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Authors: Marion Zimmer Bradley

The Forest House

BOOK: The Forest House
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Praise for the novels of Avalon

The Forest House

The setting evokes a fascinating time of change…. The mythic elements grow to hint satisfactorily at the Arthurian wonder to come…. The stuff of legend.”

—
Locus

"A historical novel with a mythic undertone…distinctive enough to achieve success in its own right [and] likely to appeal to a wide audience.”

—
Chronicle

"A seamless weave of history and myth.”

—
Library Journal

"The sure touch of one at ease in sketching out mystic travels.”

—
Kirkus Reviews

Marion Zimmer Bradley's Ancestors of Avalon

"Magical….[
The Mists of Avalon
] devotees won't feellet down by
Ancestors
…. Provides plenty of pleasurable reading hours.”

—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram

"An elegant stylist, Paxson captures the awe, tragedy, and resounding mystery of ancient Britain and mist-enshrouded Atlantis.”

—
Publishers Weekly

"Paxson fashions an entirely new entry in the Avalon saga…. [Her] storytelling features the requisite veins of mysticism, but, like Bradley, she excels at bringing the vast sweep of imagined history to an accessible level…. A rich and respectful homage that will dazzle readers longing to revisit Bradley's sacred, storied isle.”

—
Booklist

"Once again, Diana L. Paxson has beautifully elaborated on Marion Zimmer Bradley's beloved Avalon saga with this dramatic new installment…. [An] extraordinary journey.”

—SFRevu

"Paxson is an excellent choice as successor to Bradley for this series. Her style and the details of the plot retain the sense of the mysterious past and the feminist awareness that was an underlying theme in the originals.”

—
Chronicle

"Ancestors of Avalon
may be the best of the Avalon tales. The story line stands alone due to the strength of the characterizations…yet also interconnects the myriad plots from the previously published books.”

—
Midwest Book Review

Priestess of Avalon

"The message that all religions call on the same higher power should go over well with fans of
Mists
[
of Avalon
]. Paxson's own skill at bringing historical characters and places to vivid life enriches Helena's story.”

—
Publishers Weekly

"Stunning…this rich and moving novel merits its place beside Bradley's fantasy classic.”

—
Booklist

"A guilty pleasure for history buffs, and a sure hit for the goddess crowd.”

—
Kirkus Reviews

"Bradley creates a powerful tale of magic and faith that enlarges upon pagan and Christian traditions to express a deeper truth.”

—
Library Journal

Lady of Avalon
The National Bestseller

"Combines romance, rich historical detail, magical dazzlements, grand adventure, and feminist sentiments into the kind of novel her fans have been yearning for.”

—
Publishers Weekly
(starred review)

"The prose is as smooth as those sacred stones on which so many interesting things take place.”

—
Kirkus Reviews

"Bradley's women are, as usual, strong and vibrant, but never before has she so effectively depicted the heroic male…. An immensely popular saga.”

—
Booklist

OTHER BOOKS IN THIS SERIES

The Mists of Avalon

Lady of Avalon

Priestess of Avalon

Ancestors of Avalon

MARION ZIMMER BRADLEY
the forest house

ROC
Published by New American Library, a division of
Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street,
New York, New York 10014, USA
Penguin Group (Canada), 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700, Toronto,
Ontario M4P 2Y3, Canada (a division of Pearson Penguin Canada Inc.)
Penguin Books Ltd., 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England
Penguin Ireland, 25 St. Stephen's Green, Dublin 2,
Ireland (a division of Penguin Books Ltd.)
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Australia (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty. Ltd.)
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New Delhi-110 017, India
Penguin Group (NZ), 67 Apollo Drive, Rosedale, North Shore,
Auckland 1311, New Zealand (a division of Pearson New Zealand Ltd.)
Penguin Books (South Africa) (Pty.) Ltd., 24 Sturdee Avenue,
Rosebank, Johannesburg 2196, South Africa

Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices:
80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England

Published by Roc, an imprint of New American Library, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc. Previously published in Viking hardcover and Roc trade paperback editions.

Copyright © Marion Zimmer Bradley, 1993
All rights reserved

ISBN: 978-1-1012-1272-1

REGISTERED TRADEMARK—MARCA REGISTRADA

Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

PUBLISHER'S NOTE
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party Web sites or their content.

For my mother, Evelyn Conklin Zimmer, who
has borne with my working on the book for
most of my adult life

To Diana Paxson, my sister and friend, who anchored
this book firmly in time and space and added Tacitus
to the cast of characters

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Those who are familiar with Bellini's opera
Norma
will recognize the origins of this story. In homage to Bellini, the hymns in chapters five and twenty-two are adapted from the libretto of act I, scene i, and those in chapter thirty from act II, scene ii. The hymns to the moon in chapters seventeen and twenty-four are taken from the
Carmina Gadelica
, a collection of traditional Highland prayers collected in the late nineteenth century by the Reverend Alexander Carmichael.

PEOPLE IN THE STORY

* = historical figure

( )= dead before story begins

 

R
OMANS

Gaius Macellius Severus Siluricus (called Gaius, native name Gawen), a young officer, born of a British mother

Gaius Macellius Severus, senior (called Macellius), father of Gaius, Prefectus Castrorum of the II Adiutrix Legion at Deva, Equestrian rank

(Moruadh, Royal Woman of the Silures, mother of Gaius) Manlius, physician at Deva
Capellus, Macellius's orderly
Philo, Gaius's Greek slave
Valerius, secretary to Macellius
Valeria (later called Senara), half-Briton niece of Valerius

Martius Julius Licinius, Procurator (financial officer) of Britannia

Julia Licinia, his daughter
Charis, her Greek maid
Lydia, nurse to her children

Licinius Corax, the Procurator's cousin in Rome

Marcellus Clodius Malleus, senator, Gaius's patron

Lucius Domitius Brutus, Commander of the XX Valeria Victrix Legion after its move to Deva

Father Petros, a Christian hermit

  • * (Gaius Julius Caesar, "the deified Julius,” who began the conquest of Britannia)
  • * (Suetonius Paulinus, Governor of Britain during Boudicca's rebellion)
  • * (Vespasian, Emperor
    AD
    69–79)
  • * (Quintus Petilius Cerealis, Governor of Britain
    AD
    71–4)
  • * (Sextus Julius Frontinus, Governor of Britain
    AD
    74–7)
  • * Gnaeus Julius Agricola, Governor of Britain
    AD
    78–84
  • * Gaius Cornelius Tacitus, his son-in-law and aide, a historian
  • Sallustius Lucullus, Governor of Britain after Agricola
  • * Titus Flavius Vespasianus, Emperor Titus
    AD
    79–81
  • * Titus Flavius Domitianus, Emperor Domitian
    AD
    81–96
  • * Herennius Senecio, a senator
  • * Flavius Clemens, a cousin of Domitian

 

B
RITONS

Bendeigid, a Druid living near Vernemeton

Rheis, a daughter of Ardanos and wife of Bendeigid

Mairi, their eldest daughter, wife of Rhodri

Vran, her young son

Eilan, their middle daughter

Senara, their youngest daughter

Gawen, Eilan's son by Gaius

Cynric, foster son of Bendeigid

Ardanos, Arch-Druid of Britannia

Dieda, his younger daughter

Clotinus Albus (Caradac), a Romanized Briton Gwenna, his daughter

Red Rian, an Irish raider

Hadron, one of the Ravens, father of Valeria (later called Senara)

  • * (Boudicca, "The Killer Queen,” queen of the Iceni, leader of the revolt in
    AD
    61)
  • * (Caractacus, a leader of the rebellion)
  • * (Cartimandua, queen of the Brigantes, who betrayed Caractacus to Rome)
  • * Calgacus, Caledonian chieftain, who led the tribes at Mons Graupius

 

P
EOPLE OF THE
F
OREST
H
OUSE

Lhiannon, Priestess of the Oracle, High Priestess of Vernemeton (the Forest House)
Huw, her bodyguard
(Helve, High Priestess before Lhiannon)

Caillean, a senior priestess assisting Lhiannon
Latis, the herb mistress
Celimon, instructor in ritual

Annis, an old deaf woman who serves Eilan during her pregnancy

Lia, nurse to Eilan's son Gawen

 

D
EITIES

Tanarus, British thunder god, equated with Jupiter

The Horned (or Antlered) One, archetypal god of beasts and woodlands with many local variations

Don, mythic mother of the gods, and by extension, the British people

Cathubodva, Lady of Ravens, a war goddess similar to the Morrigan

Arianhrod, Lady of the Silver Wheel, maiden goddess associated with magic, the sea, and the moon

Ceres, Roman goddess of grain, agriculture

Venus, Roman goddess of love

Mars, Roman war god

Bona Dea, the Good Goddess

Vesta, goddess of the sacred hearthfire of Rome, served by virgins

Mithras, a Persian hero-god worshipped by soldiers

Jupiter, king of the gods

Juno, queen of the gods, his wife, patroness of marriage

Isis, an Egyptian goddess worshipped in Rome as protectress of commerce on the sea

 

P
LACES

Britannia Superior—southern England

Mona—the island of Anglesey

Segontium—a fort near Caernarvon

Vernemeton (most holy grove)—the Forest House

Hill of the Maidens—Maiden Castle, Bickerton

Deva—Chester

Glevum—Gloucester

Viroconium Cornoviiarum—Wroxeter

Venta Silurum—Caerwent

Isca Silurum—Caerleon

Aquae Sulis—Bath

The Tor—Glastonbury

The Summer Country—Somerset

Isca Dumnoniorum—Exeter

Lindum—Lincoln

Londinium—London

 

Britannia Inferior—northern England

Eburacum—York

Luguvalium—Carlisle

 

Caledonia—Scotland

Bodotria estuary—Firth of Forth

Firth of the Tava—River Tay

Sabrina Firth—Solway

Trimontium—Newstead

Pinnata Castra—Inchtuthil

Mons Graupius—location uncertain, perhaps near Inverness

 

Hibernia—Ireland

Temair—Tara

Druim Cliadh—Kildare

 

Germania Inferior—upper western Germany

Colonia Agrippensis—Cologne

the Rhenus—the Rhine

BOOK: The Forest House
3.21Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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