Today the spolight is on Daisy Bourne and her novel, The New Land, the first book in The Tales of Avalon series, courtesy of Rachel’s Random Resources.

What happened to Arthur, King of the Britons, after he was allegedly killed on the battlefield? Legend has it that Merlin, the mighty sorcerer, put the king’s body in a boat and set it sail for a mysterious place called Avalon. However, many Britons refuse to accept that Arthur was really dead. Instead they believe that Merlin had taken the king to a place of safety. There have been many theories as to the whereabouts of Avalon, but none proven to be accurate. The New Land is the first book in the Tales of Avalon series. It tells the story of how Arthur, magical beings, and other Britons, fearing for their lives, seek refuge in a far-off land. They hope their new home will be a place where magical beings and humans can live together in peace and harmony. Will the travelers find the new life they so desire? The Avalonians soon find that they have to form new and unusual alliances in order to protect themselves against an unexpected enemy. If you like stories about witches, wizards, fairies, elves, giants, and unicorns, you will enjoy this book. 

The New Land is a magical tale readers will love. Bourne describes the fictional land so vividly, readers will think the setting is real. The descriptions of the lush greenery and mountains are expertly paired with a map of Avalon at the beginning of the novel.

The New Land would be best for fans of fantasy novels like Harry Potter and other novels about magical powers. The Merlin and King Arthur references in the novel would also appeal to fans of medieval fantasy. The book would be great for readers of The Lord of the Rings trilogy or other Tolkien-esque novels about journeys. Though the novel may appeal most to young adult readers, The New Land can appeal to readers of all ages.

Daisy Bourne has written a book that will have readers clamoring for more. The New Land will have readers eager to return to Avalon.

–Pacific Book Review

‘The New Land’ was chosen as one of Pacific Book Review’s five Books of the Month in January 2017.  

Tales of King Arthur and Merlin will probably always be told and re-told for new generations, but it’s up to the author to keep the stories fresh. This particular presentation does just that for the younger audience.

Bourne does an admirable job of building this into a believable new world and populating it with an assortment of interesting characters.

–US Review of Books

Purchase Links ~ Amazon UK | Amazon US

Daisy Bourne was born in England, in 1917. Nothing much is known about her real parents, except that their lives were changed dramatically by the First World War. At the age of six, Daisy was unofficially adopted by a farmer and his wife. They changed her name and took her to Canada. There are several similarities between the real Daisy Bourne and her namesake in this book. To a small child, Canada, with its heavy snowfalls, huge forests, and grizzly bears, must indeed have seemed like some kind of new world. Although Daisy loved Canada and the farm on which she lived, she was not happy and ran away. She returned to England at the age of 16. In later life, she took up farming again. She also enjoyed her garden and preserving much of its produce. This is where the similarities between the real Daisy and the character in this book end. I am proud to use my mother’s birth name as a pseudonym when writing the Tales of Avalon series. My ambition is to one day write the story of the real Daisy Bourne. In the meantime, I shall work to complete the other seven books in the Tales of Avalon series.

Social Media Links ~ Website | Facebook | Twitter