Camelot's Honour is the second book in Sarah Zettel's Camelot series. The first book told the story of Gawain and his lady love; Camelot's Honour follows a new set of characters - Gawain's brother Geraint and a young Welsh noblewoman, Elen. In my opinion it's a big improvement on the first book. While some typical elements remain the same (quickly-forming true love being the prime example), overall it is a much more interesting story. The characeters are less perfect than in the first book, with interesting flaws and personalities. Elen's unladylike bloodlust was something I particularly liked, and the fact that you are never sure whether it's just Collanau's instincts bleeding into Elen, or whether Elen is more human than the ideals of chivalry would like to admit (after all, who wouldn't want a little payback after seeing their entire family killed and home burned to the ground?). Personally I think it's a little of both, a complexity I enjoyed wondering about. Geraint is also interesting, the quiet and thoughtful way he has reacted to his traumatic childhood much more appealing to me than the brash bravado of his older brother Gawain.The story itself was also very interesting, based on a mythology not used very often and thus more fresh to me than the plot of the first book was. The trials Elen and Geraint have to endure and think their way out of are put together nicely (and the subtlety of the Little King is a nice change from the villains in the first book). Everything in the book is woven in with a purpose, with good use of foreshadowing. All the pieces are there for the reader to put together before Elen does, if they're paying attention.The writing itself is very good. It still has that Olde Fashioned sound to the language, but it flows nicely and I found it easier to get my head around than I did in the first book. And again, it adds to the medieval/legendary feel of the story.Overall, a well-written, interesting story that will appeal to fans of Arthurian legends and medieval fantasy/romances.
See the first book of this series, Camelot's Shadow, for my full review of this series.Reread in February 2010.The first time I read this series, I wasn't all that impressed. There are still things I'm not so keen on -- the love at first sight, for one thing, doesn't ring very true, and also the books could do with better proofreading. There's punctuation missing, and I'm pretty sure "grieves" and "greaves" don't mean the same thing. But, this time, I found myself a lot more interested. I preferred Geraint to Gawain, I think, and I was interested in him and his feelings about his relationship to Morgaine, and his way of dealing with his legacy from his father -- and his love for Elen.I don't know if the story of Elen and Geraint is based on any legend, Arthurian or otherwise, although I suspect that the story of Gwiffert, at least, has some kind of link to existing mythology. Still, it's nice to see a lot of mythology together and coupled to the Arthurian mythology, to make something new. The ongoing story of Morgaine is interesting, too: I can't actually remember very well how that's resolved, and I forgot that she seemed genuinely in love with Urien.I originally didn't like Elen much, but there is something compelling about her, too, and her struggle, and Collanau. I wished the book had more about the Lord, the Lady, and Elen's family. As far as I remember, the Lord and the Lady don't come into it again, which is a shame.Edit: Erec and Enide is, of course, where I think this comes from. It doesn't follow it directly in plot, but I think the idea of the bird came from there.
What do You think about For Camelot's Honor (2005)?
This was a pretty good book overall but had quite a few drawbacks. The final showdown that was being built up all the way through the book - I feel - was a bit of a let down. I thought it would have lasted a little longer but that may just be my taste. Also I felt that there was maybe too much luck in the story on Elen's part. She didn't seem to have to work very hard to get places but that was just a subtlety. I liked that this book, though it had some graphic scenes in terms of bloodshed, had a kind of modesty when it came to sex. That is usually hard to find in historical romances. This is the second book in a series. It is follows different characters than the first book. It doesn't have to be read second but if you want to read the first book I would suggest reading the first book before this one as it gives away a little bit of the first book in it. Overall it was a good story but I don't think I'd want to read it again.
—Eimear (BooksBitsNBobs)
I really mostly skimmed Camelot's Honour, on this read through. I'm rereading these books for the positive portrayal of Guinevere, after all, and she's barely even mentioned in this book. Still, I had fun even in my hasty reading -- Geraint might be my favourite on this go round: the whole strong and silent thing is very appealing, and Zettel is less eager to heap perfection on him than she is with Gawain.I loved realising, on this read-through, how much of this came from the Mabinogion. Not from the Arthurian texts within it, but from the Four Branches. It's an interesting choice of source.
—Nikki
