The Firebrand and over 360,000 other books are available for Amazon Kindle – Amazon’s new wireless reading device. Learn more

 

or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
 
 
Express Checkout with PayPhrase
What's this? | Create PayPhrase
Sorry!
X
More Buying Choices
93 used & new from $0.37
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
   
The Firebrand
 
 
See all product images
See 1 customer image
Share your own customer images
Search inside this book
Start reading The Firebrand on your Kindle in under a minute.

Don’t have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here.
 
  

The Firebrand (Paperback)

~ (Author) "AT THIS TIME of year, the light lingered late; but the last glow of sunset had faded now in the west, and mist had begun..." (more)
Key Phrases: old priestess, other priestesses, palace women, Sun Lord, Earth Mother, Serpent Mother (more...)
4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (86 customer reviews)
List Price: $16.95
Price: $12.71 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details
You Save: $4.24 (25%)
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.

Only 2 left in stock--order soon (more on the way).

Want it delivered Friday, November 13? Choose One-Day Shipping at checkout. Details
30 new from $0.38 61 used from $0.37 2 collectible from $16.95

Formats

Amazon Price New from Used from
  Kindle Edition $6.39 -- --
  Hardcover -- $4.79 $0.01
  Paperback $7.99 $4.35 $3.99
  Paperback, May 6, 2003 $12.71 $0.38 $0.37
  Mass Market Paperback -- -- $3.95
  Unknown Binding -- $7.99 $11.93

Frequently Bought Together

The Firebrand + The Fall of Atlantis + Marion Zimmer Bradley's Ravens of Avalon
Price For All Three: $28.55

Show availability and shipping details

  • This item: The Firebrand by Marion Zimmer Bradley

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

  • The Fall of Atlantis by Marion Zimmer Bradley

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

  • Marion Zimmer Bradley's Ravens of Avalon by Diana L. Paxson

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

Special Offers and Product Promotions

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Marion Zimmer Bradley's Ravens of Avalon

Marion Zimmer Bradley's Ravens of Avalon

by Diana L. Paxson
3.7 out of 5 stars (19)  $7.85
Priestess Of Avalon

Priestess Of Avalon

by Marion Zimmer Bradley
3.6 out of 5 stars (66)  $10.85
Lady of Avalon (Avalon, Book 3)

Lady of Avalon (Avalon, Book 3)

by Marion Zimmer Bradley
4.0 out of 5 stars (93)  $10.85
The Forest House (Avalon, Book 2)

The Forest House (Avalon, Book 2)

by Marion Zimmer Bradley
3.8 out of 5 stars (110)  $7.99
Marion Zimmer Bradley's Ancestors of Avalon

Marion Zimmer Bradley's Ancestors of Avalon

by Diana L. Paxson
5.0 out of 5 stars (2)  $7.99
› Explore similar items

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The author of The Mists of Avalon here "vividly recounts" the Trojan War. "Although these mythic figures stumble through some petty, rather too modern dialogue," PW found that "Bradley animates . . . the conflicts between a culture that reveres the strength of women and one that makes them mere consorts of powerful men."
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.


From Library Journal

Bradley ( The Mists of Avalon ) has combined several legends about the fall of Troy in this novel, told from the point of view of Kassandra, daughter of King Priam. After receiving the gift of prophecy from the god Apollo and then rejecting him, she was cursed when he decreed that her vision would be taken as dreams or the ravings of a madwoman. Some basic knowledge of Greek mythology would be helpful to the reader in keeping the various gods and their relationships straight. She makes a strong statement about the desirability of women having control of their own destinies and about the cruelties men inflict upon them. Literary Guild featured alternate. Andrea Lee Shuey, Dallas P.L.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

  • Paperback: 608 pages
  • Publisher: Roc Trade (May 6, 2003)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0451459245
  • ISBN-13: 978-0451459244
  • Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.9 x 1.4 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (86 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #135,596 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in this category: (What's this?)

    #11 in  Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Authors, A-Z > ( B ) > Bradley, Marion Zimmer

    •  Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

More About the Author

Marion Zimmer Bradley
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

› Visit Amazon's Marion Zimmer Bradley Page
Front Cover | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Search Inside This Book:
Inside This Book (learn more)
First Sentence:
AT THIS TIME of year, the light lingered late; but the last glow of sunset had faded now in the west, and mist had begun to drift in from the sea. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
old priestess, other priestesses, palace women
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Sun Lord, Earth Mother, Serpent Mother, Queen Imandra, Mount Ida, Earth Shaker, Amazon Queen, Lady Kassandra, King Priam, Zeus Thunderer, Goddess of Love, Queen Hecuba, Apollo's Temple, River God, King of Troy, Temple of Apollo, Maiden Huntress, Spartan Queen, Temple of Pallas Athene, Temple of the Maiden, Earth's Daughter, Maiden Goddess, Prince Akhilles, Prince Hector, Queen of Colchis
New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats
Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Search Inside This Book:
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 1 book:

Books on Related Topics (learn more)
 
Daughter of Troy by Sarah B. Franklin
 

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

The Firebrand
49% buy the item featured on this page:
The Firebrand 4.2 out of 5 stars (86)
$12.71
Marion Zimmer Bradley's Ravens of Avalon
14% buy
Marion Zimmer Bradley's Ravens of Avalon 3.7 out of 5 stars (19)
$7.85
The Forest House (Avalon, Book 2)
14% buy
The Forest House (Avalon, Book 2) 3.8 out of 5 stars (110)
$7.99
The Fall of Atlantis
11% buy
The Fall of Atlantis 4.0 out of 5 stars (47)
$7.99
Explore similar items

Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
 
(14)
(10)
(10)
(9)
(6)
(5)
(3)
(2)
See all 9 tags...

Your tags: Add your first tag
 
See most popular tags
 

Customer Reviews

86 Reviews
5 star:
 (49)
4 star:
 (20)
3 star:
 (3)
2 star:
 (13)
1 star:
 (1)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.2 out of 5 stars (86 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
36 of 39 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars A Wonderful and Surprisingly Human Re-Imaging!!!, April 6, 2002
By Isabelle Archer (US Virgin Islands) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Firebrand (Paperback)
As far as I'm concerned, Marion Zimmer Bradley is the master of injecting new life into old stories. Her retelling of the Arthur legend, The Mists of Avalon, is a phenomenal book (as anyone who has read it will tell you, if they have any sense!).

In The Firebrand, Marion Zimmer Bradley takes on the Iliad of Homer. The story is told mostly from the point of view of Kassandra, prophetess of Troy and sister to Paris, son of Priam who spirited Helen away from Sparta and became the catalyst for the 10-year-long Trojan War.

Many wonderful details make the characters, like the Amazons or the Kentaurs, amazingly human and real. Ms. Bradley has an enviable gift that makes her readers care about each and every one of her characters. At the center of the story lies a conflict, embodied in Kassandra herself, between the Earth Goddess and the newer Greek gods, like Apollo and Athena. As in the Iliad, the gods seem to meddle in everything, fathering children or bringing down plagues.

I really enjoyed this book because it puts a new spin on the old story and gives the female characters attention that they well deserve. Kassandra is a strong, consistent character, struggling with her vows of chastity to the free-worker Apollo and the Sight given to her by the Earth Goddess. For angering Apollo, Kassandra is cursed with seeing terrible things and having no one believe her. Helen, the wife Paris stole from the Spartan king Menaleus(sp?), is also well-developed as a character. She does, however, remind me strikingly of Gwenhyfar from The Mists of Avalon. Besides having the face that launched a thousand ships, Helen has the sort of strength that inspires admiration even in the unwilling. She, too, like Kassandra, is a pawn of the gods. Other strong women, like the Amazon Queen and Andromache, prove that the war was not fought by the soldiers alone.

Surprisingly scary, Akhilles(spelled scarily, too!) along with Agamemnon are Troy's, and Kassandra's, greatest enemies. Aeneas, the future founder of Rome,is a rather unlikely, but extremely likable, romantic hero. Pretty much the only nice man in the book...where Kassandra is concerned, anyway!

I will say that the plot really seemed to fragment toward the end. I liked the writing, but I felt that the storyline lacked the strength of the previous parts of the book. There are, however, a few delectable and - for readers familiar with the Iliad and the Odyssey - unexpected surprises in store.

As a sort of halting scholar of the Ancient Greek language wrestling with my first attempts at translating Homer, The Firebrand provided me with inspiration and gave me a more personal attachment to the characters, for which I am extremely grateful. It's obvious to me that Ms. Bradley is an extremely well-researched writer, who has a wonderful creative vision that makes the Iliad her own, while at the same time it remains the same wonderful story. Anyone who likes these sort of legend retellings should read this book! And then recommend it to a friend!

Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars better than The Mists of Avalon, August 24, 2001
By Nicole Alger "imanoonle" (Belmont, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)      
This review is from: The Firebrand (Paperback)
I began reading Marion Zimmer Bradley my sophomore year of high school when my english teacher (surprisingly) assigned the book at summer reading. Now I know a lot of people have read The Mists of Avalon, especially because of the tv movie, but if you are able to get a hold on this book, I strongly suggest it. It is almost the same as The Mists of Avalon, but set in mythical Troy instead of Camelot. We see through Kassandra's eyes, the prophetess cursed by the god Apollo. Just The Mists of Avalon, this book is also a feminist view in a male-dominated world. We see Hector, Achilles, Priam, Agamemnon, Paris and Menalaus, but they are not the heroes of the war. Intead, Bradley makes the women Kassandra, Hecuba, Andromache, Helen and the warrior Amazons the heroes. I really liked this book more than The Mists of Avalon, and it got me interested in Ancient Greece. If you like The Mists of Avalon and can find a copy of this book (because it is unfortunately out of print), I would suggest that you try this one. :)
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A very moving book, February 23, 2000
This review is from: The Firebrand (Hardcover)
Naomi Salvarezza Reading and Writing English 100 2/22/00

Firebrand is my favorite book of all time. It is the tragic story of Troy told from the perspective of Princess Kassandra. Kassandra is a very beautiful young women going against the world. Since she was a child, she had the ability to see into the future. Troy's future was destined to be destroyed and Kassandra knew all along. The main point in this book to me is how Kassandra knew of the future and what awaited her people; everyone thought she was crazy for assumming such a terrible outcome. In the end every last prophecy she made came true and all her family died or were made into slaves. Kassandra lived her life with the pain of being ignored and yet she loved and cared for every last person who was around her. The princess had the spirit of a warrior and the heart of an angel who tried to serve her purpose for her God. Marion Zimmer Bradley's work brings joy to my life and I urge everyone to read this book.

Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant re-imagining of a classic story
Hecuba, Queen of Troy, dreams that she's given birth to a firebrand whose spreading flames will destroy her city. Read more
Published 23 months ago by Nina M. Osier

2.0 out of 5 stars "She Speaks of Nothing but Ruin and Death for Troy..."
I'm not a huge fan of Marion Zimmer Bradley, but the Trojan War is one of my favourite subjects, and I was curious to see how it could be told from a singular, feminine point of... Read more
Published 23 months ago by R. M. Fisher

5.0 out of 5 stars The Firebrand
This is Marion Zimmer Bradley's best book in my opinion. The story isn't as tedious and lenghthy as Mists of Avalon or any of the Forest House books. Read more
Published on September 18, 2007 by Linda R. Schorr

2.0 out of 5 stars Just read Mists of Avalon
Having enjoyed Mists of Avalon as a girl and then actually teaching it, it is easy to see that I am a big fan of the Mists of Avalon. Read more
Published on July 21, 2007 by Frost77

5.0 out of 5 stars Why am I not surprised
As always Mrs. Bradley never lets me down. I love this story. I love Kassandra's point of view. I want to believe that the Fall of Troy happened just like that. Read more
Published on May 27, 2007 by Undreia U. Lewis

4.0 out of 5 stars Funny how male reviewers hate this book
I enjoyed reading this book years back, and I occasionally re-read it, finding that I still like it very much. Read more
Published on December 14, 2006 by Ben

5.0 out of 5 stars The Goddess Before Mount Olympus
THE FIREBRAND is an excellent book ! The story is written through the
eyes of the prophetess, Kassandra, daughter of King Priam and Queen Hecuba right before the Trojan... Read more
Published on May 27, 2006 by Adventuregirl

5.0 out of 5 stars good book
Seems very realistic -- similar to The Mists of Avalon. A very entertaining story.
Published on February 28, 2006 by S. Brodeur-Campbell

2.0 out of 5 stars Boring Trojan Epic
Fans of Bradley's masterwork, THE MISTS OF AVALON, will find little to recommend this retelling of another famous legend. Read more
Published on September 12, 2005 by Melissa McCauley

5.0 out of 5 stars Lovers of The Mists of Avalon won't be disappionted
The Firebrand is really alot like The Mists of Avalon, except that it is Troy with a twist instead of King Arthur with a twist. Read more
Published on August 14, 2005

Only search this product's reviews


Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
Search all Amazon discussions
   

Product Information from the Amapedia Community

Beta (What's this?)

Look for Similar Items by Category

Look for Similar Items by Subject

Search Books by subject:













i.e., each book must be in subject 1 AND subject 2 AND ...
 

Feedback

If you need help or have a question for Customer Service, contact us.
 Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
Is there any other feedback you would like to provide?

Your comments can help make our site better for everyone.


Your Recent History

 (What's this?)

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.