This is a very good book. It's just not by MZB. So it doesn't really belong in the series. ( )

Marion Zimmer Bradley's Sword of Avalon by Diana L. Paxson is the tale of how the Sword from the Stars(Excalibur) was first created long before it ever came into the hands of King Arthur, and the life and ordeals of the man destined to wield the sword as he unites the tribes of ancient Britain against an evil warlord. This story takes place about a thousand years after Ancestors of Avalon and two of the characters are specified as being reincarnations of characters from the previous book, though it is indicated that they had reincarnated multiple times in the intervening years. It's not necessary to read The Fall of Atlantis and Ancestors of Avalon before reading this book, but it will help in understanding the history of these characters.

While I did enjoy reading this book, it was unfortunately not as good as Ancestors of Avalon and I only rated it three stars. It was slow paced like the previous two books that I had read, but in this case the slow paced bits were rather tedious and at times I wasn't sure what they added to the story. After reading The Fall of Atlantis and Ancestors of Avalon I had this strong craving to read more and I just didn't get that feeling with the Sword of Avalon. It's really a shame because the story idea is an excellent one and could have been done so much better. I would still recommend this book to fans of the series, but just don't expect it to be quite as good as the previous books mentioned. ( )

Quite enjoyable but not to be compared with 'Mists' or 'Atlantis' ( )

I do enjoy visiting the world of the Avalon novels, but Mists is still far and away my favorite. I was intrigued by the Bronze Age tribal cultures and way of life described, and enjoyed the descriptions of Avalonian magic and visits from the gods. I found this book engaging, and stayed up late one night compelled to finish it. On the other hand, I wasn't in love with any of the characters and found the plot a little too predictable. Parts of it read like not much more than a romance novel. Although you have to admit the line, "she welcomed him to her fire" is a good euphemism. ( )

Paxson envisions here the circumstances of the creation of the sword, Excalibur, which will later come into play in the King Arthur legends. Based on archaeological evidence of technology, she sets the time period in the latter part of the Bronze Age / into the beginning of the Iron Age when iron smithing was a technological possibility.

The tribes of the British Isles are descending into war with each other as the climate is increasingly hostile and food becomes scarce. What is needed, believes Anderle, the current Lady of Avalon, is a King to lead the tribes back into unity. She believes this to be the destiny of the infant Mikantor, who she rescues from the fiery destruction of his tribe by that of a marauding band of renegades.

She does what she can to keep his existence hidden, but ultimately, the boy's enemies realize that he is living. When he is finally captured, his life is spared when his captors sell him into slavery instead of killing them as they have been ordered to do.

Mikantor then spends some years in the Mediterranean, as the slave, and then companion and friend of Velantos, the smith of the soon to fall City-State of Tiryns. Mikantor learns the art of weaponry, and together with Velantos, who has had a vision that he is to forge a sword to be wielded by a mighty king, returns to the British Isles to take up his destiny.

Paxson's character development does not live up to that of Zimmer Bradley's, and the episodic, plot-driven story ultimately falls short of expectations, providing a quick read that doesn't have a lasting impact. ( )