Lady of Avalon

Rating:
Summary: Very BORING. A complete waste of money.
Review: I don't understand all the high ratings found here.
The characters are so shallow that it's impossible
to feel any attachment to them and the story of
all three parts repetitious (even if you take
into account that they're suppose to be reincarnations).
I have not read the Mists of Avalon yet since I was
thinking of reading the books in order but this one
really put me off. I will never read another
Marion Zimmer Bradley book again.

Rating:
Summary: Help, I'm lost in the Mists of history.
Review: _Lady of Avalon_ is a set of three sort-of-related stories about priestesses on the Druid isle of Avalon, during the centuries preceding Bradley's stunning _Mists_. And they're OK, in general. I especially liked Viviane's story; I learned more about what made that complex character tick. Unfortunately, certain details of the history set up by Bradley in _Mists_ were contradicted in _Lady_. Don't read this if you don't want to get a headache trying to reconcile the two chronologies. The result of the ritual to enshroud the isle in the mists, as well as the backstory of Taliesin, were altered, along with a few other things. I suppose I could theorize that Bradley did it on purpose, and we're supposed to assume that the "true story" was changed over time, so that the Mists characters had mistakes in their history. But the Druids were such meticulous loremasters, I find that difficult to believe. I think they're just authorial mistakes. This is better than _The Forest House_, which was overly depressing and had unsympathetic characters, but it sure ain't Mists.

Rating:
Summary: Takes you to another world
Review: After watching the Mists of Avalon, I just had to read more about Avalon and this amazing world that Marion Zimmer Bradley has created. This book also provides a really good background on the old religion from a feminine point of view.

Rating:
Summary: wow
Review: I loved this book because it takes you through the lifes of important people that lead up to the charactors in The Mists of Avalon. I read the Mists first and then The Forest House and (out of order) The Lady of Avalon. I enjoyed reading about the main charactors of the Mists when then were childeren. It brings a better understanding of The Mists of Avalon.

Rating:
Summary: Breathtaking series!!!
Review: The second book in the series. Wonderfully written by MZB. My favorite fantasy author. I purchased this book as well as The Forest House, Priestess of Avalon & Mists of Avalon. They are spellbinding! They draw you in & you can't put them done! If you love MZB you must buy the series! You will not be sorry you did!

Rating:
Summary: Wow! Buy this book now!
Review: I read Mists of Avalon this summer, but I hadn't read any of MZB's other books until this one. Boy was I missing out! The Lady of Avalon is a wonderfuly written book, with so much history in it. As a follower of the Goddess myself, I found the religous part of it very interesting. I felt that I could learn so much from these women, even if they weren't real. I was particularly fascinated by Callien and Sianna. I wish that that part would have been longer. Gawen and Sianna were my favorite couple from this book.

This book provides so much history and background for the Mists of Avalon, I recommend reading it first. It sets up the book very well and leaves off right were MOA left off, with Vivianne. I would have liked her section to go a bit farther, but I am content with it just the way it is.

Lady of Avalon is a sure fire bet if you like Mists of Avalon or if you are interestedin the legends of England told from a woman's point of view.

Rating:
Summary: Not quite as good as Mists of Avalon
Review: If you've read Mists of Avalon are looking for a sequel, you're probably going to be disappointed. First, Lady of Avalon is a prequel to Mists of Avalon, outling the creation of Avalon and the histories of the women who first brought Avalon into the mists. Second, it's written as three separate stories, each foreshadowing the Arthur story, not one continuous story.

In spite of it's differences, the book by itself is quite good all in all. And if you really do want to learn about how Avalon came to be, this book may answer some questions that "Mists of Avalon" raised. I would recomend it.

Rating:
Summary: a disappointing rehash of historical romance themes
Review: The book contains three loosely connected novellas, loosely connected in that each character is the incarnation of a previous character. It provides background story to the classic Mists of Avalon.

Either Bradley's writing has suffered, or my tastes have matured since Mists and The Forest House. Without a doubt, Mists of Avalon is a classic. Lady of Avalon compares rather poorly with it. The character's stories become triter with each incarnation, so much so that I felt as though I had read it before. The events of the story were entirely predictable if you read anything else in this genre. It seemed like it was intended to be a manual for novitiates of the mysteries, rather than an entertaining book. One almost felt like one was being preached to about the religion. By comparison, Mists presented the religion of Avalon without making it feel like a textbook in pagan theology. You are never given enough time to become attached to the characters, and after a while, they all seem the same (even if they *are* reincarnations).

In short, it is boring. The first novella is good. The last one survives on the virtue that it tells the story of Viviane. I would not recommend it even to Bradley fans, however.

Rating:
Summary: Really Awesome!!
Review: Well, this is one of the best books I've ever read. Its dramatic, mystic, and has lots of wars. This is a book an Avalonian reader should read.

Rating:
Summary: Lady of Avalon
Review: Extremely well-written tale detailing the "modern" Isle of Avalon. Through three separate sections, though each deals with reincarnations of characters from the previous section, the reader gains additional insight into the relationship between the priestesses and monks, Romans and Saxons, etc. The first two sections seem to serve as more of a historical briefing, yet they are able to keep the reader interested through good writing and extraordinary plot lines. The third section deals with the fostering of Vivanne at Avalon and how her "relationship" with her mother (who is, of course, Lady of Avalon) shapes her mindset in _Mists_. All-in-all, a wonderful book.