Blue Flame (Perfect Fire Trilogy, Book 1)

Grant, K. M. Blue Flame (Perfect Fire Trilogy, Book 1)
Walker & Co 2008 246p 16.99 978-0-8027-9694-3 ms/hs

Religious persecution is not a new phenomenon. Set some forty years after the death of Richard the Lionhearted, this novel provides engaging, suspenseful, well-written historical fiction with excellent characterizations and a well-paced plot. It takes place in thirteenth century Occitan and tells the story of Raimon, the son of a Cathar weaver and Yolanda, the daughter of a Catholic Count. Religious persecution is not a new phenomenon. Set some forty years after the death of Richard the Lionhearted, this novel provides engaging, suspenseful, well-written historical fiction with excellent characterizations and a well-paced plot. It takes place in thirteenth century Occitan and tells the story of Raimon, the son of a Cathar weaver and Yolanda, the daughter of a Catholic Count. Yolanda's father Berenger is tolerant of the different beliefs among his subjects but when the legendary Blue Flame, supposedly kindled at the death of Jesus, reappears in the possession of the knight Parsifal, things change. A Catholic Inquisitor is dispatched to the Occitan, and the torture and burnings of the heretics begin again. This religious Crusade will pit families and friends against each other once again. Complicating the problems is the desire of the French king to acquire this rich region and add it to his empire. The death of Berenger leaves the Occitan in the hands of his weakling son Aimery and bad becomes even worse. Raimon is accused of killing the chief Inquisitor and condemned to death by fire and Yolanda to an unwanted marriage. Rescued from the pyre by Parsifal, Raimon, and Yolanda are cruelly separated and readers will have to wait very impatiently for the second book in the series. S.Ogintz