Marion Zimmer Bradley's Ravens of Avalon [Hardcover]

Diana L. Paxson (Author), Marion Zimmer Bradley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 2, 2007

Discover the dawn of the mythical legend of Avalon in the long-awaited prequel to Marion Zimmer Bradley’s The Forest House

Diana L. Paxson expands Marion Zimmer Bradley’s beloved and bestselling Avalon series in a dramatic new installment. Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Ravens of Avalon is the prequel to The Forest House and tells the story of the Roman conquest of Britain and the origin of the Forest House that preceded the return to Avalon.

Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Ravens of Avalon follows the journey of Boudica, a Celtic princess, and Lhiannon, a priestess who is Boudica’s mentor on the Druid isle. When the Romans conquer Britain, Lhiannon fights them while Boudica is married to a king who has surrendered. Theirs is a great love story, but when he dies, the Romans brutalize her and her daughters. In rage, Boudica raises the British tribes and nearly succeeds in driving the Romans from Britain, claiming a place in history. Lhiannon survives and becomes the guardian of the Druid traditions in the new Roman Britannia as high priestess of the Forest House.

Epic in its sweep and peopled by the remarkable women who have always inhabited Avalon, Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Ravens of Avalon expands the legendary saga that has enchanted millions of readers over the years and is sure to please Bradley’s loyal readership and anyone who loves wonderfully told stories of history, myth, and fantasy.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This stirring prequel to The Forest House, Paxson's first collaboration with Marion Zimmer Bradley (1930–1999), is sure to please fans of the late author of The Mists of Avalon. In The Forest House, they introduced the Society of the Ravens, sons of the Druid priestesses who were raped and tortured by Britain's Roman invaders. Now Paxson explores the events circa A.D. 60 that inspired the mythical group's formation. Strong women surge to the forefront, most notably Druid priestess Lhiannon and her headstrong student and friend, Boudica, a Celtic princess who forgoes becoming a priestess to marry Prasutagos, High King of the Iceni. The uneasy peace with Rome shatters after Prasutagos dies, and Roman soldiers, refusing to recognize Boudica as queen, beat her and rape her daughters. Vowing vengeance, Boudica raises an army infused with the battle goddess's magical power and strikes back at the Romans. Paxson's bright fusion of fact and myth is a fine tribute to Bradley and the real-world triumphs and tragedy of Boudica. (Aug.)
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Review

“Stirring.” —Publishers Weekly

“Marion Zimmer Bradley would be proud of this… The story line smoothly combines ancient history with fantasy elements to please fans…Readers of the delightful Avalon series will appreciate learning what occurred that led to the formation of the Society of the Ravens.”
—Midwest Book Review --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 416 pages
• Publisher: Viking Adult (August 2, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0670038709
• ISBN-13: 978-0670038701
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #591,447 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I was brought up in southern California, but came north to attend Mills College and never left. I got my M.A. in (medieval) Comparative Literature from the University of California in 1966, the same year I put on the first tournament of what was to become the Society for Creative Anachronism. Since 1971 I've lived at Greyhaven, a hundred-year old house in Berkeley, with successive generations of family, friends, cats and dogs.

It's a literary family, including my husband, Jon DeCles, and the late Marion Zimmer Bradley, who was my mentor as a writer as well as colleague in founding Darkmoon Circle. My first published novel was Mistress of the Jewels, which began the chronicles of Westria. After I had written several historical fantasies, Marion, whose health deteriorated after she wrote Mists of Avalon, asked me to help her with The Forest House, which is how I ended up writing the Avalon series.

Much of the spiritual experience in my novels comes out of my work in the pagan community. I have now begun to publish that material in a series of non-fiction books, the most recent being Trance-Portation. My most recent novel is Sword of Avalon, set at the end of the Bronze Age, which gave me an opportunity to explore the end of the Homeric Age and the techniques of bronze- and iron-forging.

For more about my work, see:

www.westria.org
www.avalonbooks.net
www.seidh.org

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars New to the Series? Start with the Other Avalon Books, August 14, 2007

By 

Wantz Upon A Time Reviews (Chicago) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Marion Zimmer Bradley's Ravens of Avalon (Hardcover)

RAVENS OF AVALON is a prequel to the Avalon series by the late Marion Zimmer Bradley. Diana Paxson was a longtime collaborator with her and therefore the Avalon universe well. A mixture of history, myth, magic and a touch of romance, the book touches on many genres.

In this story, we learn about Queen Boudica and the conquest of Briton by the Roman legions. Trained by Lhiannon as a druid priestess, Boudica decides to help her clan by marrying a Briton King. At his death, the Romans refuse to acknowledge her as Queen, beat her and rape her daughters. To say this doesn't sit well with her would be an understatement. She raises an army imbued with the power of the druids and attempts to oust the Romans.

While the premise sounds wonderfully exciting, the actual writing left me flat. I thought the book rather boring. There was no life to it. The majority of the book concerns eighteen years of Boudica's and Lhiannon's lives. The writing technique was good and the editing excellent. But the pacing was slow, almost to the point of stoppage. Although there was more excitement in the end, getting there was like wading upstream against a torrent. This is an unfortunate problem with many prequels that are written well after the series. It's as though the author is attempting to get in as much background information as possible. It's why editors cut out back story in many novels. It's just not as interesting as the main story.

Fans of the Avalon series will want to read this so they have more information on the world, but if you've never read any of the Avalon series, I wouldn't start here. Yes, it does add good background for the rest of the Raven books, but wading your way through the pages is not my idea of a great read.

Reviewed by Vicky Burkholder
08/14/2007

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Read it to Say that You've Read it, August 12, 2007

By 

D. S. Ryelle "Paperback Writer" (Michigan, USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Marion Zimmer Bradley's Ravens of Avalon (Hardcover)

I bought this book thinking it was the same caliber as the others, but I was disappointed to discover that the only match for "Ravens" is "Priestess". I read it, but I cannot guarantee that I will keep it.

I'm not entirely sure that Diana re-read "Forest House" (or any of the other books of the series) because there are a few discrepancies. I don't mind the fact that the priestesses regularly go to Avalon for initiation rituals, despite the fact that Caillean is the first of the priesthood to _ever_ discover Avalon (as seen in "Forest House"). What *really* bugs me though, is the free use of magic at the beginning of the book. Not only are the neophytes allowed to use magic randomly (despite the fact that in Marion's books, neophytes are the "chop wood, carry water" sort, like in real life), but the Druids use magic like they're Sith Lords! (Am I the _only_ one who had flashes of Darth Vader when Helve and Lugovalos froze throats?!)

I was going to give 3.5 stars, but after writing this, I've changed my mind. Half a star off for using Avalon too early and another whole star for the unrestrained and uncalled for use of magic. Three stars...and beware of the Dark Side!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ravens of Avalon A must read !, September 23, 2007

By 

Ruth Flores "ladyjedimaster" (san antonio,texas) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Marion Zimmer Bradley's Ravens of Avalon (Hardcover)

In this book, we read about Boudica,sent to be trained as a priestess but who choses to go back to her people, marry & become Queen of the Iceni. This British Queen has a monument built to her but little is known of her. And while she was Queen of only one tribe, she almost united all of Britain in a rebellion against Rome. In a time in which men lead armies, a woman, Boudica was forced by brutal Roman rule to take up arms & try to drive this invader from her homeland. She was publically whipped and her daughters raped by Romans in such a animalistic way to cause her to take on leadership of an army to protect her people from Roman brutality. I found this book a fascinating read. There are all the magic and mystical elements you would expect from this series but the battle scenes are vivid and written with a realism that makes you feel as is you are there. Let the story of Boudica be told,woman, Queen and warrior !