Between Two Fires cover

Between Two Fires

Queen Branwen • Book 1

by Mark Noce

Narrated by Barrie Kreinik

3.67 BLT Score
(481 ratings)
★ 3.56 Goodreads (415) ★ 4.15 Audible (66)

About This Book

Medieval Wales teeters on the edge of collapse as Saxon forces press in from all sides, and Lady Branwen finds herself weaponized as a political instrument of survival. Betrothed to a formidable Welsh warlord in a fragile bid to unite the fractured kingdoms, she navigates a court riddled with betrayal and hidden enemies while carving out her own voice in a world that expects her silence. Mark Noce grounds the familiar tensions of duty versus desire in a richly rendered dark age landscape, giving the story a gritty authenticity that distinguishes it from softer takes on Arthurian-adjacent legend.

Barrie Kreinik brings steady conviction to Branwen's voice, capturing both her vulnerability and her growing resolve without tipping into melodrama. The 12-hour runtime gives the political intrigue and emotional stakes room to breathe, and the intimate first-person perspective translates naturally to audio, making Kreinik's performance feel less like narration and more like testimony from a woman who lived it.