I wasn't sure about this book in the beginning but I am so glad I kept reading after I understood who all the tribes were and figured out how the time era was related to Avalon.Personally I thought the story wasn't focused around Avalon itself as in being in the location upon Tor. This story is more wrapped in Romes Conquest of Britannia and the rebellion by Queen Boudica.This was my first time to read anything about Queen Boudica and I have to say I loved her as a hero even though her last war was lost. She is a legend for her fierceness and leadership in fighting to win back the rights and freedoms, and most importantly the lands that belonged to her people.This time period kind of reminds me of the times we live in only not as barberic as they lived back then but close enough since we now kill with technology and weapons more powerful than swords and spears. What I mean when I say it reminds me of the times we live in is how other countries that hunger for more power. How socialism played a rolled when Rome started taking over Britannia when they first started selling the finer things in life such as jewerly, wine, and different lugeries that the tribes never even thought of When as season changed, the land not producing enough food to feed the tribes own people through the winters - Rome was nice enough to lend the supplies to get them through the tough times with a contract stating they could pay them back with taxes and over time their debts would be paid - thats up until that got greedy and wanted all the monies to be paid in full for what the tribes owed.Well Power and Greed takes over and the Romans know that these tribes can't pay their debts so they take their rights away such as taking all their weapons away so they can't fight them and then they start taking their live stock away, their children and wives away to sell off as slaves in Roman villages, and most important they started taking the land away because the other things became not valueable enough to pay the debt.All I can say is all this reminded me of how things are today and how history is repeating itself as socialism is being forced upon us.Back to the book, the story of Boudica was excelent and my favorite part is on pages 289 to 293. In short, Boudica's husband has died and by her husbands wishes in his will, Boudica is to serve as queen until their daughters are old enough to marry and serve as rulers but Rome doesn't rule with women and the soldiers / tax collectors come to take what is theirs. One soldier inparticular has always had his eye on Boudica but she has always refused him because she loved her husband but he is tired of being rejected and comes to take his revenge but Boudica is stronger than he thinks.Page 290-291 after Boudica and the soldier Pollio scuffels "Take her!" Pollio rolled free of his smoldering cloak, still curled in agony. "Get me out of here!"More men pushed through the door. These were soldiers, not tax collectors. The ones who dragged Boudica out into the yard had muscles like rope and hands of iron. Others followed, supporting Pollio. His face was the color of whey as he tried to stand."If you don't like my cock I have other weapons," he gasped. "Tie her to that-" He pointed to the fenced forecourt of the Men's House. "Flog her until she bleeds!"Boudica is then tied spread-eagled to the post and her clothes were ripped from the top part of her body and the flogging begins - mean while one of her daughters who is 16 yrs old starts running toward her with a spear in her hands trying to protect her mother but the soldiers make fun of her and knock the spear away .Page 292 "Sir, what shall I do with this lion's cub?" he called"Pull her claws-" raged Pollio, his avid gaze still on Boudica. "The Lioness is chained! Do what you like with the cub - and with her sister - let all the bitches spread their legs for Rome!"Boudica is powerless and can hardly bare what she is witnessing seeing her daughters being thrown to the ground and being raped - she almost loses her mind and begins to beg to the gods to help her - and what do you know, the Raven goddess "Morrigan" answers her call "And with a cry like a battlefield of ravens, the Morrigan came in. She straightened. One by one, She snapped the bonds. Blood splattered from Boudica's ruined back as She turned. Mouths working, men cringed. The soldiers who were holding the girls backed away. The goddess picked up the man who was pumping atop Rigana and threw him aside, broke the one who had Argantilla as well. The others ran.Pollio stumbled back as She turned, his face contorted in a rictus of fear. She reached out and drew him into her embrace."Mercy," he croaked. "Let me go...""As you let them go?" The Morrigan indicated the weeping girls."But I will be kinder than you were-I will not force you to live..."Pollio struggled as she gripped his head and twisted. There was a sharp click. He went limp and she let him fall. "I loved that part because Boudica kicked some ass and showed that men like Pollio are nothing but pigs and a women can take up for themselves if she applies herself and doesn't coward down just because he is a man. To me, she represents strength and independence and most importantly that women are just as equal as a man.There was another part of the story about the Druids Island that was conquered by the Romans eventually and of the priestess dedication though out the book. One main priestess "Lhiannon" who was pretty interesting who went to Avalon for refuge about 4 times during the whole book to perform needed rituals but that was about it when it came to anything to deal with Avalon. Lhiannon does end up becoming the High Priestess in the end but she does not live on Avalon.Over all, the book was interesting.
I'm a big fan of Marion Zimmer Bradley's Avalon series, and approached this book with some optimism. After all, Diana Paxson had directly collaborated with Bradley, and is the authorized writer of Bradley's "universe" since her death. I've read a lot of Irish history, and I give her a lot of credit for her obvious research and attention to detail about Boudica. The integration of the timeline and events into the storyline is well done. However, the book has two main characters: Boudica and the fictional Lhiannon. While there's a great deal of interaction between them, the writing around each seems to have a different "flavor". This is understandable, since one is "real" and one isn't, but Bradley would have overcome that, whereas I don't think that Paxson quite makes it. When writing historical fiction, the history is important, but in the end, it's the fiction, the quality of the story that matters. Others seem to have enjoyed it a lot more than I did; perhaps my view is colored by the amount of history I have read, but I found myself being pulled between the mentality of history being retold, and a story being woven around someone else. On the one hand, I'm interested in what happens to Boudica and am rooting for her; on the other hand, I LIKE Lhiannon so much better as a character. Somehow, the integration of the two didn't work as well for me as I hoped. I found myself overall a bit disappointed. Not enough, however, to deter me from reading another of Paxson's books in the series.
What do You think about Ravens Of Avalon (2007)?
As a prequeal to The Forest House, the reader comes to discover the origins of the Society of Ravens, sons of the Druid priestesses who were raped by Roman invaders. Diana L. Paxson takes up the story not told due to Bradley's death and gives us a story of Lhiannon, a celtic priestess, and Boudica, a Celtic priestess who nearly defeats the Roman army.It has been nearly 10 years since I have read The Forest House, and I felt I was missing out terribly in not being able to remember the details. Connections were not sinking in and things that seemed like they should be terribly important were not clicking for me. It likely did not help that The Forest House was my least favorite of the Avalon books.Ravens of Avalon stirred something in my soul as the Druids called upon the Goddess to help them in their plight. Her presence was overwhelming and beautiful and I was moved in her depiction. Paxson did her great honor. However, in doing so, I felt she did a great diservice to Boudica, in not allowing a woman to successfully lead an army on her own.Ravens of Avalon is a wonderful tale, but because of the two reasons above, I could not give it more than 3 out of 5 stars. This is a must read for those that have completed the rest of the series, but not one to pick up on its own.
—Jacki
This telling of the story of Boudica weaves the warrior queen's life into the mythology of Bradley's Avalon. It's an interesting tale, but the fast pace of the book leaves little room for character development. The characters and their relationships rely heavily archetypes based of Bradley's other works, so if you haven't read Mists of Avalon the lack of the character development in this novel might leave you feeling uninvested in the people or their plight. If you have been a fan of the Avalon series, you'd probably like this novel. It's a good, although not great, story.
—Anna
Hey, I just finished reading Raven's of Avalon by Diana L. Paxson. It's an expansion/back story to Marion Zimmer Bradley's Avalon series ... and wow! I could not put this down. I kept reading very late into the night/early in the am.It's the life of Boudica, the Celtic Queen, from youth through motherhood and on as she transforms into the Red-Warrior Queen of the British tribes. This is a really fabulous piece of storytelling, weaving legend, magick and history. Ms. Paxson's attention to the details of ornament, dress, dwelling and community behaviors is astounding and engages you in every aspect of the tale. There are several powerful, lyrical magickal rites and invocations that I intend to weave into my practice of Witchcraft, with attribute given to Diana Paxson of course!Here's a little taste of one of the magickal rites, Boudica's wedding (verbatim quote - page 112 hardcover)As her mother led Boudica forward, the boys began to sing-"You are the moon among the stars,You are the foam upon the wave,You are the lily among the flowers,You are the spark that starts the flame,You are the beloved."Prasutagos, dressed in a splendid fringed cloak checked in seven colors over a tunic and braes striped in blue and red, emerged from the crowd of men to stand beside her as the maidens who escorted Bodica replied -"You are the sun above the clouds,You are the wave that strikes the shore,You are the oak within the wood,You are the torch that lights the hall,You are the beloved."What a beautiful litany to begin a Handfasting!Ms. Paxson is a practitioner of Asatru and a really marvelous writer, as well as a kind and generous person!Her kindred website is http//www.hrafnar.orgThank you, Diana Paxson!link to my blog: http://wytchwoodwytch.blogspot.com/
—Jte argent
