Between Two Fires cover

Between Two Fires

Queen Branwen • Book 1

by Mark Noce

Narrated by Barrie Kreinik

3.66 ABR Score (481 ratings)
★ 3.56 Goodreads (415) ★ 4.15 Audible (66)
12h 27m Released 2016 Historical Fiction

About This Audiobook

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.