Saturday, April 9, 2011

Review - The Circle Cast by Alex Epstein

The Lost Years of Morgan Le Fay

TITLE:   The Circle Cast
AUTHOR:    Alex Epstein
INFO:    Paperback, Fiction, 300 pages
PUBLISHED:   Tradewind Books, 2010
SOURCE:   Received from Author for Review

FROM GOODREADS:  
  How did an exiled girl become the most powerful witch in legend?

Britain, 480 AD. Saxon barbarians are invading, pushing the civilized British out of their own island. Morgan is the daughter of the governor of Cornwall. But when her father is murdered and her mother taken as the King's new wife, she has to flee to Ireland to avoid being murdered herself.

But Ireland is no refuge. She's captured in a slave raid and sold to a village witch. As Morgan comes of age, she discovers her own immense magical powers. She falls in love with a young Irish chieftain, and makes him powerful.

But will her drive for revenge destroy her one chance for love and happiness?

MY TAKE:    I am drawn to any story about the Arthurian legends or characters.  There are so many variations and theories about these figures from history and legend that I think they will always be of interest me and others.  I was impressed to read that one of the author's inspirations was T.H. White's "Once and Future King".  It was one of my favorites as well.

Morgan Le Fey has always been one of the more mysterious players in the drama and mists surrounding Arthur.  Alex Epstein has created a fascinating tale that starts with Anna as a young girl just before the murder of her father Gorlois.  We are taken on the journey with Anna, now renamed Morgan, as she is sent to Ireland in exile.  We are with Anna as she survives slavery and other hardships along the way.  Her discovery of love, magic and religion are critical to the powerful woman she becomes.

It is interesting that the author has created a girl/woman that you find yourself rooting for and hoping for her success.  Especially if you're familiar with the main threads of the legends and know what a pivotal and disastrous part she plays in King Arthur's life.

This is a great addition to the many King Arthur stories ~ although he doesn't play a part in this early story until the end.  I definitely recommend it to those who enjoy a good adventure story as well as new takes on old legends.

Out of 5 JEWELS, I give it:

WHERE TO BUY IT:    Amazon and The Book Depository


Image and video hosting by TinyPic
 

~~~~~ Disclaimer:  All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.  I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links.  I may receive books in  order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one.  Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.

0 comments:

Post a Comment

Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us. Feel free to tell us what you think. (Please note that we have comment moderation turned on so we'll never miss a message from one of our readers.)