The Raven Warrior
Alice Borchardt
Del Rey – Random House New York
Reviewed by Gail Jamieson, 20 October 2005
Follow up to The Dragon Queen this novel
continues the story of Guinevere, Arthur and Lancelot but still from a
totally different angle than any I've read before.
This book is mostly the story of Lancelot, still called Black Leg who was
Guinevere's childhood companion. He retains the ability, inherited from
his father, to change between man and wolf. He encounters the "Lady of
the Lake" and they embark upon an epic journey of discovery of passion
and knowledge so that by the end of the book he feels that he is worthy of
Guinevere who he hopes will become his lifemate.
Guinevere has taken the power offered by the Dragon Throne and she comes to
understand that she must launch a pre-emptive attack on the Saxons to
protect her beloved country from their violent greed. To do this she has to
enlist the help of the spirits of the dead and in a strange roundabout way
she comes to understand herself better.
We see the evil Merlin and the cunning Igraine as well as something of
Arthur and in the end Lancelot and Arthur meet up and then encounter Guinevere
and I wonder how their love triangle will be dealt with in the next book.
Alice Borchardt writes in a lyrical and imaginative way that makes this
unusual work of Arthurian fantasy well worth reading.
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