Friday, August 20, 2010

Dark Moon of Avalon-Anna Elliot

Dark Moon of Avalon
Anna Elliot
Touchstone (Simon and Schuster), Sep 14 2010, $16.00
ISBN: 9781416589907

With the support of brutal Saxon warriors, perfidious Lord Marche sits on the throne of Britain. The usurped highly intelligent High Queen Isolde fears her kingdom is doomed unless she acts immediately, but needs strong allies as any other action would prove lethally rash.

High Queen Isolde still depends on her intrepid friend Trystan for protection from Marche’s myriad of assassins. A healer she turns to the smaller kingdoms and the Saxon King Cerdic as an ally though Isolde has doubts he will unite with her as he may have already accepted the usurper as a done deal. With Trystan at her side, Isolde searches for the elusive monarch. On the treacherous trek, she learns of the ordeal her companion faced when they were separated. Isolde hopes they can one day pledge their lives without worrying who is creeping up behind them with a knife.

The second Trystan and Isolde Arthurian saga (see Twilight of Avalon) is an entertaining tale starring two fascinating lead characters whose love for one another is put on hold as they focus on lining up allies to save their people from an abusive false ruler. Enchanting as Anna Elliot builds from the original legend, fans will enjoy the medieval political intrigue although romance readers might want the heroic duet to end their personal sacrifices and instead expedite their love for one another. This is a wonderful compassionate thriller in which the protagonists dodge an abomination and his odious horde.

Harriet Klausner

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