Sunday, October 21, 2012

The Road to Avalon by Joan Wolf


About the Book:

Shimmering with pageantry, emotion, and the court's passionate intrigues, here is the epic story of Arthur--the conqueror, the once and future king who vanquished the Saxons and loved but one woman, the beautiful Morgan of Avalon. She was the lover his country forbade him to wed but could never keep him from desiring. Held captive by deep feelings, the two dream of one future together...until fate sweeps them into a world where love is balanced on the knife's edge of danger. Never before has the telling of the story of Arthur made the drama of this charismatic king more real or more moving. Here a legend and a tale so vigorous with heroic deed and conflict, so glowing with wondrous love, are brought close enough for us to experience all the unforgettable emotions of Avalon...and all the magical moments of Camelot.

My thoughts:

The Road to Avalon is a beautifully written version of the legendary Arthur and his journey from boyhood to king. It is a tale of love and loss, courage, sacrifice, and secrets .....heartbreaking at times as the young man Arthur struggles with his deep love for a woman he can never have and the weight of his destiny.

"Be the king you were born to be...."

Loved this book -- a true gem from the past!  Joan Wolf is an author that I'll be searching for in used book sales as some of her books are out of print. I recently reviewed Born of the Sun, another enjoyable love story within a rich historical context.  Highly recommend!

I also have Helen Hollick's Pendragon series on my TBR shelf, so I'll be interested in reading another interpretation of the Arthurian legend.

  5/5 stars

Title: The Road to Avalon
Author: Joan Wolf
1988
New American Library
422 pages
genre: historical fiction

13 comments:

Misfit said...

I loved this so much I turned right around and read it all over again. Stayed up all night to do it.

Aarti said...

I think I had this book on my wish list for a very long time but could never find it anywhere and eventually gave up on trying to find it. But now I shall renew my pledge!

Melissa @ Confessions of an Avid Reader said...

I will definitely have to see if I can get my hands on a copy of this one. I love Arthurian tales, although I admit to not having read many of them.

Thanks for the review.

Melissa @ Confessions of an Avid Reader said...

I just checked and it's available for Kindle! It appears several of her books are, including Born of the Sun. I'm looking forward to giving Joan Wolf's books a try.

Joanne said...

Misfit -- I hear ya!

Aarti -- See Melissa's note below if you have a kindle!

Melissa -- Hope you enjoy them, and I'm glad there are a few available for kindle. I've heard her Regency era books aren't as good as The Dark Britain trilogy. Wish there were more in this series available by her.

Kimberlee said...

Hi, nice to meet you. I am one of your newest members to your blog and I noticed that we share a love of historical fiction. I will be keeping up with your blog and hope you will join me at mine:

girllostinabook.blogspot.com

Hope to see you there. Happy reading.
Kimberlee

Joanne said...

Kimberlee -- Welcome to my book blog! I have visited your beautiful blog and am now a follower. Looking forward to sharing thoughts on great books!

Diana said...

Hi, Joanne! Love your site - I'm your newest follower. :) It's been a while since I've read an Arthurian tale. It's good to know this one is available on Kindle.

Joanne said...

Diana -- thank you and welcome! I will be sure to visit your blog!

Daphne said...

I really liked Wolf's Born of the Sun and The Edge of Light. I haven't read this one yet but am looking forward to it at some point. Glad to hear you enjoyed it!

Staci said...

I love Arthur tales and had never heard of this one until reading your review.

Joanne said...

Daphne and Staci - Have a few hankies ready! It's a good one!

city said...

thanks for sharing...

Favorite Period Dramas

Mount TBR

Joanne's to-read book montage

On a Highland Shore
A Light on the Veranda
Entwined
The Queen's Vow: A Novel Of Isabella Of Castile
The Edwardians
Maisie Dobbs
Howards End
Lady's Maid
Instruments Of Darkness
When Maidens Mourn
Where Shadows Dance
What Remains of Heaven
Where Serpents Sleep
Why Mermaids Sing
When Gods Die
Shadowfever
Before Ever After
The Sugar Queen
Garden Spells
After the Night


Joanne's favorite books »
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