Review: Lord of the Eyrie (by Katerina Dunne)
Hungarian history is very rich in stories: the country is situated on the fringe of Europe and it used to be the bastion against many waves of nomad attacks from the East, not to forget the hundreds of years spent in war against the Ottoman Empire. Unfortunately, these stories are not commonly known, one of the reasons is perhaps the language barriers. Also, there are very few books in the world of English-speaking historical literature.
I can’t tell you how glad I am that we have an author, Katerina Dunne who has given us such a well-researched and exciting historical novel.
Enjoy the trailer of the book:
Check out Katerina’s Facebook page as well:
https://www.facebook.com/Katerina-Dunne-Writer-107262811794150/
My impression:
I have consumed the book in a gulp because it was so enchanting, a very good read, a page-turner. I’ve enjoyed it, it was touching, and not just because of the well-drawn characters’ deep emotions but also because the story had a message about long-forgotten values like the love of the land, loyalty to the king and church, and serving the people who are under one’s responsibility.
It was so much better than other medieval novels I had read. Even better than the Hungarian authors wrote about this age. The medieval atmosphere was perfect, including the tiniest details: we can see that Hungarians were part of the European civilization, not much different from other nations around. It is a good feeling.
We, Hungarians should sincerely thank Katerina for using the historical Hungarian names of cities and people. She will win over many Hungarians’ hearts with this. Also, she used inserting Hungarian words: it is a very unique thing and gave me a warm surprise. I especially liked the name “Vihar”.
I am a HEMAist with some reenactor past, and while reading the book, I also felt the touch of a reenactor in the perfect battle and fighting scenes. The author knows how to wield a real sword, and it makes a difference.
I congratulate you on her historical accuracy, too. I’ve made my own small research to double-check her data and even asked for the help of a fellow historian from Transylvania. She was excellent in all the details: no wonder, she had even learned the Hungarian language to complete her research from books written by Hungarian historians.
One more thought about the storyline: I like that it is not a typical happy ending, it makes the story very special and also calls for the next part that she will hopefully write, too. The “Lord of the Eyrie” is an outstanding novel, a touching, deep, and interesting medieval story from Transylvania, Hungary. The world needs it like a cup of freshwater.
You can get the book here:
Author Bio by the Historical Fiction company:
Katerina Dunne is the pen name of Katerina Vavoulidou. Originally from Athens, Greece, Katerina has been living in Ireland since 1999. She has a degree in English Language and Literature from the University of Athens, an MA in Film Studies from University College Dublin, and an MPhil in Medieval History from Trinity College Dublin. Together with her brother, George, she started writing short stories in her teenage years, just for family and friends but did not take up writing seriously until 2016, when she started work on her first novel.
Katerina is passionate about history, especially medieval history, and her main area of interest is 13th to 15th-century Hungary. When it comes to historical fiction, her favorite authors include Elizabeth Chadwick, Kate Innes, Christian Cameron, and Bán Mór (the Hungarian author of the Hunyadi series of books) Although the main characters of her stories are fictional, Katerina uses real events and personalities as part of her narrative to bring to life the fascinating history of the medieval Kingdom of Hungary, a location and time period not so well-known to English-speaking readers. Whether heroic warriors or fearless women, her characters face personal struggles while also fighting to defend their beloved country from external and internal enemies.
Katerina’s day job is in financial services, but in her free time, she enjoys watching historically-themed movies and TV series. She is also a member of Medieval Armoured Combat Ireland and although not an active fighter, she has supported the group in many competitions and festivals in Ireland.
The best place to read more about Katerina and also to get her book is here:
