Morrigan's Cross

by Nora Roberts

Overview

#1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts' Circle Trilogy begins with an epic tale that breaks down the boundaries between reality and the otherworldly, while forging together the passions of the men and women caught in a battle for the fate of humanity…

In the last days of high summer, with lightning striking blue in a black sky, the sorcerer stood on a high cliff overlooking the raging sea…        

Belting out his grief into the storm, Hoyt Mac Cionaoith rails against the evil that has torn his twin brother from their family’s embrace. Her name is Lilith. Existing for over a thousand years, she has lured countless men to an immortal doom with her soul-stealing kiss. But now, this woman known as vampire will stop at nothing until she rules this world—and those beyond it…

Hoyt is no match for the dark siren. But his powers come from the goddess Morrigan, and it is through her that he will get his chance at vengeance. At Morrigan’s charge, he must gather five others to form a ring of power strong enough to overcome Lilith. A circle of six: himself, the witch, the warrior, the scholar, the one of many forms, and the one he’s lost. And it is in this circle, hundreds of years in the future, where Hoyt will learn how strong his spirit—and his heart—have become…

Don’t miss the other books in the Circle Trilogy
Dance of the Gods
Valley of Silence

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780425280201
Publisher:	Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date:	01/05/2016
Series:	Circle Trilogy Series , #1
Edition description:	Reissue
Pages:	400
Sales rank:	183,390
Product dimensions:	5.60(w) x 8.20(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Nora Roberts is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 200 novels. She is also the author of the bestselling In Death series written under the pen name J. D. Robb. There are more than 500 million copies of her books in print.

Hometown:

Keedysville, Maryland

Date of Birth:

1950

Place of Birth:

Silver Spring, Maryland

Website:

http://www.noraroberts.com/

Read an Excerpt

Chapter 1
(Continues…)

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Excerpted from "Morrigan's Cross"
by .
Copyright © 2016 Nora Roberts.
Excerpted by permission of Penguin Publishing Group.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Interviews

Heart to Heart Interview with Nora Roberts

Heart to Heart: Morrigan's Cross is the first in your Circle trilogy. It weaves together time travel and an epic fantasy battle of good vs. evil -- and an excellent romance -- into one terrific story. Can you tell us the idea behind the trilogy?

Nora Roberts: I never know where the idea comes from, exactly. I know I wanted to do something a little more Fantasy-based, and my publisher wanted to do the next trilogy in sequential months. So I thought: Really Big Bad v. Really Big Good, culminating in a Really Big Battle for all the marbles in the game. Then it was all about the who, what, why, and the getting there.

HtoH: Some of your other books -- the J. D. Robb books and the Key trilogy -- also use fantasy and magic and elements of science fiction. Were they useful to you here?

NR: I would say that everything any writer writes before is of use. You learn and you absorb, and if certain elements are of particular interest you explore them again. In a different way, with a different storyline, and fresh characters. I enjoy blending various elements, and Romance is such a fluid genre, it opens itself to that blending.

HtoH: Trilogies are wonderful for readers -- the reading pleasure doesn't stop after the last page of the first book. What are their challenges for you, the writer?

NR: Each book is its own individual challenge, every time. For me, a trilogy is like one big book in three distinct parts. It's a challenge, certainly, to craft the story so that the reader can and will be satisfied with each book, and enjoy the continuing thread woven through the three so they're interested enough to read them all. In order to expect the reader to be satisfied and interested, I have to be.

HtoH: What's coming up in the next few months?

NR: The Circle Trilogy, August 31st for Morrigan's Cross, early October for Dance of the Gods, and late October for Valley of Silence. In November, we have Born in Death as J. D. Robb -- and yes, Mavis finally has that baby.

Editorial Reviews

“America’s favorite writer.”—The New Yorker

"This well-plotted, finely detailed paranormal adventure is driven by richly developed characters, making it a cut above from others in this subgenre, and among Robert’s best."—Publishers Weekly

“Roberts is among the best popular novelists currently at work.”—The Washington Post Book World

From the Publisher

The Barnes & Noble Review
Bestselling author Nora Roberts ventures deep into the world of paranormal and fantasy with an action-packed powerhouse of a book, the first in what promises to be a terrific trilogy. The backstory is the stuff of legend: Lilith the vampire turns Cian, the brother of Hoyt (a sorcerer in 12th-century Ireland), into a bloodsucker like herself. Hoyt is charged by the goddess Morrigan to wage a battle against Lilith, using a very specific team of six -- "the witch, the warrior, the scholar, the one of many forms, and the one you've lost."

The gathering of the team is a strong story in itself, but that's just the beginning. As Hoyt puts together the team, he discovers Glenna, a modern-day witch, and their cross-centuries romance begins, thanks to the marvels of time travel. There are some wonderful moments as they fall in love, with Glenna teaching Hoyt about the role of women in the 21st century and demonstrating the use of appliances. Then there's the decision of where they should live -- and by that we mean, in which century. The evolving relationship between Hoyt and his vampire brother, who joins the team, is also moving. Book One closes with an exciting wedding/battle that sets the stage for the next books, Dance of the Gods and Valley of Silence.

As her fans already know, Nora Roberts can take any subcategory in the field and spin it to new heights. This paranormal fantasy proves the point all over again. Ginger Curwen

This first installment in Roberts's paranormal Circle Trilogy (which continues with Dance of the Gods and Valley of Silence) starts off like a storybook, with an old Irishman gearing up to weave a fantastical tale of vampires, witches, sorcerers, shape-shifters and time travel. Hill lends the Irishman a gruff, lilting tone befitting his role, but as the story adopts a life of its own-with more characters joining the mix and the dialogue taking on a snappier edge-his narration falls short. For the handsome and commanding sorcerer Hoyt Mac Cionaith, who's charged with gathering a band of six to battle a power-hungry vampiress, Hill employs a deep, growly voice that evokes images of ogres rather than sexy men. In stark contrast, his female characterizations are muted and ultra-feminine, which suits the soft-spoken scholar who eventually joins Hoyt's troupe but not Hoyt's no-nonsense counterpart, the beautiful witch Glenna. Although these flaws-and an occasional slowness in pace-won't stop listeners mid-track, they sap a touch of magic from what is otherwise an enchanting tale. Simultaneous release with the Jove paperback (Reviews, July 17). (Sept.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Publishers Weekly