Blackmantle

I really enjoyed this book. Yes it has Patricia and Jim (Morrison) story woven in to it, but it also has hints of Eurydice and Orpheus against the world of Keltia the author has created through several books. It is an epic saga worth reading full of beautiful descriptions of characters and settings, proving the writer is at the top of her game. You'll be swept up by it, (even if you haven't read her other keltaid novels--which are great too) and you won't forget it.

While it is true that Patricia Kennealy Morrison's Blackmantle is not in the same league as the Aeron or Arthur series, it's not "supposed" to be. I found PKM's "Celts in outer space" story to be a charming love story, never mind that you can read her own history into it and yes, play anagrams with many of the names. I find the previous reader comments peckish and with an underlying tone of personal grudge. Hmmm, wonder why they sound alike... Well, anyway, I found that, as usual, PKM's command of Celtic culture and language made reading Blackmantle that much more enjoyable. She's truly in a class of her own.

The Keltiad, Patricia Kennealy-Morrison's series about a space faring Celtic people decended from the Atlanteans takes another step back in their history, and toward the Immram from Earth. She skillfully blends Celtic lore and legend into a fresh and creative blend with its own character and ambiance. As in her other works, strong female characters abound. This story focuses on the rise of an orphaned girl raised with no knowledge of her family or connection to the royal house of Brendan, to become first warrior and then queen. The most stirring part of the novel, however, is the quest of Athyn for her lost love Morric. A true hero tale, Athyn must decend into the underworld and contest for the return of her love to the world of the living. In so doing, she works mighty changes on the worlds of the Kelts, the final results of which are yet to be seen in Ms. Kennealy-Morrison's masterful series.

In Keltia even the common folk have nobility and never was that more apparent than in the tale of Athyn, the horse girl who rose to be High Queen of the land. Blackmantle is her story and the story of her legendary love for her lord, Morric. As always, Patricia Kennealy-Morrison's Celtic love of language shines through. Her use of the rhythms and cadences of the written word are part of what make Keltia the beguiling world it is. If you have even a drop of Celtic blood you will settle into the world of Keltia like a child snuggling into a favorite daydream. In a departure from her retelling of some of the old tales of Arthur in her last trilogy, with Blackmantle, Kennealy-Morrison gives us a more personal tale, and a love story that will appeal to even those who usually take a pass on the fantasy novel. But those who like their fantasy well blended with adventure will be well pleased also; Athyn's campaign to drive the usurping Firvolgi from the land is filled with battle and heroics. And f

Patricia Kennealy-Morrison just keeps getting better and better. This book contains some of her best writing to date -- the story is well-told, the language is superb, the characters intriguing. As a longtime reader and admirer of The Keltiad, I am happy to say this is a welcome addition to the series indeed!