fascinating and
complex version of the
arthur legends that really is a piece of
genius.
this piece very skillfully smoothes over and clarifies questions and some inconsistancies from typical legend, like "why in the *world* would morgan sleep with her *half brother*?" and "what *was* going on with lancelot and guenevere?".
The book's strength is in its deep deep character development and interaction. The people seem *real*, alive. And it's impossible, this way, to find a "bad guy". Traditional lore paints morgan as *evil* and wicked. Here, she and arthur and every other major player are simply shown as *human* and mortal each with their own set of morals and values and weaknesses and aspirations and desires and ambitions. No one's "wrong" or "devil-spawn" or "wicked". Just human. and thus prone to human confusion and human flaw.
the difference in the frame of reference is beatuifully done in this work. It paints the dichotomy between christianity and paganism and the old ways that actaully *was* growing in the time that arthur may have ruled. It is the difference in religion and perspective that causes so so many of the complex issues that are not explained elsewhere. this interplay is complex and elaborate and really quite beautifully crafted. it lets you see the situation from an entirely different set of eyes.
the book is also quite accurate in representing various representations of priestess, celtic, pagan, and magickal ways.
very much a fine piece of art and of storytelling and of intricacy