SWORD OF AVALON is a great read. This book continues with the Arthurian theme of the other books. This story tells of the beginnings or the origins of the famous sword known as Excalibur and those associated with it. If you have read the other books in this series you will not be disappointed. Diana L. Paxton continues the stories that Marion Zimmer Bradley started many years ago. Although none will ever be as good as Marion Zimmer Bradley's works I truly enjoyed this book and hope to read more in this series. With characters like Micail and Tirki being reincarnated as Mikantor and Tirilan and such it was nice to see the tie ins to the rest of the books. As the Lady of Avalon flees she must hide and try to keep her unborn child safe but the traitors suspect that the heir is still alive and strive to find him. The reader watches the heir grow up and sees the many things and experiences that turn Mikantor into the man he becomes. With help he must do as fate decrees and fulfill his destiny. With great descriptions of Bronze Age metalworking and many historical contexts in this story it almost felt as if you were really there and experiencing what the characters were. Not many authors have the skills to do that, as well as this one has done. I was immersed into the wondrous world of magic and gods and hated leaving it when the book finished. This author does a wonderful job of pulling the reader into the story and feeding our imaginations with beautiful scenery and an engaging plot. This story is well written and fast paced and will hopefully have you searching for the others in this series if you have not already read them.

Book Summary

Marion Zimmer Bradley's legendary saga of Avalon's extraordinary women continues with a tale of fiery visions, a lost king, and a forthcoming destiny...

Epic in its sweep and peopled by the remarkable women who have always inhabited Avalon, Marion Zimmer Bradley's Sword of Avalon expands the legendary saga that has enchanted millions of readers over the years and is sure to please Bradley's loyal readership and anyone who loves wonderfully told stories of history, myth, and fantasy.

A boy raised in secret after traitors kill his parents will return to Avalon-and when he does, he'll be faced with a formidable task: to prove his worth as a son of the kings and priestesses of his land and lead his followers to victory, wielding the newly-forged sword Excalibur.