In this volume I missed some of the magic that was present in the previous volumes. Morgaine has abandoned Avalon and renounced the Goddess and the life as a priestess. Therefore, there are few references to the Celtic culture, the Goddess and the mystique and power of Avalon. In this book it is more evident the presence of the Christian religion, which is gaining ground among the populations and their rulers, who adopt these beliefs and reject the pagan beliefs and rituals. Although it is interesting to see this transformation in Arthur's court and in Arthur himself, this book appealed less to me, in comparison to the previous books. Only at the end we have a glimpse of Avalon which got me hooked again.
It is curious to note that while Morgan has been, for centuries, viewed as a negative character, a witch, sorceress and Arthur's antagonist, that only wants to usurp his power, here Morgaine has a positive nature. The one character that appears as the "wicked woman", in my point of view, is Gwenhwyfar. Gwen is too obsessed with the Christian religion, with what is sin and evil, she also sees Morgaine as someone who only wants to harm her, and is envious and jealous and eventually becomes an annoying character. I think that she is the most obnoxious character in the entire book! But through them, Morgaine and Gwenhwyfar, we can have a glance of the two opposing faiths and of their struggle to assert themselves in a territory that, even with deeply rooted beliefs, ends up being absorbed by the coming of Christian faith.
Religions aside, I liked going back to the Arthurian world and the story of Morgaine, Arthur, Lancelet, Gwenhyfar and of the introduction of new characters like Elaine, Gwydion and Accolon. I like to see how the legend was transformed and adapted, and how Marion Zimmer Bradley alters some details in a way that they still make sense in the story. For me, this is an exciting world and it is interesting to see how it is so rooted in our imagination. I enjoyed this book, though not so as enthusiasticaly as the previous two, because it took me longer to read it, but I'm very curious to see how the final part of this story will be told.