Skip to main content

Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Sword of Avalon ( Avalon #7) by Diana L. Paxson: A Book Review

Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Sword of Avalon (Avalon #7)

Author: Diana L. Paxson

Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy

Publisher: Ace

Release Date: 2009

Pages: 450

Source: My State Public Library

Synopsis: Epic in its sweep and peopled by the remarkable women who have always inhabited Avalon, Marion Zimmer Bradley's Sword of Avalon expands the legendary saga that has enchanted countless readers over the years and is sure to please Bradley's loyal readership and anyone who loves wonderfully told stories of history, myth, and fantasy.


      My Review: 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!


Rating: 5 out of 5 stars


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

In a League of Her Own by Kaia Alderson: A Book Review

In a League of Her Own Author: Kaia Alderson Genre: Historical Fiction  Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks  Publication Date: 2024 Pages: 352 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: From the author of Sisters in Arms comes the incredible, untold story of Effa Manley, a black businesswoman in the male dominated baseball industry, and, currently, the only woman inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.       1930s, New York City        An ambitious Harlem woman’s husband upends her social climbing when he buys a Negro Leagues baseball team and appoints her as the team’s business manager. Overnight, Effa Manley goes from 125 th Street’s civil rights champion to an interloper in the boys’ club that is professional baseball.        Navigating her way through gentlemen’s agreement contracts, the very public flirtatious antics of superstar Satchel Pai...

Interview with Kate Forsyth

       A huge 'thank you' to author Kate Forsyth for taking the time to respond to this interview! In her latest book, 'The Crimson Thread', tells of the resistance on the Greek island of Crete during WWII. In this interview, Mrs. Forsyth tells of the very personal origins of the novel and the sometimes difficult but fun methods of the research on Greek culture. I hope you enjoy the insights into the world of Kate Forsyth! There are very few WWII stories that are set in Crete. What drew you to the setting? My great-uncle fought in the Battle of Crete and hearing the very dramatic story of his escape from the island when I was a child gave me a lifelong interest in Greece and its history and myths. Then a few years ago I bought an antiquarian copy of Nathanial Hawthorne’s Tanglewood Tales which reignited my interest. I began to do some  research, and  discovered the untold story of the brave women of the Cretan resistance and knew that was a ...

Blog Tour: Daughter of Sparta by Claire M. Andrews

        I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the DAUGHTER OF SPARTA by Claire M. Andrews Blog Tour hosted by  Rockstar Book Tours . Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!   About the Book: DAUGHTER OF SPARTA (Daughter of Sparta #1) Author:  Claire M. Andrews Pub. Date:  June 8, 2021 Publisher:  Jimmy Patterson Books Formats:  Hardcover, eBook, audiobook Pages:  400 Find it:   Goodreads ,  Amazon ,  Kindle , Audible ,  B&N , iBooks , Kobo , TBD , Bookshop.org      Sparta forged her into a deadly weapon. Now the Gods need her to save the world!       Seventeen-year-old Daphne has spent her entire life honing her body and mind into that of a warrior, hoping to be accepted by the unyielding people of ancient Sparta. But an unexpected encounter with the goddess Artemis—who holds Daphne's brother's fate in her hands—upends the life she's worked so...