Customer Reviews

Dark Moon of Avalon: A Novel of Trystan & Isolde (Twilight of Avalon Trilogy)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

With the support of brutal Saxon warriors, perfidious Lord Marche sits on the throne of Britain. The usurped highly intelligent High Queen Isolde fears her kingdom is doomed unless she acts immediately, but needs strong allies as any other action would prove lethally rash.

High Queen Isolde still depends on her intrepid friend Trystan for protection from Marche's myriad of assassins. A healer she turns to the smaller kingdoms and the Saxon King Cerdic as an ally though Isolde has doubts he will unite with her as he may have already accepted the usurper as a done deal. With Trystan at her side, Isolde searches for the elusive monarch. On the treacherous trek, she learns of the ordeal her companion faced when they were separated. Isolde hopes they can one day pledge their lives without worrying who is creeping up behind them with a knife.

The second Trystan and Isolde Arthurian saga (see Twilight of Avalon) is an entertaining tale starring two fascinating lead characters whose love for one another is put on hold as they focus on lining up allies to save their people from an abusive false ruler. Enchanting as Anna Elliot builds from the original legend, fans will enjoy the medieval political intrigue although romance readers might want the heroic duet to end their personal sacrifices and instead expedite their love for one another. This is a wonderful compassionate thriller in which the protagonists dodge an abomination and his odious horde.

Harriet Klausner

This is a wonderful novel that entertained from beginning to end. I very much enjoyed the first installment in this trilogy--"Twilight of Avalon"--and this second novel was even better. Ms Elliott's captivating descriptions of the wild, hostile landscapes of 6th century Britain are wonderful; almost as good as her complexly created characters.
Isolde herself is a strong and courageous woman who instantly inspires respect from the reader. Just as in the first book Isolde's past is still key to the inner battles that she faces, but throughout this novel we come to see her slowly start to take charge of her past, and use it to find the strength she needs to move forward.
Trystan on the other hand still seems all-consumed by his past, and it seems as though he is trying to cut out parts of his history from his memory (or rather trying to drink them away...)
Trystan is a very troubled character, and throughout the novel I found myself urging Isolde to declare her love for him, as I truly felt as though this knowledge would do wonders for his self-esteem.
When the final epiphany of their discovered mutual love does indeed occur it is a wonderful moment, skillfully and slowly brought together by Ms Elliot to create a very believable scene--not overly emotional or fantastical as many romance novels can be for my particular taste. Instead this is a love story that is grounded in truth, as let's be honest life isn't always that wonderful, especially when your war-torn country is under continuous attack from brutal Saxon War Lords.
In many ways Ms Elliot has made me feel as though Trystan and Isolde are perfect for each other, and are even better as individuals when they are together as a whole. However, I cannot help but wonder...Isolde has an obligation and dedication to her land that perhaps not even Trystan can cause her to sway from...
I cannot wait to read the final installment.

I reviewed this book for Romance Reader At Heart website.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:


I advise all who read this version of the legendary lovers to throw everything they ever read about them out the window. This is much more than a romance; this has the feel of an epic tale and saga, filled with rich details of history and lore combined.

Isolde, accompanied by Trystan, is on a mission to persuade some of Britain's kingdoms to ally themselves with King Madoc in a fight against Lord Marche. Trystan and Isolde have grown up together, but now she is wife to Trystan's father, Lord Marche. Neither is willing to voice their true feelings for the other--Trystan, because of his deep feelings of guilt, and Isolde, from her own fear and self-reasoning. Their journey is fraught with danger, while both struggle to come to terms with their hidden desires. Their journey toward admitting and accepting the love they feel for each other is so poignant and real that the reader aches and rejoices as the story develops. And while some might think the pacing of this book is slow, I loved it and thoroughly enjoyed the initiation into a world filled with magic and danger; despair and sacrifice; passion and love.

I'm in awe of how real this book felt. The author has given so much care to every detail and aspect of it. Her characters were perfectly drawn then filled with colorful brush strokes, so that everything just jumps of the pages and magically draws the reader in. There is no escaping the pain that our hero and heroine feel at hiding their love and pain from each other, and there is no shortage of joy on the part of the reader when they finally confront their deep love for one another.

I have to admit that reading the second book in this series had me lost (and I don't like to be lost), so I bought and read the first one in this series as well. I also went to the author's website and downloaded (free of charge in a PDF file) DAWN OF AVALON, a prequel to TWILIGHT OF AVALON, and THE WITCH QUEEN'S SECRET, a TWILIGHT OF AVALON short story. In doing so, I thoroughly got to enjoy this beautiful tale of secret love and friendship; war and betrayal; magic and legend. I would also recommend the stories be read in order, especially now that she'll have the third book, SUNRISE OF AVALON, out shortly.

Melanie

One thing about this read that irritated me was how the second book did not immediately pick up where the first book left off. Instead it fast forwarded to five months or so ahead and then gave up the info in bits of flashbacks. I have to admit that once I got past that part it was fantastic. I love it when the feel of the first book carries over into the second book.

Isolde once high queen now only Lady of Camelerd found that her future was interlaced with her sworn enemy the dredged Lord Marche King of Cornwall. He was a nasty self-serving man that was impeached as high king and was on the run after Isolde unfolded his treasonous plots to hand Brittan over to the Saxons. Not to mention the harm he did to Isolde personally. In book one he forced her into marriage and almost got her killed on trumped of charges of being a witch. Since she had him on the run things took a big turn when Marche decided to make new allies with the Saxon King Octa of Kent. Both men were vile and both had one goal in mind and that was to invade Brittan. Their plan was to pillage and kill anyone and everything that stood in their way.

Isolde had to put a plan into action; since she now shared this weird uncontrollable link with Marche. She could see him in the waters and using her gift of sight she just might be able to stop him. Trystan had sought out Isolde right when everything was about to go down because his companion and Isolde's friend Hereric was gravely hurt and Trystan had no one else he could count to help him. Isolde was the only hope for saving him and Trystan knew it. It was joining of fate that the two of them just happened to cross paths when they did because it was the time that they both needed each other more than they wanted to admit even to themselves. Brittan's only hope lay with Isolde making an alliance with King Cederic of Wessex but that meant trudging through enemy territory with Trystan. Her only soul desire was to protect Brittan from the invading Octa and Marche but when overwhelming emotions surface for Trystan Isolde finds herself not only trying to save Brittan but the other half to her soul; Trystan.

I liked this book better than the first one although it kind of got off to a slow start for me. The books are a different twist on the Arthur legend (they take place after Arthur's death) and different than the Tristan and Isolde legend I have read and that is in the movie (which is a favorite of mine and thus I pictured Trystan as James Franco throughout the books- nice). I rated the first book four stars but really had rounded it up from a 3.5 to a four. This one I will give a four to more willingly. I think the slow start was the lack of Trystan in the early part of the book after already reading an entire book waiting for something to develop between this legendary pair! I like Trystan a lot in this book, and Isolde is a good realistic character, but there are times I want to shake her. When life can be lost in an instant and danger is on all sides, it seems like it would be prudent to tell people what you know and what you feel because tomorrow may be too late. This is a tense book, not what I would call a relaxing read, but if you like the history and legend of 6th century Britain, it gives the reader a good taste of the times. The side characters came alive for me better in this book than in the previous one, friend and foe alike, as I found them a bit hazy in the first book. I always enjoy there being a dog or a cat in a novel, and Cabel, the war hound, was in both books. He had been the High King and Isolde's husband Con's dog and after his death in the previous book is now devoted to Isolde.

I put the third book of this trilogy on my TBR list and do hope to have some kind of "not tragic" ending for Trystan and Isolde. I know the usual ending of the legend, but so far legend has not played out in the traditional way.

DARK MOON OF AVALON:A NOVEL OF TRYSTAN & ISOLDE by Anna Elliott is a historical fiction/fantasy set in sixth century in a land far far away in Britain,and Ireland.Book two of "Twilight of Avalon" triology. Book One " Twilight of Avalon" but can be read as a stand alone. It is well written with depth,details and some historical facts. It has magic,myths,legends, war, fear, romance,betrayal, Arthurian legend,medieval tales,danger,bitter enemies,healing,political,military,honor,trust, wounded hearts and love that last throughout time. This is a story that will last the test of time of love,honor and hope. The hero, Trystan, most learn to deal with his past hurts,his father was brutal,a king,cruel and out to destroy him.The heroine, Isolde,is a High Queen, a healer,accursed of being a witch, married twice not by choice but for survival.Once to Trystan's evil father,once as a child of only twelve to a young king who was betrayed my Trystan's father and murdered by him. If you will enjoy this fast paced,page turning story based on myths and legends during medivial times especially if you enjoy magic, love,danger, sacrifice and the trials of young love.This book was received for the purpose of review from the publisher and details can be found at Touchstome,a division of Simon and Schuster.