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Marion Zimmer Bradley
From Diana Paxson:
Marion Zimmer Bradley was one of the first female science fiction authors to
become established in the field. She could always be depended on for a
well-plotted story, with characters about whom the reader could really care.
Beyond that, she had a gift for expressing what people needed to hear at
just the right time, which is no doubt why MISTS OF AVALON continues to be a
best-seller world-wide. In MISTS,she re-visioned the Arthurian legend from
the female perspective and presented the old religion of the Goddess in a
new and compelling form.
Other writers have tackled the Arthurian story (including my own book, THE
HALLOWED ISLE). Marion's contribution to the mythos was the mist-veiled
isle of Avalon and its magical tradition. To fully explore that tradition
more books were needed. Since childhood Marion had loved the opera NORMA, a
story of a Roman officer and a Druid priestess, and wanted to make it into a
novel. In THE FOREST HOUSE, she used this story to explain the early
history of Avalon. Marion was my sister-in-law as well as my mentor. I had
held her hand through the writing of MISTS, and because of my background in
history and pagan religion, she asked me to work with her in writing FOREST
HOUSE and LADY OF AVALON, which further explored the Mysteries of Avalon.
In PRIESTESS OF AVALON, we wanted to deal more fully with the relationship
between the mythic Avalon and the world of history. We had originally
intended to make the story of Helena the middle section of LADY OF AVALON,
but quickly realised there was far too much story for the space available.
Helena, who was not only an intriguing figure from British legend but a
historical figure from one of the most pivotal periods in European history--
the triumph of Christianity-- needed a book of her own.
Marion died when PRIESTES OF AVALON was half completed. As I continued with
the writing, I realized that the story of Helena, who moved between the
worlds of Avalon and Rome, could also be used to say something about Marion,
who was at the same time one of the most influential writers of the
neo-pagan revival and (at the time of her death) a member of the Episcopal
Church. Marion believed in a Truth beyond creeds.
--Diana Paxson
Books:
Priestess of Avalon
Mists of Avalon
Author's Homepage:
N/A
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