Queen of The Summer Stars by Persia Woolley Review

Queen of the Summer Stars

ISBN: 9781402246401

Published: May 2011
Sourcebooks

"In a country still reeling from the collapse of the Roman Empire, the young King Arthur and his wife Guinevere struggle to keep the barbarians at bay even as they establish the Fellowship of the Round Table. The spirited and outspoken Guinevere skillfully combats an accusation of planning to poison Arthur in a country simmering with unrest and scandal. But Guinevere’s greatest battles are dangers Arthur cannot see—ones she’ll have to fight on her own. And all the while, she must reconcile her thirst for freedom with her duties as queen, and her growing love for Lancelot with her loyalty to her husband. Vibrantly human and touchingly real, Guinevere reigns as a woman poised to discover the true peril and promise of the human heart."

 More about Persia Woolley from Sourcebooks:

"As an only child born during the Depression, telling myself stories became my chief form of entertainment. In college I chose to study Architecture rather than English, however, and it wasn't until I was in my 30s that I began to make my living with words, first in public relations, then as a critic and reviewer, a TV writer, producer and interviewer. Was also a print journalist before settling into writing books. I am what's called a 'euhemerist'--a person who believes that legends begin with real people doing something in real time which then gets embroidered through generations of retelling into iconic form. Approaching legends this way gives me a chance to indulge my love of research, human nature, word-smithing and creative play. Happily, my readers seem to enjoy the results."
My Thoughts:
 
Queen of the Summer Stars is the second novel in the Guinevere Trilogy by author Persia Woolley. The story is told in the voice of Guinevere and takes place during her marriage to King Arthur, in the summer of her life. The reader is swept along in castle life, pagents, magic and of course battles that are what this legend is all about. We meet Lancelot, one of King Arthurs most trusted knights. Other characters are Morgan Le Fey, half sister to Arthur, and Morgause who is full sister of Arthur. The Celtic tribes of Britain in this time frame were a very diverse people, each fighting to gain control of Britain. Even though Camelot and the Knights of the Round Table is supposedly just legend, Persia Woolley writes her version of this tale with humor, romance and credibility that makes the reader want more. This second novel in the trilogy is a must read for the history and fantasy buff. I look forward to the third,The Legend in Autumn. I received this book from Sourcebooks and was not monetarily compensated for my review.