Known to the Romans as Helena on the holy isle of Avalon, British princess Eilan fulfills her destiny to bridge the pagan world of the goddess and the new Christian empire founded by her own son, Constantine, and when she travels to the Holy Land she discovers a truth that transcends any religion. 125,000 first printing. Though destined to achieve distinction as the pious mother of Constantine, the young woman once called Eilen or Helena first served as a priestess of the old deities on her native island of Briton. Returning to the alternate version of Arthurian legend created in her best-selling Mists of Avalon, Bradley creates a powerful tale of magic and faith that enlarges upon pagan and Christian traditions to express a deeper truth. Though Bradley died before she finished the novel, veteran fantasy author Paxson brings to completion this last work of a master of the genre. For most fantasy collections. Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. In this stunning prequel to The Mists of Avalon (1982), 10-year-old Eilan, whose greatest wish is to serve as priestess for her goddess, is brought to Avalon for training. From a prophetic vision, she knows she is destined to love one man and to bear his son. When the man of her vision, a young Roman soldier, comes to Avalon, Eilan is compelled to follow her heart, which means defying her high priestess, the Lady of Avalon. For that, she becomes an outcast from her spiritual family and embarks on a lifelong path of love, treachery, heartbreak, and fame in the outside world. Her Roman soldier is to become the emperor Constantius, and their son, Constantine, will succeed him on the imperial throne. When Eilan, her name Latinized to Helen, becomes the empress mother at the heart of Constantine's flourishing Christian empire, she quietly continues to worship the goddess on her own while seeking the truth in the sacred teachings of all people. Thus, she becomes a powerful force for union between her people's pagan beliefs and the new religion of the Christ. Completed by Paxson after Bradley's death in 1999, this rich and moving novel merits its place beside Bradley's fantasy classic . Paula Luedtke Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved A guilty pleasure for history buffs, and a sure hit for the goddess crowd. -- Kirkus Reviews Marion Zimmer Bradley was the bestselling author of The Mists of Avalon , Lady of Avalon , The Forest House , and The Firebrand , as well as the popular Darkover series of science fiction novels. She died in 1999. Diana L. Paxson, a noted fantasy author who collaborated with Bradley on much of her later work, lives in Berkeley, California. She has written twenty books including the Arthurian novel Hallowed Isle .