Skip to main content

Return to Avalon edited by Jennifer Roberson: A Book Review

Return to Avalon

Author: Jennifer Roberson (Editor)

Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Anthology

Publisher: DAW

Publication Date: 1996

Pages: 400

Source: Personal collection 

Synopsis: Retellings of several Arthurian tales follow such plots as Merlin's defeat of Vortigern and Guinevere's sacrifice to a grail-seeking knight, and include the works of such writers as Melanie Rawn, Judith Tarr, and Katherine Kerr.


       My Review: Marion Zimmer Bradley is renowned for her classic novel, The Mists of Avalon. Return to Avalon is an anthology that pays homage to Marion Zimmer Bradley by having twenty original tales. Most of these tales are told from a female perspective set in medieval time periods. Some of the tales are retellings of famous Arthurian legends. Some of the authors include Diana L. Paxson, Kate Elliot, Katherine Kerr, Laura Resnick, Jennifer Roberson, and many more.


     I was intrigued by this anthology because it pays homage to Mists of Avalon, which is one of my favorite books. It also included a short sequel to the Mists of Avalon titled “Lady of Avalon”. Therefore, I could not wait to dive into this anthology! However, I didn't really like most of the stories in this book. I did like “Lady of Avalon”. However, I wished it was a novel instead of a short story. This is because I would like to see how Avalon has vastly changed after Morgaine’s story. I also liked “The Stone Mother’s Curse”, which was an interesting retelling of the fairytale, “Rapunzel”. I also liked “Dark Lady” by Jane M. Lindskold, which tells of  the romance of William Shakespeare and a female actress. I also liked “The Lily Maid of Astolat” by Laura Resnick, which was a retelling of “The Lady of Shallot”. Finally, I liked “Guinevere’s Truth” by Jennifer Roberson in which Guinevere explains how she has been misunderstood by her subjects. As for the rest of the stories, I liked them but they failed to grip me. This is because most of them were very preachy.


     Overall, this anthology is about justice, feminism, and first love. While I liked all of them, only a few of them stunned me. I also found it to be an easy read! I enjoyed the Return to Avalon anthology, Out of Avalon was much better. I admit that if this anthology did not have the sequel to Mists of Avalon, I wouldn’t have bothered to read it. While “Lady of Avalon” is certainly a must-read to Mists of Avalon fans, Return to Avalon is a forgettable anthology! Still, I recommend this for fans of Judith Starr, Kate Elliot, and Esther Freisner!


Rating: 2 ½ out of 5 stars

 

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Theodora: Actress, Empress, Saint (Women in Antiquity) by David Potter: A Book Review

Theodora: Actress, Empress, Saint (Women in Antiquity) Author: David Potter Genre: Nonfiction, Biography, History Publisher: Oxford University Press Release Date: November 4, 2015 Pages: 288 Source: Publisher/Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: Two of the most famous mosaics from the ancient world, in the church of San Vitale in Ravenna, depict the sixth-century emperor Justinian and, on the wall facing him, his wife, Theodora (497-548). This majestic portrait gives no inkling of Theodora's very humble beginnings or her improbable rise to fame and power. Raised in a family of circus performers near Constantinople's Hippodrome, she abandoned a successful acting career in her late teens to follow a lover whom she was legally forbidden to marry. When he left her, she was a single mother who built a new life for herself as a secret agent, in which role she met the heir to the throne. To the shock of the ruling elite, the two were married, and when Justinian...
Post a Comment
Read more

Guest Post by Elisa DeCarlo: From Corsets to Chemises: Fashion as Liberation

  Today's guest writer is Elisa DeCarlo. Elisa DeCarlo has published two novels, Strong Spirits and The Devil You Say as well as The Abortionist's Daughter . Her work is also in a number of anthologies. Elisa has also written and performed a number of solo shows across the country. In 2013, the Exit Press will publish an anthology of her stage work. Elisa was born in Westchester, NY, and grew up there and in New York City. As an actress, she has performed in television, radio and film. In her guest post, Elisa DeCarlo talks women's fashion in the 1910s. Be sure to check out my review of The Abortionist's Daughter soon. Thank you, Mrs. DeCarlo. From Corsets to Chemises: Fashion As Liberation In The Abortionist’s Daughter , which is set in 1916, the evolution of the main character, Melanie Daniels, is not only shown by her thoughts actions, but also her clothes.  Since I am an obsessed fashion buff, I had to write about the clothes! Queen Victoria ...
5 comments
Read more

Guest Post by Cheryl Anne Stapp: Sacramento Women in the Pioneer Era

      Today's guest writer is Cheryl Anne Stapp. She is the author of Before The Gold Rush - The Sinclairs of Rancho del Paso 1840-1849 , and Disaster & Triumph: Sacramento Women, Gold Rush Through the Civil War . I am currently reading Before the Gold Rush , and I find it fascinating! In this guest post, she writes about stories of pioneer women that settled in Sacramento. I hope you find these stories captivating and that it will give you some insight into her novel. Thank you, Mrs. Stapp!  Sacramento Women in the Pioneer Era      I don’t write fiction. I tried, but soon found that I have no talent for plotting. My first and only attempt at a historical romance was actually pretty far along when an editor friend pointed out there was more historical matter than romance in the manuscript…and as far as a well-constructed storyline with surprising plot twists, well…       But in 2009 I found my niche, largely inspire...
2 comments
Read more