The magic and romance of King Arthur and his court.
352273
The World of King Arthur is an outstanding companion book for anyone interested in the Arthurian legends.  The beautifully written entries explain the who, what, when and where of the Arthurian world.,(like, the difference between the sword-in-the stone and Excalibur, or what is known of the historical Arthur.)  Also, scattered through the book are delightful nuggets like Kiss Me, How to be a Butler, Verb that Carving, In the the Midnight Garden. Translated from original sources they are wonderful windows into the medieval world.  The illustrations are rich, inventive and instinctive.  An absolutely gorgeous book, a delight to read and to look at, a must for Arthur fans.
4747689
I have always liked how the Arthur writes about the history, as well as having a fictional story. I enjoy reading a good clean reading.
2029403
Wow, this story covered so many genres, a historical love story, fantasy, paranormal and mythical. A very unique cast of characters, elaborate scenes, so many different forces with good versus evil. As the story unfolds, it keeps the pages turning. In the end, love proves to be the most powerful of all elements.
1400098
Quick Review Summary:

If you like fantasy, the Arthurian Legend, the Celtic Religions, and/or Modern Paganism, READ THIS BOOK.

The Full Review:

I came into this book very interested in the Arthurian legend.  I knew the very bare basics, but nothing deep of the actual legend.  This quickly, quickly changed.

The book tells of the Arthurian legend as told by Morgan Le Fay, the Lady of the Lake, and Guinivere.  It shows the path as Arthur, the Pendragon, the Sacred King, begins at childhood and becomes then the Chosen King of the People and Avalon both.

But you say "So why not read L'Morte de Arthur or something?"

Because of the way that this book is told.  This book has deep interaction between the Old Religion and the newcoming Christians.  It tells also of Arthur's betrayal, and also conflicts between even Avalon.

I consider this book tied with LotR as one of the most interesting and well-done books I have ever read.

I came into the book deeply interested in the Celts and Paganism.  I left extremely happy.
1323629
Morgen of Avalon, Dreamspell, is a beautifully written tale that plunges you into the heart of Arthurian legend with Morgen of Avalon distraught as Brittania is falling around her and as Arthur, King of Camelot, lies dying from a sword wound in her arms. For some reason her magical healing powers have faded, and she is the only one who can save him. With Merlin the wizard imprisoned in a hawthorn tree, the only way Morgen can help save Arthur, who somehow unconsciously resists her attempts to heal him, is to send him into the world of dreams, and she has only three nights in which she can journey into his past in this dreamworld to uncover what must be found to save him--for the key lies in his past.

Carol Weakland's writing is so lyrical and appropriate for the Arthurian style, and her writing reminds me of Stephen Lawhead's. It takes a special writer of great talent to do this iconic world justice. If you love the Camelot legends, don't miss this novel!
3549780
Shadow Over Avalon, a fantasy tale set in earth date 3874-92, is a beautifully imagined and endless complex work of intrigue, romance, and adventure.  As suggested by the titled reference to Avalon, this is a story that owes a lot to the tales of King Arthur and the round-table. But with a twist, of course. Well, actually with several twists!

Two main story or plot lines become interwoven in a skillful, compelling way. Readers will surely cheer for Ashira, a beautiful young maiden, we first meet as she rides into the natural gorge encasing her fathers fort. That there are flying lizards, a patrol, mutations, and a predator saurian, lets the reader know that Ashiras world is far from safe. Her own father then bargains parcels of copper as a bride price for her, trading her to keep his precious cattle.

Arthur, the other main character (though there are manyalmost too manycharacters in the tale, Arthur dominates), makes an excursion into a city, escaping if only briefly from a grim place the author vividly describes as the dark towers of Sanctuary, which stood like rotted teeth amid the artificial brightness.

Ashira and Arthur must travel their differentand difficultpaths before their stories mesh. A good deal of complexity lies in the path, as well as dangers. Theres a certain bleakness about the story, and some of the descriptive writing is a tad overdone. At times, there seems to just be too much happening in the novel, especially in the realm of science fiction and the imaginary. Yet, since I frankly do not read much science fiction, this might reflect more on my tastes than the actual quality of the novel. And despite borrowing Arthur from the Arthurian tales of old, this seems to be a very original piece of work.

Overall, a fascinating, all but exhaustive read, with generally well-written, often lyrical language. The author does an amazing job of blending the future and the past, real worlds and imaginary ones, fantasy, science fiction, romance and a fast-paced adventure. In a way, theres something for every reader in this engrossing, well-written tale.
2749004
This was a wonderful tale of hope, magic, and love.  The author has an excellent grasp of history and lore that weaves a wonderfully realistic tale.  The characters, though few, were rich and believable.  The ups and downs of love tugged at your heart and made the most believable love-triangle plot I've ever read.  The romance was both sweet and epic and I loved every minute of it.  The side characters were wonderful as well and I dearly hope they each have their own stories as well.  I would definitely recommend you get as swept up in this story as I did.
3931063
Great book easy read. Any lover of romance magic. And history will be enthralled. A wonderful combination of all three
1981583
I enjoyed this book on two fronts - the romantic relationship that King Arthur has with his lover Guinevere, which is about to be snapped in two when Arthur decides to marry another woman for political reasons and to secure his power. The other aspect of the book is the mystery - the killing of young women which may or may not be a challenge being made to the new Christian faith supported by Arthur and opposed by pagan beliefs. The ritualitic style murders were a little overwhelming in their violence. The setting is steeped in history and legend - an excellent novel for lovers of the Arthurian storie and especially to medievel mystery buffs.
1521919
I recently finished the excellent first novel by a long-time student of Arthurian legend, Rose Vanden Eynden. Merlyn's Raven is a romantic fantasy set in fifth century Wales.

Gwendydd, the illegitimate child of an allegedly wild woman, suffers her mother's reputation, but longs to know the truth of her heritage. Slated for a loveless marriage to her chieftain grandfather's political ally, she meets and falls in love with a druid's apprentice, a handsome man with golden eyes, possessed of second sight, yet said to be the son of a demon. Appearing and disappearing at will are a few of the many feats of magick the young Myrddin (Merlin) can do, as well as casting glamours--and building Stonehenge with his metaphysical prowess.

Beyond the disapproval of her family, difficulties mount when Myrddin's clairvoyant visions foretell the birth of a great king who will unify a warring Britain. To shift the balance of power, they must succeed in a dangerous scheme, one that threatens their very lives.

If you're looking for a book that's a perfect potion made of magick, romance, and adventure, I highly recommend Merlyn's Raven. Rose Vanden Eynden's words flow like a rushing river. The setting is rich, the characters are fascinating, the magick is powerful, the treachery surprising. Keeping the pace brisk throughout, Vanden Eynden builds ancient intrigue to an exciting conclusion and sets things up nicely for the next edition of an enchanting saga.
2049531
I love the characters and creatures. I love the magic. I appreciate that love and unity seem to be the most powerful magic there is - which I believe is true and should always apply to real life.
1200525
Excellent characters and very interesting concepts of prophecy and history. A good love story with a heroic rescue very reminiscent of Arthurian legend. Hints of more stories to come which makes the reader wonder when the author will write a sequel.
4537817
I don't know why some people gave this book about 2 or 3 stars. I really don't. This novel will want you to keep reading and not want to put it down. The beginning is a LITTLE shaky, and hard to follow, but after about page 20 or so, all the peices fall together and you understand it clearly. The surprise is that a character is actually the opposite gender, and well, that is a surprise. The book presents all of the characters in a creative way, and cleary shows their character. Although some parts of the book can be better, for the overall book, I definetly give this book a 5 out of 5!

Highly recommended for fans of King Arthurs' stories!
512454
I never tire of the Arthurian legends. This author has a unique twist on the roles of Morgan and Merlin. There were a couple of inconsistencies and some things never explained, which is why I didn't give the book five stars.
2472882
Everybody loves Merlin, the magician. And they do not love the king. The King conspires to steal the people's love.
This tale of intrigue is told in Poetry, in four languages. I enjoyed it.  That's why I helped with the translation and wrote the introduction to this book. I consider translation to be a high art form, and Christian Souchon is a wizard in his own right.
3800623
I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy of this book and have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it.  By the magic of Cooper-Poseys Prose,  I was transported into the myth of Arthur and Merlin. She has that dreamy quality and expression I found when reading Mary Stewarts The Crystal Cave, so if you loved Mary Stewarts take on the Authurian Legend, you will love this book. The hero and heroine were skillfully drawn and their love story very believable.  My only criticism was the story was too short. I was just getting comfortable in the story and it was over.  Looking forward to the next book of this series.
45046
I am far from a teen reader but this is a book I would have loved when I was that age.  And I enjoyed it a lot as an adult.

High school students, who are serious players of an Arthurian legend computer game, wind up magically transported to Camelot in the days before young Arthur pulls Excalibur from the stone.  But Arthur is also transported to 21st century U.S. high school so Sophie and Stu have to step in.

I loved the blend of Arthurian legend, magic, and high school.  Even though Sophie and Stu are not part of the popular kids in high school, they were heroic when needed.

Parents don't need to worry because there is no sex (just a few kisses) in the book and I don't recall any swearing.  The romance in the book is not enough to be off-putting to guys but I think girls will be the main fans of this book.

I received a free electronic copy of this book from NetGalley.