Reviewer's Aid to A House Fractured

This is written to help reviewers know the structure and plans for A House Fractured.

A House Fractured is the first book in a multi-volume series called Tangled Threads. Each book is broken into specific sections from usually one point of view. Some sections will have multiple points of view, each chapter being a different POV.

Present time is 1461. Esterl yr Magnus is visiting an old friend, Taliesin, the head of the Order on a small island called Llangeinwen. The Order is a sect of An�il, a world-wide philosophy. Her mission is to gain access to memories of an important part of history in the world, R�.

This is because Esterl has made her life long commitment to collecting critical tales from all about the world. Often this is done by collecting memories from important people involved so their voices can be heard with the written history.

Taliesin played an important role in stopping a plan that could have destroyed magick in the world. As it is for druids like Taliesin, he is a repository of memories of all the people he interacted with.

When Taliesin reaches old age, he passes these memories to a student chosen to replace him. In addition, all the memories of previous Taliesins are passed on. Yet as the new Taliesin gains the memories, some details are lost.

From a previous encounter, Esterl could sense Taliesin�s time was coming to a close. A new student was chose and soon her friend would retire and disappear.

This drives Esterl to gather the memories of an important time before her friend is gone. By merging their minds and spirits, she would be able to properly tell this long and complex tale called Tangled Threads of The Lay of Cyre.

A House Fractured introduces the scene and some of the principle players in the tale. The time span is 949 to 976. The main sections are:

Darkness Looming: Li (949)
Li is the caretaker of S�danta, the former king who was driven mad by visions in a scrying mirror. She learns he may have a b*****d son. This information and the death of S�danta plunges Li in court intrigue. In her quest to find the truth, Li finds a danger lurking that could destroy the land she knows.

Opening Views: Multiple (974)
The consequences of S�danta�s and the ineffectual rule of his son, Cobhthach, has put a burden of Cobhthach�s daughter, Queen �de of the House Su�bhn�. This fateful MidSummer�s day culminates with a confrontation with her brother, Neued, precipitating the start of a civil war.

Moving Pieces: Medyr (976)
Medyr is the b*****d son of S�danta, yet unknown to the court. He is rising in the court, gaining power for one purpose: to bring down the House Su�bhn�. He blames the current members for the death of his father. So he is slowly plotting to destroy the current system on Llangeinwen. Yet more lurks under the surface than just revenge.

Discerning the Grain: Aillil (976)
Aillil is the son of Queen �de and one of the principle characters of the series. Even though he is younger that his sister, Fr�ge, he is to be King. He is 13 years old, bristling at the confines of the court and the changing of his education.

Burdens: �de (976)
Queen �de rose to the throne in 971. From the onset, she finds herself in a court torn by intrigue. The republican movement is gaining in strength. Her younger brother is often at odds with her because of a perceived threat from an old enemy: Nico and his strident views about the republican movement. After his confrontation MidSummer 974, the island has been in a state of civil war.

Family Values: Einion (976)
Einion is a security office working under Medyr. He is married with a son Aillil�s age. Yet they, as most people, do not know he is a member of the Order. He is chosen to be the bodyguard and teacher of Aillil because he is skilled in the sword and the subtle ways of the art of war.

Behind the Scenes: A�fe (976)
After Taliesin, the most powerful druid of the Order on Llangeinwen is the court druid, A�fe. She is deep in the court intrigue of the minor House, the civil branch of the government, the Reachtas and the influences from outside the island.

Outsider: M�th (976)
A mysterious elven or sidh� traveller, M�th appears from the onset of the tale with Li. He is present to help people in distress or confusion but no one knows who is he or what his wishes are.

Nexus: Multiple (976)
All the paths of the characters cross at a birthday party for Fr�ge, Aillil�s sister. Some of the moves of the various games being played are revealed, culminating to the first step Medyr is taking that will catapult Aillil away from the court.