The Arthurian Review, Issue 2

[sigune]

I sort of promised this review to todayiamadaisy after reading her own review of a book in which the heroine is clearly supposed to be very likeable, but only comes off as horribly irritating. So be warned: here be sporking

Comments

Lolz!

[bettyboop_comic]

First review I'lve ever read that was so erudite yet still incorporates lol-speak.
Score!

[sigune]

What can I say? This book just calls for lol-speak. It's the only way to get some humour out of it.

[bettyboop_comic]

Also, do one of Camelot 3000.

[sigune]

Will do :).

[todayiamadaisy]

You had me at 'thigh-friendship'. Good grief.

Arthur, on the other hand, manages to remain fresh and pristine. Gawain wonders how he does that.

She's taking a leaf out of Monty Python's King Arthur there, the only one who stays clean in the town mud. Probably not what she's aiming for.

I started The Mists of Avalon once, but I didn't finish it either. If this book is worse than that, I don't think I'll even start it. You've done the world a service reading this for the rest of us. *awards medal*

[sigune]

Sadly, I waited until this year to read it, meaning that for ten years now I have left other readers unwarned ;)...Hopefully I can still save a few flisties *g*.

A reference to Monty Python would raise the book in my opinion, but it is so devoid of humour that I fear this must be accidental. Alas.

[lareinenoire]

Ugh. I vaguely remember that series and I think I read one of her Isolde books but I can't recall anything about it. Clearly it was either very bad or completely forgettable.

There was another Guinevere-centric series from the late 1980s/early 1990s that was reasonably good. I read it back in high school and adored it then, though I picked it up a few years ago and it stood the test of time reasonably well. It's not great -- my favourite Arthurian books are still the three that Helen Hollick wrote, where the characters just seem incredibly real to me and she's clearly done her research on the period -- but still quite enjoyable to read.

Persia Woolley -- Child of the Northern Spring, Queen of the Summer Stars, Guinevere: The Legend in Autumn

Helen Hollick - The Kingmaking, Pendragon's Banner, Shadow of the King

And I can't help but think that all of this fake-feminist stuff must have been a direct result of Marion Zimmer Bradley, speaking of books that don't really hold up after several years. I loved The MIsts of Avalon when I

[sigune]

Thanks for the tips! I'll have a look.

Marion Zimmer Bradley seems to have spawned a whole new genre - Alas! :)

I like my Guenevere different from Bradley's, but one thing we have to give to her is that her Guenevere has a kind of integrity and a function in the plot. It's years ago since I last tried to read Mists, so I don't remember many particulars, but I seem to recall that it was far more coherent than Guenevere. It's funny that a novel that seeks to redeem Guenevere by making her the opposite of Bradley's character actually makes her look completely ridiculous...

My favourite Guinevere so far is Gillian Bradshaw's Gwynhwyfar in In Winter's Shadow. She is strong but very human, and, as you say of Helen Hollick's, comes across as a real person.

[sigune]

Thanks for the tips! I'll check them out :).

Marion Zimmer Bradley has a lot to account for *g*. She seems to have spawned a whole heap of fake-feminist junk that apparently sold (sells?) really well. Miles' Guenevere seems to be a reaction against the portrayal of the queen in Mists, but instead of redeeming the character, it unfortunately only succeeds in making her look ridiculous.

My own favourite Guenevere so far is Gillian Bradshaw's in In Winter's Shadow. She writes a strong but very human woman. As you say of Hollick's version, she comes across as a real person.

[shaniah]

The Chauvel & Lereculey’s Arthur series are simply amazing. It makes me cry!

[sigune]

I like it because it stays so close to the old Welsh stories. The ending was pretty harsh, wasn't it? ;_;