Yseult by Ruth Nestvold

For the price of a truce, Yseult is sent to a world where magic is dying - to marry the father of the man she loves.

Marcus's son Drystan would have saved her from a loveless marriage, but with her relatives being held hostage, Yseult cannot endanger them and must go through with the wedding. The tragic love story of Yseult and Drystan plays out against the backdrop of a violent world threatening to descend into the Dark Ages - only Arthur's battles to push back the Saxon hordes can save what is left of civilization. With her background, Yseult could act as a bridge between the old age and the new - but will the price be too high?

Yseult is a retelling of the tragic tale of Tristan and Isolde, a story older than Romeo and Juliet or Lancelot and Guinevere; an Arthurian romance with roots going back far into the realm of legend and the undying tales of King Arthur.

From Yseult:

"Once upon a time beyond history, in an age almost beyond imagination, there was a girl as fair as the moon, sitting on a horse and watching a fire. The bonfire is a part of history, but the princess is a part of legend.
"Tristan and Isot, Tristram and Isolde, Essyllt and Drust, Yseult and Drystan: the spellings have changed, but they have always been lovers - the greatest lovers the world has ever known. Most accounts of their story have begun with the man.
"This one begins with the woman."

Praise for Ruth Nestvold:

"... an excellent up-and-comer."
- Cory Doctorow at Boing Boing