Guenevere, Queen of the Summer Country

This book was a pure delight to read. It was given to me as a gift and I had not read many Arthurian novels before, but I was immediately swept up in the human drama and the gorgeous setting. Rosalind Miles manages to tell a story in a way that's cinematic and vividly detailed, without losing sight of the emotions and humanity of her characters (she also succeeds at making people from past ages seem as immediate and human as those who live today). I would definitely recommend this for any reader who loves stories of strong women and their lives, and not just fans of historical fiction--it's just that good.

I've always been a huge fan of Arthurian legend, so I was tickled to pick up Guenevere: Queen of the Summer Country. The first in a trilogy, this books follows Guenevere from her reign as Queen of the Summer Country, through her marriage to Arthur, wars, childbirth, and finally her affair with Lancelot. I expected this book to be another regurgitation of the same old legend, but there were some very interesting twists. I found the characters to be very three dimensional and interesting and came to deeply care for, or despise, all of them. I also enjoyed the fact that the story comes from Guenevere's point of view. I found her to be a strong character, but alas, a little frustrating (as in most Arthurian legend). I look forward to reading the rest of the trilogy and anticipate more twists and turns.

Rosalind Miles has a wonderful, lyrical writing style that breathes new life into an old legend that's been told over and over again. Her characters, particularly Guenevere, are bold, adventurous and not at all cliched. I fell completely in love with Guenevere, who is a strong, sexy woman who lives the same heartache as many of us. I'm glad that Rosalind Miles finally rescued this wonderful character from the bad rap she's gotten in so many other tellings of the Arthurian legend. I will definitely read the other books in the trilogy!

I was a little leary of reading this book - the reviews did not sound all that great. I am fascinated and passionate about the Arthurian legend and have read various wonderful fictional series as well as non-fictional accounts of the "real" Arthur and the characters associated with him. What has always seemed to fascinate me the most was the "religion" of the legends - primarily the "Great Mother" Goddess worship - the female rule - and it's real relationship to the introduction of Christianity in religious history. It is fascinating to me that this is in fact a very real part of Christian history and heritage - and it was portrayed in this book in a potent manner despite it's simplicity.This was basically a very simple book to read - but this in no way distracted me from loving it. It very passionately portrayed Gwenevere as the queen she was revered as. I did not understand the various reviews which described her as cold and unfeeling. She was the ruling queen of her people - she was a strong woman - sensual and bold in her own right - capable of the greatest love and compassion. Love is the tragedy of her story. I loved her character. I loved her spirit. I loved her story in this book. It is true that this book adds no new "twists" to the old legend - the same characters appear (though not always in the same roles) fighting in the same battles - in their hearts as well as their battlegrounds - but for those who read a story such as this because of a love of the romance, chivalry, magic and mystery of the legend it will not be a disappointment. The re-telling of this story through Genevere's eyes and heart was simply a good "twist". It has the same aura (though not quite) of the incomparable Mists of Avalon - a high compliment coming from me! I look forward to reading the sequels.

The premature death of the warrior Queen Maire, The Queen of the Summer Country, leaves her daughter, Guenevere, with a matriarchial kingdom shadowed by the advent of the influences of Christianity and a patriachal society. When Arthur, the newly proclaimed king, comes to Guenever's aid, they proclaim their love and devotion to one another. With their union all the Arthurian characters come alive. Merlin, Morgan, and Mordred, who weave magic and evil, all play a significant role in the downfall of Arthur as a righteous and omnipotent king, but Rosalind Miles fosters the human frailities and strengths in all her characters. Guenevere; Queen of the Summer Country is a novel that keeps one captivated with a fresh interpretation of the King Arthur legend. Spell-binding and intriguing, the novel is narrated by Guenevere, who is not merely a victim of fate, but a warrior and an equal match for the powerful and charismatic Arthur. Ms. Miles does not strip away the magic of the legend of Arthur, but she infuses a common element of humanity in her characters. A must read for anyone who has an interest in the King Arthur Legend.