Reviews

"Although Fiona Avery has worked in many media, she's best known for her comics scripting and has only now ventured into the territory of the novel with The Crown Rose .... Her debut is an impressive one, auguring well for the continuation of a dual career. The Crown Rose is a rarity in the fantasy field, in that it's a stand-alone volume, completely self-contained, and also mainly a historical novel with a subtle yet integral thread of fantastical content. Both qualities raise it above the herd, as do Avery's pleasant, limpid style, attention to detail, ingenious plotting, deft character development and canny core conceit. Elegant, understated and moodily atmospheric, this is the kind of book that should inspire a small Crusade of followers." —Washington Post

"Screenwriter, graphic novelist, and short story author Avery branches out with this fascinating novel about the real sister of the saintly King Louis IX. Strong historical underpinnings laced with a tinge of the supernatural highlight the inherent drama of siblings at the end of the age of chivalry. Essential for lovers of historical fantasy."
—Library Journal

"Avery's debut novel is steeped in historical facts, attention-attracting details and subtle threads of the mysterious and marvelous. The clever plot provides credible explanations for historical events involving religious relics as well as major players in the Christian faith. The characters are well-developed ... and the dialogue is a smooth blend of French period vernacular and modern English. This richly woven tapestry of mysticism and miracles is a keeper that will satisfy all."
—Romantic Times

"Avery does an excellent job of presenting her characters and their world. At the same time she builds mysteries which draw the reader in as the mysteries both deepen and move toward their conclusion."
—Sfsite.com

"[A] fascinating novel about a period in history imbued with mysticism, and it is exciting to read something so well encompassing that tradition. Fiona Avery has a marvelous talent for vivid characterization, and makes Isabelle and her family and servants glow with realism. This is a well-researched book, and it shows. Give yourself a trip to the thirteenth century and get this book!"
—ReadertoReader.com

"The Crown Rose is a truly enchanting book. From start to finish I found myself wrapped in a velvet cloak of a story. Warm, comfortable and totally enveloping. [Avery] has a talent that must be explored further. A truly stunning book."
—The Eternal Night

"Three fourths historical novel and one fourth fantasy subplot come together in a fabulous thirteenth century thriller."
—Baryon Magazine

"The Crown Rose brims with the rich detail that gives historical writing life - the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of thirteenth-century France surround the reader in a tale of intrigue, love, and a bit of the strange. Wonderfully written, imagined and researched, it is a well-guided tour of what might-have-been - or perhaps what was."
—Greg Keyes, New York Times bestselling
author of The Briar King and The Charnel Prince

"Passionate and richly imagined, The Crown Rose leads us between the lines of history into a past of rich immediacy, fertile with intrigue and fervent with romance. Kudos to Fiona Avery for this stirring read!"
—Terry McGarry, author of Illumination, The Binder's Road, and Triad

"The Crown Rose hurls us into France in the Thirteenth Century - a threatened nation, struggling to survive, and teeming with warriors and monks, philosophers and politicians, saints and sinners. Superb battle sequences and a truly mystical story blend in an exciting recreation of one of the hinge moments of history. This novel is a reflection of both the supernatural beliefs of the Middle Ages and life in a time of brutal military reality. An unusual heroine, a series of unforgettable heroes, and many real historical characters make Fiona Avery's The Crown Rose an exciting and challenging read."
—Peter Woodward, writer / host, "Alexander the Great," The History Channel