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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
It is quite obvious that Bradley turned to Christianity when she started writing this book, but it turned out very beautiful and truthful to the rest of the series, not forced or out of place at all. The way history and fantasy is mixed is very impressive, very detailed without any dryness. The life of Eilan/Helena did feel a bit rushed sometimes, making it hard to shift to a different image of characters, who are suddenly middle-aged. 3 stars feels a bit scant, but 4 is too much compared to the other books in the series. Enjoyable read anyway.
Marion Zimmer Bradley's The Mists of Avalon was such an incredible book that when I found Priestess of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley and Diana L. Paxson, I thought even if it was only half as good, it would be worth the read. Unfortunately, I overestimated it by about a factor of 100.
::: Before There Was Camelot... :::
While The Mists of Avalon takes place in medieval Britain, Priestess of Avalon is its ancestor, taking place in the time of the Roman Empire. Eilan is born to Rian, the Lady of Avalon, but Rian dies in childbirth. Rian's sister, Ganeda, succeeds Rian as Lady of Avalon, and banishes the child to go live with her father, as it is too painful to face her presence.
Eilan is later sent back to Avalon by her father to train as a priestess, but Ganeda cannot forget that Eilan's birth caused her mother's death, and Eilan constantly feels her aunt's dislike, chafing at every direction. When one of Ganeda's grand-daughters dies, Ganeda punishes Eilan by forbidding her from seeing her other grand-daughter. Eilan is left with even less reason to trust Ganeda, and when Ganeda plans to send Aelia, a shy priestess, and Eilan's best friend, to the Beltane fires to be with a Roman, Constantius, Eilan recognizes him from a vision she'd had, and switches places with Eilan, and Ganeda bans her from Avalon.
Eilan leaves with Constantius, and begins a new life she feels she has been destined for: bearing him a son who will change the Empire. In choosing this life and having Constantine, however, she realizes that her visions were incomplete. The changes that Constantine makes aren't choices that Eilan might have intended, and she has to make sacrifices to follow the path of destiny.
::: Pale Imitation :::
From what I could glean from the book jacket, this book was started before Marion Zimmer Bradley's death and then Paxson completed it on her own, which may account for some of its problems. Priestess of Avalon is a fictionalized view of what Roman Emperor Constatine's mother might have been like had she been trained on the mythical Isle of Avalon that Zimmer Bradley created, and the conceit is intriguing.
However, at less than half the lenght of The Mists of Avalon, Priestess of Avalon suffers mightily. Trying to cover over 60 years of Eilan's life including all the changes in Emperor, political intrigue, battles, and characters would have taken AT LEAST as long a novel as The Mists of Avalon. At the point at which you need to include a three-page long list of characters at the front of the novel to help your reader keep them straight? You are dealing with far too large a cast in far too short a novel.
Priestess of Avalon feels as if it is trying for the same overall feel of Mists, but never gets there. And the frequent allusions to the possibility that Joseph of Arimethea was a practitioner of the pagan "Mysteries" that are practiced on Avalon seemed forced, and lent even less time to figuring out who was who and doing what. And with no mention of events or people on Avalon after Eilan's departure, trying to pick that thread back up toward the end of the book makes the plot even more stilted.
Priestess of Avalon could have been a fascinating book; a look at the Isle before the events that are more familiar to fans of Arthurian legend. However, it's readily apparent that Paxon was nowhere near prepared to step into Zimmer Bradley's shoes to complete this novel, and instead, Priestess of Avalon feels like a generic product you'd pick up at a close-out. Which, come to think of it, I did, since it was on the clearance table at the bookstore.
This review previously published at Epinions: http://www.epinions.com/review/Priestess_of_Avalon_by_Marion_Bradley_Books/content_194389184132
::: Before There Was Camelot... :::
While The Mists of Avalon takes place in medieval Britain, Priestess of Avalon is its ancestor, taking place in the time of the Roman Empire. Eilan is born to Rian, the Lady of Avalon, but Rian dies in childbirth. Rian's sister, Ganeda, succeeds Rian as Lady of Avalon, and banishes the child to go live with her father, as it is too painful to face her presence.
Eilan is later sent back to Avalon by her father to train as a priestess, but Ganeda cannot forget that Eilan's birth caused her mother's death, and Eilan constantly feels her aunt's dislike, chafing at every direction. When one of Ganeda's grand-daughters dies, Ganeda punishes Eilan by forbidding her from seeing her other grand-daughter. Eilan is left with even less reason to trust Ganeda, and when Ganeda plans to send Aelia, a shy priestess, and Eilan's best friend, to the Beltane fires to be with a Roman, Constantius, Eilan recognizes him from a vision she'd had, and switches places with Eilan, and Ganeda bans her from Avalon.
Eilan leaves with Constantius, and begins a new life she feels she has been destined for: bearing him a son who will change the Empire. In choosing this life and having Constantine, however, she realizes that her visions were incomplete. The changes that Constantine makes aren't choices that Eilan might have intended, and she has to make sacrifices to follow the path of destiny.
::: Pale Imitation :::
From what I could glean from the book jacket, this book was started before Marion Zimmer Bradley's death and then Paxson completed it on her own, which may account for some of its problems. Priestess of Avalon is a fictionalized view of what Roman Emperor Constatine's mother might have been like had she been trained on the mythical Isle of Avalon that Zimmer Bradley created, and the conceit is intriguing.
However, at less than half the lenght of The Mists of Avalon, Priestess of Avalon suffers mightily. Trying to cover over 60 years of Eilan's life including all the changes in Emperor, political intrigue, battles, and characters would have taken AT LEAST as long a novel as The Mists of Avalon. At the point at which you need to include a three-page long list of characters at the front of the novel to help your reader keep them straight? You are dealing with far too large a cast in far too short a novel.
Priestess of Avalon feels as if it is trying for the same overall feel of Mists, but never gets there. And the frequent allusions to the possibility that Joseph of Arimethea was a practitioner of the pagan "Mysteries" that are practiced on Avalon seemed forced, and lent even less time to figuring out who was who and doing what. And with no mention of events or people on Avalon after Eilan's departure, trying to pick that thread back up toward the end of the book makes the plot even more stilted.
Priestess of Avalon could have been a fascinating book; a look at the Isle before the events that are more familiar to fans of Arthurian legend. However, it's readily apparent that Paxon was nowhere near prepared to step into Zimmer Bradley's shoes to complete this novel, and instead, Priestess of Avalon feels like a generic product you'd pick up at a close-out. Which, come to think of it, I did, since it was on the clearance table at the bookstore.
This review previously published at Epinions: http://www.epinions.com/review/Priestess_of_Avalon_by_Marion_Bradley_Books/content_194389184132
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
It's a rare book that bores or irritates me so much that I don't want to finish it. This one managed it in 50 pages. It's sadly obvious that Marion Zimmer Bradley didn't write this one.
Fluff read that kept my interest throughout. Interesting religious undertones...honor to the Goddess combined with the roots of Christianity.
Eilan is the daughter of Rian, Lady of Avalon, and Prince Coelius. Rian dies in childbirth, and Eilan doesn't return to Avalon until she's 10. She clashes with the current Lady, her aunt. Eilan is banished when she chooses love for a Roman, Constantius, over her duty. In the outside world, she is known as Helena. She becomes the mother of Constantine. As Empress-Mother she travels to Palestine and finds a balance between Christianity and her goddess-centered beliefs. Balance that no one else is willing to see or accept. Constantine doesn't quite turn out as she hoped, but she does her best. In her old age, she is able to "die" in Rome and return to Avalon.
I've been reading these books or a while right now, and enchanted by Marion's writing. The story was really interesting and she made it amazing. The characters are the best, I completely felt in love with everyone, even the ones that I didn't like much I had feelings about them. Each book ended in a wonderful way. Loved all the four book from the beginning till the end. I'm gonna miss the characters, the battles, the drama, the affairs, Avalon and Camelot, and mainly our Priestess and our gentlemen, and of course the King. But we can always go back to the mists.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I particularly enjoyed the hint of a historical novel feeling to this book.
I really tried to get through this book. Let's call it a 'valiant effort'. I have read Bradley before and absolutely loved her- The Firebrand, for example, was an amazing book. This one, not so much. I have to blame it on her co-author, Diana Paxson. The book started out alright, but soon became a trudging chore. I was very disappointed, having been completely blown away by her other books. There are too many dates and places and historical facts that the reader just doesn't care about, and I found my mind wandering, wondering when the book would be done. I only made it about halfway through and called it quits. I would not recommend this to any MZB fan. This is in no way a fitting ending to her Avalon series.