Reviews

Guinevere continues her story begun in Child of the Northern Spring , picking it up in the early years of her marriage to King Arthur and stopping after Mordred's arrival at court and Lancelot's departure. Through her eyes, the reader sees the marriage and the kingdom take shape, experiences her kidnapping, and observes the romance of Tristan and Isolde. The stories are familiar, but the suspense is in learning how they are to be related. The individuals are not drawn larger than life or made mystical. Arthur is often aloof, preoccupied with his own concerns. Guinevere's relationship with Lancelot develops slowly and believably. The prose is richly textured, evoking the sights and sounds of castle and countryside, the qualities of knight and of servant. Highly recommended. BOMC and Quality Paperback Book Club alternates.-- Ellen Kaye Stoppel, Drake Univ. Law Lib., Des Moines

The second volume of Woolley's Arthurian trilogy ( Child of the Northern Spring ) follows Guinevere from the second to the 10th year of her marriage to King Arthur. In this vivid, colorful and homey retelling, Guinevere is a caring and faithful wife and queen, deeply in love with her husband and despairing of her childlessness. As Arthur and his men strive to unify Britain and preserve it from invading Saxons, the various Companions are shown as courageous but all-too-human warriors and courtiers. Lancelot, the king's chief advisor, is cold to the queen, but when he serves as her champion after she is accused of attempted murder, this hostility is dispelled. Loyalty and their mutual love for Arthur keeps them from succumbing to desire. Morgan le Fay, Arthur's half sister, lusts for the crown; her machinations lie behind many of the troubles that afflict the royal couple, a fact Arthur is slow to accept. Other figures of legend, limned with clearly defined personalities, work out their destinies--Gawain and Ragnell, Merlin and Nimue, the two Elaines, Tristan, Isolde and King Mark. Faintly intimated in this volume is the tragedy that will finally strike. BOMC and QPB alternates; Preferred Choice Book Plan main selection. (June)

Most people have seen the screen or stage version of Camelot , but its story, setting, and characters seem like mere shells compared to the rich, extensive characterization; scenery; and plot intricacies of this book. A sequel to Woolley's Child of the Northern Spring (Pocket, 1989), it is detailed and authentic in every respect, reflecting Woolley's extensive research into Arthurian lore. Guinevere's first-person narration adds a new dimension to the telling; somehow all of the characters become full presences from her perspective. Arthur's reign as high king is covered, and his ancestry is revealed--yes, there are skeletons even in great King Arthur's closet; readers learn why he bans his half-sister Morgause from his court, and why Mordred is potentially a character of loathing. Pleasant reading for high-school students, and a look at royal life during the Dark Ages of Britain. --Diane Goheen, Topeka West High School, KS