Camelot's
Honour
by Sarah Zettel
Anybody
who has read and enjoyed Camelot's Shadow (also reviewed on
this site) and who loves Arthurian tales ought to enjoy this second
outing for the Round Table knights. If you haven't then it won't matter,
as this is a separate story centering on how Geraint gets to win his
spurs and a fair lady. Elen is the daughter of a Welsh chieftain whose
father is dead, but whose mother now rules. Another local chieftain,
Urien thinks that they should form an alliance with him but instead
Lady Adara looks towards a possible alliance with Camelot. When Elen
is summoned across the magic bridge between worlds to the realm of
the Fae to serve as a midwife, she thinks her life might be improved
with fairy gifts - but she returns to find her mother and household
slaughtered. In thrall to Urien (who is in turn in thrall to Morgaine,
Arthur's evil sorceress of a sister), she is reluctantly wedded to
Geraint who has come to save her. But as they flee Urien, they find
themselves prisoners of a far more dangerous enemy, the immortal sorcerer
known as The Little King.
Fans
of the Malloryesque Mediaeval dreamworld and those who prefer the
more accurate Celtic portrayal will probably applaud this blending
of the two. Zettel knows her folk tales, and there are several in
here alongside the Arthurian elements. I truly enjoyed losing myself
in this romantic tale of fair maidens, evil magic, bold knights,
and fairy folk mingling with the world of Celts and Romans. So far
it all sounds as though it could have been written a hundred years
or more ago, but this is a book to appeal to modern readers. Elen
is a feisty woman who manages to do more than just get rescued,
and Geraint is a man many women would like to spend time with. There
isn't a lot to say about this book as it can surely be easily imagined,
but there is plenty of incident crammed in here and despite this
it is a fast, easy, and well paced read. More please!
|
The
Book |
Harper Collins |
6 June 2004 |
Trade Paperback |
000715869 |
Fantasy [521 AD, Various Arthurian locations] |
More at Amazon.co.uk |
Excerpt |
NOTE: |
The
Reviewer |
Rachel A Hyde |
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