Lady of Avalon (1997) cannot be treated as one part in the internal chronology, as it has three parts, of which only two take place before Priestess of Avalon. However, according to the author, all parts have, in a sense, the same main character, who reincarnates and learns new things in every life.
Every time she becomes another Lady of Avalon: in the first part she is Caillean, who made the decision about veiling the island with mists, then she is reborn as Dierna, a cunning politician and efficient leader, to eventually return as strong-willed Viviane, first guardian of the Holy Grail. The book reveals important parts of the history of Avalon, its origin and its connection with both first Christians and the Fair Folk.
The last part is a direct prequel to The Mists of Avalon and substantiates many decisions made by Viviane in the latter book.
Provides examples of:
- Atlantis: Some characters lived there in their previous lives.
- Because Destiny Says So: Strongly connected with Atlantis and Reincarnation Romance.
- Daddy's Girl: Viviane and Taliesin (though he is not really her father.)
- Deus Sex Machina: Viviane and Vortimer, in a very dramatic moment with a direct divine intervention, magical trance, the threat of death, and gigantic monoliths. Gawen and Sianna are associated with this very explicitly ("...he heard her whisper, "I am the altar..." He answered, "...and I am the sacrifice," and, answering, found release at last for the passion of the man and the power of the god." Dierna and Carausius may also count.
- The Hecate Sisters: Mentioned a couple of times, along with other motives from Celtic Mythology. Hecate herself also has cameo appearances in dialogues.
- Jesus Was Way Cool: An important motive, especially in the first part. Partially explains the relations between Avalon and Inis Witrin in The Mists of Avalon.
- Lineage Comes from the Father: Strongly averted. In Avalon, lineage always comes from the mother, which is meaningful in shaping political connections.
- Love Triangle: Dierna, Carausius, and Teleri.
- World Sundering: This is roughly what Caillean (with the help of Faerie Queen) does to conceal Avalon from the uninitiated. This is an interesting example, because Caillean had lived in Atlantis in her previous lives, and Atlantis is famous of having been subjected to World Sundering before. (J. R. R. Tolkien consciously made his Sundered World, Númenor, to have the features of both Atlantis and Avalon.)
