Mollie Hunter's "The Stronghold" takes an enormous leap back in time….

The force of Druidical magic and the mercilessness of tribal ritual, are effectively shown without sadistic over-emphasis on detail. And the story of Coll's generation coming of age entwines neatly with the building of the first broch, and the rejection of an ambitious traitor. This … is a good book: well-written, original and convincing.

Susan Cooper, "Strains of Mark Twain," in The Christian Science Monitor (reprinted by permission from The Christian Science Monitor; © 1974 The Christian Science Publishing Society; all rights reserved), May 1, 1974, p. F5.∗