Customer Reviews
Marion's Legacy - By: , 28 Dec 2001 
Thís fourth "Avalon" novel tells the life story of Eilan, a Priestess of Avalon, who becomes the wife/concubine of the Roman soldier Constantius Chlorus & mother of the legendary Emperor Constantine the Great, who later will be worshipped as a Christian saint. Known as Helena to the Romans, Eilan has to leave the isle of Avalon, because she wants to follow her heart. Her way leads her to Roman Germania, Rome & eventually the Holy Land. But her true home is elsewhere. Bradley's novel is a careful reimagination of a historical character that sometimes captures the reader with its atmospheric descriptions & lush storytelling. Written from Helena's first person point-of-view, Bradley adds another chapter to her popular series of pre-Arthurian historicals. Most of the time it is an entertaining read, but really too much happens off-stage or is simple recountedin dry sentences. Helena's story would have had the potential to rival THE MISTS OF AVALON, & it would have demanded a truly epic treatment. There are far too many time jumps & too much is left out. I think this novel could easily have been twice as long. Overall, this is a good book for MZB/Avalon fans, but not for people who have yet to encounter the magic of Marion Zimmer Bradley. And although Bradley diedin 1999, there will be yet another novelin this series linking her Atlantis novel THE FALL OF ATLANTIS with her Avalon books...
More addictive reading from the Queen of Avalon! - By: , 29 Nov 2000 
Let's get is straight - if you've read the other Marion Zimmer Bradley booksin the Avalon series, & you're dying for a "fix", you won't be disappointed with this one. Published posthumously with the collaboration of Diane Paxson, the story of Eilan is a well-written tale with a timeline that interweaves seamlessly with "Lady of Avalon", & shares many of the same characters.
For the first timein the Avalon series, life outside Britannia is explored, as Eilan becomes "Helena" & takes her placein Roman society alongside her husband, Constantius. The descriptions of faraway places are evocative & the reader is aided by a series of maps & translated place-namesin the introduction to the book.
There were only two small issues which struck me initially; firstly that the book is writtenin the first person, while no others of the Avalon series are written this way, & secondly, thatin a very early part of the book there are a couple of spelling & "continuity" errors. However, these are small things & will probably be ironed outin later editions.
I would highly recommend this book to Marion Zimmer Bradley fans, & congratulate Diane Paxson on her contribution to the work. I have read & re-read the other Avalon books until they werein tatters, & it seems I am destined to do the same with this one!!!
