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Prince of Dreams A Tale of Tristan and Essylte Nancy McKenzie 9780345456502 Books

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Prince of Dreams A Tale of Tristan and Essylte Nancy McKenzie 9780345456502 Books

This retelling of the age old Tristan and Isolde tragic love story was beautifully done as only Nancy McKenzie can do. Although it is not listed as a trilogy or series, this book does follow Queen of Camelot and Grail Prince even though in this telling it is about 25 years after Arthur's death. This legend/story has it's origins in the 12th century so has been altered and changed through poetry, opera, books, and movies. The premise remains the same of the Knight Tristan who is nephew to King Markion being sent to bring back the future Queen to be Mark's bride and falling in love with her. Their love is often said to be the result of a potion in some stories and in others this is left out. The result is the same in all stories of a couple passionately in love who can not be together without betraying Tristan's uncle and completely unable to stay apart.

Nancy McKenzie has spun some different twists on the story placing it a generation after Arthur and retaining some of the same characters that are in the previous book, Grail Prince. What makes this book special? After reading the three books, I have found this author has an ability, not only to bring characters to life, but to allow the reader to see clear into their souls. I fell in love with Tristan on the first page of this book. There was pouring down rain, tired soldiers moving through the mud with their captain sitting on his horse with his hands raised to the sky, "as if to embrace the storm, the black night, the soaking wet, and to gather them to himself. Through the din of the downpour they heard his cry." This warrior leading his men home from a successful battle is 16 years old and in the word of a companion, "Sings like an angel and wields a sword like the very devil. Born between the stars, as we say in Lyonesse." Thus we are introduced to Tristan who indeed lives a life between the stars of a bard who sings and plays the harp, who loves life and finds joy in wind, rain, and the sea, and then he is a warrior of noble birth who has a legitimate claim to the crown of Britain. Tristan does not aspire to be anything other than what he is and has no ambition to be a king in spite of all who want him to seek this as his destiny.

This author has added a character who plays a major part in the story, and that is Branwen, Essylte's half sister although this link is unknown to anyone other than their father (and the reader) until late in the book. Branwen is Essylte's handmaiden and childhood friend. Prophecy and sorcery play a part in the story as we watch the wild uncontrollable passion and love between Tristan and Essylte and their very painful struggle to keep it a secret from her husband, High King of Britain, and the rest of the world.

At times I wanted to just tell them to "get over it" and my heart broke for him. But after all, this is a tale of tragedy no matter who writes it. Branwen is a wonderful character and far more complex than at first meets the eye. The way she is woven through the story is masterfully done right up to the climax of her part in the story of these two lovers.

I loved the way Galahad, who was the Grail Prince from the former book is brought into the story with his wonderful wife and his son and daughter. All through the book I wondered what had happened to him because his dear friend from his youth is Essylte's father. It was fitting to find out in this book the real and beautiful ending to the previous story.

So what did I not like about this book to give it four stars instead of five as I did the previous two? I think some of it is the subject since it is so frustrating to have characters you care so much about throwing their lives away on a love that can not be. The reading did get a little tedious at times in the middle of the book although it quickly changed tempo in the last third or so. For anyone who loves this legend, this is a really beautiful telling of it and by far my favorite portrayal of Tristan himself.


Tags : Prince of Dreams: A Tale of Tristan and Essylte [Nancy McKenzie] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. <b> It is a generation after the fall of Camelot. The legendary figures of Britain’s brief but shining renaissance—Arthur,Nancy McKenzie,Prince of Dreams: A Tale of Tristan and Essylte,Del Rey,0345456505,Fairy Tales, Folk Tales, Legends & Mythology,Fantasy - Epic,Mark, King of Cornwall (Legendary character);Fiction.,Triangles (Interpersonal relations);Fiction.,Tristan (Legendary character);Fiction.,American Science Fiction And Fantasy,Fantasy,Fantasy - Historical,Fiction,Fiction - Fantasy,Fiction Fairy Tales, Folk Tales, Legends & Mythology,Fiction Fantasy Epic,Fiction Fantasy Historical,Mark, King of Cornwall (Legendary character),Triangles (Interpersonal relations),Tristan (Legendary character),Iseult (Legendary character),Mark, King of Cornwall (Legend,Triangles (Interpersonal relat

Prince of Dreams A Tale of Tristan and Essylte Nancy McKenzie 9780345456502 Books Reviews

<u>Queen of Camelot</u> is one of my favorite pieces of modern Arthurian fiction- I absolutely loved it. Though I actually prefer how the story was originally published, as two separate books (<u>The Child Queen</u> and <u>The High Queen</u>) which were later consolidated into one volume and some slight changes made.

I therefore was prepared to love this book, as the tale of Tristan and Isolde is one of my favorites. I can't even begin to explain how very disappointed I was as I struggled through this book.

It literally was a struggle to finish. I think the crucial difference is that in <u>Queen of Camelot</u> you truly get to know the characters- they have depth, and life, and you feel as though you know them personally and become very invested in what happens to them. In <u>Prince of Dreams</u>, that depth is very much lacking. She skips from place to place and shoots forward in time so often than you never feel as though you are watching them live their lives; you're just skimming through a summary.

Which is why, to me and obviously to others, Essylte often comes across as a whiner. I didn't care about her because I knew virtually nothing about her- she was just a shell, and her problems didn't touch me at all. The children (who are arguably the biggest victims of circumstance) are treated very dismissively, so it's hard to care about them either. Tristan has a bit more warmth and depth and we spend more time with him, but he doesn't manage to save the book as his nature- self-destructiveness and all- isn't explored and he generally ends up coming across as just being selfish.

The only real interest stirred in me at all was caused by Branwen, Essylte's maid (among other things); I spent a good portion of the book anticipating her next move and wondering what surprises she might have in store that might not necessarily follow traditional tellings of the story.

All in all, a very disappointing read from an author I expected greater things from. I'm sure that many people will be able to read and enjoy it, but after the richness and depth of <u>Queen of Camelot</u>, this book falls far short of my expectations.
Nancy Mckenzie has a knack for taking classic stories and rewriting them to appeal to the modern reader. I read the original story of Tristan and Esyllte (there are various spellings) years ago. It was sweet and tragic at once. She doesn't copy the original...she takes the general idea and creates a new story that is more appealing and more in depth than the original. Mckenzie has a talent for bringing characters to life and giving them depth. As you read it, you feel like you can really know her characters and imagine them as real people....not the shallow caricatures that a lot of authors try to pull off. I've only read a couple of her books, but they were all awesome and with an original spin on them. One of my favorite fiction writers, for sure.
This retelling of the age old Tristan and Isolde tragic love story was beautifully done as only Nancy McKenzie can do. Although it is not listed as a trilogy or series, this book does follow Queen of Camelot and Grail Prince even though in this telling it is about 25 years after Arthur's death. This legend/story has it's origins in the 12th century so has been altered and changed through poetry, opera, books, and movies. The premise remains the same of the Knight Tristan who is nephew to King Markion being sent to bring back the future Queen to be Mark's bride and falling in love with her. Their love is often said to be the result of a potion in some stories and in others this is left out. The result is the same in all stories of a couple passionately in love who can not be together without betraying Tristan's uncle and completely unable to stay apart.

Nancy McKenzie has spun some different twists on the story placing it a generation after Arthur and retaining some of the same characters that are in the previous book, Grail Prince. What makes this book special? After reading the three books, I have found this author has an ability, not only to bring characters to life, but to allow the reader to see clear into their souls. I fell in love with Tristan on the first page of this book. There was pouring down rain, tired soldiers moving through the mud with their captain sitting on his horse with his hands raised to the sky, "as if to embrace the storm, the black night, the soaking wet, and to gather them to himself. Through the din of the downpour they heard his cry." This warrior leading his men home from a successful battle is 16 years old and in the word of a companion, "Sings like an angel and wields a sword like the very devil. Born between the stars, as we say in Lyonesse." Thus we are introduced to Tristan who indeed lives a life between the stars of a bard who sings and plays the harp, who loves life and finds joy in wind, rain, and the sea, and then he is a warrior of noble birth who has a legitimate claim to the crown of Britain. Tristan does not aspire to be anything other than what he is and has no ambition to be a king in spite of all who want him to seek this as his destiny.

This author has added a character who plays a major part in the story, and that is Branwen, Essylte's half sister although this link is unknown to anyone other than their father (and the reader) until late in the book. Branwen is Essylte's handmaiden and childhood friend. Prophecy and sorcery play a part in the story as we watch the wild uncontrollable passion and love between Tristan and Essylte and their very painful struggle to keep it a secret from her husband, High King of Britain, and the rest of the world.

At times I wanted to just tell them to "get over it" and my heart broke for him. But after all, this is a tale of tragedy no matter who writes it. Branwen is a wonderful character and far more complex than at first meets the eye. The way she is woven through the story is masterfully done right up to the climax of her part in the story of these two lovers.

I loved the way Galahad, who was the Grail Prince from the former book is brought into the story with his wonderful wife and his son and daughter. All through the book I wondered what had happened to him because his dear friend from his youth is Essylte's father. It was fitting to find out in this book the real and beautiful ending to the previous story.

So what did I not like about this book to give it four stars instead of five as I did the previous two? I think some of it is the subject since it is so frustrating to have characters you care so much about throwing their lives away on a love that can not be. The reading did get a little tedious at times in the middle of the book although it quickly changed tempo in the last third or so. For anyone who loves this legend, this is a really beautiful telling of it and by far my favorite portrayal of Tristan himself.