It has been foretold:In the hour of Britain’s greatest need, King Arthur will return to rescue his people.In Portugal, the reprobate King Edward the Ninth has died by his own hand.In England, the British monarchy teeters on the edge of total destruction. And in the Scottish Highlands, a mystical emissary named Mr. Embries—better known as “Merlin”—informs a young captain that he is next in line to … as “Merlin”—informs a young captain that he is next in line to the throne. For James Arthur Stuart is not the commoner he has always believed himself to be—he is Arthur, the legendary King of Summer, reborn. But the road to England’s salvation is dangerous, with powerful enemies waiting in ambush. For Arthur is not the only one who has returned from the mists of legend. And Merlin’s magic is not the only sorcery that has survived the centuries.
AVALON
“A rousing postscript to Lawhead’s bardic Pendragon Cycle . . . Playing off snappy contemporary derring-do against the powerful shining glimpses of the historical Arthur he created, Lawhead pulls off a genuinely moving parable of good and evil.”—Publishers Weekly
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I serendipitously found a new-to-me used book store in Kansas City when I visited my daughter for the weekend in August. And lo and behold! A book about Avalon that I had never heard of appeared on the shelf! I’m a sucker for any Arthurian-based plot, so I snatched this one up.
The Arthur legends always end w/ the promise that King Arthur is out there, waiting to return when Britain needed him most. This is the premise of “Avalon” by Stephen Lawhead.
James Arthur Stewart works as gillie on the estate of the Duke of Morven, as his father had before him. He’s at loose ends, sort of marking time after his service in the Army. He has his friends and an off-again girlfriend, Jennifer. Returning home on a chilly night after meeting friends at a pub, he espies a light on a hillside and goes to investigate it. He finds a bonfire – and a very strangely-dressed man – whose cloak looks like it is made from raven feathers. The strange man, M. Embries, hands him a card w/ a London address and tells him to call him. And then… disappears?
James’ strange encounter on a hillside in Scotland occurs as all of Britain is in an uproar, as the dissolute, useless last monarch of Britain has just died from a gunshot wound to the head in his home-away-from-home in Portugal. A series of referenda spearheaded by the ambitious Prime Minister has ended every perquisite of the monarchy, save the final one: the removal of the monarch himself. That final referendum is scheduled for a few months later, but the king helpfully offed himself, and the next several score of royals have all abdicated their rights to the throne. The PM’s triumph is nearly complete; he can almost hear the crowds cheering as he gets elected president of Britain…
…and then Capt. Stuart decides to telephone M. Embries after all. Stuart and his best bud, Cal, head to London to meet w/ M. Embries – what DOES that “M” stand for? – and hear a fantastical tale about Capt. Stuart’s actual identity and therefore, his new destiny. But will he actually achieve his destiny? Or will the PM and the evil forces against James thwart him – or even kill him? And what’s up w/ all the earthquakes in the southwest of Britain?
This book has it all: Stuart’s “flashbacks” to an earlier time – MUCH earlier time – under Embries’ gentle guidance toward Stuart’s destiny; action-packed, tense scenes; and enemies both seen and unseen, especially Embries’ nemesis, known as Moira in present-day London. If you remember your legends, you know who she really is.
My only quibble w/ the story is that James, Cal, and Jenny feel like Marvel Superheroes in some of the action scenes in the book. In particular, James can defend himself against attacking pit bulls, numerous skinheads, and murderous women. The lack of police presence feels unrealistic. But this was a passing irritation at best.
All the reviews I read on Amazon state that you have to read the first five books to really understand this one. I think all one really needs is an acquaintance w/ the legend of King Arthur. I thoroughly enjoyed ancient characters living modern lives, and surviving modern problems, in this novel. Yes, I would have been happy if James had found Excalibur, but I guess I can’t have everything! Five stars for a delicious book hangover. I have already ordered the first two books in the series!
I’ve read everything written by Stephen Lawhead. He is my favorite author. This series is one of my favorites. Wonderful and imaginative telling of the Arthurian legend/storyline. This last book is set in the modern era and was an interesting twist.