I always get nervous whenever a writer decides to tackle the
Arthurian legend. There are some truly classic works on
Arthur, and any modern writer is treading in the shadows of
giants. You just can't beat Thomas Malory Le Morte
D'Arthur or T.H. White The Sword in the Stone.
The rare few manage to come up with a refreshing take, Mary
Stewart The Crystal Cave and Stephen Lawhead The
Pendragon Cycle, but most authors just aren't up to the
task. (And I won't even talk about some recent movies.)
After more than my fair share of overwrought,
self-important, and just-plain-awful takes on Arthur, I was
not looking forward to reading Mercedes Lackey's,
GWENHWYFAR. In the interests of critical review, I overcame
my trepidation, and was quite pleasantly surprised to find
that GWENHWYFAR is actually pretty darn good.
Lackey's tale is centered around, not surprisingly,
Gwenhwyfar (Guinevere), the daughter of one of Arthur's
kings. It follows her as she grows up in her father's
household, becomes a skilled warrior and scout, and as she
becomes wrapped up in Arthur's fall as his last queen.
Rather than choose between one version of the tale versus
another, Lackey essentially chooses that they are all true
and runs with them. For most of the book, it's not really
about Arthur at all, with the grand scope of the legend
serving as incidental background to the story of
Gwenhwyfar's education and exploits in the field. Her
education as a soldier is well described, as are her
exploits in the field. And Lackey does a great job
capturing the clash of cultures of the Romans and Celts that
took place in (allegedly) Arthurian times. She even mixes
in some fae lore and magic to the story, making for an
enjoyable, earthy story of a woman making her way in
medieval time. Lackey also (mostly) avoids that
all-too-common trap of portraying an idyllic, egalitarian
society that was wonderful for everybody, until the
Christians show up and ruin everything.
I do have a few complaints. The story is at its best when
it's not about Arthur, and for most the story, it isn't.
It's when Gwenhwyfar becomes involved in the story proper
that it becomes a lot less enjoyable. Rather than flowing
naturally into the legend, it almost feels hammered into
place, with the author shoving the character's around to
make it fit. Also, I don't speak Gaelic or Welsh. I know
enough to know that Gwenhwyfar is pronounced roughly like
Guinevere, but I don't know how to pronounce Cnwclad, Annwn
or Yniswitrin. Some help would have gone a long way.
That being said, it's still quite good. Surprisingly so. I
am reminded of why I have enjoyed reading Mercedes Lackey in
the past, and a refreshing take on Arthur. The trouble is,
now I want to go back and read Stewart and White all over
again.
Gwenhwyfar moves in a world where gods walk among their
pagan worshipers, where nebulous visions warn of future
perils, and where there are two paths for a woman: the path
of the Blessing or the rarer path of the Warrior. Gwenhwyfar
chooses the latter, giving up the power that she is born
into. Yet the daughter of a King is never truly free to
follow her own calling. Acting as the "son" her father never
had, when called upon to serve another purpose by the Ladies
of the Well, she bows to circumstances to become Arthur's
queen-only to find herself facing temptation and treachery,
intrigue, love and redemption.
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