Search - Guenevere, Queen of the Summer Country

This is the first of three novels, but it wasn't good enough to make me run out to buy the next two books. I'm not sure why I wasn't enchanted with it because this is definitely my cup of tea in literature. The characters lacked a "reader connection" with me. You may think differently. It's been a couple of years since I read it.

AWESOME! Loved that G was the Mother God worshipor and Arthur ended up being the christian. Makes more sense! Morgan is the evil one this time, Merlin out for his own agenda! MUST READ!

First of the Guenevere Trilogy. Well-written, with a different take on many of the characters -- Merlin is a malevolent madman; Arthur an emotionally needy youth who is decisive on the battlefield but floundering and uncertain as a ruler. Morgan LeFey is initially shown as a damaged child sent off to a nunnery by Uther, but eventually reveals herself as the essence of evil. The Christian/Pagan conflict often forms a subplot in the Arthurian Cycle, and it is present here as well. The twist is that Guenevere is most often shown as Christian, Merlin as Pagan, and Arthur torn between the two. In this retelling, Merlin is using the power of the Church to increase Arthur's stature, while Guenevere -- the Queen of the Summer Country -- is firmly entrenched in The Old Ways. The most emotionally affecting section of the book is Lancelot's farewell to Guenevere, which may be the most wildly romantic thing I've ever read!

I love stories of Camelot and King Arthur, but this one I could not finish. I had recently read a couple of Rosalind Miles' books and enjoyed them so I thought this would be a good fit.

This is more a story of the conflict between religions than the story of Arthur and Guenevere...if you're into pagan women's rites and Arthurian legend from a pagan woman's point of view, you may enjoy it. However Mary Zimmer Bradley's Mists of Avalon would serve this interest better.

Guenevere is a strong character at the beginning and end of this book. I thought her character became a bit inconsistent and weak at times. Facing tragedy after tragedy, she turns from Arthur and doubts herself and her decisions again and again. She seemed to lose the strength shown at the outset of the story but she regains it when Arthur is injured in a joust. Merlin is depicted as an eccentric wizard who sees and helps form the future. Morgan is as evil as I've always believed. Will I read more by this author? Yes, I think so. I am glad I read this story and would like to follow the series.

This was a new spin on the Avalon series for me. I appreciate a new perspective. Worth the read.