The Cross and the Dragon
“The year is 773, the setting is King Charles’s assembly in Geneva. A war is brewing, but in the heart of expectant 14-year old bride Alda, there is only a growing love for a man she is forbidden to marry. Instead, she must marry the evil Ganelon on her brother’s orders. She feels nothing for him and cannot manage to shift her focus from the dashing Prince Hruodland. As their love blossoms amid a beautifully crafted background of war and vengeance, Ganelon vows to take revenge against his rival. This sweeping epic fantasy tells a rather common tale but does so in an elegant, convincing manner. The author gives us fairly realistic and likeable characters, making it a pleasure to dive in to a multi-layered tale.”
—Publishers Weekly about the manuscript entered in the 2011 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award competition
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“Kim Rendfeld has an addictive style of writing. The strong characterization, not only of the hero and heroine but a number of minor characters, held my interest, and I took particular pleasure in the originality of the setting. The Cross and the Dragon is a book I truly enjoyed reading.”
—Roberta Gellis, author of the Roselynde Chronicles
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“…a modern take on a Sir Walter Scott type of romance, and one that will work for a modern audience.”
—Historical Novels Review, read the full review on the History Novel Society website
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“Her main characters, Alda and Hruodland, are as engaging and inspiring as any Romeo and Juliet I’ve ever read about…It’s a solidly good book with an engaging story to tell. If you love historical fiction, you’ll be as enchanted as I was with this one.”
—Deborah Previte, read the full review at A Bookish Libraria
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“Simply put, I enjoyed this book. The reasons? Engaging narrative. Steady pace. Strong, living characters. Evocative sense of place and time. A comforting return to the world of chivalry and morality, with defined heroes and villains.”
—Andrea Connell, read her full review at The Queen’s Quill Review
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“She weaves a powerful tale out of a few strands of history, encapsulated in the epic poem The Song of Roland.”
—Lisa Yarde, visit Historical Novel Review blog for the full review
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“The characters, romance and the setting sucked me in from page one and I stayed up pretty late a few nights because I couldn’t put this book down.”
—Denise at So Many Books, So Little Time, visit So Many Books, So Little Time for the full review
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“I read it almost in one sitting, during which I could not bear to put it down for fear I would fail Alda, her female protagonist, in her pursuits and that I’d lose the momentum of the exhilaration I was feeling of reading such a wonderful novel. Yes, I loved it!! I was swept away into a glorious tale of a strong young woman and her man, who equally loved her as much during a time when men didn’t always love women as romantically as would be desired.” Erin Al-Mehairi, Oh for the Hook of a Book
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“I found the book well written and the story compelling enough to keep me reading, hooked to the very end…For an easy to read novel with a unique medieval setting, this is definitely a book that will please.”
—Mirella, Great Historicals
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“If you enjoy reading old stories of knights, ladies, wars, and battles I think you will enjoy The Cross and the Dragon. It is an entertaining piece of historical fiction.”
—Anne, The Book Garden
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“The subtle but imposing characters make the story very readable, and even if you know nothing about the middle ages, you will enjoy the experience of stepping back into a time when love and war were intermingled and to be a woman in man’s world was often a frightening and lonely place to be.”
—Jo at Jaffareadstoo, visit Jaffareadstoo for the full review
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“…a novel busting with impeccable details that carried me vividly into medieval times. A wonderful debut for Kim Rendfeld!”
—Lucy Bertoldi, Enchanted by Josephine Art and History Salon and Examiner
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“Alda was a really stand-out character for me. She is most definitely a woman before her time. She is strong. She is not afraid to go after what she wants…Bottom line: Good historical fiction with a strong lead character.”
—Meg at A Bookish Affair, visit A Bookish Affair for the full review
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“I recommend this book for anyone who likes a good love story with their well-researched, atmospheric history.”
—Jessica Knauss, read Jessica’s full review on her blog
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“In Alda, Kim Rendfeld has created a woman who seems genuinely to be of her time, rather than the refugees from the 21st century one often sees populating historical fiction. Alda is intelligent and independent, but shares in the beliefs and prejudices of her culture.” —Tinney Heath, read Tinney’s full review on Goodreads
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“I enjoyed seeing how she wove material from this ancient story into a historically accurate backdrop, one full of beautiful descriptions of the Rhine Valley, while fleshing out the characters and their motivations.”
—Sarah Johnson, read Sarah’s full post and interview with Kim at Reading the Past
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“The story is addictive and I found myself not wanting to put the story down…Rendfeld has created a historical fiction masterpiece.”
—Rachel Massaro, read Rachel’s full review on Layered Pages and A Word from Wonderland
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“I fell easily into this world and felt wonderfully engaged with the characters, from Alda’s strength to Hruodland’s valor and even Ganelon’s vengeful wrath. Each character and historical element worked together to make The Cross and the Dragon a delightfully entertaining and thrilling read.”
—Casee Marie, read Casee Marie’s full review on Literary Inklings
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“Rendfeld has written a historical fiction novel that remains authentic to the time period, where religion and vows supersedes all else, including love. I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Cross and The Dragon.”
—Darlene Elizabeth Williams, read the full review on Darlene’s blog
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“The depth of reality captured in this book is commendable. The details of the homes, character’s dress, politics, and religious beliefs were all carefully crafted. I had no problem putting myself in the time period and believing the events of the story.”
—DelSheree Gladden, The Edible Bookshelf
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“Rendfeld clearly did her research on the time period and I thought it was exciting to read about the different era and location…most Medieval-ish books are set in England not France or the Rheinlands.”
—Anne of The Lit B*tch blog, read the full review
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“The turns and twist throughout the entire story kept me entertained page after page. If you’re a romance reader that loves accurate detail to history, this book is a must read.”
—Angela Rose, read the full review at Satin Sheets Romance