Isolde: Queen of the Western Isle
by Rosalind Miles

Miles' writing is clear and often beautiful, and she does (or seems to be doing, so far,) justice to a lovely, tragic old legend. Some of her supporting characters (the Christian priest, Dominian, and Tristan's rival Andred, for example) fall a little flat, with only one side of what must be quite complex natures shown to the reader. Tristan and Isolde themselves are well-drawn, and the love between them shines incandescent from the pages. The faithful maid Braingwain is also wonderful. It seems Miles writes her protagonists thoroughly and well, and her villians with less enthusiasm. Characters like Isolde's mother and King Mark are sketched somewhere in between: not done as well as the main pair but still clearly presented and easy for the reader to love or hate or pity as their changing natures dictate rash actions of varying intent.

The contrast between good and evil is also a bit too marked in the book, amplified by the two-dimensionality of the main antagonists. Some chapters end with lines about demons of evil cackling ecstatically and setting to their devious work -- all meant to be dramatic, I suppose, but it comes off silly. Still, a few moments of annoyance to do not a terrible story make. ISOLDE is thoroughly engrossing and difficult to put down; I was kept quite busy cheering Isolde on, and disappointed when I turned the last page.

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