Book Review: Le Morte D'Avalon

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Le Morte D'Avalon     Amazon US HC Amazon Canada HC
J. Robert King
Class/Genre:   Fantasy   Magic
Series: Arthurian Legends ( J. Robert King) # 3
Tor, Sept 2003, $25.95, 464 pp.

Her age of innocence lasted until she was eight years old. It was then her mother caught King Uther’s eye and her father, Duke Gorlois went to war with him. In a vision Morgan sees his death but she finds her father in her mother’s bed the next day. Only she can see that it isn’t her father at all but Uther, wearing a magical illusion to fool the duchess. A child is born of that woman and Morgan’s mother marries Uther and gives birth to Arthur, the once and future king.

After Uther dies, the queen makes an alliance with King Mark, making Tintagel a part of his kingdom. Sick of being under the yoke of men, Morgan leaves her home. She learns to travel the ley lines and work the earth magic of the goddess Gaea. She becomes a queen in her own right, always plotting to destroy Arthur and his kingdom of Camelot because like all men he seeks to oppress women while she seeks to liberate them.

Only a talented storyteller like J. Robert can make a woman like Morgan Le Fey sympathetic and understandable. The world of Camelot is touched by magic and Guinevere and Lancelot are creatures of fey while the worshippers of Gaea grow in numbers until they are actually a viable threat to the Christian religion. LE MORTE D’AVALON is a fresh and colorful interpretation of the Arthurian mythos reading like a ballad sung by troubadours of yesteryear.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner