This is an incredibily thorough, detailed book about the life of CB Irwin. Anna Lee Waldo has done an incredible job researching the subject. The book gives a wonderful insight into what life was like for farmers and ranchers in Kansas, Colorado and Wyoming during 1870-1930. As this is a true story, it is often lacking the exciting plot twists that you would have in a novel.

I was consumed by this book. I even read during my lunch hour all the while wondering what would happen next. This is undoubtedly the best book I've ever read. Anna Lee Waldo did a fabulous job of taking a real to life character and telling his life story in a fashion that strongly held my interest from beginning to end. I fully intend to read Waldo's other books.

I was very impressed with this book. I live in Colorado Springs and was amazed at how historical this book is. I have been to the graves of some of the charactors in the book and feel as if I know them.

It's rare that I put down a book without finishing it, but I found myself in just such a position with Circle of Stones. I adore well-written historical fiction: well-researched fact woven into a compelling story, written in a style that engages and draws the reader into the middle of the action. The story must seem plausible, as though it *could* have happened the way the author tells it.

Unfortunately, this book falls far short of the mark.

The book is moderately well-researched (which is the reason for the 2-star rating), but the writing style is stilted (Brenda's lengthy narrative recounting her first experiences with Owain, is, frankly, silly), and the plot totally improbable. As an example: Why, if Owain's love for Brenda is as strong as he claims it is; why, if Owain values Brenda's keen intellect as much as he claims to; why, despite all this, would he give her the dubious choice of giving her newborn son to another woman *or* having it drowned all because of an off-hand statement made during an evening of drinking with the guys? This makes absolutely no sense whatsoever, given the portraits of the characters drawn by the author. And it only gets worse.

Then there's the issue of typos. While I realize that a mass-market paperback isn't of the same high quality as a hardbound edition, there's simply no excuse for the many typos I found before I finally put the book down.

I haven't found another account of the Madoc legend, other than non-fiction versions. I'd love to see this story in the hands of a skilled writer.

Meanwhile, if you find this period of history interesting (mid-12th-century and the civil war spawned by the struggle for the English crown between Stephen and Matilda), check out Sharon Kay Penman's "When Christ and His Saints Slept." It's extraordinarily well researched and well-written, with complete consistent characters and a believable story.

When I read in the 'Circle of Stones' Afterward that the book originally spanned over 1000 pages and was split in two on the advice of Waldo's editor to make two separate entries of a trilogy, I realized why the book seemed pieced together rather than a complete and satisfying narrative. When Waldo sectioned her original manuscript, the strong and compelling style of her earlier work Sacajawea was muddled, resulting in a straightforward chronological genesis that neither intrigues or elicits the reader's interest.
This first offering deals solely with Brenda, a Welsh handmaiden of the 12th century, mistress of Owain, prince of Wales whose son, Madoc, purportedly reached the Americas way before Columbus and may have founded the Mandan Indian tribe of North Dakota. Brenda loves Owain, but as one of his concubines, has little power to pursue her dream of becoming a Druid healer. When her third child is born and Owain demands that she give up this child to his bereaved wife or drown him, Brenda decides to flee Wales for Ireland. She successfully protects her child, Madoc, from their pursuers and only after he is fostered does she return reluctantly to Wales where Owain and his household engulf her again with their day-to-day intrigues. As Owain ages, Brenda finds herself in the tumultuous position of make-shift counselor. Fearfully, she watches as his older sons battle for a foothold in their father's realm; one in particular will use any means to gain control of his father's power. Her one hope is Madoc, whom the druids prophesized would accomplish great things for the Welsh people. When he appears in Wales a man grown, she finds he is the lightbearer to a path where she can realize her own dreams and simultaneously aid him in fullfilling his destiny.

All the elements of a great historical drama are utilized in 'Circle of Stones', however, their allignment fails to achieve anything beyond a mediocre telling of the tale. Brenda curries no distinguishing character traits that memorialize her in fiction. Owain merely struts and then dodders and drools in a most unsatisfying predictable sequence of events that is meant to illustrate the threat Wales faced in an uneasy alliance with the English king Henry. Rather than compel, the third person narrative style employed by Waldo, bores. I have no intention of picking up the next volume of the trilogy. Instead I will research the Mandan Indians and their connection to the Welsh via the library and the Internet. Even die-hard druid fans would find 'Circle of Stones' lacking...

This book is the first of a planned trilogy dealing with Madoc the legendary Welsh hero who is rumored to have visited America before Columbus and set up Welsh speaking settlements there. These settlements, which subsequently vanished, were the basis of those fascinating rumors in early America of a tribe of Welsh speaking Indians.

After the birth of Madoc his mother, Brenda, flies to Ireland wish her new born son in order to save his life. She leaves Madoc in the care of Irish Druids and after she is re- captured by Madoc's father, Prince Owain of Wales, tells Owain that Madoc is dead and resumes her life in Wales, with it's royal intrigues, it's threat of an English invasion and the battle between old and new religions.

Waldo has certainly done her research on 12th century Britain and sometimes it seems she doesn't want to waste any of it. We read much of Druid remedies and diets which sometimes hinders the narrative flow. The plot is slow moving sometimes, and there is the rather clumsy device of heading each chapter with a quote from a text to inform us of the historical events. I was grateful for the knowledge, for these were turbulent, confusing times, however it does lead to a rather jerky story line. The story is told almost exclusively from Brenda's point of view which means much of the action seems to be happening "off stage" and we hear of dramatic incidents second hand. The action does pick up as the story progresses and the book ends with Madoc preparing to sail on uncharted waters.

The book has it's faults but I did enjoy it, largely because of it's subject matter and I look forward to the next in the series.

I purchased this book mainly because I knew I owned the prequel. Five pages into it I remembered why I never re-read circle of stones-Waldo's books tend to be horrible long winded. This book does not deliver what the synopsis would have you believe. What could be an incredibly exciting story is instead killed with excessive detail about the number of sheep on each ship, or how many different varieties of birds there are to eat in florida. I have to give her credit for the excessive amount of research that went into this book, (see the bibliography at the end for an idea) but madoc doesn't even make it out of ireland until after page 250, and doesn't meet "Cougar" until after page 400. So after sitting through page after confusing page that manages to cover leprosy, french-english-wales politics, shipbuilding, who fathered who, superstitions, and occasional persecution, the plot takes you exactly where you knew it was going when you bought the book-from wales to america. No surprises, just enough detail to bore me out of finishing this book in under a week (I can read Jane M. Auel in one sitting!) The long, out-of-context quotes at the beginning of each chapter stop the flow of the story completely, and made me think she would have been better of writing a non-fiction account of the different versions written. The lengthy description of the stages of scurvy (told third-person, in what could have been the climactic part of the book) during the voyage to america made me wonder why I should finish the book, but hope that the two narrators would meet kept me going. I won't give away the "ending", but I wouldn't pay full price for this book unless you like your pleasure reading to take as much effort as the research for a college thesis.

I read Sacajawea, and savored every word. but this book started
off on the wrong foot with me. They go net fishing for
Oysters, and FIND THEM! (Oysters live on the sea bottom and never
move for their entire adult life)
This book might be well-researched, but the author takes liberties where she shouldn't. IF attention to detail
is important to you, this book will frustrate.
Sometimes the story line is a bit confusing, the author blasts
forth with information that she assumes (?) you know, and eventually, through details, you figure it out.

Anna Lee Waldo has done it again. She involves you from the first line to last. She has only written 4 books, all based on true accounts. Each one I read I think is the best until the next comes along. This is a very consuming subject that could entangle you in innumerous ways and side tracks. I think Ms. Waldo did a superb job in staying focused with the main story and continuing on with the last. (This is second in a trilogy)It has filled gaps from the first book, Circle of Stones, and leaves you hungry for the following book. Am anxious for it to come out!!!