Ordeal Of The Dragon

In this time of Harry Potter mania and its associated popular magic of surface spells and incantations, it is refreshing to encounter an author with so vivid a command of the language. Indeed, the language is infused with vibrant images and metaphors that portray the people and the land in fine, lyrical writing. In a style that draws from the full, rich well of old language, the author conveys the reader into a world that appears to be, at first glance, more impressionistic than real. Wales, in all of its glory, rises in the reader’s imagination while capturing the heart and soul of the country. And yet, the themes and struggles are contemporary with this 21st Millennium, harking to the consciousness of all humankind. The reader stops to ponder, and then begins to remember that these enduring images come from the human soul, not constrained by any epoch or era.

These works come from an author who is providing an outstanding recognition of the United Kingdom and its life, history, and people. Literature is the vehicle, far beyond the transitory cinema of contemporary life, which provides depth for his audience. Dr. Baker challenges the reader to understand these tales for their immediate pleasures as well as for their deeper meanings. In this, he accomplishes the best that his art can and should do – to mirror the human condition.

- Daniel Paul Larson, D.M.A.
Vice-President for Instruction
MVCC/State University of New York

BRILLIANT! A Bloody Good Read!!

– Douglas Neal, MRCVS

W. B. Baker’s novels may well be among the finest examples of representative literature of the region. From a nation renown for dramatic warrior poets comes this author’s third novel of Carmarthen, a stunning combination of narrative melded with the extraordinarily vivid imagery we have come to expect from this award-winning writer.

Ordeal Of The Dragon resumes the tale of Myrddin Emrys (Merlin) as a child in Wales, integrating exceptionally strong characters with a remarkable knowledge of superstition, myth, and religion to create a fantastic realm of murder, vengeance, and personal redemption.

A beautifully crafted and equally majestic effort.


– Teresa McAlister, Knight Ridder


Eloquent, Powerful, and Articulate
- New York

The haunting tale of a young boy and his love for a dog … within which are couched the secrets of the universe. Once again, W. B. Baker reveals the wonders of Carmarthen and the whole of Britain to the World.

– Priory Road, Carmarthen - Carmarthenshire, Wales

Ordeal Of The Dragon, like The Orphans Of Carmarthen and Vault Of The Griffin before it, transcends the delicate boundaries of religious and historical perceptions, compelling readers to consider and take stock of their personal interpretations of reality.

A stunning philosophical success and ideological examination, where inspirational axioms are subtly imbedded within the vibrant images and metaphors of classic gothic themes. The superbly devised religion of the Banfáith Priestesses is a triumph unto itself; revealing the author’s meticulous attention to detail as much as Baker’s facility for conceptual ideology.

Correlations between astronomical observances, religious ceremonies, and classical Welsh mythology demonstrated in the extensive research necessary to conceive the Banfáith religion does each of us Brits quite proud.

– Bloomsbury - London, England