• Marion Zimmer Bradley's Sword of Avalon

  • By: Diana L. Paxson
  • Narrated by: Lorna Raver
  • Length: 17 hrs and 16 mins
  • 3.8 out of 5 stars (255 ratings)

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Marion Zimmer Bradley's Sword of Avalon  By  cover art

Marion Zimmer Bradley's Sword of Avalon

By: Diana L. Paxson
Narrated by: Lorna Raver
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Publisher's summary

Epic in its sweep and peopled by the remarkable women who have always inhabited Avalon, Marion Zimmer Bradley's Sword of Avalon expands the legendary saga that has enchanted millions of readers over the years and is sure to please Bradley's loyal readership and anyone who loves wonderfully told stories of history, myth, and fantasy. A boy raised in secret after traitors kill his parents will return to Avalon---and when he does, he'll be faced with a formidable task: to prove his worth as a son of the kings and priestesses of his land and lead his followers to victory, wielding the newly forged sword Excalibur.
©2009 The Marion Zimmer Bradley Literary Trust and Diana L. Paxson (P)2009 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Along with other titles in the series, this will appeal to lovers of Arthurian and Celtic fantasy as well as fans of Bradley and Paxson." ( Library Journal)

What listeners say about Marion Zimmer Bradley's Sword of Avalon

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

Sword of Avalon Audible version

I have read several books in the Bradley/Paxson "Avalon" series I have found them a fast read only about 400 pages. The book describes in detail how Excalibur, the Sword of Avalon, was crafted -- one of the first swords to be crafted in bronze rather than steel. It opens with the The book is the classic tale of a boy raised in excile comes back as the king of kings and leads his people to victory. The book contains two romances the boy and a priestess he was raised with at Avalon and the blacksmith who adopted the boy and the old Pristess of Avalon. It was quite a good book but it lacked Marion Zimmer Bradly's touch of magic and genius in writing.

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15 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Better than I expected

Any additional comments?

I bought this book because it was on sale and my son is kind of a Fan of Arthurian stories, I didnt really expect much, I have never been interested. To my surprise I liked the story it was entertaining, I found that I enjoyed the characters, that they were more complex than I expected. The story moved along smartly and didnt lull the way some fantasy can. When I began the book I thought the narrator sounded a little old for the part she read, but I think she grew on me and whithin an hour enjoyed the narration. But I read theis at work and it kept my attention and was quite entertaining.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

very disappointed

The reader was not great and the story was poorly written and boring. I love Arthurian stories but I certainly wouldnt recommend this on.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

So so storyteller...

The book was good, and the storyteller got better as she went along, but the beginning was hard to stick with with her reading.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Narrator is unlistenable.

I usually love listening to the Avalon books; they make my long commute fly by. But the narrator on this one is completely unlistenable. I tried for an hour or so, but I just can't. I'll have to return this.one.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

The narrator is ruining the story!

I love Diana Paxson, I love the Avalon stories. But this narrator is the worst. Half of the time it's more like listening to a computer recording with terrible attempts at voices. I would gladly repurchase the book under a different narrator.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

A disappointment

I enjoy the Sword & Sorcery genre from the mighty thews of Conan to the magic of MZB. But this book lacks the thunder of the first and the character and plot development of the latter. The narration was very good. It is too bad the narrator did not have better material with which to work. It was a disappointment and I shall not explore this author any further.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Oh boy

The narrator, the narrator, the narrator! It sounded like an audition for a high school play. Certainly, there were many, many names and civilizations to learn the pronunciation for, but listening to her call the ancient civilization of Mycenae, (soft C), Mykaney, with a hard C, was hard to take. It’s a World Heritage Site, for crying out loud!

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

all of the Avalon books are dear friends of mine .

has been a friend of mine since I was a young girl I will continue to listen to and read the books until I pass. I cannot express the joy that these books have brought to me and will continue to do so. thank you for this gift

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

The birth of a legend...

Excellent performance of the unabridged novel. A history and continued legacy of characters from long ago. The internal battles of their roles in society, acknowledgment of their emotions, and a desire of spiritual awareness can all be found in this novel. Never a dull moment...

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1 person found this helpful