Dreamspell

Morgen of Avalon #1

by Carol J. Weakland

"Weakland is a talented writer...(who) admirably weaves pacifistic themes in a novel thrawt with war." -- Foreword Clarion Review

Forget everything you know about Morgan Le Fay and enter the world of Morgen of Avalon.

She was King Arthur's healer, his love, the Faerie Queen destined to help him evoke peace throughout war torn Britannia. And so Avalon's brightest hope became human.

Mortality proves a double-edged sword that dulls Morgen's memories, especially when fate separates her from Arthur at birth. Magical in every sense of the word, the new found princess so irritates High King Uther Pendragon that he imprisons her in a nunnery where she forgets her purpose -- even her connection to Arthur. What can she have in common with a brother who instigates bloodshed every time he enters a battlefield? How can they share the same peaceful goals? Darkness clouds all perception until Merlin, a mysterious enchanter, captures Morgen's affections. This arch mage holds the key to uniting warrior and fairy, if he ignores the secret longings of his own heart. Passion and prophecy consume Morgen as she finds herself torn between two vastly different men while the battle for Britannia increases its fury.

Set amidst the backdrop of King Arthur's turbulent rise to power, Morgen of Avalon: Dreamspell, is the first in a series of romantic fantasy novels that introduces Arthur and Morgen as star crossed lovers-not the typical adversaries found in many Arthurian novels. Will their love be strong enough to over ride convention, free Britannia once and for all?

Genres: Fantasy

562 pages, Paperback

First published July 6, 2011

Reviews

[Ann Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you enjoy the Arthurian genre, you need to not only read Carol's books, you need to get to know her from her website. She puts her heart and soul into everything she writes, and does it from a perspective that gives you the feeling that somehow, someway, she has 'lived' it herself. You think you know the truth about Morgen? You think you have read so many books about her and her life that you know all there is to know? Ahh..think again. You have never known Morgen quite like this. There are so many facets to her life, her loves, and her relationships. Her story is weaved togeather in a way that will most certainly leave you wanting more...
After reading her books, you may be left wondering if these individuals not only existed, but if perhaps there is more to Carol's knowledge then just that of her travel and research..........

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some parts were a little slow trying to figure out if it was in vision or dream state or really happening.

[Isa (Pages Full of Stars) · Rating 2 out of 5]

1,5 stars rounded up

I had quite high expectations for this book, because I like discovering new retelling of Arthurian legends and I especially love books that focus on the character of Morgan le Fay. However, this was a big disappointment for me. I get what the author wanted to say and the main theme of trying to sacrifice everything for the peace of the country, but the execution truly didn't work for me. The plot meandered a lot and wasn't very clear, the writing was too flowery and very hard to read. There was a lot of filler scenes, in my opinion, that didn't mean much to the story and didn't move it forward.

On top of that, the relationship between Morgen and Merlin made me feel really queasy. Yes, I know that in the past young girls were wedded to much older men (it's not the case here, just the age gap), but the way it was portrayed here, I couldn't accept it and it didn't feel realistic at all. Not to mention Morgen going back and forth between two people. I guess she was only 14, so that's understandable. I do feel like it could've helped a lot if her character was older, preferably of age. The way that the author tried to describe her as this very powerful character just didn't match.

I guess I'm glad that I finally read this book and I will donate it to the local book fair. Hopefully, I will have more luck with other Arthuriana retellings on my shelves.

[Shelby Santullo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book plus Carol is such a sweet person. I have been attending her fairy meditation sessions in which we channel Morgen as she takes us to Avalon. This book was so captivating and I could not put it down, between the love triangle of Morgen, Merlin, and Arthur along with trying to find out if Arthur will be healed and ever taken out of the dreamspell? If you are a fan of Arthurian tales or fairies then this is the book for you. I can't not wait to read the other books in the series!

[Victoria Zigler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a captivating and beutifully written story, which will appeal to anyone who loves to read stories based around the legend of King Arthur. Additionally, I have the audio version, read by the author herself, and she has a wonderful voice for audio book narration, which makes for a fantastic listening experience.

[Robert Waldbauer · Rating 1 out of 5]

The book started off well, and was interesting, but bogged down and became somewhat tedious about halfway through. I gave up on page 296, but will probably try to slog through to the finish sometime in the future.

Sorry, I just had to give up -- the book became almost unreadable, the storyline veering off wildly and making me lose all interest. Not even going to try to finish it now...

[Joelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I never really got invested in the characters enough to finish the book. I admit I skimmed the last 100 pages. I wanted to find out what happened, but didn't have the stamina to wade through the flowery prose to get the story. I won't be reading the second book. It just wasn't to my taste.

[Rita Brummitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually loved this book. i could not put it down. it captured my mind from the begining and held it. the first thing I did when I finished was to ask when the second part was going to be done. I am looking forward to reading the second book.