Marion Zimmer Bradley's Sword of Avalon
Written by Diana L. Paxson
Narrated by Lorna Raver
3.5/5
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About this audiobook
A boy raised in secret after traitors kill his parents will return to Avalon-and when he does, he'll be faced with a formidable task: to prove his worth as a son of the kings and priestesses of his land and lead his followers to victory, wielding the newly forged sword Excalibur.
Diana L. Paxson
Diana L. Paxson is the award-winning author of The Lord of Horses, The Wolf and the Raven, The Dragons of the Rhine, The White Raven, and The Serpents Tooth, and coauthor (with Adrienne Martine-Barnes) of Master of Earth and Water, The Shield Between the Worlds, and Sword of Fire and Shadow, the chronicles of Fionn mac Cumhal. She lives in Berkeley, California.
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Titles in the series (10)
The Mists of Avalon: Mistress of Magic Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Forest House Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Mists of Avalon: The High Queen Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Lady of Avalon Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Mists of Avalon: King Stag Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Mists of Avalon: The Prisoner in the Oak Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Priestess of Avalon Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Marion Zimmer Bradley's Ancestors of Avalon Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Marion Zimmer Bradley's Sword of Avalon Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Mists of Avalon Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
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Reviews for Marion Zimmer Bradley's Sword of Avalon
49 ratings7 reviews
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This was one of many books written with MZB's "help" after she died. I think out of all of that category, this might be my favorite. I really got into this link between Atlantis and the later Avalon based books, and I think that it is certainly implied in the rest of the books. The central issue of the book seems to be that of culture and religion- should a people moving to a new land impose their culture and religion, or should they look to the native population to understand what is best? Obviously, the book argues to go with the native population, and that is in keeping with the rest of the series as well.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5I loved Marion Zimmer Bradley's "Mists of Avalon". This book is loosely based on her mythology, but since Marion died shortly after "Mists of Avalon" was published, most of the other books attributed to her were written by Diana Paxson. Diana is an OK writer, but it isn't up to the quality of Marion, so that said, this book provides some backstory to "Mists of Avalon". It supposes that the people who founded the mythological Avalon came from world of Atlantis; that they escaped as Atlantis was falling into the sea. It also supposes that the 2 main characters, Micael and Tiriki are the former lives of Merlin and Morgaine in the Camelot era. It describes the creation and fall of Stonehenge and the discovery of the Crystal Caves which are mentioned in the myth of Merlin and Arthur of Camelot. All in all it's an interesting idea and story, but the writing leaves a little to be desired.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I thought this was good and it was great of Paxson to put the effort in to do this, however it's just not the same, I prefer Marion's writing style. This is a must read though for anyone who is a fan of the Avalon saga, answeres many questons and fills in important gaps.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5A tedious attempt to blend Atlantis legends, Arthurian legends, Stonehenge legends, ley line theory and reincarnation into a cohesive whole.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Quite enjoyable but not to be compared with 'Mists' or 'Atlantis'
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Paxson envisions here the circumstances of the creation of the sword, Excalibur, which will later come into play in the King Arthur legends. Based on archaeological evidence of technology, she sets the time period in the latter part of the Bronze Age / into the beginning of the Iron Age when iron smithing was a technological possibility.The tribes of the British Isles are descending into war with each other as the climate is increasingly hostile and food becomes scarce. What is needed, believes Anderle, the current Lady of Avalon, is a King to lead the tribes back into unity. She believes this to be the destiny of the infant Mikantor, who she rescues from the fiery destruction of his tribe by that of a marauding band of renegades. She does what she can to keep his existence hidden, but ultimately, the boy's enemies realize that he is living. When he is finally captured, his life is spared when his captors sell him into slavery instead of killing them as they have been ordered to do. Mikantor then spends some years in the Mediterranean, as the slave, and then companion and friend of Velantos, the smith of the soon to fall City-State of Tiryns. Mikantor learns the art of weaponry, and together with Velantos, who has had a vision that he is to forge a sword to be wielded by a mighty king, returns to the British Isles to take up his destiny.Paxson's character development does not live up to that of Zimmer Bradley's, and the episodic, plot-driven story ultimately falls short of expectations, providing a quick read that doesn't have a lasting impact.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I do enjoy visiting the world of the Avalon novels, but Mists is still far and away my favorite. I was intrigued by the Bronze Age tribal cultures and way of life described, and enjoyed the descriptions of Avalonian magic and visits from the gods. I found this book engaging, and stayed up late one night compelled to finish it. On the other hand, I wasn't in love with any of the characters and found the plot a little too predictable. Parts of it read like not much more than a romance novel. Although you have to admit the line "she welcomed him into her fire" is a good euphemism.