Sword of Avalon

Avalon (Publication Order) #7

by Diana L. Paxson

De jonge troonopvolger Mikantor wordt gekidnapt en als slaaf buiten de grenzen van Avalon verkocht. Thuis denkt iedereen dat hij is overleden. Dit is voor de wijsgeer Galid aanleiding om de troon op te eisen. Anderle, de vrouwe van Avalon, wendt alle middelen aan die ze heeft om dit te voorkomen. Haar dochter, Tirilan, kan de dood gewaande Mikantor niet vergeten en besluit als priesteres een celibatair leven te leiden. Echter, wat niemand weet is dat Mikantor zijn terugkeer aan het voorbereiden is. Tijdens zijn leven als slaaf heeft hij veel geleerd over macht en onderdrukking en deze kennis zal hem zeker steunen in de onvermijdelijke strijd die hij met Galid aan moet gaan. Maar nog meer zal hij kracht putten uit het gebruik van een nieuw wapen: Excalibur.

Genres: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Arthurian, Mythology, Historical, Adult

448 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Diana L. Paxson (born 1943) is a novelist and author of nonfiction, primarily in the fields of Paganism and Heathenism. Her published works include fantasy and historical fiction novels, as well as numerous short stories. More recently she has also published nonfiction books about Pagan and Heathen religions and practices.

In addition to her multiple novels and collaborations, she has written over seventy short stories. Her best-known works are the Westria novels, and the later books in the Avalon series, which she first co-wrote with Marion Zimmer Bradley, then took over sole authorship of after Bradley's death.

Paxson was nominated for the Mythopoeic Fantasy Awards twice, in 1989 for the "White Raven" and in 1983 for "Lady of Light".

Paxson's non-fiction books include Taking Up the Runes, Essential Asatru, and Trance-Portation. She writes a regular column for the women's spirituality magazine, Sagewoman.

Paxson has been active in the leadership of a number of organizations. She hosted the first activities of the Society for Creative Anachronism, and was subsequently among that group's founding Directors and Corporate Officers when it incorporated[1]. She was the western regional director of the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America, and is a frequent panelist at science fiction conventions, especially Baycon, where she was the 2007 Fantasy Guest of Honor.

A leader in the Neopagan and Heathen revivals, Paxson is the founder of the The Fellowship of the Spiral Path and has served as First Officer of the Covenant of the Goddess. She has been Steerswoman of the Heathen group, The Troth, a member of its Board of Directors, and currently edits its journal, Idunna. She is a pioneer in the revival of Oracular Seidh, which she has taught and performed at many Neopagan and heathen festivals and retreats.

She composes and plays music for the harp. She currently lives at her home, Greyhaven, in Berkeley, California.

More can be found on her blog: http://dpaxson.livejournal.com

Reviews

[Ronda Tutt · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! What a great book - I couldn't put the book down until I had finished it.

From the "Fall of Alantas" to "Ancestors of Avalon" we learn that tradition is to be passed on when Micail and Tiriki make it to the new land and start the rebuilding of the Temple of Light. Though the "Ancestors of Avalon" ends with Micail and Tiriki's beginning sucess, the continuation to their sucess is clearly represented in "The Sword of Avalon".

"The Sword of Avalon" doesn't pick up where the book "Ancestors of Avalon" imediately ends - it picks up after years of time have passed sinse the time of Micail and Teriki deaths. With the spark and new beginning that Micail and Teriki carried on in tradition for the Priest and Priestess, the story carries on around the powerful stone hindge and the sworn pledge that priest and priestess make to the gods to serve in this life time or in their next life time is shown and lived through out this book.

The story starts with Anderle - the Lady of Avalon - one who has visions from the gods of what is to come. Anderle fears from what one of her visions shows her so she runs off to her cousin Irnana to warn her and her husband of what faith lyes in wake for them. (Take note that Anderle and Irnana are cousins and are desendants of Micail (Osinarmen) and Tiriki (Eilantha))

As Anderle is explaining to her cousin that their viliage and their lives along with their son will end in death by fire, but as she speaks, the city is attacked with fire. Through faith of the gods, Anderle reaches Irnana's son Mikantor and escapes the wrath of the fire. Though her cousin's life and her cousin's vilage is ended, Anderle must protect Mikantor with her life because what her vision from the gods has shown her, he is the son of a hundred kings and will yeild the sword fit for a king and will heal their land. Note: son of a hundred kings - Micail is a son of a hundred kings

Anderle realizes that Mikantor will have many enemies trying to kill him even though he is only a few months old and she must hurry as fast as she can even though her own body tires from her own burden of being with child and near birthing her own child. Anderle suceeds in protecting Mikantor and passes him on to another village mother who has a baby and has enough milk for them both. Mikantor is left in the care of this foster mother and is disquised through out childhood by having his hair always died and is given a new name - woodpecker.

Through Mikantor's young age, Anderle watches him grow from afar because she doesn't want to give him a way to his enemies but once a certain age, Anderle arranges for Mikantor to be moved around from viliage to vilage to protect him - but as life takes a turn, his enemy finally captures him, however, the tables turn when his captures are more thirsty for greater goods than returning the young lad to their own master. Mikantor's adventure begins - you will have to read the story to find out what happens.

Did I forget - Anderle has her child - a girl named Tirilan who grows up to become a priestess and great healer. Note: Tiriki was a priestess and a great healer

I leave this quote from page 339/340 where Mikantor and Tirilan realize who they were in the past life - this happens while Mikantor is in so much pain from and while receiving tatoos on both arms of the dragons:

The rush of images began to focus to the memories of one lifetime, the one he needed to remember now.

He was rocking in a boat as the world exploded in fire and thunder, seeking something unimaginably precious that he had lost...He was standing in the ring of a great henge, singing to the stones...He was standing atop the Tor of Avalon, a bright-haired woman in his arms...

He opened his eyes, saw her gazing down at him. "Eilantha..." he whispered. her expression changed as confusion gave way to a dawning joy.

"Osinarmen..." she replied. "At last we have returned."


My favorite character is Velantos - the bastard son of the King of Tiryns, a Smith - also from the middle sea and northern lands. For not for Velantos, the sword fit for a king "Excalibur" would not of been forged. Of course through the gods and through Anderle Velantos task would not have been fulfilled. However, we have to add the curse that Velantos put on the sword - that the blade shall turn on its wielder if ever it is used to conquer instead of to defend - This is what starts the Ledgend of the sword "Excalibur"

With the making of "Excalibur" - the sword made from a meederite (steel metal), the Bronze Age ends and the Steel Age starts.

[Massimo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ottavo e ultimo libro in ordine di scrittura del ciclo di Avalon, ma terzo in ordine cronologico, è scritto da Diana Paxson sull'idea di Marion Zimmer Bradley. E' un bel libro, lento a tratti, ma comunque di buon scorrimento, dove le donne sono le indiscusse protagoniste nonostante la storia ruoti interno a Mikantor, il figlio di cento re. C'è tanta storia e mitologia, dagli antichi Greci alle tribù dell'Inghilterra, sapientemente amalgamate. E soprattutto c'è la "spiegazione" della nascita di Excalibur, che ritroveremo nella leggenda di Re Artù. Un libro godevole, scritto bene, che cambia un pò l'orizzonte geografico di Avalon portandolo ai confini del mondo dell'epoca.

[Morgiana · Rating 3 out of 5]

The latest in the Marion Zimmer Bradley/Diana Paxson Avalon books. Chronologically, this comes after Ancestors of Avalon and before Ravens of Avalon; it's not necessary to have read Ancestors to understand the series, but it might help to read the summary, at least.

I've read all the Avalon books and several of Paxson's historical fantasies (though not her Westria series), and she is generally good at that genre. They are all enjoyable reads, but none have stayed with me in the long run. While I liked Sword of Avalon, I don't think it was one of her better efforts. It's pretty much a rehash of the other stories, particularly with regards to the characters. The Bad Guy, Galid, was particularly cartoony, and Our Heroes (Anderle, Tirilan, Mikantor/Woodpecker, and Velantos) are awfully derivative of Morgaine, Arthur, and Lancelet from The Mists of Avalon.

Plot-wise, this is the book about how and why the sword Excalibur was forged. That doesn't actually happen until the last hundred pages or so. I liked the parts about Mikantor's travels on the continent, and thought the book dragged until he left Britain about a third of the way through. Paxson set the novel about 1200 BCE, which was a really interesting time period in European archaeology. She clearly put a lot of research into smithcraft, and those sections are among the parts I liked best.

Overall, it's not a bad book. I liked it and I had fun reading it. Will I still remember the story by the time the next Avalon novel comes out? Probably not.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished the last book in the Avalon series (Marion Zimmer Bradley & Diana L. Paxson,) and I realize it was not my workload for school that has kept me from diving into the novel head first all these years. It was the all-consuming sadness and finality I've felt at the end of each of the books that held me back. Knowing there will be no more books about Avalon that can touch my soul the way these books do. I tend to live each one, as I read it, in my dreams, both waking and sleeping. I cannot easily remove my head from the mists, and for my heart, there is no chance. If I ever lived other lives, MZB reached the part of me that would be imprinted with those memories, and then left me hanging to discover them on my own. So, now what? I'm staring at all of the books in my"to read" stack, knowing none will return me to that place, knowing nothing else can suck me in right now. *sigh* I hate finishing a great story...I feel like I've left friends behind.

[Emerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the ending to this series and this book. The entire series has been an amazing yet difficult read(s). You really have to have a love of the Arthurian Legends to read this entire series. What was so amazing for me regarding this series is not the usual telling of the Arthurian legends and if King Arthur actually existed. I'd say he did exist since I'm a student of history and he was most likely a Welsh King before Wales as swallowed up into the British empire. I guess it depends on which historian you listen too. I like the Welsh tales regarding King Arthur the most. This series of books includes mythologies of Ancient Atlantis as well and how the entire series starts with the first book being about the destruction of Atlantis and what happened to those people of the ancient historical or mythological place. There is also bits and pieces of this final book that includes tales of warriors who fought in the Heroic tales of Troy and Greece. These books also can allude to myths of the fallen angels and how they started Atlantis when they were thrown out of heaven. All of these various mythologies have been woven into a fantastic tale with women at the heart of this retelling of the Arthurian legends and how Excalibur came to be. What a tale to think that Excalibur - that famous sword might have actually been crafted the way the book describes. The reasons starting all the way back in the first book. If your into these types of read than this series is a must read. Very enjoyable and Miss Paxson finished Ms. Bradley's story lines doing them justice.

[Lois]

Marion Zimmer Bradley was my first introduction to fantasy and sci fi. I started reading her novels, which had been gifted to my mom who still hasn't read them; pretty sure I read Mists of Avalon in 6th or 7th grade.

Her work was always problematic as in her Darkover books are full of sexism & racism and attempts to normalize many types of societal oppression.

I never understood the characterization of her as a feminist.

Add in that she not only covered for her child molesting husband but also participated and I just don't really read or reread her work any longer.

She never wrote literature and her themes are dated and sexist, racist, etc.
Really nothing of value beyond entertainment and even that value is mediocre.

https://www.theguardian.com/books/201...

http://file770.com/breendoggle-histor...

[Maria João · Rating 4 out of 5]

Só tenho pena dos dois erros que encontrei. Um da autora quando faz referencia a Morgana e Merlin quando eles só irão surgir muitos séculos depois.
O outro erro foi da publicação e foi um erro ortográfico.
Mesmo assim não sendo tão bom quanto os da própria Marin Zimmer Bradley, não deixa de encantar.

[Lauralee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sword of Avalon is a sequel to Ancestors of Avalon. It is also a prequel to Mists of Avalon. Anderle is the Lady of Avalon. She is given a task to save an orphan prince who is destined to be king of Britain. In order to help make him king, she must work with a Greek prince to forge a sword fit for a king. Thus, the Sword of Avalon tells of the origins of Excalibur.

I absolutely adore Anderle! She is a very strong woman! Anderle risks her life to save an orphan prince who is destined to be a great king. Anderle is full of love and compassion. She is very intelligent and entirely devoted to her goddess’s will. There are a few times that I thought she made wrong decisions which led to dire consequences. I also love her relationship with her daughter, Tirilan! It is very realistic and difficult. Even though they often were in conflict with each other, their bond was very deep. Thus, Anderle was a flawed but fleshed out character.

Overall, this book is about friendship, motherhood, and sacrifice. I greatly enjoyed how Sword of Avalon touched on all aspects regarding love and relationships. All of the characters were engaging and intriguing. Each of them were very complex. I love Velantos (the sword smith), who labors tirelessly in his craft to craft the best sword he has ever made. I found Mikantor interesting (the orphan prince) as he struggles to fulfill his destiny to become a great king. The only thing that I did not like about the novel was its slow beginning, and I thought it ended abruptly. I wanted more and did not want it to end! Therefore, Sword of Avalon is an enthralling novel that made it hard to put down! By the time you finish the novel, you feel like you know each of the characters as if they were your friends! I also love how Ancient Britain came alive, and I was fully immersed in the world! I can’t wait to read its sequel, Ravens of Avalon, to find how these characters have impacted Ancient Britain!

[Georgiana 1792 · Rating 4 out of 5]

La nascita di Excalibur


Ottavo libro del ciclo di Avalon e terzo cronologicamente parlando, La spada di Avalon prosegue il percorso iniziato da Marion Zimmer Bradley con la pubblicazione del suo capolavoro indiscusso, Le nebbie di Avalon, e proseguito, dopo la sua morte — avvenuta nel 1999 — da Diana L. Paxon, che si è accollata il compito di collegare il mito di Avalon con quello di Atlantide — le cui vicende sono narrate in un libro a parte da Marion Zimmer Bradley (Le luci di Atlantide, The fall of Atlantis, 1983) — aggiungendo generazioni nuove lungo il percorso e inserendo le leggende della tradizione anglo-sassone ad arricchire il ciclo. Così, ne L’alba di Avalon Micail e Tiriki, eredi di Deoris, Domaris e Micon — i protagonisti di Le luci di Atlantide — naufragano dopo aver abbandonato Atlantide — ormai sommersa nelle profondità dell’oceano — sulle Isole dello Stagno, ovvero le Isole Britanniche, costruendo grazie ai loro poteri magici Stonehenge. Ne La Spada di Avalon siamo in piena Età del Bronzo, eppure a Velantos, un principe/fabbro proveniente da Tirinto, viene svelata dagli dei la conoscenza di cui necessita per lavorare il ferro e forgiare la Spada delle Stelle — quella che sarà Excalibur — per il loro prescelto, il Figlio dei Cento Re. Una spada che deve essere usata per difendere, non per aggredire. Inoltre, i riferimenti alla Guerra di Troia e ai personaggi della mitologia greca creano un legame con un altro dei libri di Marion Zimmer Bradley staccato dai cicli: La torcia (The Firebrand, 1987)

Con uno stile che procede sui binari costruiti da Marion Zimmer Bradley, Diana L. Paxon aggiunge al ciclo un’ulteriore generazione descrivendo la forgiatura della Spada delle Stelle — la spada che nelle leggende sarà Excalibur o Caliburn — come un rituale magico, con l’opportuno intervento della divinità per giustificare conoscenze superiori della lavorazione del ferro in piena età del bronzo. La ricostruzione storica della forgiatura di armi, sia in ferro che in bronzo, è dettagliata e frutto di grande studio — come si evince dalla bibliografia di riferimento della Paxon. Il linguaggio è ricercato, quasi epico; anzi, quando la narrazione si svolge nelle terre del Mare di Mezzo, sembra addirittura omerica, con epiteti e patronimici, sebbene le divinità abbiano nomi che si discostano leggermente da quelli caratteristici della koinè dialektos perché siamo ancora di fronte ad un protogreco. Zeus è sempre Tonante — Tiwaz Keraunos — o anche Adunatore di nubi, Afrodite è la Signora delle colombe. Interessanti i riferimenti all’ornitomanzia, con simboliche presenze o voli di uccelli, caratteristici della mitologia. Naturalmente il narratore è esterno e segue i diversi personaggi, spesso entrando nei loro pensieri, nei loro sogni — talvolta profetici o comunque rivelatori — che, giunti al climax, collegano in spirito personaggi fisicamente lontani sia nello spazio che nel tempo.
Nelle prime pagine si può assistere ad un rito che equivale ad una forma arcaica delle celebrazioni di Halloween: le sacerdotesse si recano a Stonehenge per rendere omaggio agli antenati e per guidare le anime dei morti più recenti nell’Oltremondo.

All’avvicinarsi della prima luna piena dopo il volgere dell’Autunno, la Signora di Avalon si recò al Grande Henge per rendere omaggio agli antenati. […] Si diceva che questa festa un tempo segnasse la fine del raccolto, che però quell’anno era finito già da una luna. Le anime che erano venuti a guidare avrebbero avuto un viaggio umido verso casa. Le tombe del grande passaggio erano state abbandonate generazioni prima, ma ogni sette anni gli spiriti dei morti scendevano lungo il fiume per il loro pellegrinaggio all’Henge, e da lì all’Oltremondo. In ogni fattoria e villaggio, la donna più anziana presiedeva alla cerimonia per i defunti della famiglia, assistendoli nel loro passaggio ultraterreno così come aveva assistito la nascita di ogni bambino della sua stirpe.

La Paxon è l’indiscussa erede di Marion Zimmer Bradley per quanto riguarda il ciclo di Avalon. Per prepararmi alla lettura di questo romanzo ho infatti rispolverato i romanzi del ciclo, rileggendo Le luci di Atlantide e L’alba di Avalon, e riproponendomi una rilettura ‘cronologica’ dell’intera saga. Non che ci sia mai stato un ordine per quanto riguarda la Bradley: ogni romanzo è assolutamente autoconclusivo e, anzi, talvolta ci sono delle discrepanze — volute — fra un libro e l’altro del ciclo. A Marion piaceva saltare da un secolo all’altro avanti e indietro nel tempo, sulla Terra così come su Darkover. Il passaggio da Le luci di Atlantide (scritto interamente dalla Bradley) a L’Alba di Avalon e La spada di Avalon (scritti quasi interamente dalla Paxon) è stato assolutamente indolore, forse anche grazie all’apporto della traduttrice, Maria Cristina Pietri, che continua a tradurre il ciclo fin dai primi romanzi e che potrebbe essere uno dei motivi di ‘continuità’. L’unico appunto che vorrei fare riguarda le cerimonie propiziatorie e magiche che coinvolgono la Dea e che ricorrono a pratiche sessuali che, mentre nei libri scritti da Marion Zimmer Bradley assumevano un carattere assolutamente mistico e spirituale, vengono ricondotte dalla Paxon — a causa di riferimenti talvolta triviali — a qualcosa di più terreno, meno trascendentale e questo, in un certo senso, ‘sporca’ il significato e il carattere del rito.

Un’ottima lettura per chi — come me — è talmente affascinato dalle atmosfere di Marion Zimmer Bradley e dai suoi personaggi da non averne mai abbastanza.

Potete leggere la recensione completa QUI:

http://greenyellowale.blogspot.it/201...

[bliss ♡ · Rating 2 out of 5]

finally, i am done with the avalon series. it may have taken only two months, but it felt much longer.

while there were a few things i liked in each book (the most interesting being the atlantis connection) i found the rest of the contents rather dull. all the protagonists felt the same with their personalities, their beliefs, and their connection to avalon, making them hard to differentiate. if i had to re-read any of the books again, ancestors of avalon and ravens of avalon would be the ones i think i would choose. all in all, i would give 2 out of five stars to the series. not 1 star terrible, but not personally impactful or all that relevant overall to the arthurian canon.

[Heike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ab ungefähr Mitte doch noch ganz lesenswert

[Sofia Teixeira · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ler Marion Zimmer Bradley sempre foi uma experiência bastante mágica para mim. Mesmo havendo livros que não foram exactamente escritos por ela, a sua magia nunca desaparece, havendo sempre um traço da sua presença, da sua marca, ao longo dos livros. A Espada de Avalon não é excepção. Embora tenha sido escrito por Diana L. Paxson, são bem visíveis as característas e os traços de Marion Zimmer Bradley.

Reentrar no mundo fantástico que é Avalon, foi como regressar a casa após um longo período de ausência.
Esta obra, mostrou-se ser fundamental para entendermos todo o universo que é a Saga de Avalon. É aqui que conhecemos as origens de vários rituais e da famosa espada que muitos chamam de Excalibur. Quem já leu as Brumas de Avalon há-de lembrar-se desta passagem: o que acontecerá ao rei veado quando o seu jovem filho crescer? Pois bem, neste livro temos a origem desse rito como de tantos outros, inclusivé das tatuagens de dragão nos braços do futuro rei.

É impossível não nos apaixonarmos por este mundo. As personagens de carácter forte, as privações e provações a que são postos, as lutas interiores constantes, são sempre elementos presentes nos livros de MZB. Como também nos tem acostumado, há sempre uma personagem feminina e uma masculina que se destacam. Neste livro temos Tirilan e Mikantor.
Confesso que houve partes do livro em que fiquei super ansiosa. Depois de uma infância em que a vida destas duas personagens se cruzaram, Mikantor é então raptado e durante boa parte do livro acompanhamos a sua evolução e todos os acontecimentos que o levam a cumprir o seu "destino". As teias tecidas pelos deuses nem sempre são claras e muito menos são as profecias das sacerdotisas. Enquanto vamos acompanhando Mikantor, ou Pica-Pau, ficamos sem saber nada sobre o desenvolvimento de Tirilan durante esse tempo todo.
Mas quando finalmente as narrativas se começam a cruzar, tudo começa a convergir para atingirmos o extâse da leitura.
A par de Mikantor e Tirilan tenho que destacar Anderle e Valento. Principalmente Valento marcou-me muito. São personagens que após a leitura ficam a pairar na nossa mente pela sua valentia, coragem e sacrifícios. O amor que estas 4 personagens partilham é um amor intemporal, mais antigo do que se podem lembrar e cujos destinos estão entrelaçados de forma inevitável.

É um livro de emoções fortes, como muitos se têm vindo a mostrar. E claro que é sempre maravilhoso relembrar como aqueles povos louvavam a Terra como um espírito vivo e adoravam-na e respeitavam-na no seu todo. Hoje em dia isso é um grande mito e quem tenta fazer o contrário é quase visto com maus olhos.
Estes livros levam-nos a uma profunda reflexão. Por mais romanciados que sejam, a verdade é que ainda existe vestígios daquela cultura nos nossos dias e tendemos a ignorar isso. Mas isso são reflexões para outro post.

Voltando à leitura d' A Espada de Avalon, só posso dizer que adorei. Foi um voltar ao início e a partir daí lembrar tudo o que aconteceu a seguir. Porque é impossível não associarmos os acontecimentos posteriores àqueles que estamos a ler no momento. Toda a causa tem uma efeito e é isso que nos fica bem preso na mente.
Um romance intemporal, que de certeza que a seu tempo vou repetir a leitura.

Deixo apenas uma pequena nota quanto à formatação interior do livro. Por vezes há algumas falhas a nível de ìtálicos e alguns espaços entre parágrafos no meio de diálogos. De resto, foi mais um livro maravilho que acho que não pode faltar nas prateleiras de quem gosta de Marion Zimmer Bradley. Adorei.

[jD · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was not looking for this specific audiobook when I discovered it amongst the SF/Fantasy shelves at the library. I decided since it was a stand alone in a well known series, I would give it a try.

I actually enjoyed listening to the story mostly because the narrator deftly pronounced the names of the characters and places which where nearly their own dialect. The story takes place before the events of Authur and Camelot, many generations before. The sword that would later become known as Excalibur was forged for a boy whose destiny was to become the leader of his people. The story had the best elements of fantasy -- worldbuilding, hero-building, and a tad of romance. The writing was poetic and seductive.

I did not give the story 5-stars because the pacing was too slow too often. A good 1/4 could have been cut out and it would have been okay. I also felt the author did not make the hero suffer as much as he should have while being a slave. I also thought the bad guy was just a barbarian doing what barbarians do. He had no motivation to build anything not even his own legacy. That didn't seem to fit based on the fact that he had basically conquered these lands and people.

I don't think I will revisit this series not even in desperation. I would certainly not read one of these books, too long and boring in too many place although all things Avalon, Excalibur, and Camelot will forever remain on my reading list.

[Alyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of MZB and have only reluctantly read some of Paxson's Avalon books which are just OK by comparison in my opinion. And this is not one of her better efforts. It especially drags in the middle. I also had trouble placing the time period and it wasn't until I got to the Afterward that I saw it was set in about 1200 BCE. In fact, I think my suggestion would be to read the Afterward FIRST, although maybe I was at a disadvantage for listening to it on CD rather than reading a print version.

[Gery · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn't sure what to expect after I struggled with the first chronological book of the series, but I liked this sequel a lot more! This doesn't mean I didn't cringe at times, because I did - especially when they forged the sword. But the characters are fuller and the storyline is well presented. However, I missed the mystic atmosphere and the philosophy from the sequels.

[Neil McGarry · Rating 1 out of 5]

There was a time when I could stomach a book written from the male gaze and that fails the Bechdel test, but those days are long gone. Diana Paxson is welcome to write a story in which women nurture men and men make history, but I don't need to read it. Pass.

[Desirae · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have a hard time taking a character seriously when their name is Woodpecker.

[Maja Helena · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Avalon Saga, or however you want to call it, never became my thing and I’ve struggled with every single book in this series.

I found this book extremely slow, the plot very badly constructed and the characters boring and one dimensional.

The Plot

Normally I don’t mind books with a multiple POV narrative – I usually tend to love them - but the way it was done it this story, with the different POVs being so disconnected just pulled me completely out of the story and made it impossible to connect with the characters.

Sword of Avalon is about when, how and why the sword Excalibur was created. Now, this could be interesting if it weren’t because it didn’t happen until the last 100 pages and we had to take weird detour to ancient Greece to find the smith -.- I would have preferred if a story so much rooted in celtic myth actually stayed in that region of the world and if the story had actually focused on this instead of all the other stuff we got.

There also another thing that’s been driving me crazy for a few books so far: does the plot of every book have to be almost the exact same? Every book has been following the same formula of a crazy manipulative High Priestess trying to control everyone around her because she has gotten a “vision from the Goddess” which drives her to keeping two young people who love each other apart because she knows best. And of course, things happen and the two young people end up together after all and then someone dies.

The Characters

God this was bad….

I know, we have this reincarnation thing going on in these books with the first priest and priestess of Avalon – we met them in Ancestors of Avalon – and that they are destined to find each other in each new life and do something remarkable. But come on! Surely we can make the narrative a bit more interesting and challenge this plot point a bit and twist and turn a few things instead of just doing a copy/past thing?

For a great part of the book, I thought we at least had an interesting villain in Galid and I was so interested in figuring out why he acted like he did; did someone he loved die from some terrible injustice? Had been in love with Anderle or her cousin and took revenge on them when he just couldn’t take it anymore? Nope… I guess he was just crazy and mad at the world because we needed a villain to kick-start things….

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Now, I read these books in publication order, and if someone asks and I cannot talk them out of reading these books altogether, I think I would recommend reading them in their chronological order. Then, you won’t have to remember which Eilan came first, at least..

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

It certainly took me a long time to finish this book. I had to slog through at points. It was very tedious. This book is about the forging of the sword that would come to be known as Excalibur, but it takes an awfully long time to get to that. Only about the last fifth of the book was really interesting. Anderle was annoying as the Lady of Avalon, something coming off as a controlling mother. Galid was a stereotypical, cartoony villain with no proper motivation. Despite the book's title, the sword isn't actually forged at Avalon; the first attempt destroyed Avalon's smithy, so a new smithy was built elsewhere. Um, okay. Also, the event shown on the front cover doesn't occur in the book. Most of the main characters were interesting enough, but the various deaths in the final big battle felt unimportant to me, because I really didn't know those people. A lot of time was spent away from Avalon, and there was too much focus on the male characters. Overall, the book was okay but definitely not as interesting as "The Fall of Atlantis" or "Ancestors of Avalon". Oh, well, on to "Ravens of Avalon"!

[Rob · Rating 3 out of 5]

A passable read but nowhere near the writing quality of MZB's works. There were plot holes (people did stupid/contrived things for the sake of tragedy) and I'm noticing Paxson has a thing where characters slip and fall in situations tense enough to be worth mentioning. It was OK the first couple times; I mean I get it that roads weren't paved back then, there were no street lights and accidents happen; but this is what? Between Ancestors of Avalon and Sword, the third or fourth time? /Maybe/ fifth? I've lost count. IMHO characters should be challenged by worthy threats, not muddy ground.

Also Paxson's Avalon books have higher/more glowy magic than the original series; one of the things I liked about the originals was that the magic was kept low key/fantasy. To me it looks like Paxson writes in a style meant to adapt to a Hollywood movie.

[Elisabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Das Buch habe ich der Vollständigkeit halber gelesen um die Avalon-Reihe endlich abschließen zu können. Ich fand die von Diana L. Paxson geschriebenen Teile immer schon sehr langatmig und teilweise verwirrend, also wusste ich in etwa was auf mich zukommt. Dass es so schlecht sein würde hatte ich nicht erwartet. Ich konnte zu keinem der Charaktere irgendeine Beziehung aufbauen und konnte mich erst nach einjähriger Pause zum Fertiglesen durchringen. Die letzten 200 Seiten waren dann doch noch ganz spannend, obwohl ich mich den Großteil des Buches wie in einem Fiebertraum gefühlt habe. Das Schicksal der Charaktere war mir dementsprechend auch relativ egal. Nicht zu vergleichen mit den unzähligen Tränen die ich bei "Das Licht von Atlantis" und "Die Wälder von Albion" vergossen habe.

[AylwynOpalmyst · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stelline perchè mi aspettavo davvero molto di più. Deludentissimo dopo quanto letto nei primi volumi della saga. Si, qualche immagine, qualche luccichio c'è, ma poi una storia scontata, davvero prevedibile già dalle prime pagine, personaggi che si confondono e mescolano salvo un paio di brevi caratterizzazioni, 150 pagine su 400 di cui si poteva fare a meno ed una storia che si dilunga e trascina con scarso coinvolgimento per 3 quarti di libro per poi divampare prepotentemente solo nelle ultime pagine.. Della Zimmer forse resta solo la citazione in copertina.

[Billeen Carlson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Caliburniliscious

Another great blending of history, anthropology, and mythology wrapped up in a really great fantasy novel. Paxson takes this stuff seriously and I love it. As far as I'm concerned, she doesn't get anything wrong. "Bull from the Sea" meets "Mists." Excellent read.

[Andrea Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

The legends of Avalon run deep into the current of our imagination. The mystical legends that are connected in our collective consciousness come to mind when reading this story of a sword being forged by a chosen one to be wielded by a chosen one. We know these stories so well, yet in the imagination of the right storyteller it is renewed in the heart and mind of the reader.

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very slow read. Not at all like the rest of the series. I found it very difficult to continue this story. It was by reading some of the reviews that felt the same at I did. The interesting stuff didn't really happen until the 150 pages or so.

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book started off kind of slowly. it as it progressed, they story got better. Very enjoyable read on the origins of the "Sword" of King Arthur for the Avalon series

[Kirundo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I've read this before, many many years ago and it's still as fresh and intriguing as when I read it first :)

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did enjoy the story, but I found it a little slow.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

This might be my favorite book of the series. I loved the characters, especially Valentos. All stay true to their character from the first word to the last.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this one.