The
Camelot Novels - Reader's
Guide
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When
Arthur's long-lost half-sisters, princesses torn from their
mother and their ancestral right by Arthur's brutal and
unscrupulous father, arrive at court, chaos is unleashed in the
form of Morgan le Fay, whose black enchantments destroy
everything Guenevere holds dear, and threaten to separate the
King and Queen forever.
At the center of the story is always Guenevere, proud and
powerful, yet vulnerable to the longings of her heart. When the young French
prince, Lancelot of the Lake, enters the scene, an otherworldly
passion is ignited in Guenevere's heart, and they each must
contend with the painful reality that they cannot fulfill their
love without shattering the code of chivalry and the man they
both love with all their hearts: Arthur. Yet Arthur is not
without demons: a bleak shadow falls across Camelot and across
the sacred Isle of Avalon as he allows Roman priests to encroach
on the kingdom, bringing with them a violent new religion that
threatens to destroy the ancient ways of the Mother. And even in
the sanctity of the court, all is not well, as betrayals,
jealousies and ancient blood feuds fester. The half-mad Druid,
Merlin, plots furiously to ensure the supremacy of the Pendragon
line at any cost; Morgan and Arthur's incestuous progeny,
Mordred, menaces the increasingly fragile peace; and the
assembly of the famous Round Table of knights stands vulnerable
to Morgan's dark designs and to the irresistible power of the
forbidden love shared by Guenevere and Lancelot.
As the final, brilliant cycle of the Arthurian
legend spins out, the Quest for the Grail and the fall of
Camelot bring Guenevere to the brink of utter tragedy, where she
ultimately may complete her destiny as the greatest Queen of the
Isles, and find at last her heart's content.
Book One: Guenevere,
Queen of the Summer Country
Book Two: The
Knight of the Sacred Lake
Book Three: The
Child of the Holy Grail
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Guenevere, last in a line of proud queens
elected to rule the fertile lands of the West, true owner of the
legendary Round Table, and guardian of the Great Goddess
herself, is a woman whose story has never been told.
Long relegated to a passive role on the arm of King Arthur,
Guenevere finally springs to life in this lavish retelling of
one of the richest and most enduring epic tales of Western
culture: the Arthurian legend. Rosalind Miles's bold, magical
interpretation re-creates the stirring pageant of love, war,
heartbreak, jealousy, revenge, and desire from Guenevere's
perspective, capturing as never before her formidable power as a
queen, and her full blooded passion as a woman.
Rich in
historical detail, the Guenevere Trilogy draws us into the inner
life of a courageous and beautiful heroine, torn between the
fires of her own heart and her devotion to her husband and her
people. This guide is designed to help direct your reading, or
that of your discussion group, of Rosalind Miles's new
perspective on a woman you only thought you knew.
ABOUT THE BOOKS
When Guenevere, young Queen of the Summer Country,
marries Arthur, King of the Middle Kingdom and heir to the
Pendragon dynasty, their union creates the largest and most
powerful kingdom ever known in the Isles.
Yet their golden era of political harmony and courtly love is
not destined to last; a gathering darkness forebodes the evil
and revenge that will plague Arthur and Guenevere's reign.
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