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The Serpent and The Grail is the kind of Arthurian fantasy that takes the religious-conflict layer of the Matter of Britain seriously. Lynn Abbey writes a Logres that is still mostly Pagan, with the Roman church arriving via missionaries who have been instructed to win the local kings without antagonizing the indigenous priesthood. The serpent and the grail of the title are competing religious symbols, and the book's strongest sections are the ones where Abbey lets the two systems argue with each other.
The protagonist Peredur is a young man whose role in the larger Grail Quest is being shaped by forces he does not understand. Abbey handles his coming-of-age with patience. The supporting cast is full of recognizable Arthurian figures handled at slight angles. The closing chapters land in a place that respects the source material without being trapped by it.
Three stars. Recommended to readers of Arthurian fiction who want the religious texture handled with care. Not the strongest Abbey solo novel but a thoughtful one.
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