Not sure if this would be considered Sci-Fi or Fantasy (maybe more Fantasy so i'll post this there as well if they have their own topic)....but was wondering if anyone could recommend any good authors to read books on for Avalon type stories?  I'm reading Marion Zimmer Bradley right now, I pretty much went on a "shopping spree" on here with my credits and got all her Avalon books I could.  Are there any others that you could recommend?  Thanks so much from a new fan of Sci-Fi/Fantasy!!

Keri

I'm a huge fan of Mary Stewart's series "The Crystal Cave", "The Hollow Hills", "The Last Enchantment" and "This Wicked Day".  Also loved "Beloved Exile" and "Firelord" by Parke Godwin.  I have Fay Simpson's "Daughter of Tintagel" in my TBR pile right now, and it looks great too.  I have a huge collection of Arthurian novels/non-fiction works.  I tried Stephen Lawhead's series, but had a bit of trouble getting into it.  MZB is very good too.  However, my all time favorite has to be "The Sword at Sunset" by Rosemary Sutcliffe.  Excellent book!!

Enjoy!

Vicky

I've got several Arthurian books in my bookshelf, along with several that I'm still debating adding to the list.

Those already recommended are great reads....

I read so many different King Arthur type books, but all are just different enough to be entertaining in their own way.

I think one of my favorites starts out... (paraphrased) "My Lady, the King is dead...."

Have you tried any of the pre-history novels like Jean Auel's "Clan of The Cave Bear" and subsequent novels? (They are a bit wordy, but entertaining)

Also Elizabeth Marshall Thomas'  "Reindeer Moon." Highly recommended.. written in a first person format.

If you don't mind coming to modern times Molly Cochran's Forever King series - Forever King, Broken Sword and  The Third Magic tell the story of Arthur Blessing the reincarnated King Arthur.

And if you want something a bit more offbeat in Arthurian you might appreciate Peter David's Arthur Penn series - Knight Life, One Knight Only and Fall of Knight, but his take is a bit more irrevrant.

There is also Irene Radford's Merlin's Decendants which has the line of Merlin and Deirdre high priestess of the druids, as wardens and magical guards of the English throne through the ages of England through to the 5th book in the series which leads up to the Revolutionary War. Guardian of the Balance, Guardian of the Trust, Guardian of the Vision, Guardian of the Promise and Guardian of the Freedom.

Gillian Bradshaw's Hawk of May, Kingdom of Summer and In Winter's Shadow is another wonderful Arthurian series. She also has written a lot of good historical fantasies set in ancient Greece and Rome.

Edited to add: By the way, it looks like there is a new Avalon book coming out. I saw the ad in my husband's Fantasy and Science Fiction magazine and I can't find it now or remember the title; but it's by Diana L. Paxson, who is a collaborator of MZB's from way back and a pretty good writer, so it should be good.

OH, I agree with the Gillian Bradshaw recommendation.  I think I remember reading that MZB has another Avalon book out too?  Mists of Avalon, The Forest House, and now...I'm drawing a blank.  ;(

VickyJo (and anyone else interested), we should trade Arthurian recommendations (I also love the Sutcliff book) - or maybe post a list of all the Arthurian books we can think of? I used to read every Arthurian book I could get my hands on, but that was about 20 years ago and I eventually OD'd a bit on it and mostly stopped. Of course this is probably out there someplace on the web already!

Bookmuncher~First, I LOVE your screen name! <grin>  Very appropriate.

You sound exactly like me.  I have a HUGE collection of fiction and non-fiction Arthurian books.  Have you read the series by Norma Lorre Goodrich? (Merlin, King Arthur, and Guinevere are the three I have.)  I also have a novel by Nikolai Tolstoy (I know what you're wondering...and the answer is supposedly) called "The Quest for Merlin" but I haven't read it.  I OD'd a bit too, but I've kept almost all of them, intending to go back and read someday!

Sutcliff also did an Arthurian trilogy for kids which I loved too.

I LOVE recommendations...keep 'em coming!

Another one I should have thought about before since I just ordered the first one of the series is Mad Merlin, Lancelot du Lethe and Le Morte D'Avalon by J. Robert King.

I haven't read them yet so I can't say how good they are but they definately intrigued me based on the descriptions.

And Ravens of Avalon by MZB and Diana L. Paxson is new out now in hardcover.

If you are branching out a little Anne McCaffery's Pern series is really good.