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Queen of Camelot
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Manufacturer: Del Rey
Average Customer Rating: Average rating of 4.5/5Average rating of 4.5/5Average rating of 4.5/5Average rating of 4.5/5Average rating of 4.5/5

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Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN: 9780345445872
ISBN: 0345445872
Label: Del Rey
Manufacturer: Del Rey
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 640
Publication Date: 2002-01-02
Publisher: Del Rey
Release Date: 2002-01-02
Studio: Del Rey

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Editorial Reviews:

“Guinevere comes alive–a strong, resourceful, and compassionate woman, accessible to modern folk . . . McKenzie makes a quantum leap in defining the character of Guinevere as a real, flesh-and-blood woman. The Arthur-Guinevere-Lancelot triangle comes alive as well–believable, poignant, and bearing the seeds of tragedy.”
–KATHERINE KURTZ

On the night of Guinevere’s birth, a wise woman declares a prophecy of doom for the child: She will be gwenhwyfar, the white shadow, destined to betray her king, and be herself betrayed. Years pass, and Guinevere becomes a great beauty, riding free across Northern Wales on her beloved horse. She is entranced by the tales of the valorous Arthur, a courageous warrior who seems to Guinevere no mere man, but a legend. Then she finds herself betrothed to that same famous king, a hero who commands her willing devotion. Just as his knights and all his subjects, she falls under Arthur’s spell.

At the side of King Arthur, Guinevere reigns strong and true. Yet she soon learns how the dark prophecy will reveal itself. She is unable to conceive. Arthur’s only true heir is Mordred, offspring of a cursed encounter with the witch Morgause. Now Guinevere must make a fateful choice: She decides to raise Mordred, teaching him to be a ruler and to honor Camelot. She will love him like a mother. Mordred will be her greatest joy–and the key to her ultimate downfall.

Return to a time of legend–the days of Guinevere and Arthur and the glory that was to become Camelot




Spotlight customer reviews:

Customer Rating: Average rating of 2/5Average rating of 2/5Average rating of 2/5Average rating of 2/5Average rating of 2/5
Summary: Good Story, Nauseating Speech, Weak Heroine
Comment: Good story. This is the first time I have ever read such a detailed version of the Arthur and Camelot legend. He and his knights and Gwen seem as tho they really existed in the telling of this tale... BUT the speech is nauseating. If I have to read the words "honor...love..my lord" one more time, I may have to throw it aside. Something else I am beyond tired of, seems that Gwen has ADD or something.. Always has the tremors. On every page, she is trembling with joy, lust, passion, fear.. awful lot of trembling going on. Getting old. I would also like to add, she is a very weak female in this telling. She is apparently an angel as she is queen of not only Camelot, but also of turning the other cheek. She excells at letting others walk all over almost as much as she does at trembling.

Customer Rating: Average rating of 3/5Average rating of 3/5Average rating of 3/5Average rating of 3/5Average rating of 3/5
Summary: Mixed, but enjoyable
Comment: I had misgivings about this book, but overall, by the end I really really enjoyed it. At times I skipped whole chapters and didn't miss much, but the parts I read in depth were well told for the most. As has been said, the dialogue is...scary at times and the beginning drags but I liked it.

The book has a striking resemblance to "The Wicked Day" by Mart Stewart, which is one of my favorite arthurian retellings. From the whole Morgause murder to Arthur choosing a new puppy and naming it Cabal after his old dog, this book is basically a rewrite of Stewart's, which in turn took a lot of pointers from "Once and Future King". But, some new things are added, which keep it new, but I was disappointed in Mekenzie's lack of imagination especially on those point, even though she does say int he introduction that she was influenced by Stewart (to say the least).

My chief complaint is that Guinevere's actions do not match the other characters' supposed admiration of her. She's praised for being strong and beautiful, but every other page she's crying for some ridiculous reason and Arthur is telling her "you're so great, everyone loves you," or "I could never live without you, you make me a better man.." and of course, it always ends with him getting laid. Pretty predictable after a few chapters of the same crap.

BUT that aside, Mordred is pretty well played out, the intrigues with Morgause and Morgan are very interesting, and the Elaine subplot is well tied in. It's a nice read if you like Arthuriana, but if you're just looking for a well-rounded, nicely-developed book, then this probably isn't it.

Customer Rating: Average rating of 5/5Average rating of 5/5Average rating of 5/5Average rating of 5/5Average rating of 5/5
Summary: Fairy Tale Beautiful
Comment: I confess to having had some misgivings about reading yet another version of the Arthurian legend. After reading the very wonderful Mists of Avalon years ago, I wondered why I should bother reading another woman's view of the same tale. This one answered that question, as it is an excellent retelling in its own right. Told in the first person by Guinevere herself, although the details of the plot are standard, the writing is beautiful, the episodes move quickly, the depictions of the characters are quite human and believable and, best of all, the love triangle is beautifully and compassionately depicted. There is nothing sordid or salacious in the love affair between the Queen and Lancelot, and King Arthur is clearly drawn as the lynch pin and central focus of all the action. The writing is restrained, yet lovely, and McKenzie avoids lapsing into flowery rapturous descriptions of passionate clinches and like cliches. Plus, there is enough "action and suspense" apart from the primary interaction between the main characters to keep the reader entertained. Never hysterical; always credible; very enjoyable.

I am a "hard grader" but this one deserves an A - - the full 5 stars.

Customer Rating: Average rating of 3/5Average rating of 3/5Average rating of 3/5Average rating of 3/5Average rating of 3/5
Summary: Weeping and trembling aside, a good read
Comment: Nancy McKenzie has created a masterpiece. Her lengthy research into a romantic historic era has definitely paid off.

So why only 3 stars? Partly because there isn't a "half" star available or it would have been 3 1/2.

Mainly I was annoyed by the many, many, many references to our heroine's compulsive trembling and tears. What is she? A valiant girl grown to womanhood or a chihuahua? This book could easily have been 50 pages shorted without all the retelling of Gwen's weaknesses and childlike attributes.

All that said, this is a masterful read. I LOVE the author's interpretation of the characters and their relationships! She showed even Arthur as a wonderful human being, demi-god, proud leader, and tender father. He has warts, but the legend shines through.

It is also nice to see Guinevere as someone other than a slutty wench. Compassionate, passionate, tender, intelligent, naive and occasionally care-free.(though that last one tends to land her in terrible straits...)

Great cast of characters, particularly the Orkney boys. I can easily visualize the rowdy, dirty, rough bunch of scamps....and then there is Mordred...

Some folks here say they will definitely read the Grail Prince, the continuation of Galahad's story. But the author protrayed Lancelot's son as such a single-minded freaked-out JERK that I cannot get excited enough to buy the book.

All in all, a good read. Too long for its overall content, but well done!

Customer Rating: Average rating of 5/5Average rating of 5/5Average rating of 5/5Average rating of 5/5Average rating of 5/5
Summary: absolutely wondrful!!
Comment: ok this is my mom's amazon account but watever i had to get this book for summer reading and my friend who doesnt read like at all absolutely loved it so i knew i had to read it being a great lover of books! this book is the most amazing book ever! the characters are portayed sooooo well and it really feels like you're in those times and places!!!! i really couldnt put it down even once and i dont have any complaints about it and i've also read the grail prince which is the sequel to this book and if u liked this book and want to know what happens after it and even though it's mostly about galahad it's an AWESOME book too and you do find out what happens after the queen of camelot and SO much more


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