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The Cost of Reconciliation
The Dog Roses: Resolution follows twin sisters who rule the land with tyranny and chaos, causing their parents to send in their twin brothers to restore order to the land. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
In Book 1: The Dog Roses, the sisters, Danu and Brighid, overcame many physical, spiritual and supernatural barriers and scaled the heights of success. They were hailed as heroes by the people. Their weakness or vulnerability was their personalities. Could they adjust from battle queens to reigning in peaceful times? The answer was no. They had not learned to develop harmonies or that their abilities could augment and reinforce each other. Thus, the strap line became “Sisters squabble. Queens go to war.” The kingdom was torn in two as each queen fought for ascendency. Their personalities dictated the path each would take. Still, do not judge them too harshly. They were human and subject to human frailties and passions. The Dog Roses: Resolution poses the questions: Can the twins be reconciled? What will be the cost? And are they prepared to pay that cost?
The supporting characters in this novel, I felt, were intriguing and well developed. Who was your favorite character to write for?
I will cheat here and say two characters were my favorite for very different reasons. First, Aoife: we first came across an exuberant Aoife as a seven year-old watching Danu and Brighid’s arrival on warships in Eriu. At that time I based Aoife’s personality on my granddaughter, Sasha, whose optimistic outlook and bravery in the face of challenging health issues is a shining light to all who meet her. No matter what was thrown at them Aoife and Sasha refused to let it crush them. The difficulty, however, came in Book 2: The Dog Roses: Resolution when I had to envisage Aoife/Sasha as a fierce eighteen year-old warrior determined to bring justice to evildoers. I think I managed to advance both their personalities quite successfully. That said, I will only truly know in five years when Sasha is at an age to read my books!
The other character is the whore and assassin, Tisiphone. We first came across Tisiphone in Conall V: Retribution. At fifteen, she was a whore working the harbour districts of Massalia (Marseille). Even at that age, Tisiphone was an accomplished spy and assassin who enthralled men with her beauty. In Conall V, I left Tisiphone bleeding out in a back alley of Massalia after defending herself against another assassin but left the reader to judge whether she had died. In the end, I just could not let her go and she appears in The Dog Roses: Resolution as much more complex character, although still an assassin and still a whore!
Are you a fan of the Fantasy genre? What books do you think most influenced your work?
I don’t read as much as I should! Yes, I enjoy fantasy, mostly urban or historical and I’m always in search of a good steampunk novel. Angie Barton is a good friend and I really enjoy her Gothic horror/vampire novels. As to influences, prior to writing historical fantasy I was an avid reader of historical fiction, especially the works of Bernard Cornwell or Conn Iggulden. I’m also a fan of of Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files. That said, I also read westerns, science fiction and detective novels.
Where do you see your characters after the book ends?
I have been asked this question at several recent author book signings. The honest answer is “I don’t know.” It certainly is possible that The Dog Roses Series will have a third book, probably located in Southern France (Gaul) because Danu and Brighid and their children return “home” to Conall and Morrigan in the closing chapter. It is quite possible that they will join with the characters of The Blood Queen Chronicles who are also homesick for their friends. One intriguing scenario was recently posed to me by a reader who said, since many of the characters were supernatural, then how would they react to being in the 21st Century!
That said, I am already working on my next potential series of at least five books: The Tuatha De Chronicles. The manuscript of Book 1: Dragons, Demons & Demigods has gone through structural editing and will be submitted to my copy editor at the end of the summer. The book will cross historical fantasy with urban fantasy.
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Sisters squabble. Queens go to war.
Ten summers ago, victory brought peace and prosperity to Southern Ériu. Danu and Brighid were celebrated as heroes and saviours. The queens scaled the heights, and there was only one way to go.
One twin became overbearing, the other resentful. Pride dug a pit filled with blackthorns between them. They became tyrants, and the kingdom was sundered. The people were left bitter, divided and afraid, and the lush farmlands fell barren. Stripped of their powers, the Dog Roses were no more. Each blamed the other, and neither took responsibility.
Angry parents gave the twins’ brothers an army and tasked them to bring law to the kingdom. An embittered veteran and a beautiful assassin accompany them. Whose gold is in the assassin’s pouch, and what are her orders?
In the Halls of the Aes Sídhe, Draighean is chastised and commanded to return to her wards. “Guide them, support them, or kill them. Just finish what you started.”
An evil philosophy grows, and another army gathers. Can the sisters be reconciled? The people need the Dog Roses, but can they forgive them? Yet, do Danu and Brighid want the responsibility? Do they want their powers returned? Being normal is very tempting.
The Dog Roses: Resolution contains scenes of sex, violence, and language appropriate to the historical period (400 B.C.) and locations in which the story is set. It is not recommended for those under 14 without parental consent.
The Dog Roses: Resolution
The Dog Roses: Resolution is a bold, blood-soaked dive into a myth-soaked world of ancient Ériu, dripping with power struggles, family betrayals, and queens who rule with both sword and seduction. It’s the second book in Millar’s Dog Roses series, and it doesn’t pull any punches. At the heart of it are two sisters, Brighid and Danu, daughters of legendary rulers who were meant to lead with wisdom but fell into tyranny and chaos. When their father sends their brothers to clean up the mess, all hell breaks loose. You’ve got ancient gods, cunning assassins, ruthless politics, and enough battle scenes to make a Roman general blush.
Millar’s writing punches hard right out of the gate. Chapter 1 left a powerful impression. Aoife storms into the Great Hall, a spear in hand with a child’s severed head mounted on its tip, demanding accountability. It’s a harrowing and unforgettable entrance, one that immediately grips the reader and sets the tone for the intensity that follows. It was brutal, but there was a righteous fury there, too. Aoife doesn’t come off as just a warrior; she’s grief incarnate. Millar writes these women not just as strong, but deeply human. They rage, they love, they crumble. Even when I didn’t agree with what they were doing, I understood why.
Then there’s the slow unraveling of power between Brighid and Danu. That sibling dynamic is pure gold. It’s petty, painful, political, and believable. Their kingdom starts off strong, but the infighting is like a slow poison. When Brighid retreats to Caher Conri and Danu digs in at Ráth Na Conall, you know the gods are rolling their eyes. But still, there’s a vulnerability there. Danu breaking down in front of her children reminded me that even tyrants can be broken mothers. And Brighid’s slow descent, especially when Báine pulls away, is just tragic. She’s not evil, she’s just… lost. And Millar gives her that space to unravel.
This book is loaded with action and not just sword fights. The tension hums constantly. Whether it’s Tisiphone gliding through a hall like a ghost with knives in her hair or Lonán calling kings cowards to their faces with that glorious, gruff “I’m too old for this” attitude, there’s never a dull moment. Daráine shaving her head and quietly outwitting men twice her age was one of my favorite low-key power moves. Every scene at the council table crackled with unspoken threats and old grudges. It felt like reading Game of Thrones but set in mythic Ireland, and it worked.
This book is not for the faint of heart. It’s violent, earthy, and unrelenting. But if you’re into Celtic fantasy that doesn’t tiptoe around darkness, The Dog Roses: Resolution will grip you and not let go. I’d recommend it to fans of Bernard Cornwell, lovers of Irish mythology, or anyone craving epic family drama with bite.
Pages: 422 | ASIN : B0D1WCM2NH
Fierce Demigoddess
The Dog Roses: Na Feirdhriseacha follows twin sisters on a quest to save their people from enslavement who seek out the help of a demi-goddess to assist in saving their land. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The inspiration is twofold: First, readers had seen the development of Danu and Brighid in the Conall Series, which charted the turbulent relationship and path of their parents, from “normal” adolescents to the powerful king and queen of a tribe they had founded and grown. Hence, I thought they deserved their story to be told. Second, the “geis” laid on Conall by the demigoddess who helped him rise to being a king-over-kings had a cost. He and all of his make sons were not allowed to return to Ireland. It was with some reluctance that he agreed to Danu and Brighid returning to settle a rebellion.
What was your approach to writing the interactions between characters?
The foundations of many of the characters were laid in the original Conall Series. I just gave them the freedom to grow. As with many authors, I find that characters become alive and chart their own path. It is similar to movies where an actor, well-versed in the lore of his or her part, will say, “No. My character would not do this (action).”
In this book, one particular character (Aoife) gave me great pleasure to write. In The Dog Roses, Aoife, is about 8 years old. Her character is based on my granddaughter who was about the same age. When I read about Aoife in the story, I see my granddaughter. The real challenge with Aoife’s character came in the sequel, The Dog Roses: Resolution, when I had to envisage her as an 18-year-old!!!
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
The questions to be answered were: Could the princesses become queens and then battle queens? Who could they trust? When would they learn The Dog Roses gave them abilities and with them came responsibilities. Also, will they ever establish common ground with the fierce demigoddess, Draighean.
Can you tell us a little about where the story goes in book two and when the novel will be available?
Sisters squabble. Queens go to war.
Ten summers ago, victory brought peace and prosperity to Southern Ériu. Danu and Brighid were celebrated as heroes and saviours. The queens scaled the heights, and there was only one way to go.
One twin became overbearing, the other resentful. Pride dug a pit filled with blackthorns between them. They became tyrants, and the kingdom was sundered. The people were left bitter, divided, and afraid, and the lush farmlands fell barren. Stripped of their powers, The Dog Roses were no more. Each blamed the other, and neither took responsibility.
Angry parents gave the twins’ brothers an army and tasked them to bring law to the kingdom. An embittered veteran and a beautiful assassin accompany them. Whose gold is in the assassin’s pouch, and what are her orders?
An evil philosophy grows, and another army gathers. Can the sisters be reconciled? The people need The Dog Roses, but can they forgive them?
The Dog Roses: Resolution is currently available in print and eBook formats. A copy will shortly be winging its way to Literary Titan for review!
Author Links: GoodReads | X (Twitter) | Instagram | Facebook | Website | Amazon
“I am the weapon, tuilí.”
It is 400 B.C. The mist clears, and three triremes glide into the calm waters of the bay in Southern Ériu. On a grass-topped dune, a young girl dances gleefully at the Goddess’s gift.
The warrior princesses, Brighid and Danu, leap over the vessels’ sides into the cold waters and look north towards their ancestral home—the fort of Ráth Na Conall. The clash of weapons is not a good omen.
From his throne in Caher Conri, the depraved Uallachán rages at the sight of the red shield embellished with a swooping black raven and the memories it provokes. He swears vengeance on the daughters of his old adversary.
Draighean, a demi-goddess of the mystical Aes Sídhe, stands alone on the mountain peak. She bites full maroon lips, unhappy at her mission. Yet, does she have a choice? Evil must be confronted and defeated.
Uallachán’s idea of peace is to crush all dissent, but is he no more than a puppet of the powerful kings of the Connachta?
The twins know they must defeat the invasion and stop the enslavement of their people. Still, even with the help of Draighean, the odds are daunting.
The Dog Roses contains scenes of sex and violence and uses language appropriate to the period it is set in, i.e., 400 B.C. It is not recommended for those under 14 without parental consent.
The Dog Roses: Na Feirdhriseacha
David H. Millar’s The Dog Roses: Na Feirdhriseacha is an exhilarating historical fantasy that plunges the reader into a world of ancient Gaelic warfare, mysticism, and political intrigue. The novel follows the twin sisters, Brighid and Danu, as they navigate their birthright, destiny, and the brutal conflicts that define their world. From the stormy shores of Ériu to the blood-soaked battlegrounds of their homeland, the sisters must harness their strength, wit, and the mystical bond of the feirdhriseacha—the dog roses—imprinted on their chests. Their journey is one of leadership, betrayal, and resilience, all set against the backdrop of Celtic mythology and the harsh realities of Iron Age survival.
One of the novel’s greatest strengths is its ability to immerse readers in a richly detailed and authentic world. Millar’s grasp of ancient Gaelic culture, from its warrior code to the complexities of clan politics, is impressive. The descriptions of battle are visceral, and the political maneuvering is sharp and unforgiving. The scene where Danu and Brighid are confronted with the weight of leadership at Ráth Na Conall is particularly compelling. The tension between personal desires and duty is palpable. The author builds an entire realm that feels as real as the history it is inspired by.
The dynamic between the twin protagonists is another element I liked. Their relationship is raw and full of conflict. Brighid’s impulsiveness and fiery spirit contrast beautifully with Danu’s calculated and strategic mind. Their clash in the Great Hall, where Draighean, their Sidhe mentor, berates them for their discord, is one of the novel’s most powerful moments. This moment, more than any other, encapsulates the novel’s emotional depth.
Millar’s writing style is both poetic and brutal, a balance that suits the novel’s tone perfectly. The action scenes are unflinchingly graphic, bringing the horrors of war to life in a way that is both mesmerizing and unsettling. The passage where Maolán faces off against the alpha wolf, Silverback, is a perfect example—nature and man, predator and prey, all locked in a desperate fight for survival. At times, the descriptions of violence and suffering push the boundaries of comfort, but they also serve a purpose, reinforcing the novel’s themes of endurance and the unrelenting nature of conflict.
The Dog Roses: Na Feirdhriseacha is a gripping read that will appeal to fans of historical fantasy, especially those with an interest in Celtic mythology and ancient warrior cultures. The depth of world-building, the complexity of the characters, and the sheer intensity of the storytelling make this a novel worth savoring. If you enjoy books like The Mists of Avalon or The Last Kingdom, this one should be on your list.
Pages: 365 | ASIN : B0BDT3ZC72
LITERARY TITAN 