[Kev]

Закончил читать Трилогию Мэрион Зиммер Брэдли об Авалоне, состояющую из книг
Лесна Обитель
Леди Авалона
Туманы Авалона
Это великолепно! Мои самые любимые книги. Так ярко и так глубоко еще никто не писал фентази произведение, хотя на самом деле назвать это фентази трудно, это серьезная историко-философская работа.

Моя презинтация по книгам (на английском) так как книги я тоже читал на англе, на Русском их попросту нет
The Fabulous Trilogy by Marion Zimmer Bradley transfers us back to the times of the Roman Empire and captures the period of 1000 years of the ancient cult of Goddess. Before writing the books Bradley has spent years studying the history of Britannia and Celtic Mythology. She has managed to create a fancy world which combines magic, history and deep philosophy. The literary talent of the author has allowed building bright characters and landscapes which imprint in one’s mind and definitely can’t leave a person indifferent. M. Z. Bradley died in 1999, but her rich literary heritage continues to live and excite the readers’ minds. What is more, her works could hardly be defined as simply fantasy genre, they carry a lot of serious ideas such as disputes about the policy, about the Christianity and Pagan religion, about the role of women ect. And nowadays her books occupy a decent place in the world’s classics.
The trilogy itself goes back to the times of Atlantis where the ancient wisdom lived. But the island was doomed and its people moved to Britannia bringing all their knowledge with them. Thus, the cult of Goddess appeared in Britannia. Centuries passed and the island was conquered by Roman Empire. Here begins the first book of the Avalon trilogy. The main character is Eilan, the daughter of a Druidic war leader, gifted with visions. In a land struggling to survive both Roman conquerors and her own people’s enemies, she is surely marked by fate to become a priestess of the Forest House. The Forest House was the center of the old religion, which kept traditions and remained the only place which encouraged native British tribes to expel warriors from their territory. Eilan should have blessed her brother who was a leader of generation born from women of Mona (another religious center destroyed by Romans) raped by Roman soldiers. This generation named themselves Ravens. But Eilan has chosen a different, forbidden path – to love Gaius, a soldier of mixed blood among the legions sent to subdue her country. She gave birth to a child destined to defend the shores of Britannia. And so she must hide a terrible secret when she is anointed as the new High Priestess. Meanwhile, Gaius was forced into marriage with Roman girl whom he didn’t love. With mighty enemies headed by her Father poised to usurp the wealth of magic the Forest House shelters, Eilen can only trust in the power of the great Goddess to find her destiny amidst the treacherous labyrinth in which fate has placed her. The Goddess gave her a vision in which her friend and counterpart Caillean settled a new House of Maidens in Summer Country on the island called Avalon. So for that purpose she ordered Caillean to go to Avalon with a few maidens. At same time Gaius having known about his child undertook an attempt to come to Eilen and run with her and his child. But treacherous fanatic Druid, Eilen’s father faggoted them, and as well as the Forest House. But the child survived and Cailean a priestess fated to become Lady of Avalon, who rescues and raises the orphaned Gawen – a heir to a mystic and dangerous royal line.
There began the Avalon saga. It narrated about three High Priesteses starting with Caillean. Here appeared The Fairy Queen, a mysterious immortal creature who played a very important role in the formation of Avalon as the spiritual heart of Britain. Fairy Queen came to Caillean and asked her to teach her half-human daughter Sianna in order for the letter to be ready for the priestess initiation. Gawen fell in love with Sianna and during the Beltane fires they made love and he was The Sacred King and she was his Goddess. Caillean also met a historical character Joseph of Arimathea who entrusted het the cup of Holy Grail which he has taken from the Last Supper. Futher Joseph was able to see real sense of belief in every religion, that was why he was so fond of Caillean. Joseph of Arimathea was a founder of the monastery Inis Witrin and when he died his fanatic followers blinded with hatred tired to destroy the Holy Tor the sacred stone where the energy poured out of the Earth. Gawen defended it at the cost of his own life. Avalon was no longer in safety and The Fairy Queen offered Caillean to cut the isle off the human world and cover it with heavy mists that only trained priestesses could dispel.

Time passed Romans and British became one nation, but Britannia still had a lot of enemies Saxons in the East, Picts in the North and Irish in the West. One generation of High Priestesses changed to another. And what had taken place during the times of Caillean now became a legend as well as her name.
Dierna who ruled Avalon now was seeking ways to strengthen British boundaries and sow the wisdom of Avalon in the royal court. For that purpose she used Tilery whom she forced into marriage with Marcus Aurelius Musaeus Carasius – Admiral of the Britannic fleet and self-proclaimed Emperor of Britannia. Carasius made a treaty with Saxons so the Wolfs were fed while they were guarding the shores of Britannia. But Telery who one day escaped the death from the hand of Saxons came to hate him. She betrayed him. At the same time Dierna understood that she loved Carasius, but they could not be happy because Carasius is doomed to be murdered by the hand of Allectus. After Carasius’s death Tilery married Allectus. So Dierna cursed Allectus and dismissed herself from the Human world business finding rest in Avalon. Avalon became home for Tilery too, who finally rejoined with Dierna and got the position of the High Priestess.
And finally Viviane, Lady of the Lake and keeper of the Grail, destined for true greatness as she prepared Avalon for the coming of legendary king. When Viviane came to Avalon, by the call of her mother, who was the High Priestess, she learned how to follow the word of Goddess and neglect her own feelings. Britannia was again invaded by Saxons, and Druids anointed Viviane as the keeper of the Grail. She managed to expel the enemy using the magic of the Holy Cup. Ana also decided to renew the Avalon influence on the British policy, she made Viviane to marry Vortimer, whom Viviane found the Sacred King and desperately fall in love with. But Vortimer died after the battle with Saxons as well as his child. Ana, who also was pregnant also departed during the child delivery. So Viviane also became the High Priestess.
The book is ended by speech of the Fairy Queen, as the remind that humankind is mortal and only spirit could live forever. Every time it is re-born it undergoes transformation and reaches to perfection. Every spirit is fated to come to this life again and again as season changing and life-circle itself.