This is, I believe, the fifteenth novel in Kurtz' Deryni series. I have read all of them - except the one that directly precedes this one, "In the King's Service." If you must read this book, I highly recommend reading it first. However, I don't particularly recommend reading either of them. This book barely qualifies as a novel. Reading it is akin to spending time with an extremely gossipy acquaintance who insists on chattering at length about people that you barely remember. "Oh did you hear that so & so had a baby? Really, and so & so is marrying so & so, and OH, did I tell you that so & so's son died? Oh, so tragic! I could hardly believe it."
For the first 2/3rds of the book, absolutely nothing happens except history-style updates on characters who are never fleshed out. I'm assuming that I was supposed to have learned who all these people were in the previous book, and that I wouldn't need more characterization after that.
In the final third of the book, a plot finally comes together - people are out to get the young Alaric Morgan, whose parents swore him to the magical service and protection of his king. Things go rather badly, people die. That's about it. ( )

Great book. Character development is especially good. ( )

I love the various Deryni series, but this one was disappointing, only because the title is misleading. This book is set about 30 years before the first of the Kelson books, in the time of his grandfather. The title and the hype of the book would lead you to believe this is a book about Alaric Morgan, who appears in the Kelson books, but it is not, it is about his mother. There isn't nearly as much activity in this book as is typical in the Kelson or Camber series, this is clearly a set-up book, for the next one. I still thought the characters were interesting and the world she has built is fascinating, I enjoyed a return to Gwynedd and the Deryni. ( )

This is a solid read, with maybe a few too many names thrown around for the reader with an average memory (such as myself) to keep up with.

It was a bit disappointing as I was wanting to read about Alaric (and Duncan) and while they both featured in this book, they were both toddlers with very little to do.

This book is really about Alaric's parents, Kenneth and Alyce, with a touch of information about the Haldane kings before Kelson thrown in. That's fine in and of itself, but I feel a bit cheated as I was hoping for more about the children.

There's an awful lot of their lives to fit in in the third book if that goes up to the events of Deryni Rising as it says on Kurtz's website. I'm afraid there won't be enough pages to do it all justice, and that's what I've been wanting to read for years, ever since there were first rumours there would be a book about Alaric's youth.

It was nice to get to know Duke Richard though, as I've finally figured out that he's Araxie's father (or at least, I think he is as I don't have my other books with me to check the genealogy and it is all pretty convoluted).

A good book, but it wasn't actually the one I was hoping it would be. It's positively kittens and fluffy bunnies for Kurtz too, with only a small number of people dying and none in horribly grim and nasty ways. ( )

The latest Deryni novel from Kurtz is a mixed bag--there are some good scenes mixed in with some very dry material. Probably something that fans of the series will want to read, but considerably inferior to the best Deryni books. ( )