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Guenevere, Queen of the Summer Country (Guenevere Novels) (Paperback)

by Rosalind Miles (Author) "The old man shivered and leaned forward to warm his hands on his horse's neck..." (more)
Key Phrases: jousting field, companion knights, world between the worlds, Summer Country, King Lot, King Arthur (more...)
3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (75 customer reviews)
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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
This is the first part of a trilogy chronicling the life of Queen Guenevere. Beginning with the young King Arthur who is preparing for the war that will unite Britain, the book recounts the marriage of Guenevere and Arthur, the growth of Arthur's court, and Guenevere's adulterous affair with Lancelot.

Although told mainly from Guenevere's point of view, this is a truly epic narrative, encompassing pageantry, political intrigue, war, and the conflict between the old pagan religion and Christianity. At times earthy, sensual, and violent, it is a powerful romantic drama firmly rooted in historical Britain, a modern yet traditional retelling of the stories given definitive form in the first four books of Thomas Malory's Le Morte D'Arthur.

The characters are grippingly evoked as realistic, living, and breathing human beings rather than simple archetypes, yet the writing is effortlessly lyrical, with the elegant flow of folktale. In emotional depth, Guenevere is comparable to Parke Godwin's fine Arthurian romance, Firelord.

This title is Rosalind Miles's 17th book. She is the author of the highly praised I, Elizabeth and The Women's History of the World. In 1990, she won the Network Award for outstanding achievement in the field of writing, and the same year she was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. --Gary S. Dalkin, Amazon.co.uk --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly
Prolific English journalist and novelist Miles (I, Elizabeth) offers a feminist, New Age version of the Arthurian legend in her amply stocked but overripe work. Through his marriage to Guenevere, queen of the pagan matriarchy of the Summer Country, Arthur is well on his way to becoming king of all the Britons. However, Merlin, his tutelary spirit, frowns upon this marriage and prophesies that Guenevere will prove untrue. Guenevere is bedeviled by the machinations of her malevolent step-cousin/uncle Malgaunt, while Arthur's unknown, unhappy past invades his life in the figure of his half-sister Morgan le Fay, who seduces him and lures Arthur and Guenevere's only son, Amir, to an early death. The incestuous fruit of Arthur's union with Morgan?Mordred?becomes Arthur's nemesis. In Miles's take on the legend, the principals are locked in passionate conflict: Queen Guenevere is stronger, more resolute, courageous and persevering than King Arthur. Though portrayed as a frank, generous golden knight, Arthur nevertheless proves putty in the successive hands of Merlin, Guenevere and Morgan le Fay. Merlin, a wild, withered, yellow-eyed druid, is also undone by Morgan and appears to abandon Arthur to his fate. Only when Arthur falls under Morgan's sway does Guenevere succumb to her love for Lancelot, one of the novel's freshly conceived figures. The matriarchal way of life in Guenevere's Summer Country, with its capital at Camelot and its goddess residing in the misty Vale of Avalon, appears as infinitely more civilized and attractive than those states where men rule. Unfortunately, the novel's characterization is sometimes trite, and its prose style is trying, veering between downright coarse (perhaps in an attempt to be lusty) and syrupy. Aficionados of Arthurian romance will be pleased with the included maps, family trees and list of the novel's 75 or so characters.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

  • Paperback: 544 pages
  • Publisher: Three Rivers Press; Number Line 10 9 8 7 edition (July 11, 2000)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0609806505
  • ISBN-13: 978-0609806500
  • Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 1.3 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (75 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #319,138 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Rosalind Miles
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Front Cover | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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Inside This Book (learn more)
First Sentence:
The old man shivered and leaned forward to warm his hands on his horse's neck. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
jousting field, companion knights, world between the worlds, tall knight, land kin, stranger knight, new consort, six kings, viewing gallery, sir knight
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Summer Country, King Lot, King Arthur, Middle Kingdom, High King, Great Hall, Brother John, King Leogrance, Sir Lancelot, King Ursien, Prince Malgaunt, King Pellinore, Queen Guenevere, King Uther, King Ban, Sir Lucan, Round Table, Sir Kay, Queen Igraine, Great Ones, Queen Morgause, Sir Gawain, Sister Ann, Fair Ones, King Bors
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Le Morte D'Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory
 

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69% buy the item featured on this page:
Guenevere, Queen of the Summer Country (Guenevere Novels) 3.0 out of 5 stars (75)
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Customer Reviews

75 Reviews
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3.0 out of 5 stars (75 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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39 of 43 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars Another version of the tales, with little to add, August 3, 2000
By J. Angus Macdonald "bibliovore" (Concord, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: Guenevere, Queen of the Summer Country (Guenevere Novels) (Hardcover)
I read most current versions of the Arthurian legends; most of them are no great shakes. This one, sadly, falls into that category. This is not a /bad/ book, it is just not a terribly /good/ one.

Like many current works pertaining to the tales of Arthur, this one is set nebulously in "historical times". There are trappings to make it seem like tale takes place just a bit after the Romans pull out of Britain, but only hints. There are a host of anachronisms which would not stand out if only she had placed the tales outside of time, much as Sharan Newman did. Of history, there is little. Of fantasy, there is little, also -- no dragons, no magic, just a lot of very strong-willed and weak- willed people. In fact this is one of the problems -- her main characters cannot make up their minds as to whether they are dynamic leaders or merely swept along by events larger than themselves.

Guenevere is neither a truly strong nor engaging character. At least half of her dialogue takes place in her head; she seems incredibly reticent to speak her mind. Her love for Arthur is immediate and wholehearted, without any real reason. She leads a group of vague pagans who all worship The Mother, a wholy benign being who seems to insist on a lot of sex, very little ceremony, and no strong thought other than "We Are Not Christian". Apparently Guenevere should be a warleader as well as a political leader for her people, yet despite the fact that she is 20-odd years old when we first meet her, she has had no training in battle. On the other hand, she has an immediate grasp of tactics the moment she views a battle.

I rather like the fact that Merlin is a dark character in this work -- so many Merlins since TH White have been such nice, sanitized people that one forgets he was a figure of mystery and even terror in the early legends, the product of a nun and a demon. On the other hand, his characterization is again rather shallow -- somehow he is connected to the Pendragon household and is determined to see it continue in a position of power, but he has these visions of nubile young things that taunt him in is unguarded moments. Once he finds a woman, he is imprisoned as a madman. Poof. End of Merlin.

I put this book in the same rough category as Nancy McKenzie's "Child Queen", Joan Wolf's "The Road to Avalon", and Helen Hollick's "Pendragon's Bannder series" -- not bad, but not really good. If you are looking for a good version of the tales from a female perspective, I heartily recommend either Vera Chapman or Fay Sampson. Ms. Miles' work is merely there, another novel that will go through a single printing and be forgotten.

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17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars A Waste of Time, February 6, 2005
I love Arthuriana and am always interested in any new take on the legend. I was happy to find this book at the library...until I started reading it. I wish I could give it zero stars, but Amazon doesn't allow that.

Previous reviewers have already pointed out everything I found bad about the book (character inconsistencies, poor writing, etc.) I did finish the book (stupidly hoping beyond hope that it would improve) so I feel comfortable advising people looking for an entertaining read to avoid this. If you're interested in Guenevere I'd recommend Nancy McKenzie's "Queen of Camelot", Sharan Newman's series or Persia Woolley's trilogy. I would also recommend Helen Hollick's series for those looking for a telling devoid of magic.
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18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars An intriguing perspective, August 20, 2000
By Dawn Forsythe (Silver Spring, MD USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
It's always a delight to find yet another perspective of the Arthurian legends, and this one is intriguing. I loved the Mists of Avalon, of course, but Ms. Miles' story encourages us to take another look at Bradley's Morgan and Guenevere. For those of us who haven't read the 80 plus Arthurian books that other reviewers refer to, this is a wonderful story that doesn't dull our wits with Welsh names that are impossible to pronounce (as much as I love Wales... don't get me wrong...). In short, it is a wonderful story and it presents the reader with new ideas. The only reason I didn't give it five stars was because it could have given the "witches" at Morgan's convent a more comprehensive historical background. I am looking forward to reading the next in the series.
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4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent author!
I have been reading Rosalind Miles for some time now, and I love how she delicately weaves history through her story... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Dacia Weese

4.0 out of 5 stars Guenevere: Queen of Summer Country
i recieved the item in a good period of time and it was in the condition described. good seller to buy from :)
Published 2 months ago by Annika J. King

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Book I've Read in a Long Time
After a year of disappointing reads, I turned to a new author and series... and was not disappointed. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Sita900

5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyed the book immensely
I enjoy historical fiction. I also enjoy different takes on the same stories one has always heard - Gregory Maguire's books are a good example. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Starstuff2

2.0 out of 5 stars Not worth reading
I'd been wanting to read this book for a while. Finally picked it up yesterday, made it through almost 200 pages on the plane, and gave up. Read more
Published on February 25, 2007 by Alyssa

4.0 out of 5 stars A Great Read
This book was really entertaining. I got really engrossed in the storyline and cannot wait to read the sequel. I highly recommend it.
Published on October 3, 2006 by Kristen L. Williams

5.0 out of 5 stars Incredible read
This book, even though fiction, accurately protrays the history of that time. The determined spread of Christians, by any means, and the undying love between a woman and her... Read more
Published on June 29, 2006 by J. Herron

5.0 out of 5 stars Not your mother's King Arthur
If you're looking for a radically realistic take on the King Arthur legend from the woman's perspective, I highly recommend this (and any) novel by Rosalind Miles. Read more
Published on June 19, 2006 by B. Lapadat

2.0 out of 5 stars Don't read this book if you want anything with depth
The more I read this book, the less I like it. It's an entertaining enough read, if you're not looking for anything even remotely deep and serious. Read more
Published on June 5, 2006 by Claire J.

2.0 out of 5 stars Mildly amusing, but completely misrepresents Catholicism
I have always been intrigued by the Arthurian legends and thought that as a woman, I'd enjoy this book. Boy was I wrong! Read more
Published on February 11, 2006 by tana

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