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Rating: 
Summary: Fantastic Fiction
Review: Alice Borchardt continues to prove her skill in this book, weaving the threads of much-told legend into an epic tale entirely her own.
Loosely based on the mythos of King Arthur, hardly recognizable in the first, this starts to bring the story into focus. Gwenevere leads raids upon Saxon pirate strongholds, proving herself a worthry queen, before escaping into another world, with a fantastic city-state kept alive and partly made out of an immense tree. Black Leg, wolf/man shapeshifter, travels with an immortal lover, the Lady of the Rivers, to his own new worlds, taming evil ravens and teaching them humanity, before coming back to his own world to become a warrior, the new Lancelot. Uther narrowly escapes death in his quest to reunite Britain under his kingship, wresting control in the process from the southern lords. Arthur heals his subjects in the land of the dark King Bade, braving magical attempts on his life in his slow quest to the tower.
And in the end, the three fated ones come together - Arthur, Lancelot, Gwenevere - imbued with awesome strength, magic, and intelligence, to lead their people to salvation.
The first thing I noticed about the book was that I was immediately drawn in, almost forced to continue reading page by page no matter what pressing needs were on me. Borchardt uses highly descriptive language, painting a sensory landscape even amidst the harshest of battles. There's always a confident mixture of description, thought, movement, words, and emotion, to keep the story moving, rarely faltering. Perhaps, at points, it moves too fast, important events left without detail, inviting confusion.
The language her characters use may be more formal than commonly seen now, but speeches are rare, and works well in the setting. The only noticable problem is that different areas and worlds never seem to have different dialects or mannerisms; instead all seem to share a common tongue. And none the major characters seem to have a consistent style of speech, but shift back and forth. The only truly distinct voices were the Lady, because hers was so modern and sardonic, and Ure, so reticent.
Although Arthur is almost painfully underdeveloped (from destined warrior-king to destined warrior-king), featured in only a few scenes, other characters are given time to grow and mature, and there are few enough threads that the plot mostly stays cohesive and nuanced. Until magic takes over and all becomes psychadelic, scenes shifting in unpredictable ways, flowing from thought to reality, leaving you wondering if a line was accidentally deleted somewhere. Each of them explore fantastic worlds, learning to harness powerful magic and weapons, gathering allies, and learning the deepest secrets of the world. Gwenevere defeats more and more powerful foes. Black Leg gathers all the knowledge of the ancients. His other explorations into the past, especially with the dead, are quite interesting.
This being Gwenevere's story, her segments are always from her point of view, the others third, an interesting way to point out the true focus. The other important characters - Arthur and Lancelot - are focused on getting back to her, more than anything. Her quest is definitely the most exciting, the most difficult, and the most winding.
Perhaps my biggest tiff with the book is the sex. I'm no prude, and I understand that an earthy author like Borchardt is willing to portray quite lustful people. But the book is drenched in sex, from beginning almost to end. It finally starts to leave once the violence takes its place. Black Leg and the Lady spend most of their time rolling, sex becomes the most important transfer of magical power, the most important way to defeat someone, and even a source of endless violent pasttime for some. The emphasis on Gwenevere's virginity, both her need to keep it for Arthur and others' need to despoil her, can be a bit much at points. Along with the long and silly references to fiery groins, burning need, and the future of the world springing from the queen's loins. Ranging from only obliquely stated to graphically described, the sex is simply overwelming at times, and I'd have liked it toned down.
But it is still a book well worth reading, as long as one isn't squeamish. There is magic, horror, and salvation, and a grand quest leading all toward certain doom or lasting triumph. Trials, uncertainties, desire, and adrenaline. Pick it up if you can.
Rating: 
Summary: not her best
Review: Alice Borchardt is one of my favourite authors, one of my top ten, actually my top five to be honest. This book however, knocked her down a few notches. I can usually read her books in a day or two, usually a day since i'm so excited to be reading her newest novel, and they're all so well written usually. With this one however I struggled through it for over a week, I found that I had to actually force myself to finish reading it. The problems: ~ She jumped around way to much, with this novel she was telling the tales of a ton of people and the transitions from one part to another was just awful in my opinion. i foudn taht there were just some parts of this novel i simply could not follow no matter how much I tried, and i was forced to just make my own guess as to how they ended up some where or why there were doing some particular activity. Characters seemed to just simply disappear, it would mention them going somewhere to go and get something and they would just disappear never be heard from again, and they weren't minor characters even.
~Minor parts of the story were overdeveloped and then the important parts were so underdeveloped that you have no clue what's going on. A prime example of this is when Black Leg is in the garden with the lady of the lake. The flowers and the gardens are explained with such exquisite detail that I could probably draw the flowers with my eyes closed, but beyond what the flowers looked and sounded like I had absolutely no clue what was going on. Now don't get me wrong, I still liked this book, or atleast the general plot of this book. I just feel that in general she stretched herself really thin with all the different story lines at once. I think if she had simplified some parts or even cut out a character or two it would have been a million times better. Acutally by best idea of what she could do is to have different novels telling the entire story from their point of view, instead of shoving them all in the one novel. It feels as though borchardt was rushed in writing this which way may account for the rushed and choppy feel of the book, or maybe this is simply the way she writes and the editor was slacking off on the job. Whatever the reason I hope this is just a one time failure and her next book lives up to the expectations she set up with her previous novels.
Rating:
Summary: not her best
Review: Alice Borchardt is one of my favourite authors, one of my top ten, actually my top five to be honest. This book however, knocked her down a few notches. I can usually read her books in a day or two, usually a day since i'm so excited to be reading her newest novel, and they're all so well written usually. With this one however I struggled through it for over a week, I found that I had to actually force myself to finish reading it. The problems: ~ She jumped around way to much, with this novel she was telling the tales of a ton of people and the transitions from one part to another was just awful in my opinion. i foudn taht there were just some parts of this novel i simply could not follow no matter how much I tried, and i was forced to just make my own guess as to how they ended up some where or why there were doing some particular activity. Characters seemed to just simply disappear, it would mention them going somewhere to go and get something and they would just disappear never be heard from again, and they weren't minor characters even.
~Minor parts of the story were overdeveloped and then the important parts were so underdeveloped that you have no clue what's going on. A prime example of this is when Black Leg is in the garden with the lady of the lake. The flowers and the gardens are explained with such exquisite detail that I could probably draw the flowers with my eyes closed, but beyond what the flowers looked and sounded like I had absolutely no clue what was going on. Now don't get me wrong, I still liked this book, or atleast the general plot of this book. I just feel that in general she stretched herself really thin with all the different story lines at once. I think if she had simplified some parts or even cut out a character or two it would have been a million times better. Acutally by best idea of what she could do is to have different novels telling the entire story from their point of view, instead of shoving them all in the one novel. It feels as though borchardt was rushed in writing this which way may account for the rushed and choppy feel of the book, or maybe this is simply the way she writes and the editor was slacking off on the job. Whatever the reason I hope this is just a one time failure and her next book lives up to the expectations she set up with her previous novels.
Rating: 
Summary: Horrible
Review: I feel like I completely wasted my money. I read all that I can find on Arthur and Guinevere and have done extensive research on the Arthurian legends and tales. I find the use of modern twentieth-century slang distracting, offensive, and extremely inappropriate. The phrase that reached off the page and slapped me in the face occured when the Lady of the Lake makes the remark that "it works her last nerve." I literally cringed. I wish I could get my money back!!!!
Rating:
Summary: Disjointed, awkward transitions
Review: I have just read both of the Gwynhwyfar books and am very pleased with the departure from traditional roles for the characters. I did greatly enjoy reading them both and will anxiously await the next one in the trilogy. However, I do agree with a couple of reviews I had read that cite the difficult, quick and awkward transitions from one idea to the next. BAM, and you're in another world and you're not really sure who is speaking. I think the author could have made these changes more obvious and easier to comprehend without losing the intelligent tone of the work. It's worth reading, but one must pay attention.
Rating: 
Summary: strong Arthurian fantasy
Review: In the Highlands, the Queen of the Dragon People Guinevere believes she must attack the Saxons before they overwhelm her country though she expects little help from her subordinate chiefs. She knows that only her childhood friend Black Leg would truly support her. However, to prove that he deserves to sit along side his beloved, Black Leg continues his quest somewhere in the south where he meets the Lady of the Lake. The queen receives exactly what she anticipated when her subordinate chiefs sham loyalty by giving her a force of losers that have no chance of success. Still Guinevere realizes that doing nothing concedes control of the North Sea and the land to their enemy. Guinevere's first excursion as a warrior queen is against experienced pirates who have the home court advantage. Knowing that her motley crew has no chance, she dives into the realm of dark magic to enlist the spirits to abet her force though Guinevere knows she may being a high cost by being tainted by the power of dark magic. Alice Borchardt is earning the reputation as the twenty-first century Arthurian bard with tales like THE DRAGON QUEEN and now THE RAVEN WARRIOR. The action-packed story line is mostly told from the perspective of Guinevere though readers also follow the adventures of the shapeshifter Black Leg. Other key charcaters from Camelot play pivotal roles. Though it is better to read the previous tale to gain greater understanding of Guinevere and Black Leg, this book stands alone as a fresh novel filled with many fantasy elements yet much of the same magic that makes the Round Table still a legend to the Harry Potter crowd. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: A Refeshing twist on the classic Sword in the Stone
Review: The interesting thing about these books are they are based on facts that are acctully true. That is refreshing in as much as it's confusing. I adore midevil what-not, and this high-class writing is something I love to plunder through, trying to figure it out. I won't go on about the whole story, other's have already done so. But I must add I loved this book's refreshing characters. I read the classic Sword and the Stone, which made me want to sneeze, it was so on the surface. In this novel, the characters have depth and I love their personalities. I love that Guinevere has a personaliy and isn't flaky like it the classic. An evil Merlin is just what's needed, rather than the all to known good wizard with long white beard and so forth. Aurther yes, is a bit underdeveloped, but he's not some goody too shoes like from the classic. He seems strong and willing. Black Leg is a lovely addition, in that he's mysteriously Lancelot, and I'd never guess that. He and his lover make a wonderous coupleing, working with snide comments, but yet truley loving each other. I have to say again how refreshing this is. The scenes change around and are developed so well, although I sometimes skim by accident for there's too much information and lists, it's beautiful. When Guinevere goes into a different world, and especially when she duels with those that are sent to fight her from the Great Houses, it makes it exciting and adds spice to where there isn't any. I'm awaiting the next (yes I'm a bit juvenile in this) book, and my prediction of the title is The Eagle King, based on the eagle Aurthor seems to be in tune with and the bases of the other titles. I'm sad in that sense, that I have no clue to the publicataion date, how many years I'll have to await the finial book, but wait I will. It's a tad confusing with all the enhanced visualizaion and language, but I've grown to love Alice Borchard's writing. I'm even trying to awuire Beguiled and Devolted, though our of print, I enjoy this writing and would like to read there, even if what I've heard isn't the BEST. The changes from The Sword in the Stone create what promised to be a delightful trilogy. I am in waiting in hope for the sword our heroine had to aquire for her future husbans, what happens when the two finially get to be alone, and where Black Leg/ Lancelot comes into Guinevere's life. There has to be specific parts, which Alice never leaves out, but the whole story in uniquley it's own.
Rating:
Summary: The Raven Warrior is Superb Arthurian Fantasy!
Review: This is the continuing tale of Guinevere, Arthur, and Lancelot also known as Black Leg (who is also a wolf-shapeshifter). In this second of Alice Borchardt's Guinevere series, Guinevere strives to save her people from the Saxons raiders at any cost. She calls upon the spirit of the dead to aid her in her quest and takes on the fearful pirates on their own home turf. She also has her own nifty set of weapons, self-protecting armor, and the ability to call upon fire to help destroy her enemies. Meanwhile, Arthur and Lancelot are on quests of their own. Arthur battles minions from King Bade and Lancelot learns much from The Lady of the Lake. Merlin, Igrane and Uther also have their own ordeals showcased briefly. The story switches around to each main character's individual adventures, and it keeps you on the edge of your seat wanting to read more. The detailed descriptions of flora, fauna and everything else in the story was incredible and staggers the imagination. I was sad to see this novel end as it was at an exciting and pivotal part in the plot. Be sure to read The Dragon Queen first to get a firmer understanding of this latest novel. Excellent Arthurian fantasy! Very much looking forward to the next in this series/trilogy!
Rating:
Summary: Bad writing, but a good story!
Review: Usually when I read Alice Borchardt's books I read them within a day or two unable to put the book down. This book took over a week for me to read. The story was interesting but poor writing with unnecessary details at times, not enough details at other times and many, many misspelled words hindered it. The author frequently gave details about the main characters, environments, and backdrop characters that did not pertain to the plot of the story, character development or scenery. This ultimately hindered my comprehension of the story. This story tells five peoples' tales at once (Guinevere, Arthur, Lancelot, Uther and Igrane). Each person's story had transitions I was unable to follow. For example, a person would leave one place and go to the next. It was difficult at times to figure out how and when the person went to the next place and how they got to that place. So, I would logically conclude I had skipped something and go back and read it over again finding that I didn't miss one thing. Alice Borchardt didn't inform us how the transition occurred. I have read all of Alice Borchardt's works and I enjoyed each one. This book makes me wonder. I wonder if there was an editor for this book. I wonder if Alice Borchadt was under a time crunch or had a personal misfortune occur while writing this book. I wonder if all her other books were as poorly written as this one. While I have given plenty of negative feedback, I believe the actual story once you get past the bad writing was excellent. I was sad that it was such a difficult read.
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