CompleteMartialArts.com - Isolde, Queen of the Western Isle (Tristan and Isolde Novels, Book 1)
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List Price: $14.95
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Manufacturer: Three Rivers Press
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Average Customer Rating:   
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Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 823.914
EAN: 9781400047864
ISBN: 1400047862
Label: Three Rivers Press
Manufacturer: Three Rivers Press
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 368
Publication Date: 2003-06-24
Publisher: Three Rivers Press
Release Date: 2003-06-24
Studio: Three Rivers Press
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Editorial Reviews:
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In the golden time of Arthur and Guenevere, the Island of the West shines like an emerald in the sea—one of the last strongholds of Goddess-worship and Mother-right. Isolde is the only daughter and heiress of Ireland’s great ruling queen, a lady as passionate in battle as she is in love. La Belle Isolde, like her mother, is famed for her beauty, but she is a healer instead of a warrior, “of all surgeons, the best among the isles.” A natural peacemaker, Isolde is struggling to save Ireland from a war waged by her dangerously reckless mother. The Queen is influenced by her lover, Sir Marhaus, who urges her to invade neighboring Cornwall and claim it for her own, a foolhardy move Isolde is determined to prevent. But she is unable to stop them. King Mark of Cornwall sends forth his own champion to do battle with the Irish—Sir Tristan of Lyonesse—a young, untested knight with a mysterious past. A member of the Round Table, Tristan has returned to the land of his birth after many years in exile, only to face Ireland’s fiercest champion in combat. When he lies victorious but near death on the field of battle, Tristan knows that his only hope of survival lies to the West. He must be taken to Ireland to be healed, but he must go in disguise—for if the Queen finds out who killed her beloved, he will follow Marhaus into the spirit world. His men smuggle him into the Queen’s fort at Dubh Lein, and beg the princess to save him.
From this first meeting of star-crossed lovers, an epic story unfolds. Isolde’s skill and beauty impress Tristan’s uncle, King Mark of Cornwall, and—knowing nothing of her love for Tristan—he decides to make her his queen, a match her mother encourages as a way to bind their lands under one rule. Tristan and Isolde find themselves caught in the crosscurrents of fate, as Isolde is forced to marry a man she does not love. Taking pity on her daughter, the Queen gives her an elixir that will create in her a passion for King Mark and ensure that their love will last until death. But on the voyage to Ireland, Tristan and Isolde drink the love potion by accident, sealing their already perilous love forever.
So begins the first book of the Tristan and Isolde trilogy, another stunning example of the storyteller’s craft from Rosalind Miles, author of the beloved and bestselling Guenevere trilogy.
From the Hardcover edition.
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: isolde, queen of the western isle
Comment: This book, while heavily researched & rich with characters, just didn't live up to my expectations. I do appreciate the fact that Miles obviously researched this topic, & I loved the fact that she gave me a picture of pagan Ireland, but the characters of Tristan & Isolde seem to get lost in the mix. Instead of keeping the focus on these two, the chapters dance back & forth between many characters that should be marginal. Judging by the number of pages that Merlin, Arthur, Gawain, & several others warrant, I'm not sure that this book should be titled "Isolde. . . . "
Personally, I would have enjoyed a first person narration (by Isolde) in this instance. I think that I would have felt more connected with her & her story. I would only recommend this book to someone already interested in & familiar with the Tristan & Isolde tale.
Customer Rating:
Summary: If forced to choose between this book & a visit to the gynecologist -- head for the stirrups.
Comment: Here's the thing -- I wanted to learn the story of Isolde and that is why I picked up this book in the first place. I have read one other Miles book (I, Elizabeth) and that wasn't very impressive but I thought I'd give Isolde a try. It was painful! Miles chronically uses flamboyant and overstated language which just feels silly. Her characters are very poorly developed. Also, the author has a strange habit of often not setting up scenes which is resultingly jolting -- leaves the reader thinking, 'Wait! Where the heck did that come from?' After reading this book, I couldn't decide if I was more annoyed with the author for writing like this or with her editors for publishing such weak, unskilled writing.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Horrible!
Comment: This is the first Rosalind Miles book I have read, and I am not moved to read another. The language was so very hokey that it was painful to read at times. The book was filled with dull characters, cliche descriptions, and overly dramatic scenes like a B movie script. I was very disappointed.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Rosalind Miles gets carried away by the magic of her own writings
Comment: Rosalind Miles is a gifted writer. Her retelling of this famous story of Tristan and Isolde is full of magic, lyrical language, poetic descriptions of nature, places and events, but at times, too sweet. Too much magic, I think, can disorient even the most skilled writers.
This book is the first of a series, and in my experience, I find that often times a writer has enough material to write just one book, and somehow they stretch it into two or three more books. I think that accounts for much of the excessive use of exuberant and effusive language, and the lack of substance.
I agree with some other readers about her uncharacteristic superficial characters, but I think the focus here in the story, not the characters, which are described in full detail. They don't do much, other than support the story's plot.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed this book just as I enjoyed "I, Elizabeth," a novel/biography that is still one of my all time favorites.
Customer Rating:
Summary: A satisfying romance
Comment: I am such a sap for romance; I thrive on the trembling kiss, the declaration of undying love. If you, like I, enjoy reading of a love that will endure all obstacles and come out triumphant in the end, this is the book for you. Granted, there are definite flaws in the writing. Somehow, Tristan is able to be able to sail to Ireland to be healed by the beautiful Isolde, spend an unknown amount of time riding horses and falling in love with her, return to his uncle Mark's castle in Cornwall, ramble on about the perfect Isolde to his uncle, accidentally swear to win Isolde's hand for his uncle, return to Ireland to propose this union between Isolde and Mark, and return to Cornwall with Isolde in tow--all in the time it takes Kind Arthur's knights to roam the country side in search of a gypsy woman. Either the honorable Knights of the Roundtable move uncommonly slow or Tristan's ship sails impossibly fast. Yes, as I said, this book does hold some flaws such as the aforementioned error in time judgement. Yet, it is in fact a wonderful story about an unconquerable love. Enjoy!
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