The rugged, mountainous, island country of 16th century Ireland sets a fitting stage for this unusual story of Grainne O'Malley, wild, rebellious pirate queen, who led her people in fierce resistance to English efforts at occupation of Ireland.

To the remote walls of Grainne's fortress, on Clare Island, comes young Patrick O'Flaherty, determined to enlist the aid of his heroine queen in freeing his family, prisoners of the British. "Patch" stays to become a page in Grainne's bewildering "court" and accompanies her and her men as they plunder the ships of Elizabeth I and wage bloody raids on the countryside. But Patch becomes far more than a page to amuse this crafty queen. To Grainne he represents the future of her beloved Ireland and the tragedy of all Irishmen torn between loyalty to her cause and the fear that her resistance will cost too many Irish lives.

As the bloodshed continues, Grainne is faced with a terrible choice: to submit to the English (as other lords, including her husband, were doing) and save lives; or to resist a shameful subjugation to the end. Her ultimate decision provides a deeply moving and disturbing climax to a vigorous tale of one of history's most exciting eras.

From the dust jacket