Anne McCaffrey is one of the world's most popular authors. Her first novel was published in l967. Since then, she has written dozens of books, of which there are more than twelve million copies in print. Before her success as a writer, she was involved in theatre. She directed the American premiere of Carl Orff's Ludus de Nato Infante Mirificus, in which she also played a witch.

McCaffrey lives in County Wicklow, Ireland, in a house of her own design, Dragonhold-Underhill, so named because she had to dig out a hill to build it.  There she runs a private livery stable, raising and training her beloved horses for horse trials and showjumping. [Edit review] [Delete review]

Lord Artos--later to rule as the legendary King Arthur--knew he could defeat the Saxon invaders if only he could find a race of horses swift and strong enough to carry warriors in full regalia fast and far. And so he set out for the Continent, in search of the famed horses of the desert.

The key to Lord Artos' plan was the young runaway Galwyn Varianus, whose gift for horse-trading was second only to his skill with horses. What no one expected was how crucial Galwyn would be to the upcoming battles--as he mastered the secrets of the iron shoes that would protect the desert horses' delicate hooves . . .

This fast-moving historical fantasy by bestselling author Anne McCaffrey--the story of King Arthur as it has never been told before--is about the beginnings of the British cavalry, as recounted by a boy growing up in exciting and perilous times. [Edit review] [Delete review]

"Galwyn's feeding the fishes again," the mate called as I emptied the
odorous bucket overboard. I ignored him, rinsing the bucket in the strong
waves that were following us from Isca Dumnorium.

By now, I was some used to crossing the Narrow Sea but to have to tend to
six grown men who were not, made me as ill as they. And made me, once
again, the butt of jokes, for my uncle's crew. It had taken me a while to
learn not to rise to the mate's lures: he'd leave off his taunts sooner.
"Have ye no seablood in ye at all? Ye're no use in the rigging, little use
on deck and ye can't even keep b'low decks clean."

I was hauling the bucket up, had it nearly to the rail when a particularly
hungry wave caught and filled it. The line pulled burningly through my
hands. I only managed to belay it on a pin and thus not lose it entirely.
The mate roared with laughter, encouraging the other men of his watch to
join him at my... [More...] [Edit review] [Delete review]