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Series · historical fiction
The Brothers of Gwynedd
The Brothers of Gwynedd series by Edith Pargeter has 4 known books (4 published) and is best read in publication order, starting with Sunrise in the West (1974).
- Books
- 4 known books (4 novels)
- Published
- 4
- First published
- 1974
- Status
- completed
- Shelved under
- Historical Fiction
- Last checked
Start here: Sunrise in the West (1974) — then read straight through in publication order.
Reading order
The date order of published books and any announced future entries — the default way to read the series.
- Book 1:
Sunrise in the West
Sunrise in the West (1974) opens Edith Pargeter's Brothers of Gwynedd, narrated by Samson, a fictional clerk in the household of the real thirteenth-century Welsh prince Llywelyn ap Gruffydd, and published under Pargeter's own name rather than her Ellis Peters pen name.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Sunrise in the West - Book 2:
The Dragon at Noonday
The Dragon at Noonday followed a year later, in 1975, at 340 pages, continuing Samson's chronicle of the brothers of Gwynedd as Edith Pargeter traces the Welsh princes' shifting alliances against the expanding power of the English crown.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Dragon at Noonday - Book 3:
The Hounds of Sunset
The Hounds of Sunset (1976) matches its predecessor's 340 pages as Wales's struggle against the English crown continues, moving Edith Pargeter's quartet closer to Llywelyn ap Gruffydd's death and the definitive English conquest under Edward I.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Hounds of Sunset - Book 4:
Afterglow and Nightfall
Afterglow and Nightfall (1977) closes out four consecutive annual releases at 342 pages, ending the quartet with Llywelyn's death and the English conquest of Wales.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Afterglow and Nightfall
About The Brothers of Gwynedd
Edith Pargeter's second major historical quartet, written under her own name rather than her Ellis Peters pen name, dramatizes the real thirteenth-century struggle of the Welsh princes of Gwynedd to hold Wales independent against the expanding power of the English crown. Narrated by Samson, a fictional clerk and confidant in the household of Llywelyn ap Gruffydd, the four novels — Sunrise in the West (1974), The Dragon at Noonday (1975), The Hounds of Sunset (1976) and Afterglow and Nightfall (1977) — trace the brothers of Gwynedd through decades of shifting alliances, betrayals and warfare, culminating in Llywelyn's death and the definitive English conquest of Wales under Edward I.
Pargeter's grounding in real medieval history — the same rigor she'd later bring to Brother Cadfael's Shrewsbury — is at its most ambitious here, covering genuine political and military history across an entire national struggle rather than a single detective's patch. It's a substantial commitment (the quartet runs well over a thousand pages combined) but stands as one of the more respected fictional treatments of medieval Welsh history, valued for treating Llywelyn and Wales's cause with genuine sympathy rather than as an English footnote.
Frequently asked questions
How many books are in The Brothers of Gwynedd?
Four: Sunrise in the West (1974), The Dragon at Noonday (1975), The Hounds of Sunset (1976) and Afterglow and Nightfall (1977). The quartet is complete.
What order should I read The Brothers of Gwynedd in?
Publication order, starting with Sunrise in the West. The four books form one continuous historical narrative told by the same narrator and should be read in sequence.
What is The Brothers of Gwynedd about?
The real thirteenth-century struggle of the Welsh princes of Gwynedd, chiefly Llywelyn ap Gruffydd, to keep Wales independent from the English crown, narrated by his fictional clerk and confidant, Samson.
Is this connected to the Brother Cadfael mysteries?
No, though both are set in and around the medieval Welsh Marches. This quartet was written under the author's real name, Edith Pargeter, follows real historical figures, and shares no characters with the Ellis Peters mysteries.
Is The Brothers of Gwynedd based on real history?
Yes — it dramatizes the genuine political and military history of Llywelyn ap Gruffydd and the House of Gwynedd's struggle against Edward I, culminating in the historical English conquest of Wales.
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