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Harry E. Gilleland, Jr. is a 66-year-old author and poet who lives in Shreveport, LA with his wonderful wife Linda. After a twenty-nine-year career as a Professor of Microbiology at LSUHSC, School of Medicine in Shreveport, Harry retired in 2004 to devote himself to his creative writing.
Harry has previously published three books of his personal poetry: Poetry For The Common Man: Storoems and Poems (2003, ISBN 1411600649), Gilleland Poetry: Storoems and Poems (2005, ISBN 1411629272), and Poetic Musings of an Old, Fat Man (2008, ISBN 978-1-4357-1242-3). In addition, Harry has published two books of prose, a tale of fantasy entitled Bob the Dragon Slayer (2005, ISBN 1411633156) and a contemporary romance story entitled White Lightning Road (2006, ISBN 978-1-4116-8693-9). Aldric & Anneliese is Harry’s sixth published book.
Reviewed by Author Anna del C. Dye for Readers' Favorite
This high fantasy adventure is full of surprises, kingdoms uniting, kings to be crowned, royal intrigues and marriages. It also has the usual betrayals, tragedies and revenge. It was an easy read; I finished it in one day. It is well done and makes you keep turning the pages.
The story begins with a king who has a dream. His dream is to see all the tribes become one country with one government at its head. With this comes the possibility that the other tribes may not like this idea, and war would be the result. Still, this is a chance he is willing to take to make a stronger future for all of the tribes in that region.
He also realizes that this won’t happen in his lifetime. For this reason, he doesn’t worry about expenses and finds the best teachers for his son, Edmund. He also grooms, Aldric, the son of his champion to become the prince’s companion, personal guard, and best friend. Both receive the best of studies in their kingdom and foreign soils.
As expected, the boys become best friends and return to take over the kingdom from the old, but very pleased king. Once in power, Edmund does everything to make his father's dream a reality. He battles the other tribes one by one. This takes a year for each tribe. He teaches them his way of government and sets rules for all to follow before he moves to the next tribe.
The only tribe he doesn’t conquer by sword is the tribe with which his father had made a pact for him to marry their princess, Ursula, and thus he obtains control of her kingdom. The problem arises when the princess’ twin brother has other ideas of who and how the united kingdom should be ruled. This leaves many people heartsick for their king.
It is an entertaining read for older teens and adults. It has tasteful sexual scenes by leaving it to the reader’s imagination portrayed with clean language.
