History from a Woman's Perspective- A Book Blog

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 becau...

  The Mists of Avalon (Avalon #1) Author: Marion Zimmer Bradley Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy  Publisher: Ballantine Books Release Date: 2001 Pages: 912 Source: Personal Collection  Synopsis: The magical saga of the women behind King Arthur’s throne.       In Marion Zimmer Bradley's masterpiece, we see the tumult and adventures of Camelot's court through the eyes of the women who bolstered the king's rise and schemed for his fall. From their childhoods through the ultimate fulfillment of their destinies, we follow these women and the diverse cast of characters that surrounds them as the great Arthurian epic unfolds stunningly before us. As Morgaine and Gwenhwyfar struggle for control over the fate of Arthur's kingdom, as the Knights of the Round Table take on their infamous quest, as Merlin and Viviane wield their magics for the future of Old Britain, the Isle of Avalon slips further into the impenetrable mists of memory, until the fissure be...

Out of Avalon: An Anthology of Old Magic and New Myths Author: Jennifer Roberson (editor) Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Anthology  Publisher: ROC  Release Date: 2001 Pages: 336 Source: Personal Collection  Synopsis: Where Magic Was Born and Legend Lives On…      Avalon. Mist-shrouded, wrapped in magic. The legendary island of the Goddess, resting place of Arthur. This mystical island’s legacy has remained strong over the centuries, becoming a symbol of hope and wonder.       Out of Avalon presents fifteen original stories of magic, adventure, and romance from an era lost to history—yet always remembered by those with imagination…      My Review: The legend of King Arthur is one of the most enduring literature of all time. This anthology pays homage to the King Arthur legend by creating fifteen original stories based on the tales. Most of the stories are told from a female perspective. The my...

  Lady of Avalon (Avalon #3) Author: Marion Zimmer Bradley Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy Publisher: Ace Release Date: 2007 Pages: 404 Source: Personal Collection Synopsis: Journey to a time before King Arthur in this prequel to The Mists of Avalon —a spellbinding story of three remarkable women who alter the fortunes of Roman Britain as they fight to reclaim the magic and traditions of a once glorious past.        Caillean, the young priestess fated to become Lady of Avalon, who rescues and raises the orphaned Gawen—heir to a mystic and dangerous royal line...Dierna, who must use all her strength, wisdom, and love to guide Avalon through treacherous political waters and veil the island from a hostile world...Viviane, Lady of the Lake and keeper of the Grail, destined for true greatness as she prepares Avalon for the coming of a legendary king...      Bestselling author Marion Zimmer Bradley brings the mesmerizing world of ...

A Shape on the Air by Julia Ibbotson Publication Date: October 9, 2021 Genre: Historical Mystery Series: Dr. DuLac, Book 1 Source: This book was given to me by Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis:  For fans of Barbara Erskine, Pamela Hartshorne, Susanna Kearsley, Christina Courtenay      Can echoes of the past threaten the present? They are 1500 years apart, but can they reach out to each other across the centuries? One woman faces a traumatic truth in the present day. The other is forced to marry the man she hates as the 'dark ages' unfold.       How can Dr Viv DuLac, medievalist and academic, unlock the secrets of the past? Traumatised by betrayal, she slips into 499 AD and into the body of Lady Vivianne, who is also battling treachery. Viv must uncover the mystery of the key that she unwittingly brings back with her to the present day, as echoes of the past resonate through time. But little does Viv...

The Forgotten Kingdom (The Lost Queen #2) Author: Signe Pike Genre: Historical Fiction Publisher: Atria Release Date: 2020 Pages: 489 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: From the author of The Lost Queen , a new novel in which a forgotten queen of 6th-century Scotland claims her throne as war looms and her family is scattered to the winds. AD 573. Imprisoned in her chamber, Languoreth awaits news in torment. Her husband and son have ridden off to war against her brother, Lailoken. She doesn’t yet know that her young daughter, Angharad, who was training with Lailoken to become a Wisdom Keeper, has been lost in the chaos. As one of the bloodiest battles of early medieval Scottish history abandons its survivors to the wilds of Scotland, Lailoken and his men must flee to exile in the mountains of the Lowlands, while nine-year-old Angharad must summon all Lailoken has taught her to follow her own destiny through the mysterious, mystical land of the P...

The Lost Queen Author: Signe Pike Genre:  Historical Fiction Publisher: Atria Books Release Date: 2018 Pages: 545 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: Compared to Outlander and The Mists of Avalon , this thrilling first novel of a debut trilogy reveals the untold story of Languoreth—a forgotten queen of sixth-century Scotland—twin sister of the man who inspired the legend of Merlin.      I write because I have seen the darkness that will come. Already there are those who seek to tell a new history...     In a land of mountains and mist, tradition and superstition, Languoreth and her brother Lailoken are raised in the Old Way of their ancestors. But in Scotland, a new religion is rising, one that brings disruption, bloodshed, and riot. And even as her family faces the burgeoning forces of Christianity, the Anglo-Saxons, bent on colonization, are encroaching from the east. When conflict brings the hero Emrys Pen...

I, Guinevere (Mythic Maidens #2) Author: C. K. Brooke Genre:  YA, Historical Fiction, Fantasy Publisher: C.K. Brooke Release Date: 2018 Pages: 214 Source: This book was given to me by a book review site in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: Your legends have it wrong. Arthur never pulled that sword out of the stone. I did. I, Guinevere.     On the winter solstice, a mysterious sword in a stone appears in the churchyard. Not even the mightiest of the village men can remove it, until fifteen-year-old Guinevere gives a try. The sword heeds the unsuspecting maiden, proclaiming the unthinkable: she is the blood of Pendrakon, heir to the vacant throne of Camylot.     Guinevere never dreamed she was born royalty. Now, between apprenticing the eccentric wizard, Merlyn; swordplay lessons with an abrasive—albeit, attractive—boy named Lance; and clandestine, magical meetings with the formidable High Priestess of Avalon, Guinevere is swept up in a whirlwind...

Mistress of Legend by Nicole Evelina Publication Date: September 15, 2018 Lawson Gartner Publishing Paperback, eBook, AudioBook; 412 Pages Series: Guinevere's Tale, Book 3 Genre: Historical Fiction/Arthurian/Fantasy Source: This book was given to me by Historical Fiction Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: Legend says Guinevere spent her final days in penance in a convent, but that is far from the truth. Having escaped death at the stake, Guinevere longs to live a peaceful life in Brittany with Lancelot, but the threat of Arthur’s wrath quickly separates the lovers. Guinevere finds herself back in Camelot, but it is not the peaceful capital she once knew; the loyalty of the people is divided over Arthur’s role in her death sentence. When war draws Arthur away from Britain, Mordred is named acting king. With Morgan at his side and a Saxon in his bed, Mordred’s thirst for power becomes his undoing and the cause of Guinever...