Rating: 
Summary: Although not quite as good as MISTS OF AVALON
Review: this prequel is still excellent.The story is set in the days of Roman occupation of Britain. Gaius, a young Roman officer and son of the local Roman commandant with his British wife has met and fallen in love with Eilan, the daughter of a powerful Druid family. Neither family approves of the match and forces the two apart. For the rest of their lives they met again and again only to be torn apart. Ultimately their unfulfilled love sets the stage for the events in MISTS OF AVALON. The story is again told, at least in part, from a feminine point of view. As in MISTS there is a greek tragedy feel of unescapable doom. The characters are engaging and 'feel real', the plot is compeling making this a book that is hard to put down. It does not quite live up to MISTS due at least in part, to its more simplistic story line. Unlike MISTS' numerous story lines THE FOREST HOUSE focuses on Eilan and Gaius with Caillean, a priestess of the Forest House filling in gaps. This prequel is also significantly shorter. Still for any fan of MISTS OF AVALON this is a must read and would be enjoyable on its own as well.
Rating:
Summary: Although not quite as good as MISTS OF AVALON
Review: this prequel is still excellent. The story is set in the days of Roman occupation of Britain. Gaius, a young Roman officer and son of the local Roman commandant with his British wife has met and fallen in love with Eilan, the daughter of a powerful Druid family. Neither family approves of the match and forces the two apart. For the rest of their lives they met again and again only to be torn apart. Ultimately their unfulfilled love sets the stage for the events in MISTS OF AVALON. The story is again told, at least in part, from a feminine point of view. As in MISTS there is a greek tragedy feel of unescapable doom. The characters are engaging and 'feel real', the plot is compeling making this a book that is hard to put down. It does not quite live up to MISTS due at least in part, to its more simplistic story line. Unlike MISTS' numerous story lines THE FOREST HOUSE focuses on Eilan and Gaius with Caillean, a priestess of the Forest House filling in gaps. This prequel is also significantly shorter. Still for any fan of MISTS OF AVALON this is a must read and would be enjoyable on its own as well.
Rating:
Summary: Bradley's best book ever!!
Review: Wow! This is a tale of epic proportions that I never, ever wanted to put down ... and it has become one of my favourite books of all time. Although I love the other books in the 'Avalon' series, I have to admit that this story outshines them all. The reader cannot help but empathise with the main characters of Eilan and Gaius, and their doomed love for each other, and their son, Gawen. As I read it, I felt as if I was there with them, feeling their passion, and their anguish at the way that the people around them conspired to keep them apart from their soul-mate. I was in tears for days after I had finished reading the ending! On a more personal note - as a young English girl, myself - the story also gave me a greater appreciation of my surroundings, and culture. Reading this book has made me more interested in the Roman occupation of Britain, and I am now looking forward to visiting some of the sights highlighted by MZB. Even though I wish that the book had had a happier ending, I would heartily recommend 'The Forest House' (aka 'The Forests of Avalon') to anybody who is interested in legends, romances, and historical novels. This truly is one of the most beautiful and heart-wrenching books that has EVER been written.
| 
