Rating: 
Summary: pleasantly surprised
Review: I have mixed feelings about this book, but overall I think it is getting short shrift from a lot of the other readers. It isn't perfect, but I think Hunter is an engaging writer willing to take risks - when was the last time you read a historical romance with the bubonic plague as a backdrop?
The first half of the book to me was excellent. Morvan seemed arrogant, yes, but we are in medieval times here folks -- what knight isn't arrogant? I do agree that Anna seemed surprisingly 21st century in her attitudes, however, unlike some historical novels that rely on your suspension of disbelief completely (as if a medieval village is going to turn over the reins to a 20 year old girl?), this town has literally been destroyed by the plague -- she's all that's left. Plus, they give you the "crazy" Breton wife of the revolutionary leader at that time who was also leading armies as some evidence that this could happen - granted it's unlikely -- but if you've read a Johanna Lindsey lately, at least Hunter makes an effort.
Mostly I thought Hunter did a good job portraying what it must have been like to basically wait for your death. In a time without modern medicine, no one knew who was going to live or die, or why. The bond that Morvan and Anna form seemed beleivable. It was also reasonable to me that Morvan would be accepting of Anna when he thought he was going to die, but then not when he realized he was going to live ---> again a medieval knight is not going to let a woman be in charge. Obviously because we're 21st centrury women readers, we know he's going to have to give in/change ---> but it is nice to see that it takes some effort on both their parts to compromise.
I liked it -- I think you would too, it is worth a read if for nothing else than an interesting background and characters.
Rating: 
Summary: A glorious story of the Middle Ages.
Review: England and France ravage Brittany, but even worse is the Black Death sweeping through the land. It strikes a youth in the traveling party of Morvan Fitzwaryn. In order to stay with the youth until death comes, the big knight turns the rest of his party back and pushes his way into a longhouse despite the angry villagers that gather. Listening to the crowd growing more restless, Morvan believes his death may come before the plague claims him. Suddenly there is silence and the door is thrown open by two knights. However, stepping into the sunlight, Morvan is struck speechless when he sees the taller knight is a woman - a startling sight as he takes in her height, men's clothing, the sword in her hands, the golden tresses tumbling in curls around her face, and her slender woman's form. He's just met Anna de Leon, a woman who stands as tall and proud as any man.Anna grew up an awkward girl, more suited to the bow and sword than embroidery and household chores. She lived several years in an abbey where she didn't feel ugly and different and her warrior skills were needed and welcomed. She is totally innocent of the fact that she's a beauty desired by men, believing they pretend to be enamored, telling lies to gain her rich lands. She vows never to marry and be subject to any man and lose the freedom she craves. Morvan is not immune to this woman; in fact he cannot look at her without feeling desire. More than that, his soul touches hers one night, and from that moment he has an uncanny way of knowing her thoughts and becomes her protector. THE PROTECTOR is a glorious story of the Middle Ages, brimming over with sensuality and adventure, using actual facts as a base for this fictional offering. This is not a tale of pomp and circumstance, but a primitive story featuring a hero and a heroine who fight for honor, while protecting the one they love. Madeline Hunter gives fans another strong, vibrant woman of independence in Anna, and for the perfect mate she creates Morvan, a man worthy of the challenge to claim her, but with wisdom not to tame her. She introduces a clever, evil presence in the cunning Gurwant, a blue-eyed, blonde giant determined to have Anna and her lands by any treacherous schemes he can conjure up. There are warm secondary characters, but this story belongs to Anna and Morvan. They must look into their inner beings to examine their feelings and determine their future. Ms. Hunter brings satisfaction to her readers with a conclusion that answers questions and doesn't leave you wondering. But this story is so good you hate to see it end! I've read all previous titles written by Madeline Hunter, (BY ARRANGEMENT, BY POSSESSION, BY DESIGN) and thoroughly soaked up each offering like a sponge. THE PROTECTOR is another outstanding example from a brilliant author destined for stardom in the romance world. It's another page-turner that will sit beside her trilogy on my keeper shelf, and a story I highly recommend for your reading pleasure ...
Rating: 
Summary: OK, but not hunter's best work
Review: I am a big fan of Madeline Hunter's past books, "By Design" and "By Possesion". However I was disappointed by her current offering, "The Protector". While the characters in this book were far more original, their relationships and dialogue lacked the spark of hunter's past writings. Morvan and Anna's relationship was rather bland compared to the intense emotion of her other couples. Overall worth the read, but not her best work.
Rating:
Summary: Quite enjoyable, though not as good as her others
Review: I am having a very difficult time rating this book, and although I do not think that it quite rates as a 4 star, it is definitely better than average (3 star). Morvan and Anna's story is a compelling one, and very well written. Ms. Hunter has real talent in drawing colorful and three-dimensional characters. She then takes these deep characters and paints an in depth scene to put them in. This is where my biggest criticism of the book comes from. The lack of historical relevance throughout the story, that her other books had. The beginning (and parts throughout the story) is filled with the destruction of the Black Plague. Kudos for such attention to detail! 99% of the authors who write about Europe from 1300-1600 seem to forget about this deadly pestilence that wiped out up to ½ of the population and its importance to everything. I found that the problem arises after this. Morvan and Anna get so caught up in their own struggle, that the historical relevance waned. The struggle in Brittany, a type of civil war between British, French and Independents, seems to fall through the cracks. Anna's character, though I am sure is modeled after other women of the time, seemed a bit extreme to me as well. I liked her, and Ms, Hunter really is wonderful in depicting the psychological and physical development of her character, I just could not believe in her. This then turned me off while reading. Morvan was a lot more believable and I found his character quite likable (even though he was ordering Anna around for most of the story). His attitudes, although make me cringe as a 21st century woman, seem realistic in the Medieval setting. Ms. Hunter is a wonderful author and I look forward to the retaking of Harclow. She has a refreshingly honest and realistic voice in her novels and makes the time she writes about come alive. If I found I did not quite like this one as much as By Design, By Possession or By Arrangement, it does not matter, because her writing is still more enjoyable then 95% of everything else out there.
Rating: 
Summary: I disliked Anna
Review: I can actually understand Morvan's character better given the 14th century backdrop of this novel. However, Anna sounded more like a 21st century feminist to me. She did not sound very genuine for a woman in that period. I wish Madeline had never written this book, given that this is the only one of her 11 novels (if I remember the number correctly) that I had to put down before reaching the end. I just could not take the characters, mainly Anna. However, I loved to see David drop by :)..
Rags.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing in the Extreme...
Review: I didn't read the series in order, and I loved Morvan in Lord of A Thousand Nights, although not so much in By Arrangement, and I must say he is the only hero in the series I do not like. He started out as a jerk and remained that way throughout the entire story!
Rating:
Summary: Good but not as strong...
Review: I like Madeline Hunter's romances very much, although BY POSSESSION really put me off with the alpha-plus male (yes, I know men were like that in those days, but I don't read historical romance for 100% reality). One of this author's trademarks is her attention to historical detail, in that she makes the period more than a backdrop or wallpaper for her plot and her characters. Both BY ARRANGEMENT and BY DESIGN rank high among my list of "will re-read happily" books. Hunter does not hesitate to show us morally ambiguous heroes (as in BY ARRANGEMENT) and morally conflicted heroines (as in BY DESIGN). Nevertheless with only four books to her credit, it is hard to say whether Hunter is a winning name for the long hault. I certainly hope so - and I have not been disappointed in her more recent books, unlike with so many other authors. Having said that, I have some doubts about THE PROTECTOR, which is her fourth book. For one, it is somewhat different from her previous books which focused on romance across classes, and even made a marriage between a lord and a serf somewhat believable (although some suspension of disbelief was required). This fourth book is the story of a landless knight winning the hand of a great heiress, which is a plotline used by other authors such as Elizabeth Lowell (in her medieval trilogy). Of course, Hunter's story is different - there is a clearer sense of the domestic and international politics, thanks to the setting at the time of the Black Death. After reading the beginning, I wondered why other authors don't use the theme of the Plague (a constant fear in this century, and in later periods) more often. The beginning is marvellous, with Morvan (brother of the heroine of BY ARRANGEMENT) facing almost-certain death, because he has stayed behind to care for an ill squire. Not only is the Black Death a problem for him, but England and France are at war (the Hundred Years War) and Brittany itself is torn apart by civil war. In both wars, the succession is disputed. This theme is carried to some extent into the heroine's story, where it is uncertain who will ultimately inherit her father's lands. The first part of the story is fantastic. Although Anna is strong-willed and stubborn, there *were* highly highly independent noblewomen, notably Eleanor of Aquitaine who lived in the 12th century. And these women certainly experienced problems because they did not fit into the conventional mould. But then, in the medieval period, women were not as passive as later. A knight or lord would leave his wife in charge of his manor or castle, and expect her to manage for months or years without him. Wives were certainly expected to obey their husbands, but a noblewoman whose husband was absent had considerable freedom in some aspects. The problem for me comes in the second half of the book - and I have to admit that it occurred to me only slowly. Anna's innocence about relations between men and women makes some sense, given a traumatic experience and her decision to enter the convent. However, her continued innocence even when she has been in charge of the castle for some time makes less sense, unless she has willfully closed her eyes to this aspect of life. This indeed is hinted at by Morvan and some others, but it is never properly addressed. Did her naivete about her looks and sexual attractiveness stem from her near-rape by her betrothed, or from the way in which her mother perceived her as less than conventionally beautiful? This too is not really addressed in the book which focuses more on Anna in the here-and-now. Anna's wish to remain in the convent makes sense, given her nature and her unwillingness to submit to any man. But she would also face problems. Noblewomen in religious orders did have greater autonomy than if they were married, but then they would also have to submit to the abbess or prioress and later to (male) priests and abbots or bishops. This problem is only partially hinted at, with only Anna's inability to hunt in the cloister discussed as a drawback. Yes, Morvan is rather domineering, but he is actually relatively gentle considering the typical behavior of a man of his day. [For a fine portrayal of the typical noble couple in medieval times, I recommend Roberta Gellis's KNIGHT'S HONOR set in the 12th century. Medieval histories focusing on the lives of women offer real-life examples as well]. The second half of the book is somewhat disappointing for me. Yes, the love scenes are nicely done - this is one of Madeline Hunter's strong points. Anna's rebellions against her husband are realistic (given her nature) but also rather stupid (given the social mores and constraints of the period, plus the very real dangers facing her). While I felt for Anna, I felt that she was a woman out of place - a 20th century woman, as it were, living in the 14th century. I am not saying that such women did not exist, but it makes the plot harder to believe. One of my regrets was that three crucial plot devices - the Black Death, the Hundred Years War, and the Breton Civil War - all became a backdrop for the romance. From that point of view, the book lost historical interest for me. The denouement was attractive but not particularly realistic (in historical terms). Then again, the author was apparently limited by the constraints of the genre she writes in - where the relationship must assume central focus, and where the chronology is limited to a year or so. After I had time to reflect, I kept comparing the relatively easy resolution of Anna and Morvan's relationship with the more complicated plot lines in Roberta Gellis and Elizabeth Chadwick (the British writer of historical fiction). In their books, relationships develop, unwind and re-form over years. This is a good read for lovers of medieval romances, but it is definitely more for the American market and for romance readers. Readers who want more history will find this book relatively disappointing.
Rating:
Summary: What Happened To Good Old-Fashioned Love Stories?
Review: I like novels where the hero is strong, handsome, smart, and yes, even arrogant. What I don't like are novels wherein the heroine is forced to dramatically alter her life to the point of sheer depression because her new husband decides that is what HE wants. Even though this hero took over her life, we knew her before he got there and so we knew that she was still a better leader than he would ever be.
Rating:
Summary: So Different From What I Expected
Review: I love most of the characters in the series but this one was hard to admire, or even like. He was so different from the other heros, who were sexy, handsome, loyal, intelligent, and they were men a woman could admire, but Morvan didn't even come close to being in this category. Nothing wrong with arrogant men, but when that arrogance is due to conceit, and puffed-up self importance, and the belief that one thinks themselves all-important and that one's own wife should grovel at your feet, that man has zero appeal.
Rating:
Summary: Fans Of This Series - Please Skip This One.....
Review: I love this author, but this book really disappoints. I'd first read about Morvan and Anna in LORD OF A THOUSAND NIGHTS and I realize I should have left it at that. Anna was wonderful in both books, but now that I've read THE PROTCTOR I realize Morvan wasn't the man I thought him to be at all. Sure, he was arrogant, but I had no idea how demeaning he could be. I don't see how Anna could love a man who crushed the very life right out of her heart. He also trampled her pride and made her act submissive in front of her people in order to prove that he had complete power over her because he was THE MAN. He took all that belonged to her - her home, her lands, her income, and her horses. He had nothing. No sooner had she married him, Anna had to start sneaking around to do the things she enjoyed, and she had to wear clothes she disliked because HE told her to wear them. When it came time for her to devise an escape plan for Morvan, a weaker woman would have no longer had the confidence in herself to prevail. And since I know Anna wears men's trousers in LORD OF A THOUSAND NIGHTS, Morvan's awful treatment of Anna was all for nothing anyway. I would have found it hard to forgive his ill treatment. I also didn't like when Morvan referred to his sweet sister, Christiana, as "unbearably stupid." (She was naive about men.)
There were two redeeming factors to this book:
The brief scenes with Ian were delightful, and that gorgeous knight Ascanio was a wonderful friend to Anna. Too bad he was a priest.
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