Hallowed Isle books in order

Hallowed Isle is a four-book historical fantasy series by Diana L. Paxson set in post-Roman Britain, retelling the Arthurian legend from a historical and mythological perspective. The four volumes — The Book of the Sword, The Book of the Spear, The Book of the Cauldron, and The Book of the Stone — were all published in 1999-2000.

Reading order

# Title Published Author Buy on Amazon
1 The Book of the Spear 1999 Diana L. Paxson Buy
2 The Book of the Sword 1999 Diana L. Paxson Buy
3 The Book of the Cauldron 1999 Diana L. Paxson Buy
4 The Book of the Stone 2000 Diana L. Paxson Buy

The Hallowed Isle series takes the four sacred treasures of British mythology — the sword, spear, cauldron, and stone — as the organizing principle for a four-book retelling of the Arthurian period. Paxson sets the action in a Britain recently abandoned by Roman power, with competing factions and spiritual traditions creating the landscape into which Arthur emerges.

The four books were published in quick succession across 1999 and 2000, forming a complete and self-contained Arthurian sequence distinct from the Avalon series but drawing on the same deep engagement with Celtic legend and post-Roman British history.


Frequently Asked Questions

How many books are in the Hallowed Isle series?

There are four books in the Hallowed Isle series, published between 1999 and 2000.

What is the first book in the Hallowed Isle series?

The first book in the Hallowed Isle series is The Book of the Spear, published in 1999.

How does Hallowed Isle relate to the Avalon series?

Hallowed Isle is a separate series from Avalon but covers overlapping historical territory — post-Roman Britain and the Arthurian era. It approaches the same period from a different angle, structured around four sacred objects (sword, spear, cauldron, stone) rather than the Avalon priestess tradition.

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