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Guardian of the Balance
Irene Radford Book Review

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Plot Summary of Guardian of the Balance
"This is a brilliant novel about key figures surrounding King Arthur. Radford brings to life places and people that had long since faded into legend and history. Merlin and Merlin's daughter, Wren, fight to maintain the balance in England while Arthur fights to maintain his power in England."
Pamela Piarowski, Resident Scholar

Review Analysis of Guardian of the Balance
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Tone of book - very upbeat
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - King Arthur
Coming of age Yes
Youngster becomes - guardian of justice - a powerful magician
Romance Yes
Romance plotlets: - two lovers coping with tough mission - love triangle/polygon
Mental/magical powers focus Yes
Inner Struggle Yes
Plotlet: - search for identity/new understanding - coping with mental/magical powers
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Cultural problems, alien culture Yes
Culture clash- - one human from different culture of other humans

Main Character
Identity: - Female
Profession/status: - mage/magician
Age: - 20's-30's
Has magical/special powers? Yes
Magical/mental powers of main character: - mind reading - mind control - can cast many different spells - can read emotions - healing
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - average physique

Main Adversary
Identity: - Female
Age: - 20's-30's
Profession/status: - prostitute
Has magical powers? Yes
Magical/mental powers of main antagonist: - can change shapes - fire/thunder/weather cntrl - mind reading - mind control - can cast all sorts of spells - Invisibility - can read emotions
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - an average amount
How sensitive is this character? - mean, arrogant
Sense of humor - Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - average physique

Setting
Terrain - Forests
Earth setting: - general past
Takes place on Earth? Yes

Style
Person? - rotating 1st
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
Sex in book? Yes
What kind of sex: - actual description of sex
How much dialogue? - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
Most similar books to Guardian of the Balance
Out of Avalon by Jennifer Roberson
The Third Magic by Molly Cochran
The Crystal Cave - Arthurian Saga 1 by Mary Stewart
Sword of Darkness by Kinley MacGregor
The Lance Thrower by Jack Whyte


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Irene Radford Resident Scholar Profiles

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