Rating: 
Summary: Unremarkable
Review: Really not much to say about this book. At the point I put it down for good it was shaping up to be another fantasy novel with super-human beings, dragons, and spirits coming in and out of the pages matter-of-factly like so much fluff. The story was lackluster, the characters faceless and cartoonish, and the writing just good enough. There are worse books, and a number of very good and memorable scenes, hence two stars.
Rating: 
Summary: Best Guenivere Ever!
Review: There are two flaws in this wonderful book, and I will discuss them first. One, it does not stand alone and is obviously meant to be followed up by sequels. Thus, the ending is not entirely satisfying. It is comforting to know that more books will follow. About halfway through the book, the plot begins to wander, switching locations quickly. Because of the fantastical landscape, this can be confusing for a reader who was just newly introduced to this world. Once you get through this section, the book becomes a pleasure to read once again. I really enjoyed the grittiness of the world and I felt that the historical facts were well-represented here. I love how Borchardt takes atypical perspectives in history, such as having Guenivere raised in the poorer North of Britain. This Guenivere is without a doubt the strongest Guenivere you can encounter. Step aside, other Gueniveres. This Guenivere is gonna bodyslam you! She's impressively intelligent and resourceful. However, the other women are not downplayed. Kyra and Morgana are equally interesting and capable women. Even Igraine, portrayed as an self-serving sorceress, has a strong role. Borchardt doesn't neglect the men either. I would say that this book has a fair treatment of both men and women, when so many books in this genre will tend to sanctify one sex and villify the other (on both sides). I am really looking forward to the next installment of the series. Even with the gritty realistic feel, there is plenty of magic and mystery to keep any fantasy-reader entertained.
Rating: 
Summary: Like wandering through fog...
Review: This book could have been much better, had Borchardt eliminated sixty pages or so. I did like the general storyline about Guinevere, but it was so littered with abrupt location changes and weird "other worlds" that I just started flipping pages, looking for something that made sense. It was easy to get lost in the many references to "she" (the goddess and others) to the point where I just stopped trying to figure out which "she" was talking when there were four females having the conversation. Having said that, I gave it three stars because Guinevere was a strong and likeable female character. The addition of the wolf family was a fresh twist. I wish more had been written about them, especially the Gray Watcher. Overall, an average book with some very poetic language at times, albeit somewhat confusing. For a really well written story about Guinevere, try Nancy McKenzie's Queen of Camelot.
Rating:
Summary: Like wandering through fog...
Review: This book could have been much better, had Borchardt eliminated sixty pages or so. I did like the general storyline about Guinevere, but it was so littered with abrupt location changes and weird "other worlds" that I just started flipping pages, looking for something that made sense. It was easy to get lost in the many references to "she" (the goddess and others) to the point where I just stopped trying to figure out which "she" was talking when there were four females having the conversation. Having said that, I gave it three stars because Guinevere was a strong and likeable female character. The addition of the wolf family was a fresh twist. I wish more had been written about them, especially the Gray Watcher. Overall, an average book with some very poetic language at times, albeit somewhat confusing. For a really well written story about Guinevere, try Nancy McKenzie's Queen of Camelot.
Rating: 
Summary: I love this version of Guinevere!!
Review: This is a breathtaking tale of a more powerful, enchanting version of Guinevere than I've ever read. All the stories I've ever read of her portrayed her as a pathetic, willful woman who nearly brought down a kingdom because of her weakness. This is a magical new novel by a talented new author. I loved it!! It's a little hard to follow toward the end, but that could be because I didn't have time to sit down and read it straight through like I normally do. All in all, a remarkable story, well worth the money. I'm waiting with baited breath for the next two!
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding!
Review: This is an absolutely fascinating tale of Guinevere, brilliantly written and told from the perspective that she was not just another pretty face, but a force to be reckoned with in her own right. Those who do not like tales of powerful women or the rewriting of a beloved legend may not like this book; however, Arthur is not slighted in this novel at all and proves himself to be a worthy consort, surviving trials of his own. The secondary characters, be they shape-shifting wolves, dragons, or Druids, are fabulous and extremely well-developed. A caution: It may be a bit unsettling to see Merlin as a villian, especially if you have read Mary Stewart's wonderful "The Crystal Cave" and its sequels. Borchardt is an amazing story teller, and this book will leave you breathlessly awaiting the two sequels in the trilogy. Highly recommended!
Rating:
Summary: Guinevere, the Dragon Queen meets Arthur, the Summer King
Review: When I saw the sub-title "The Tales of Guinevere" for Alice Borchardt's "The Dragon Queen," I assumed she was going off in a new direction and since I was waiting for her next wolf book I just got around to reading it and discovering that it is, tangentially, a wolf book. What this means is that Maeniel is a character, albeit, a supporting character. He dominates the scenes in which he is present, but they are relatively few. This story is indeed about Guinevere, about to reach puberty and apparently intended to be the concubine of young Arthur, the summer King. The most interesting part of this book are the ideas of kingship and queenship that drive Arthur and Guinevere. Borchardt may or may not be dealing with authentic notions of kingship from this period of history, but that hardly matters. The idea that the Dragon Queen has the duty of bringing her people a worthy king makes Guinevere a player in the power politics of her world where there is a growing need to bring order out of chaos. Reading "The Dragon Queen" is as much about finding out the rules of the game and the possibilities in play as it is about learning about the abilities and intentions of the characters. Consequently, Maneniel's presence is perhaps something of a hindrance because this book is certainly less grounded in the history of the times than "The Silver Wolf" or Borchardt's other novels. Then again, there is a logic to this, since Arthur and Guinevere are more figures of legend than Charlemagne or Julius Caesar. Having read "The Dragon Queen" I keep asking myself one key question, and I do not mean whether Borchardt will ever have a book that does not have a quote from Anne Rice on the cover. No, my question is why is this story about Guinevere and Arthur? Of course, the fact that "The Dragon Queen" is the first of a planned trilogy is enough to suggest that at least the title character would make it to the final volume, but once you make it about Guinevere and Arthur we pretty much know the endgame, and while I definitely appreciate the idea of making Guinevere more than a trophy wife there has to be more of a payoff to this idea down the road, especially given that this Arthur seems more given to pragmatics than idealism. Additionally, there needs to be some sort of a significance to turning Merlin into a villain. However, at this point my enjoyment of the characters and the story has little to do with that fact it is Guinevere and Arthur. The only important thing is that I will be around for the rest of the tale.
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