"CITADELS OF FIRE," by L.K. Hill, Jolly Fish Press, $16.99, 363 pages (f)
A lifelong love story meets late medieval Russia in Utah author L.K. Hill's "Citadels of Fire," as orphan Inga finds shelter under the wings of a stern but caring palace headmistress and stumbles into a young Englishman, Taras, who is staying in Russia with his parents.
While Inga remains within the Kremlin walls, Taras ends up fleeing Russia with his father when they learn of the mysterious death of his mother. Years later and now as a grown man, Taras returns to Russia to live the life of a soldier and once again meets Inga, who is now a serving maid in Tsar Ivan's lavish palace.
Woven in with the love story of Taras and Inga is the story of the ascension of Ivan the Terrible to the Russian throne, the terrible fire that burned the Kremlin nearly to the ground, and an intense battle with the Tatars.
Though the narrative starts out a little slow, the plot builds as the characters grow. Young Inga starts her life as a young uncared-for orphan but grows to be a strong woman who faces fear with a level head while at the same time harboring trust issues, especially when it comes to men.
Meanwhile, young Taras grows to be a captain of soldiers in the Russian army. But he, too, faces challenges when his allegiance to a ruthless tsar causes internal strife and as the loss of his mother haunts his memories of his childhood in Russia.
Hill does a decent job of taking the historical perspective of 16th-century Russia and bringing it to life. The characters are compelling, each one struggling with inner demons while also fighting to survive the weapons of war and the politics of Russian palace life.
The story pulls the reader in with a few great characters — which makes the incredibly abrupt ending that much more of a disappointment.
This novel has descriptions of war violence and sexual abuse and includes mild language.
If you go ...
What: L.K. Hill book signing
When: Saturday, May 31, 1 p.m.
Where: Layton Barnes & Noble, Layton Market Center, 1780 N. Woodland Park Drive, Layton
Web: barnesandnoble.com, lkhill.blogspot.com
Email: nsorensen@deseretnews.com
Twitter: sorensenate