- Paperback: 240 pages
- Publisher: Fitzhenry & Whiteside; 1 edition (Dec 15 2010)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1896580637
- ISBN-13: 978-1896580630
- Product Dimensions: 20.8 x 13.7 x 2 cm
- Shipping Weight: 399 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
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Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
#347,486 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #79 in Books > Children's Books > Literature > Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths > Arthurian
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Product Details |
Product Description
Review
This has the darkness of Celtic magic — not fanciful, period romance — and a poetic terseness that suits its stern, passionate hero. --The Toronto Star, December 4, 2010
Those with a longstanding love of Arthuriana are sure to take pleasure in this new vision of Morgan, and those who are new to it will no doubt be drawn into the pleasures of this multivoiced literature. --The East Hampton Star, June 22, 2011
Epstein skillfully blends the coming-of-age, the fairy, the revenge, and the legend. Fans of Arthurian legend will love this book, and so will everyone else. Great characters, great writing, great story. --Historical Novels Review, August, 2011
A sophisticated, stylishly written novel. --School Librarian, July, 2011
Those with a longstanding love of Arthuriana are sure to take pleasure in this new vision of Morgan, and those who are new to it will no doubt be drawn into the pleasures of this multivoiced literature. --The East Hampton Star, June 22, 2011
Epstein skillfully blends the coming-of-age, the fairy, the revenge, and the legend. Fans of Arthurian legend will love this book, and so will everyone else. Great characters, great writing, great story. --Historical Novels Review, August, 2011
A sophisticated, stylishly written novel. --School Librarian, July, 2011
Product Description
Morgan le Fay, seducer of King Arthur, sorceress, destroyer of Britain, was a girl once. When Uter Penndragon uses Merlin's magic to seduce her mother and murder her father, Morgan flees to Ireland to avoid being killed herself. But Ireland is no refuge. She's captured in a slave raid and sold to a village witch. As Morgan comes of age, she discovers her own magical powers. She eventually falls in love with a young Irish chieftain. But will her drive for revenge destroy her one chance for love and happiness?
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Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
Courtesy of Teens Read Too
Sep 23 2011
Format:Paperback
Anna is the young daughter of a British warrior governor just growing into her extraordinary powers when a terrible event changed her life forever. With her father dead and her mother under the control of a nefarious ruler, this would-be peaceful Wiccan transformed into a scorned woman, desperate for revenge.
At her mother's urging, Anna flees to Ireland, where she would take a new name, Morgan le Fay. Extreme misfortune follows her, as she becomes a prisoner of war, sold into slavery to an elderly wise woman. As Morgan learned the craft, she managed to escape slavery for refuge in a Christian colony.
But can Morgan master her powers and finally get her revenge?
Alex Epstein gives readers a whole new perspective on one of medieval history's most infamous women. By exploring Morgan le Fay's mysterious childhood years, readers' previous conceptions will be easily swayed. History buffs and paranormal/fantasy fans alike will all find a hidden treasure in THE CIRCLE CAST.
Reviewed by: Monica Sheffo
At her mother's urging, Anna flees to Ireland, where she would take a new name, Morgan le Fay. Extreme misfortune follows her, as she becomes a prisoner of war, sold into slavery to an elderly wise woman. As Morgan learned the craft, she managed to escape slavery for refuge in a Christian colony.
But can Morgan master her powers and finally get her revenge?
Alex Epstein gives readers a whole new perspective on one of medieval history's most infamous women. By exploring Morgan le Fay's mysterious childhood years, readers' previous conceptions will be easily swayed. History buffs and paranormal/fantasy fans alike will all find a hidden treasure in THE CIRCLE CAST.
Reviewed by: Monica Sheffo
Into the Mists of Arthurian Legend
May 1 2011
Format:Paperback
The Circle Cast: The Lost Years of Morgan le Fay by Alex Epstein is an excellent addition to the genre of Arthurian folklore and legend. The author crafts worlds past with a deft hand, easily pulling a reader into the story.
The book tells the story of the Arthurian sorceress Morgan le Fay. The Circle Cast portrays the early years of this character, first as the child Anna and then as Morgan after she flees Britain to Ireland. It tells the story of her life as a stranger in a strange land, enslaved and surviving hardship to return to Britain and reclaim what she lost.
The plotline is fresh, delving into a piece of Arthurian legend not excessively written about, yet still keeping to the traditional lines of the tale. The author has a nice take on the magical aspects of the story, weaving a mysterious aspect in to the narrative by his effective use of Celtic religion and myth.
The writer also does an exceptional job at creating the main character, making her a full person with fears, doubts and weakness, while still showcasing her strength of purpose. The people surrounding her are nicely sketched as well, interacting and bringing the world around Morgan to life, filling a past age with solid reality.
Being a devotee of the Arthurian legends, I've read many books on the subject, both fiction and non-fiction, and this delightfully enchanting novel is a welcome complement to the mythology.
The book tells the story of the Arthurian sorceress Morgan le Fay. The Circle Cast portrays the early years of this character, first as the child Anna and then as Morgan after she flees Britain to Ireland. It tells the story of her life as a stranger in a strange land, enslaved and surviving hardship to return to Britain and reclaim what she lost.
The plotline is fresh, delving into a piece of Arthurian legend not excessively written about, yet still keeping to the traditional lines of the tale. The author has a nice take on the magical aspects of the story, weaving a mysterious aspect in to the narrative by his effective use of Celtic religion and myth.
The writer also does an exceptional job at creating the main character, making her a full person with fears, doubts and weakness, while still showcasing her strength of purpose. The people surrounding her are nicely sketched as well, interacting and bringing the world around Morgan to life, filling a past age with solid reality.
Being a devotee of the Arthurian legends, I've read many books on the subject, both fiction and non-fiction, and this delightfully enchanting novel is a welcome complement to the mythology.
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful
A personal look into Morgan le Fay's early years
Jan 4 2011
Format:Paperback
I've never been attracted to Camelot. King Arthur? He doesn't inspire my trust. Maybe it's because I've always believed medieval times were more about men than women? Didn't look like much fun either way: And I'm not only talking about the smells and lack of hygiene - those times were bloody, and if you didn't fight back, you were killed by an axe or some other torture device. Barbaric, it's impossible for me to identify with these people, whether they made history or not - I don't even want to imagine myself without a computer.
Then, I came across Circle Cast written by Alex Epstein. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of fight scenes, and the heroine faces death more than once (torture devices, check), but the story... it lured me in. I'd even say the Young-Adult crowd will get their fix with this book, since we follow Morgan le Fay from a very young age, up until Arthur and his sword come into the picture.
It's tough to see such a young Morgan going through this ordeal, but she becomes a warrior, a magician, making every Girl Power adept proud, one of our own. By the end of the book, Morgan's story is relatable - I know, even without any bathrooms or perfume - and we care for her, we understand the hard choices she makes, she feels like a friend. Epstein makes her come alive on the page, and with some great poetic prose, at times. One can hope for a sequel...
Then, I came across Circle Cast written by Alex Epstein. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of fight scenes, and the heroine faces death more than once (torture devices, check), but the story... it lured me in. I'd even say the Young-Adult crowd will get their fix with this book, since we follow Morgan le Fay from a very young age, up until Arthur and his sword come into the picture.
It's tough to see such a young Morgan going through this ordeal, but she becomes a warrior, a magician, making every Girl Power adept proud, one of our own. By the end of the book, Morgan's story is relatable - I know, even without any bathrooms or perfume - and we care for her, we understand the hard choices she makes, she feels like a friend. Epstein makes her come alive on the page, and with some great poetic prose, at times. One can hope for a sequel...
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