She has a way of making such an obscure period of the past come to life, that you half expect to be there when you put the book down. Her descriptions of the ancient monuments and the rites associated with them will take your breath away. But then again, I’m a sucker for all things mythological, and that is where Reedman truly excels. Honestly, I haven’t been this captivated by a book since The Mists of Avalon. I especially appreciated her inclusion of the Green Knight and his beheading game and the hunting of the boar T’orc, neither of which I’ve seen touched by authors in quite some time. The only place where I felt it fell a little short was in Mordred’s conception, which reminded me of other versions I have read, but with a gothic chill that the others lack. Throughout the book, Reedman gifts us with truly creative takes on classic Arthurian legend, including the dragons under the tower, Merlin’s relationship with Nin-Aeifa (Nimue), the nature and purpose of Afallan (Avalon), the Sword in the Stone, the finding of Excalibur (called here Caladvolc), and more. Once the young king is born, his story comes to the forefront. It begins with the story of the boy who would become Merlin, how he escaped the clutches of Vhortiern (Vortigern), and grew to guide U’thyr (Uther), Arthur’s father. If you want the short version: 4.5 stars.ĭespite its title, this book isn’t only Arthur’s tale. Ask anyone who had to listen to me rave while reading it. Given that I can be a bit of a tough sell when it comes to anything Arthurian, I was happily surprised by how much I liked the book. This unusual concept, combined with her interview and excerpts posted online, were enough to convince me to buy her book. At the time, I knew very little about the book, other than it was Arthurian legend set in the Bronze Age. Reedman about her new debut novel, Stone Lord. Happy Holidays to all, no matter what you celebrate.Ībout a month ago, I was fortunate to interview author J.P. In 2013, new posts will be published on Mondays, starting January 7. Blog note: This is the last post of this year.

Moon Lord by J.P. Reedman