The evocative scenes of sixteenth century London are well researched and the whole story is exciting and gripping. I will definitely be looking out for the sequel.
Drena Irish, A LoveReading Ambassador
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