Phyllis Ann Karr, the author of the excellent "Idylls of the Queen," provides the Arthuriana fan with a well-structured and intelligent encyclopedia, going from earliest myths and legends to the later, polished versions that we usually encounter first.

She covers places and names, characters and events in the assorted legends, in informative but not overdone entries. Several different interpretations of, for example, Morgan le Fay are covered in her entry, coming from the assorted sources. Gaps in information are usually acknowledged by the author, and she provides the reader with speculation as to origins and meanings.

The body of information is mind-bogglingly enormous; I can only speculate how long it took Karr to get it all whipped into a neat, well-written book of only six hundred pages. Her writing is often made lengthy simply by the enormous amount of material to be compressed. In addition, she often says, "I think" or "I found," which oddly is not irritating, but rather creates the feeling that the reader is simply listening to a learned scholar speak out loud. It feels very thorough, filling out every character's background and experiences -- yes, even the insignificant ones.

Like all Green Knight Press books I've purchased, this book has nice sturdy paper, clean text and a strong binding; like most of their books, it also has a great cover.

Any fan of Arthurian lore or fiction must read this book, for the sake of insight into characters large and small in books that you read.

Having been enamoured of the legends of King Arthur ever since the day I first saw Camelot in a tenth-grade English class, I always keep an eye open for good books on the Matter of Britain. I was therefore delighted to discover The Arthurian Companion by Phyllis Ann Karr. Though this book is not an exhaustive study of Arthurian legend, it is a wonderful resource for anyone interested in the tales of Camelot-a sort of desk reference to the who's who and what's what of Arthur's world, as it is portrayed by Malory and others.

The Arthurian Companion is the result of Karr's research in the original sources of the legends of King Arthur, including Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur, the romances of Chrétien de Troyes, and the French Vulgate Version of the Arthurian Romances. The majority of the book consists of over a thousand encyclopedic entries. All of the major and most of the minor characters mentioned in the sources are discussed, with references to where they appear in the texts. Places, from Camelot to Karadigan, and objects such as the Grail can also be found among the entries. Karr's summaries of each item are concise but nicely detailed, giving a well-rounded idea of the importance of the character, place, or object in the body of legend.

Besides the encyclopedic entries, the book includes some useful and interesting appendices. Many of these are essays on the cultural backdrop of the legends: "Arthurian Classes and Roles," "Holding Court," "Knighthood and Knight-errantry," or "Relations between Knights and Ladies," to name a few. Others are of a statistical nature: "A Tentative Chronology of Arthur's Reign," a list of all the known "Knights of the Round Table," "Time and Dates." There is even a map of Britain with speculated locations for many of the places mentioned in the legends. There is also a listing of the book divisions of Le Morte d'Arthur, with a one-line summary of the contents of each book. Within the encyclopedia portion of The Arthurian Companion, the entries for many of the knights include an illustration of that knight's coat of arms, taken from a medieval manuscript.

It would probably not be, by itself, the best introduction to the Matter of Britain for a reader unfamiliar with all things Arthurian. However, The Arthurian Companion makes an excellent resource for anyone who knows a little about Arthur and wishes to know more. Classes studying Malory or Chrétien will find it an invaluable aid for keeping all the names straight, as would anyone reading Arthurian works for their personal enjoyment. Writers making use of the Arthurian legends in their work can also benefit from the book's thorough and well-organized information. In short, I would heartily recommend it to anyone who takes an interest in the stories of King Arthur.

I have always been interested in the legend of King Arthur and have read many books on the subject. After reading this book, I believe that Phyllis Ann Karr has produced the definitive source for the legend. Whether her entries are on specific people, weapons, or ancient artifacts, they are detailed enough to provide a wealth enough information that any true fan would enjoy. I highly recommend this book.

*Idylls of the Queen* is so much more than a good murder mystery. It is a good murder mystery, but unlike an ordinary mystery, you can reread it, even knowing whodunit, without any of the fun being spoiled. The mystery is sort of a backdrop to the real show--which is yet another new take on the personalities of Arthurian legend, and a different look at chivalric ideals.

The narrator is the oft-maligned Sir Kay, the grouchy but well-meaning seneschal of Arthur's court. He's not a bad guy. He *is* a sarcastic curmudgeon, but that's because he's seen so many self-serving buffoons win glory and adulation while his own hard work goes unnoticed. He is also secretly in love with the Queen. Kay shares an uneasy friendship with a wonderfully written, morbid, fatalistic, and somehow sympathetic Sir Mordred. Together they set out to clear Guenevere's name of the murder charges, meeting fascinating characters right and left. Morgan and Iblis are especially engaging, and Karr puts some deep words into their mouths. Morgan's defense of her mixed Christian and pagan ways cuts right to the heart of things, and Iblis's observation that justice is different for women than for men, is shocking just because it is so true of the times.

If you're an Arthurian buff, read this book. It's a quick read, and a great way to spend a lazy afternoon or two.

"Idylls of the Queen" satisfies on many levels. One: it's a unique look at the world of Arthur's Camelot through the eyes of the much miligned Sir Kay. Two: It's a terrific murder mystery with red herrings and surprises. Three: It's a great fantasy, containing magic and otherworldly spells blended in a unique way.

If you're looking for something different, be it fantasy or mystery, I recommend "Idylls of the Queen" you won't be disappointed!

Phyllis Ann Karr has done all Arthurian fans a big favor by writing this book. "The Idylls of the Queen" is basically a murder mystery set in Camelot, with all the familiar knights and ladies as suspects when Sir Patrise is inexplicably murdered at a small dinner hosted by Queen Guenevere. Sir Mador accuses the Queen of the murder, and a race against time ensues to discover the truth. The usual knightly quest becomes a hunt for the killer--whoever that may be. Along the way Karr treats us to some very unique interpretations of the Arthurian cast, including Sir Gareth, Sir Bors, Sir Gawaine (more like the title character of "Sir Gawaine and the Green Knight") Morgan le Fay, and Sir Lancelot himself. Told in the first person by Sir Kay, King Arthur's foster brother and seneschal, usually noted by other writers solely for his comedic boorishness or ignored entirely, the novel clearly demonstrates that there is a lot more to Kay than he's usually given credit for--as was the case in the earliest Arthurain legends, where the sarcastic boor of later years is replaced by a loyal, courtly knight. Karr's version of Kay is still a fountainhead of caustic wit, but even so he's likeable and clearly indispensible to the well-being of Camelot.

A fast, suspenseful novel that should stand up to multiple readings, "The Idylls of the Queen" is an ingenious work that should please all fans of Arthurian literature.

I first encountered the characters Frostflower and the swordlady Thorn in Marion Zimmer Bradley's first Sword and Sorceress anthology -- FROSTFLOWER AND THORN introduces the duo and their world, where the peaceful sorcerons are despised by the general populace. The two title characters are polar opposites, thrown together by chance meeting, and kept together by their growing friendship through the dangers of the Tanglelands, the scheming of the Farmer-Priests, and the suspicions of the world-at-large. Frostflower is the peaceful sorceress, who wouldn't dream of harming anyone -- for to do so would be to lose her sorceress powers! And Thorn is the tough, gritty warrior who wouldn't think twice to run someone through, especially when her life is on the line! This is a very entertaining read, in a world that's very different from what one normally finds in today's fantasy novels.

Wow, I was floored by this book. It is not your standard fantasy romp. The system of magic is unique and very interesting. Character development is thorough. The action is intense. A great read.

"Lady Susan" by Jane Austen is an epistolary novel comprising only letters among the characters. Lady Susan is a vile woman who is flirting her way through England after the death of her husband. She comes early in the short book to stay with her late husband's brother's family. Her sister-in-law, Catherine Vernon, shares horrified letters with her mother about Lady Susan's designs on her brother, Reginald de Courcy. She is also horrified by Lady Susan's treatment of her daughter with the late Lord Vernon, Frederica.

The novel isn't quite as rewarding as Austen's other works that I've read ("Pride and Prejudice," "Emma," "Persuasion," "Sense and Sensibility") in that the ending isn't as compelling and is a little predictable. The letter format of the book is charming, but difficult to read aloud, as we did. I found the characters more one-sided than Austen normally writes them. But I enjoyed reading it, and am looking forward to someday reading the last two, "Mansfield Park," and "Northanger Abbey."

Jane Austen loves scandal and Lady Susan is one of the best. In the first few pages we are introduced to a mother who flirts with a spoken-for man to detach him from his engagement so he'll be available to marry her daughter, all the while having her eye on a married man. Also featuring a hostile sister-in-law, a clueless brother, and an equally mischievous confidante named Alicia, the whole short novel is full of scheming, match-making, and more of Austen's usual forte, delicious gossip. 4 stars because the format of the novel, 40 letters and a conclusion, is confusing at times and makes keeping all the characters straight a challenge. Definitely rereadable, and lots of fun.

Jane Austen is known for six complete novels, each one a masterpiece. This Penguin Classics compilation features one novel unpublished in her lifetime and two unfinished fragments. This book is proof that even an incomplete Austen is better than no Austen at all.

"Lady Susan" is an epistolary novel whose eponymous anti-heroine, unlike the women featured in Austen's other works, is bad to the bone. When the book opens, Lady Susan, a stunningly beautiful widow in her upper thirties, has just been sent packing from the home of a family she had spent some months with, having been discovered carrying on a flagrant affair with the husband of the family, right under his wife's nose. She takes refuge with her kind-hearted brother and his sensible wife, who sees through Lady Susan from the day she enters the house and can't wait to see her leave. Also in the home are Lady Susan's teenage daughter, who has been expelled from boarding school after attempting to run away so that she won't be forced into marrying the rich, fatuous nobleman her mother has picked out for her; and the younger brother of Lady Susan's sister-in-law, who has heard intimations about Lady Susan's unsavory reputation; in retaliation for his initial disdain, Lady Susan sets out to captivate him and succeeds so well that she has him on the brink of proposing marriage to her, despite the fact that he is 12 years younger than she is, much to the alarm of his family. It looks as though he is about to fall into her clutches, when a chance meeting between him and the wife of Lady Susan's lover blows all Lady Susan's machinations, as well as her reputation, to smithereens. Lady Susan, to save what is left of her honor, ends up marrying the rich, fatuous nobleman she intended for her daughter; Jane Austen slyly hints that Lady Susan and her married lover will continue their affair under the noses of both their spouses. The book's ending is in a narrative style that appears simply tacked on, as if Austen got tired of both the story and the epistolary style she wrote it in; but on the whole, it's an enjoyable read, interesting mostly because it is so different in style and content from the books we're familiar with.

"The Watsons" is a delight from beginning to middle; I can't say "end" because, unfortunately, Austen never finished it. It's very much in the style of her six major works. Emma Watson is the youngest child of a large family and has been raised by her rich aunt since early childhood; she is thrown back on her impoverished family when her aunt makes an ill-advised second marriage. She is thus reintroduced at the age of 19 to her terminally ill father, two brothers and three unmarried sisters. Emma is a refreshingly original heroine very much in the style of Elizabeth Bennet; she's bright, astute, spirited, perceptive, down to earth, and unimpressed with mere good looks and money. She has no problem rejecting the town casanova who thinks he's all that and a bag of chips; nor is she especially impressed by the young lord of the manor who is infatuated with her. A footnote to the story says that Jane Austen told her sister how the book was to end; we could have guessed it even without the footnote, but it's a great story and would surely have been included in her major works if only she had lived to complete it.

"Sanditon" is probably the best known of Austen's unpublished works; it's also a fragment of a novel, very different in content from her finished works. Austen excels in writing about manners and morals; "Sanditon" is more about social commentary, and somehow, it doesn't work as well. The characters in "Sanditon" are not as interesting or compelling as the people in her other works; they are not nearly as well drawn; they're more like sketches or caricatures than three-dimensional persons. It's difficult to tell how she would have ended the book, and there's not really enough interest to the plot to make us want to know. "Sanditon" is the weakest of the three stories in this volume, but "The Watsons" and "Lady Susan" more than make up for its defects. One can see in these two works the development of a great writer.

The sequel to FROSTFLOWER AND THORN, opens with a young sorcerer, Windbourne, locked up for murder! Because of her friendship with the sorceress Frostflower, the warrior woman Thorn knows that there's no way a sorceron could commit such a crime, for to commit violence upon another living being causes the sorcerers to lose their power! She takes it upon herself to spring him from the clink and, with the help of Frostflower, the trio set out to clear Windbourne's name. Their new companion, however, is rather sanctimonious and repressed, so when he's not preaching or being holier-than-thou, he's agonising over the dirty dreams he keeps having! Once again, Thorn outlaws herself for another blasted sorceron, and once again, the two friends set out for adventure in the Tanglelands!

This book is the first by Phyllis Ann Karr, that I have read. The cover (inspired by Renaissance painting, perhaps) is intriguing, but has relatively little to do with the story, apart from the beginning.

The story itself has its moments but is barely credible. Perola, the heroine, wants to revenge herself on a handsome peer for having seduced her older sister. This sister died before Perola was born, so Perola never knew her. Perola discovered the existence of the sister, and an illegitimate nephew raised by a cottager's widow, only when her father (a merchant) had died. Her nephew has had some education, and has learned to resent his father who abandoned his mother and never recognized him. So far, not bad.

The problem is what comes next. It is not just that the peer - the hero - never knew of the existence of his son, and that he had tried to marry Perola's sister when he came of age (their elopement being intercepted by both fathers). It is that Perola and her nephew's foster-mother (the cottager's wife) have the manners and education to be able to mix with gentry and the nobility. Well, I can believe that the daughter of a wealthy merchant might have the proper manners and the right accent, but that a cottager's wife could pass for a gentlewoman boggles my mind. So does the method by which Perola obtains her introduction to the hero - she pretends to be the daughter of a corporal whose life had been saved by a retired army officer who just happened to be the neighbor of the hero. A corporal, for your information, is counted as an enlisted man - one of the rank-and-file who usually came from the lower classes. Even allowing for the Major's delight in learning of this supposed rescue (that he cannot remember) it is hard to imagine that he would accept the daughter of an enlisted man as a gentlewoman and have her move amidst gentry.

And of course, Perola manages to attract the hero's attention in an unique way, and pretends not to know her own nephew (when he catches the eye of the hero's ward and prospective fiancee).

The nephew is quite something too. He fineagles his way into a romance with the ward, who proposes him as a secretary to her guardian based simply on the fact that he can read and write. And the nephew then barges his way into the hero's house (something of a crime, given that he assaults the footman when refused entry), and somehow convinces the peer to give him a job - as a librarian - when his qualifications are virtually non-existent.

Of course, Perola's "secret" conversations with her nephew are eventually noticed, and her duplicity comes to light. It turns out that the hero was guilty of no villainy, and that he did not know his old love (Perola's late sister) had given birth to a child. The hero forgives Perola quite easily, while her nephew has a slightly more difficult time with his love, the offended ward (who considers marrying one of two peers visiting the family).

This story had some potential, and a very decent hero. The romance of the younger couple was less credible, as was the hero's reaction to their romance (what were the younger couple planning to live upon?). The heroine got off very lightly given her duplicity, her sole alarm coming when her nephew disappears into a seedy part of London.

My recommendation? This is a light read, not one to read if you want any degree of credibility. It does touch upon a serious issue - the position of the illegitimate children of the aristocracy and gentry - but Arthur wins fortune and bride all too easily. This is not a good read if you want authenticity in manners and customs (not to mention social stratification), or if you want really deep thinking from your protagonists. There is little or no comedy (unless you count the rival peers vying for the ward's hand and attentions).

Rating = 1.8