Arthurian Books - Page 4

The Hallowed Isle: The Book Of The Sword And The Book Of The Spear (The Book of the Sword and the Book of the Spear, Books 1 and 2)

Diana L. Paxson

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

This addition to the Matter of Britain is an omnibus volume of the first two (of four) novels in Diana L. Paxson's Hallowed Isle series. The first novel begins in the chaos of early fifth century Britain: the Roman legions have left, and the Romano-British aristocracy, along with various Picts and Scotti, and a few assorted Teutonic tribes, are circling the power vacuum like vultures. The heart of the matter is, of course, Arthur (or Artor, as he is known here). Paxson surrounds Artor with all the usual suspects--Cei, Merlin, Betiver and so on--and sends him down the by-now standard path to his destiny. Her Once and Future King is smart and likeable, has equally good sword and people skills, and loves to infuse his followers with his own personal vision of peace, unity, and civility for all. Where Paxson departs from the usual fare is in her consideration of the Saxons (and Angles and Jutes and Frisians, etc.) as people with their own goals and beliefs and lives, rather than as stock barbarians who exist only to destroy what is left of Roman civilization.

The sword and spear of the novel titles are totemic objects of the Romano-Britains (in particular Artor), and the Teutonic Myrgings (in the person of Oesc) respectively: humming with fantasical properties and mystical significance. Paxson uses them to full effect. There are battles (of will, of weapons, of religion), prophecies, and lots of intriguing historical tidbits. The author has obviously done her homework, and equally obviously relishes immersing her characters, and readers, in the dirt and poverty and epic heroism of a still not well-understood age. --Luc Duplessis

Glastonbury: The Novel of Christian England

Donna Fletcher Crow

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 9 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Faith Through the Ages 5 out of 5 stars.
16 of 16 people found this review helpful.

When we read this book in a book discussion group, I identified 3 areas that could be found in the life of each of the characters: faith, trust, and risk.

From Joseph of Arimathea to Giles Lacey in Tudor England, each character moved through these three areas. Some of them were protected because of their faith, while others were killed for it. But in each case their faith, trust, and risk was rewarded. There were dark times, but each time period saw the light of faith rekindled by their actions. It also shows what can happen when faith is not followed by trust, and how God can bring repentance when the character seems oblivious to God.

The author develops, with ease and plausibility, each character in his or time, and the intrigued reader follows where the author leads. It is a long book, but it could be divided into 2 or more sessions.

Pluses are the maps (there could be 2 separate maps, one with the ancient placenames, and one with the modern equivalents), the glossary, and the source/reference list.

We need more books like this: books which present history with optimism and encouragement.

Editorial Review:

As the legacy of faith passed from generation to generation, each era of believers found refuge in Glastonbury. In its story you will experience the faith that gave Joseph of Arimathea and his family courage to claim new land for Christ. Relive the persecution of St. George and St. Patrick during their captivity under the Roman Empire. Ride along with King Arthur on his historic adventures and discover the spiritual fortitude that enabled him to become the greatest leader of his time. Witness the rekindling of Christianity with St. Augustine of Canterbury. Be inspired by the faith of the remnant in the midst of the Dark Ages. Watch the upheaval under the rule of Henry VIII that led to the Reformation. And as Christianity triumphs over the darkest moments of its history, you may even find your own spiritual roots.
An epic novel of the history of the faith

The Arthurian Legends: An Illustrated Anthology

Richard W. Barber

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

great book! 5 out of 5 stars.
10 of 15 people found this review helpful.

I loved this book! I had to do a reaserach project on Arthurain legends and this bookr really satisfied my need for knowlege. i leaned of many differnt arthurain legends in detail. it was a great book to read

Editorial Review:

No descriptive material is available for this title.

Mordred, Bastard Son (The Mordred Trilogy, Book 1)

Douglas Clegg

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 15 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Stoker Award-winning novelist Douglas Clegg (Afterlife, The Hour Before Dark, and over a dozen other best-selling novels of contemporary horror) sets his rich imagination to the task of reinventing Arthurian legend, and the results are spectacular. A young monk becomes enthralled by the story a mysterious prisoner begins to tell as he tends to his wounds. The prisoner is Mordred, bastard son of King Arthur Pendragon and his half sister Morgan Le Fay, who has been arrested for murder and treason. His story is one of ambition, power, and betrayal, and it will change the monk's life forever. In Clegg's ambitious reimagining of Camelot, Mordred, the traditional villain of Arthurian legend, emerges as a heroic and romantic figure, torn between his powerful mother's desire for revenge against Arthur, his own conflicted feelings toward the father who betrayed him, and his passionate love affair with a knight in King Arthur's court: Lancelot. The first of a trilogy, Mordred, Bastard Son sets the stage for an epic adventure of love, friendship, magic, war, and betrayal, a fresh, dazzling chapter in the Arthurian canon.

Douglas Clegg has been called "the new star in horror fiction" by Peter Straub, and The New York Times best-selling author Dean Koontz says, "Clegg's stories can chill the spine so effectively that the reader should keep paramedics on standby." He is the author of many books, including the bestsellers Nightmare Chronicles, The Hour Before Dark, The Infinite, and You Come When I Call You. He lives outside Manhattan.

Priestess of Avalon (Avalon, Book 4)

Marion Zimmer Bradley

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 64 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Not since The Mists of Avalon has there been such a powerful and mesmerizing portrait of goddess-powered womanhood and women's spirituality. In Priestess of Avalon, the legendary Marion Zimmer Bradley once again reaches back in time to create a magnificent prequel to her undying classic of Camelot.

Priestess of Avalon tells the timeless story of Eilan-known to the Romans as Helena-a British princess raised on the holy isle of Avalon as she grows from maiden to mother to wise woman. It is Helena's destiny-at a crucial turning point in Western history-to bridge the pagan world of the goddess and the new Christian empire founded by her own son, Constantine. When Helena embarks on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land she will find the intrinsic truth that transcends both the old religion and the new.

The legions of fans who cherish The Mists of Avalon will find its promise brought to rich fulfillment in Priestess of Avalon. For those new to the series, undreamed-of enchantment awaits.

Guardian of the Promise: (Merlin's Descendants #4)

Irene Radford

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

superb historical fantasy 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

Griffin Kirkwood was supposed to be this generation's Pendragon but he turned his back on his magical heritage to become a catholic priest. His twin brother Donovan was too weak to pick up the mantle so the Pendragon skips a generation. Griffin's daughter Deidre and Donovan's son Hal journey to France with familiars to prevent the massacres that are imminent. While working the spell, Hal is captured by El Lobison and turned into a werewolf.

He escapes and keeps his distance from the family for many years while Deidre becomes a spy for Queen Elizabeth I. Time after time Deidre helps prevent the plots of Mary, Queen of Scots to oust Elizabeth. Mary eventually goes too far and forces Elizabeth to act. Knowing that if Mary is executed, Philip of Spain's armada will launch, Deidre begs Elizabeth to stay her hand. When her efforts fail, Deidre is willing to use powerful magic that may end up killing her to keep England safe but Hal refuses to see the love of his life die.

The Merlin's Descendants series uses magic to explain pivotal historical events that played a key role in the history of Great Britain. Although never formally invested with the title, Deidre is her generation's Pendragon because she puts England's need above her own, willing to give her life to see her country stay free. Hal is more of a tragic heroic figure who doesn't succumb to his werewolf nature and is a proper mate for Deidre even if they are first cousins. Irene Radford's latest novel is a magnificent fantasy epic using real historic events and people to make the story line seems believable.

Harriet Klausner

Editorial Review:

Now in paperback, the fourth novel in Irene Radford's acclaimed saga of Merlin and his descendants follows the children of twin brothers Donovan and Griffin, in a magic-fueled struggle to protect Elizabethan England from enemies-both mortal and demonic.

Le Morte D'Arthur

Thomas Malory

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

For over 1,000 years, tales of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table have enthralled people, among them Henry VIII and T.E. Lawrence. Proof of the Arthurian legend's timeless appeal is the fact that scarcely a year goes by without a new adaptation. Published in 1485, Sir Thomas Malory's epic poem Le Morte d'Arthur became the standard source for future Arthurian works such as Idylls of the King by Lord Tennyson and T.H. White's The Once and Future King.

With its expressive, vigorous dialogue, Le Morte d'Arthur resounds with colloquial liveliness and ceremonious dignity, the style for a 15th-century gentleman. This audio recording grips the listener with the fascinating, fateful story of Arthur's ascension to the throne as a boy, his marriage to Guenevere, the formation of the Round Table Knights, the quest for the Holy Grail, the ill-fated passion between Lancelot and Guenevere, the treachery of Arthur's illegitimate son Mordred, and the ultimate destruction of Arthur's realm.

A superb story of adventure, love, honor, and betrayal, Le Morte d'Arthur is filled with dramatic power and deep, tragic irony.

The Wicked Day (Arthurian Saga, Book 4)

Mary Stewart

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 17 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Enjoyable Read 4 out of 5 stars.
6 of 6 people found this review helpful.

A sad ending to Mary Stuart's tales of Arthur and Camelot. This book back-tracks a bit from where the trilogy ends, starting with Mordred as a young boy first being introduced into Morgause's palace and web of intrigue.

A very pleasant book to read, the author has a very nice way of setting a scene and bringing the reader into it. I would have enjoyed this more if I hadn't so recently read another tale on Arthur, Queen of Camelot. I came across many instances where the books were telling the same story and found myself skipping through those sections.

Arthur and Mordred 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Mary Stewarts The Wicked Day offers an alternative version to the much heard Arthur, Mordred relationship. An excellent follow up to the Merlin/Arthurian trilogy. Readers who have read the first three books will not be disappointed by the fourth.

Editorial Review:

Now, the spellbinding, final chapter of King Arthur's reign, where Mordred, sired by incest and reared in secrecy, ingratiates himself at court, and sets in motion the Fates and the end of Arthur....
"Gripping....A superior adventure tale."
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL


From the Paperback edition.

Knights of the Round Table: Lancelot (Knights of the Round Table)

Gwen Rowley

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 10 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

A Fresh Vision 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

Whether it's John Coltrane reworking "My Favorite Things" or Andy Warhol reproducing a rainbow of Marilyn Monroe images, one of the more difficult skills of a craftsman is taking something familiar, adding their own artistic touches, creating a new, fresh vision of the original - not meant to be better, just different. Ms Rowley has started her circumnavigation of the Round Table at one of the best known seats, Lancelot. I can see that this work will upset some Lancelot "scholars" (By the way, your Dungeonmaster called and they need your 12th level cleric to storm the Castle of Zarg!), but we're not dealing with George Washington or Winston Churchill here. It's a legend, not history. Ms. Rowley's plot is engaging and her characters are well developed and interesting, even the minor ones, and the romantic scenes will put a rivet in your codpiece. While I am interested to see if she can duplicate her effort with the less well known Geraint, I particularly look forward to see how she will present the other knight of repute, Gawain.

Editorial Review:

King Arthur's knights were strong and powerful warriors of nobility and honor. Brothers in arms, they were touched by magic. But for these knights supreme, true love may be the most perilous quest of all.

Merlin's Legacy: Daughter of the Mist (Merlin's Legacy)

Quinn Taylor Evans

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 9 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

A Wonderful Addition To A Great Series! 4 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

This is the second book in the Merlin's Legacy and it is a great addition to this series. This is the story about Merlin's daughter Brianna. She is the daughter of the Mist and she has a challange ahead of her that will change her life.

Tarek al Sharif is bastard born and does not have the memory of family and love but he is driven by the memory of a golden haired girl that helped him and saved his life. He has loved her from the first moment that he saw her and he plans on finding her again.

The path to true love is not a smooth one for these two characters. There is danger in the form of a person that wants control of Inverness and of course "the darkness" is always on the fringes looking in and waiting for the perfect time to cause trouble. Tarek must choose between the love for his changeling bride or avenging his past. The chemisty between the two main characters is great. They don't just fall into bed and thats the end. Their love grows and I feel that is why most people red romance. This book has it all mystical legends, and romance. This is a not to be missed story. It is well worth your effort and time to get a hold of a copy!

Editorial Review:

Trapped between the worlds of reality and enchantment, Brianna of Scotland, Merlin's second daughter, a changeling who possesses the power to take animal form, finds love with Tarek al Sharif, who has come to Scotland to claim lands promised him by William the Conqueror. Original.