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Pendragon's Heir #1-3
Pendragon's Heir
Camelot is falling. Can she save it?
Blanche was an ordinary girl in 1900 England...until the knight crashed through her door. Now, her guardians say she’s a princess lost in time, and her father’s enemies want her dead.
Raised in the wild, Perceval has never known his father. Hoping for answers, he pledges his sword to the legendary King Arthur Pendragon. But dark forces threaten Camelot - and darker crimes fester behind the legend.
Together, Blanche and Perceval uncover a secret that could destroy the kingdom – and in a world of immortals, knights, and deadly combat, they must join forces if they hope to survive.
Even if Camelot could be saved, is Blanche the one to do it? Or is someone else the Pendragon’s heir?
If you loved Narnia and Middle Earth, you’ll be enchanted by this beautifully crafted Camelot. Pendragon's Heir contains The Door to Camelot, The Quest for Carbonek, and The Heir of Logres in one complete volume! Step into the legends of Arthur - pick up the full story today.
Blanche was an ordinary girl in 1900 England...until the knight crashed through her door. Now, her guardians say she’s a princess lost in time, and her father’s enemies want her dead.
Raised in the wild, Perceval has never known his father. Hoping for answers, he pledges his sword to the legendary King Arthur Pendragon. But dark forces threaten Camelot - and darker crimes fester behind the legend.
Together, Blanche and Perceval uncover a secret that could destroy the kingdom – and in a world of immortals, knights, and deadly combat, they must join forces if they hope to survive.
Even if Camelot could be saved, is Blanche the one to do it? Or is someone else the Pendragon’s heir?
If you loved Narnia and Middle Earth, you’ll be enchanted by this beautifully crafted Camelot. Pendragon's Heir contains The Door to Camelot, The Quest for Carbonek, and The Heir of Logres in one complete volume! Step into the legends of Arthur - pick up the full story today.
424 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 25, 2015
34 people are currently reading
518 people want to read
About the author
Suzannah Rowntree
34 books598 followersHi! I live in a big house in rural Australia with my awesome parents and siblings, drinking fancy tea and writing historical fantasy fiction that blends real-world history with legend, adventure, and a dash of romance.
If you like the historical fantasy of Gail Carriger, S. A. Chakraborty or Naomi Novik, you'll probably like my stories too!
You can visit me online at https://suzannahrowntree.site
GOODREADS FRIEND POLICY: I'm afraid I don't accept every single friend request I receive, unless we already know each other, or it looks like we have tastes broadly in common. However, please feel free to follow and interact.
If you like the historical fantasy of Gail Carriger, S. A. Chakraborty or Naomi Novik, you'll probably like my stories too!
You can visit me online at https://suzannahrowntree.site
GOODREADS FRIEND POLICY: I'm afraid I don't accept every single friend request I receive, unless we already know each other, or it looks like we have tastes broadly in common. However, please feel free to follow and interact.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
March 13, 2015
My childhood and youth were full of dreams of King Arthur. All of the Arthurian books I read (from Malory & Tennyson to Pyle & Sutcliff) had the dual effect on me of keen disappointment and an increased desire to accumulate more Arthuriana in the attempt to find something that would satisfy the Arthur-shaped hole in my soul. I had a sense of something beyond and within the cycle of stories that I was always trying to get at. I recognised this when I read C.S. Lewis' "Surprised By Joy", in which he describes his lifelong pursuit of something (beauty/joy/longing) beyond -- something that kept cropping up in his most profound experiences of music, art, poetry and the created world, and which finally led him to Christ. (It's not my purpose to explain this here. Go read Lewis.)
Fast forward years (actually, decades). I hadn't read anything properly Arthurian in ages. A friend whose writing I admired mentioned that she was working on an Arthurian novel. I was happy when she asked me to help critique it, but I'll be honest with you - my expectations were not that high. A first novel, right?
So here's my review -- of a friend's first novel, yes, but I'm prefacing it by telling you that I am terribly hard to please when it comes to the Pendragon and his knights, my childhood heroes.
What did I expect from this novel? I certainly didn't expect to be swept back to my youthful dreams, to re-dream them in the joyous light of an imagination drenched in the colours of the middle ages. Suzannah Rowntree's Logres (the Pendragon's kingdom) is by turns stern, merciful, playful, perilous, and ultimately shaped by Christ, whose Light it was that shone in all that was good about the medievals.
Our story begins at a comfortable country house in England, 1900. Blanche Pendragon isn't your typical privileged young Victorian Englishwoman, though. For one, her eccentric guardian makes her parse Latin, study herbalism, translate princess manuals from Medieval French and take care of the poor. For another, her governess hasn't aged in decades. When Blanche receives a mysterious gift for her 18th birthday - her long-dead mother's ring, engraved with the words "Guinevera, casta vera" (Guinevere, chaste and true) - she is swept into an adventure in which knights, assassins, giants, kings and elves may be her truest friends or deadliest enemies. Torn between the life she knows, and a new life in a terrifying world which claims her as its own, will Blanche find the courage to do what is right? And with a kingdom at stake, how can she even be sure what is right?
I enjoyed this novel more thoroughly and deeply than I've enjoyed a novel in years. From first to last, it is an epic adventure - bright as an illuminated manuscript, youthful as childhood dreams, and weighted with Lewis' deep longing for heaven.
I gave it 5 stars and I would give it more if there were more stars to give it. Does that mean it is perfect? No. If you have absolutely no knowledge of the Grail Legends, the middle section of the book may confuse you as it sticks closer to the source material, and I'd recommend reading Roger Lancelyn Green's re-telling as a primer. Because you need to know this stuff, anyway, ok? The way the story is structured means that one strong antagonist is missing for a large chunk of the action, which is a shame, because the antagonist is a potent one and Rowntree is confident enough to risk giving said antagonist some really, really good speeches (remember Dostoyevsky's dilemma in "The Brothers Karamazov"?). Also, it's probably not always clear to the uninitiated that this idealised vision of Arthurian Britain is a kind of medieval chainmailpunk - the 500s AD were nothing like this, and the writers of the High Middle Ages who invented it were not striving for historical versimilitude.
There are so many things I loved about this novel: the heroine, who exhibits a sympathetic mixture of weakness and strength as she is pulled between worlds and worldviews (England/modernity, Logres/medievalism) while fighting for her life against all manner of terrifying foes; the many characters from the myths who are richly fleshed-out in ways I've never seen before (Elaine?!); the immersive writing about horses, jousts, combat; the perfectly-chosen epigraphs that head each chapter (no one has done this so well since Mary Stewart); the humour and the pathos, which never clash; the romance (and oh, I am SUCH a mean, mean person when it comes to critiquing romantic writing); the riotously beautiful images of Sarras which will never leave my mind.
Rowntree's brilliance is a combination of humility and staggering daring: she wants to be an anonymous medieval craftsman, satisfied to add layers of detail, like a stonemason carving the impish grin on the 500th gargoyle of a massive cathedral. Seeing her job as an artist in this profoundly counter-cultural way, she has attempted and accomplished an astonishingly fearless first novel -- pounding with hoof-beats, bright with the sound of struck swords. Thank you for taking me back to Logres.
Fast forward years (actually, decades). I hadn't read anything properly Arthurian in ages. A friend whose writing I admired mentioned that she was working on an Arthurian novel. I was happy when she asked me to help critique it, but I'll be honest with you - my expectations were not that high. A first novel, right?
So here's my review -- of a friend's first novel, yes, but I'm prefacing it by telling you that I am terribly hard to please when it comes to the Pendragon and his knights, my childhood heroes.
What did I expect from this novel? I certainly didn't expect to be swept back to my youthful dreams, to re-dream them in the joyous light of an imagination drenched in the colours of the middle ages. Suzannah Rowntree's Logres (the Pendragon's kingdom) is by turns stern, merciful, playful, perilous, and ultimately shaped by Christ, whose Light it was that shone in all that was good about the medievals.
Our story begins at a comfortable country house in England, 1900. Blanche Pendragon isn't your typical privileged young Victorian Englishwoman, though. For one, her eccentric guardian makes her parse Latin, study herbalism, translate princess manuals from Medieval French and take care of the poor. For another, her governess hasn't aged in decades. When Blanche receives a mysterious gift for her 18th birthday - her long-dead mother's ring, engraved with the words "Guinevera, casta vera" (Guinevere, chaste and true) - she is swept into an adventure in which knights, assassins, giants, kings and elves may be her truest friends or deadliest enemies. Torn between the life she knows, and a new life in a terrifying world which claims her as its own, will Blanche find the courage to do what is right? And with a kingdom at stake, how can she even be sure what is right?
I enjoyed this novel more thoroughly and deeply than I've enjoyed a novel in years. From first to last, it is an epic adventure - bright as an illuminated manuscript, youthful as childhood dreams, and weighted with Lewis' deep longing for heaven.
I gave it 5 stars and I would give it more if there were more stars to give it. Does that mean it is perfect? No. If you have absolutely no knowledge of the Grail Legends, the middle section of the book may confuse you as it sticks closer to the source material, and I'd recommend reading Roger Lancelyn Green's re-telling as a primer. Because you need to know this stuff, anyway, ok? The way the story is structured means that one strong antagonist is missing for a large chunk of the action, which is a shame, because the antagonist is a potent one and Rowntree is confident enough to risk giving said antagonist some really, really good speeches (remember Dostoyevsky's dilemma in "The Brothers Karamazov"?). Also, it's probably not always clear to the uninitiated that this idealised vision of Arthurian Britain is a kind of medieval chainmailpunk - the 500s AD were nothing like this, and the writers of the High Middle Ages who invented it were not striving for historical versimilitude.
There are so many things I loved about this novel: the heroine, who exhibits a sympathetic mixture of weakness and strength as she is pulled between worlds and worldviews (England/modernity, Logres/medievalism) while fighting for her life against all manner of terrifying foes; the many characters from the myths who are richly fleshed-out in ways I've never seen before (Elaine?!); the immersive writing about horses, jousts, combat; the perfectly-chosen epigraphs that head each chapter (no one has done this so well since Mary Stewart); the humour and the pathos, which never clash; the romance (and oh, I am SUCH a mean, mean person when it comes to critiquing romantic writing); the riotously beautiful images of Sarras which will never leave my mind.
Rowntree's brilliance is a combination of humility and staggering daring: she wants to be an anonymous medieval craftsman, satisfied to add layers of detail, like a stonemason carving the impish grin on the 500th gargoyle of a massive cathedral. Seeing her job as an artist in this profoundly counter-cultural way, she has attempted and accomplished an astonishingly fearless first novel -- pounding with hoof-beats, bright with the sound of struck swords. Thank you for taking me back to Logres.
May 16, 2015
Pendragon's Heir begins with a fascinating premise: what if King Arthur had a daughter, who was spirited away to be raised in another time in order to protect her from the malice of Morgan le Fay? Growing up unaware of her true identity, Blanche Pendragon discovers the truth on her eighteenth birthday—and at first is horrified at the idea of leaving her pleasant life in Victorian England for the dangers and discomforts of Arthur's Briton. But soon even her Victorian refuge is no longer safe, and Blanche is swept into a new world, in which she is assigned to guard the Holy Grail and must learn to take her place at the head of a kingdom. Yet there may be even darker forces than Morgan plotting to stop her...and with the honor of Queen Guinevere in question, doubts about Blanche's true heritage swirl which could plunge Camelot into disaster.
The first time I read this book, I literally couldn't put it down—I even made an effort to hang into my Kindle with one hand while cooking a meal. It's a marvelous novel, written with a richness and grace that does justice to the grandeur of the old legends, and weaving Blanche's story seamlessly into the fabric of the well-known events leading to the sundering of the Round Table fellowship and the passing of Arthur. It made me laugh, and it brought tears to my eyes (one beautifully poignant scene at the end of the second-last chapter in particular). What I loved most about it is how the stories and characters are brought alive. Just a little while before I'd read some of Howard Pyle's Arthurian stories, and found them disappointingly dry and repetitive, with seemingly endless jousts and unhorsings described in the same phrases again and again. In Pendragon's Heir you feel the thrill of pounding hooves, the shock of splintering lances and a man crashing to the ground, and feel a lively interest in the fate of the characters involved. In this novel the characters of legend have living and breathing personalities, loves, hates and fears.
Chief among these is one Perceval of Wales, Blanchefleur's true knight. Perceval is irresistible—at once a mischievous, merry-hearted boy and a gallant knight, who grows to a fuller manhood over the course of the novel through blunders, sorrows and adventures. His developing relationship with Blanche is wonderfully satisfying, with fine chemistry and a growing affection and respect between them—not always an easy path, but free of the petty bickerings and misunderstandings that often make a romance subplot irritating. Of the supporting characters, Gareth and Heilyn were some of my favorites, and the whole cast is memorable: Gawain, Nerys, Sir Ector, Branwen, Naciens...and of course, the King and Queen. Even Morgan is sneakily entertaining—it's always an achievement to have a villain or villainess who is interesting enough that you don't merely want to turn the page and get away from them.
Another aspect that I found unexpectedly satisfying is the thread of allegory winding through it, more naturally than such themes usually are—not so obvious that you're beat over the head with it, nor so subtle that you need it pointed out and explained. I don't pretend to fully understand the Grail legend; there seems to me to be a flavor of Catholicism in the idea of the relics themselves. But the concept of Sarras the heavenly city as a model for the earthly city; and the arrival of the long-looked for Grail Knight to point the citizens of Logres to the service of the highest High King—thought not in the way they expected—as a Christ-like figure, form graceful and thought-provoking parallels to Christianity.
In case you hadn't guessed by this time, Pendgragon's Heir is a favorite, and I'd highly recommend it.
Full disclosure: I beta-read a near-final draft of this novel shortly before its publication. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own; I was under no obligation to provide a positive review.
The first time I read this book, I literally couldn't put it down—I even made an effort to hang into my Kindle with one hand while cooking a meal. It's a marvelous novel, written with a richness and grace that does justice to the grandeur of the old legends, and weaving Blanche's story seamlessly into the fabric of the well-known events leading to the sundering of the Round Table fellowship and the passing of Arthur. It made me laugh, and it brought tears to my eyes (one beautifully poignant scene at the end of the second-last chapter in particular). What I loved most about it is how the stories and characters are brought alive. Just a little while before I'd read some of Howard Pyle's Arthurian stories, and found them disappointingly dry and repetitive, with seemingly endless jousts and unhorsings described in the same phrases again and again. In Pendragon's Heir you feel the thrill of pounding hooves, the shock of splintering lances and a man crashing to the ground, and feel a lively interest in the fate of the characters involved. In this novel the characters of legend have living and breathing personalities, loves, hates and fears.
Chief among these is one Perceval of Wales, Blanchefleur's true knight. Perceval is irresistible—at once a mischievous, merry-hearted boy and a gallant knight, who grows to a fuller manhood over the course of the novel through blunders, sorrows and adventures. His developing relationship with Blanche is wonderfully satisfying, with fine chemistry and a growing affection and respect between them—not always an easy path, but free of the petty bickerings and misunderstandings that often make a romance subplot irritating. Of the supporting characters, Gareth and Heilyn were some of my favorites, and the whole cast is memorable: Gawain, Nerys, Sir Ector, Branwen, Naciens...and of course, the King and Queen. Even Morgan is sneakily entertaining—it's always an achievement to have a villain or villainess who is interesting enough that you don't merely want to turn the page and get away from them.
Another aspect that I found unexpectedly satisfying is the thread of allegory winding through it, more naturally than such themes usually are—not so obvious that you're beat over the head with it, nor so subtle that you need it pointed out and explained. I don't pretend to fully understand the Grail legend; there seems to me to be a flavor of Catholicism in the idea of the relics themselves. But the concept of Sarras the heavenly city as a model for the earthly city; and the arrival of the long-looked for Grail Knight to point the citizens of Logres to the service of the highest High King—thought not in the way they expected—as a Christ-like figure, form graceful and thought-provoking parallels to Christianity.
In case you hadn't guessed by this time, Pendgragon's Heir is a favorite, and I'd highly recommend it.
Full disclosure: I beta-read a near-final draft of this novel shortly before its publication. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own; I was under no obligation to provide a positive review.
February 29, 2016
I don't know how to describe how wonderful Pendragon's Heir by Suzannah Rowntree is except to say it was one of the best books I read in 2015, and the characters of Blanche and Sir Perceval have now wormed their way into my group of all time favourite literary characters *hugs them tightly*! Suzannah did an amazing job of retelling the famous King Arthur legend from the eyes of one of his knights and a young maiden called Blanche. One of my favourite things about the story was the Augustinian themes running throughout, and the scenes where we were in Logres, or facing with our heroine the evil Mordred, and the courage and chivalry of Perceval the knight.
It’s a story packed brimming with adventure, courage, the battle between good and evil, darkness and light and lots of wonderful, epic moments of chivalry, friendship, exciting duals, and thrilling time-travel! It’s a story filled with the essence of faith and grace and Christian virtue and godly morals, but without being sugar-sticky with cliché Evangelical lines and tropes that invade most Christian/genre fiction; the story has a very mature and engaging style, with all the passion and heart of a best-selling novel – but Suzannah doesn’t compromise on what she believes, or on themes of Christian morality and the lines between right and wrong. I appreciated that while the story was dark and deep at some points and dealt with some serious moral themes, they are written tastefully and with delicacy. The writing is rich and serious and reads just a little bit like a glorious classic, but with all the gripping characterisation of a modern novel.
The ending was gut-wrenching and beautiful, it made me sit at the edge of my seat and sob! This is a beautiful, wonderful novel; ah, I just can't praise it enough! It was so good, guys, so good. What?! Why haven't you gone and picked it up already? Go forth and do so!
“There was carpet under Blanchefleur’s feet and the scent of clean and delicate things in her nostrils—perfume, babies, soap, and tea. Homesickness hit her like a clenched fist; this was worse than memory.”― Suzannah Rowntree, Pendragon's Heir
“It was like listening to the universe in motion. Planets spinning on their appointed courses, the lives of men intersecting and parting, the unimaginable harmony of the human body itself in hierarchy and order, were all implied in the song, but something greater as well: the genius of the composer, which must surely approach the miraculous. Perceval closed his eyes and was lost in the weaving music.” ― Suzannah Rowntree, Pendragon's Heir
It’s a story packed brimming with adventure, courage, the battle between good and evil, darkness and light and lots of wonderful, epic moments of chivalry, friendship, exciting duals, and thrilling time-travel! It’s a story filled with the essence of faith and grace and Christian virtue and godly morals, but without being sugar-sticky with cliché Evangelical lines and tropes that invade most Christian/genre fiction; the story has a very mature and engaging style, with all the passion and heart of a best-selling novel – but Suzannah doesn’t compromise on what she believes, or on themes of Christian morality and the lines between right and wrong. I appreciated that while the story was dark and deep at some points and dealt with some serious moral themes, they are written tastefully and with delicacy. The writing is rich and serious and reads just a little bit like a glorious classic, but with all the gripping characterisation of a modern novel.
The ending was gut-wrenching and beautiful, it made me sit at the edge of my seat and sob! This is a beautiful, wonderful novel; ah, I just can't praise it enough! It was so good, guys, so good. What?! Why haven't you gone and picked it up already? Go forth and do so!
“There was carpet under Blanchefleur’s feet and the scent of clean and delicate things in her nostrils—perfume, babies, soap, and tea. Homesickness hit her like a clenched fist; this was worse than memory.”― Suzannah Rowntree, Pendragon's Heir
“It was like listening to the universe in motion. Planets spinning on their appointed courses, the lives of men intersecting and parting, the unimaginable harmony of the human body itself in hierarchy and order, were all implied in the song, but something greater as well: the genius of the composer, which must surely approach the miraculous. Perceval closed his eyes and was lost in the weaving music.” ― Suzannah Rowntree, Pendragon's Heir
June 30, 2016
Do you know what the mark of a really great book is? It’s when you literally squeal as you are reading because it is so exciting... but it’s not just that. It’s when you have that great feeling of sheer bliss because of the happy ending when you put it down... but not just that either. Even more than the experience of reading it, the mark of a great book is when you put it back on the shelf and go on with your life, only to realize that the book molded you into a different person; a person stronger in your faith and more resolute to serve God, no matter what the cost. That, my friends, is a great book.
And now, I have the privilege of introducing you to one such book.
Read the rest of my review here:
http://www.bytesizedtheology.com/the-...
And now, I have the privilege of introducing you to one such book.
Read the rest of my review here:
http://www.bytesizedtheology.com/the-...
March 22, 2023
Update 3/21/23: I don't know, I just really like this book. I've read it 3 times now. Each time through, different things stick out to me. Highly recommend.
She smiled. “How can I be afraid? All the awful mistakes we’ve made, and yet here we are. Still standing.”
***
If Suzannah Rowntree's goals were to 1) be super entertaining; and 2) encourage us all to strive for the true, good, and beautiful, then she succeeded.
This book has got pretty much everything fun in it: knights, dragons, swordfights, fairies, romance, grail quests, existential battles of good vs. evil, several redemption arcs, and plot twists that I did NOT see coming. It's all very smartly woven together in beautiful prose, of course.
Bonus: I now know more about Arthurian legend than I ever did before.
She smiled. “How can I be afraid? All the awful mistakes we’ve made, and yet here we are. Still standing.”
***
If Suzannah Rowntree's goals were to 1) be super entertaining; and 2) encourage us all to strive for the true, good, and beautiful, then she succeeded.
This book has got pretty much everything fun in it: knights, dragons, swordfights, fairies, romance, grail quests, existential battles of good vs. evil, several redemption arcs, and plot twists that I did NOT see coming. It's all very smartly woven together in beautiful prose, of course.
Bonus: I now know more about Arthurian legend than I ever did before.
March 12, 2018
If you enjoy the King Arthur legend, you will love this book! Packed with romance, battle scenes, intrigue, and time-travel, this story keeps a reader glued to the page.
Beautiful writing, lovable hero and heroine, despicable villains, and some themes that make you think. Highly recommended.
Beautiful writing, lovable hero and heroine, despicable villains, and some themes that make you think. Highly recommended.
August 31, 2015
Magnificent.
January 2, 2015
Pendragon's Heir is a retelling of the story of Camelot, and therefore an exploration of the elusive, tragically costly, yet beautiful vision of building a city of light upon earth. Our young protagonist, Blanche, has been raised in Edwardian England. However, she discovers very early in the story that she is both the subject of prophecy and the daughter and heir of King Arthur. Or at least, she probably is--gossip about her mother’s chastity has sown doubt in some minds. Initially resistant to the idea of giving up her pleasant life in order to re-enter the medieval world of errant knights and rampaging villains, Blanche gradually matures into her role of heiress to a struggling kingdom. Meanwhile, her relationship with the impetuous, gallant (and admiring) Sir Percival also grows.
I soon found myself caring about the protagonists and enjoying all of the characters. Did I mention that there are several of the fey folk in this story? They are delightfully handled, and I am a sucker for well-portrayed fey folk. The relationships between characters are nuanced and often unexpected, and I was impressed by the action sequences and the author’s ability to write so many tense, believable, non-repetitive scenes of combat (although I admit that I know absolutely nothing about how to fight, and might not notice if the blows and techniques were unrealistic). In addition, the story explores significant themes. It is satisfying overall and demonstrates the degree to which the author has immersed herself in medieval and Arthurian imagery. I recommend that you read it.
I do have a few quibbles. The pacing of the book is not perfect. Although both the beginning and end are taut and fast-paced, there was a section in the middle that felt a little too slow and episodic. I think this is because the main threads of the overall plot (and the relationships between the main characters) were allowed to sink out of sight while the characters gathered information and experienced minor adventures. The information and the adventures were needed for the overall story, but did not convey as much of a feeling of forward momentum. Some readers may disagree with this, and argue that I merely have a short attention span for knightly adventures.
I also find myself deeply struck by the problem of Simon Corbin, an articulate character who attempts to prevent Blanche from taking up her role as heir. In the language of a free-thinking Edwardian skeptic, he rejects belief in God as well as the idea that anyone owes a duty to a kingdom, a higher power, or a moral code. He argues for modern progress instead of feudal virtue. In a later scene, he challenges an idealistic knight with the argument that, just as even the “best” leaders sin, and just as good men use ignoble methods in war and conflict, it is delusional to believe that right can be defended without doing wrong. Ultimately, the conflict of the book could be said to be between these two positions: between those who wish to use only ethical means to create a kingdom patterned on visions of heaven (even though they know this struggle appears doomed), and those who wish to use any means necessary to create a kingdom according to their own ideas of what would be best.
On the one hand, I commend the author for creating Simon Corbin, because he is no straw man. It adds realism that our hero and heroine cannot best him in debate. However, I rather wonder if some readers (especially those who do not share the author’s beliefs) will not find Mr. Corbin’s arguments the more compelling (I once ran into this problem in a short story of my own: I tried to let both sides speak for themselves, and my liberal teacher thought that my story had made a much stronger case for liberal relativism than for conservative beliefs, because those were the arguments that resonated with her). Will such readers wonder if someone like Corbin might not have made a better ruler than a king who allows random knights to run around, walloping each other into an early grave, while the peasants do all the actual work? After all, Mr. Corbin is the only one who addresses “realistic” issues such as sanitation and the suffering of the poor.
The motivations of the good characters are harder to put forth in tidy, convincing arguments, and they rest more heavily on what might uncharitably be called mystical naivete. Here of course we see, in a nutshell, the challenge of a Christian author who speaks from her own perspective while trying to avoid heavy-handedly “proving” her own point, or pausing the narrative for a discussion of theology. If one speaks too often or too directly about God, one risks alienating non-Christian readers or of failing to remain in the role of novelist. If one approaches philosophical and religious themes more obliquely, one can have trouble providing a full, compelling picture of one’s beliefs.
I have been asking myself if Miss Rowtree should have handled her story any differently. It might have strengthened her tale if the good characters had defined Arthur’s kingdom more concretely, and, in particular, truly acknowledged the humanity and needs of the peasantry. I realize that this story is intended to fit into the tradition of the knightly tale, not that of a realistic novel, of course, but I wonder if Mr. Corbin should have been allowed to introduce the sufferings of the poor without having the protagonists also truly acknowledge this issue.
Such questions aside, I enjoyed reading this novel, and I enjoyed thinking about the questions it raised in my mind. Many thanks to Suzannah for the opportunity to do so! I loved (and still love) her characters, and I look forward to seeing what she writes next.
I soon found myself caring about the protagonists and enjoying all of the characters. Did I mention that there are several of the fey folk in this story? They are delightfully handled, and I am a sucker for well-portrayed fey folk. The relationships between characters are nuanced and often unexpected, and I was impressed by the action sequences and the author’s ability to write so many tense, believable, non-repetitive scenes of combat (although I admit that I know absolutely nothing about how to fight, and might not notice if the blows and techniques were unrealistic). In addition, the story explores significant themes. It is satisfying overall and demonstrates the degree to which the author has immersed herself in medieval and Arthurian imagery. I recommend that you read it.
I do have a few quibbles. The pacing of the book is not perfect. Although both the beginning and end are taut and fast-paced, there was a section in the middle that felt a little too slow and episodic. I think this is because the main threads of the overall plot (and the relationships between the main characters) were allowed to sink out of sight while the characters gathered information and experienced minor adventures. The information and the adventures were needed for the overall story, but did not convey as much of a feeling of forward momentum. Some readers may disagree with this, and argue that I merely have a short attention span for knightly adventures.
I also find myself deeply struck by the problem of Simon Corbin, an articulate character who attempts to prevent Blanche from taking up her role as heir. In the language of a free-thinking Edwardian skeptic, he rejects belief in God as well as the idea that anyone owes a duty to a kingdom, a higher power, or a moral code. He argues for modern progress instead of feudal virtue. In a later scene, he challenges an idealistic knight with the argument that, just as even the “best” leaders sin, and just as good men use ignoble methods in war and conflict, it is delusional to believe that right can be defended without doing wrong. Ultimately, the conflict of the book could be said to be between these two positions: between those who wish to use only ethical means to create a kingdom patterned on visions of heaven (even though they know this struggle appears doomed), and those who wish to use any means necessary to create a kingdom according to their own ideas of what would be best.
On the one hand, I commend the author for creating Simon Corbin, because he is no straw man. It adds realism that our hero and heroine cannot best him in debate. However, I rather wonder if some readers (especially those who do not share the author’s beliefs) will not find Mr. Corbin’s arguments the more compelling (I once ran into this problem in a short story of my own: I tried to let both sides speak for themselves, and my liberal teacher thought that my story had made a much stronger case for liberal relativism than for conservative beliefs, because those were the arguments that resonated with her). Will such readers wonder if someone like Corbin might not have made a better ruler than a king who allows random knights to run around, walloping each other into an early grave, while the peasants do all the actual work? After all, Mr. Corbin is the only one who addresses “realistic” issues such as sanitation and the suffering of the poor.
The motivations of the good characters are harder to put forth in tidy, convincing arguments, and they rest more heavily on what might uncharitably be called mystical naivete. Here of course we see, in a nutshell, the challenge of a Christian author who speaks from her own perspective while trying to avoid heavy-handedly “proving” her own point, or pausing the narrative for a discussion of theology. If one speaks too often or too directly about God, one risks alienating non-Christian readers or of failing to remain in the role of novelist. If one approaches philosophical and religious themes more obliquely, one can have trouble providing a full, compelling picture of one’s beliefs.
I have been asking myself if Miss Rowtree should have handled her story any differently. It might have strengthened her tale if the good characters had defined Arthur’s kingdom more concretely, and, in particular, truly acknowledged the humanity and needs of the peasantry. I realize that this story is intended to fit into the tradition of the knightly tale, not that of a realistic novel, of course, but I wonder if Mr. Corbin should have been allowed to introduce the sufferings of the poor without having the protagonists also truly acknowledge this issue.
Such questions aside, I enjoyed reading this novel, and I enjoyed thinking about the questions it raised in my mind. Many thanks to Suzannah for the opportunity to do so! I loved (and still love) her characters, and I look forward to seeing what she writes next.
October 9, 2015
A couple weeks ago I finished Pendragon’s Heir by Suzannah Rowntree, and wow—if you haven’t read this book, you should seriously think about it. It is legend and adventure with a splash of honest, unsentimental romance.
Synopsis: Blanche Pendragon enjoys her undemanding life as the ward of an eccentric nobleman in 1900’s England. It’s been years since she wondered what happened to her long lost parents, but then a gift on the night of her eighteenth birthday reveals a heritage more dangerous and awe-inspiring than she ever dreamed of—or wanted. Soon Blanche is flung into a world of wayfaring immortals, daring knights, and deadly combats, with a murderous witch-queen on her trail and the future of a kingdom at stake. As the legendary King Arthur Pendragon and his warriors face enemies without and treachery within, Blanche discovers a secret that could destroy the whole realm of Logres. Even if the kingdom could be saved, is she the one to do it? Or is someone else the Pendragon’s Heir?
In the first place, I loved this book because I love a good adventure story, and that is what Suzannah Rowntree delivered. It’s one of those stories where you feel like you are on the cusp of a great adventure and you’ll never be the same after. This book took the old Arthurian legends I knew and stayed true to them, while at the same time keeping me on the edge of my seat, wondering what was going to happen next.
The setting was fantastic. From 1900s England to Logres to the wilds of Arthurian England, I felt like I was there, and not once was I pulled out of the story by an out-of-place detail.
I loved the vividness of the characters. Perceval was my favorite by far. At first I was not sure whom I liked the best, but by the last third or so, it was without a doubt him. He was impetuous, yes, but he had a good heart, and was a realistic fellow that you loved despite his faults.
Blanche had a fantastic character arc, in my opinion. She started the book as a sympathetic character with some flaws, of course, but they were not glaring ones. Over the course of the book, you see her drop selfishness that you didn’t even know was there until you see the new Blanchefleur emerging from the old, and you watch her become a brave and considerate young woman.
Simon Corbin was really cool. I’ll leave it at that. If you don’t know why, then please, read the book.
As far as I can remember, there were only a couple sensitive things in the book; the first was the use of magic by the antagonists. This, frankly, did not bother me, since it was basically just following the legends, and it was definitely not portrayed as a good thing. The second was the storyline of Lancelot and Guinevere, and Guinevere’s faithfulness was questioned throughout a portion of the book. I feel that the author handled this very well, however, and brought it to a good conclusion.
I felt that the middle dragged some. Blanchefleur is in one place and Perceval is traveling old-legend-style about the countryside, jousting and coming to adventures. It was not a boring sort of dragging, but I did feel perhaps like the plot was not driving forward the way it did at the beginning and the end.
The end was incredible. It sucked me in and I was caught until I had finished the book. I have to say, Suzannah concluded the book in the best way I’ve ever seen these tales concluded, hands down, and for once I did not walk away from them downhearted. There is hope and rightness in the end, and that is as much as I dare say about it.
Altogether the book was very clean and tight and easy to read. I would recommend caution for younger readers due to the discussion of infidelity in the book.
Synopsis: Blanche Pendragon enjoys her undemanding life as the ward of an eccentric nobleman in 1900’s England. It’s been years since she wondered what happened to her long lost parents, but then a gift on the night of her eighteenth birthday reveals a heritage more dangerous and awe-inspiring than she ever dreamed of—or wanted. Soon Blanche is flung into a world of wayfaring immortals, daring knights, and deadly combats, with a murderous witch-queen on her trail and the future of a kingdom at stake. As the legendary King Arthur Pendragon and his warriors face enemies without and treachery within, Blanche discovers a secret that could destroy the whole realm of Logres. Even if the kingdom could be saved, is she the one to do it? Or is someone else the Pendragon’s Heir?
In the first place, I loved this book because I love a good adventure story, and that is what Suzannah Rowntree delivered. It’s one of those stories where you feel like you are on the cusp of a great adventure and you’ll never be the same after. This book took the old Arthurian legends I knew and stayed true to them, while at the same time keeping me on the edge of my seat, wondering what was going to happen next.
The setting was fantastic. From 1900s England to Logres to the wilds of Arthurian England, I felt like I was there, and not once was I pulled out of the story by an out-of-place detail.
I loved the vividness of the characters. Perceval was my favorite by far. At first I was not sure whom I liked the best, but by the last third or so, it was without a doubt him. He was impetuous, yes, but he had a good heart, and was a realistic fellow that you loved despite his faults.
Blanche had a fantastic character arc, in my opinion. She started the book as a sympathetic character with some flaws, of course, but they were not glaring ones. Over the course of the book, you see her drop selfishness that you didn’t even know was there until you see the new Blanchefleur emerging from the old, and you watch her become a brave and considerate young woman.
Simon Corbin was really cool. I’ll leave it at that. If you don’t know why, then please, read the book.
As far as I can remember, there were only a couple sensitive things in the book; the first was the use of magic by the antagonists. This, frankly, did not bother me, since it was basically just following the legends, and it was definitely not portrayed as a good thing. The second was the storyline of Lancelot and Guinevere, and Guinevere’s faithfulness was questioned throughout a portion of the book. I feel that the author handled this very well, however, and brought it to a good conclusion.
I felt that the middle dragged some. Blanchefleur is in one place and Perceval is traveling old-legend-style about the countryside, jousting and coming to adventures. It was not a boring sort of dragging, but I did feel perhaps like the plot was not driving forward the way it did at the beginning and the end.
The end was incredible. It sucked me in and I was caught until I had finished the book. I have to say, Suzannah concluded the book in the best way I’ve ever seen these tales concluded, hands down, and for once I did not walk away from them downhearted. There is hope and rightness in the end, and that is as much as I dare say about it.
Altogether the book was very clean and tight and easy to read. I would recommend caution for younger readers due to the discussion of infidelity in the book.
December 21, 2015
The Good:
-King Arthur legends are some of my favorites, and have been since I was a little chidlet. Pendragon's Heir returns to these legends to retell them- though the specific stories aren't always immediately obvious if you haven't read the legends recently, so it was really fun to read and then realize "Oh, hey! I know this story!" Except . . . sometimes it wasn't so fun because you'd remember that not all the King Arthur legends end happily.
-Perceval is a wonderful character. Noble, bold, chivalrous, always doing and never content to stand by and do nothing. He has his faults . . . but in general? I love him; he was undoubtedly my favorite character in the story.
-And speaking of him, Perceval and Blanche are sweet and utterly shippable from the very first moment when they meet. Even when Blanche is being a complete and utter goose about whether or not she loves him. Rrargh. But the sweet moments outweigh the annoying ones.
-The story has a very unique voice and feel. Though it was just published this year, it has the flavor and feel of a story from some age past- sometimes of the King Arthur legends it's based upon, sometimes of a book from sometime in the 20th century where it's partially set, and sometimes of a time that can't quite be named and might be both no time and all time.
-There are very strong Christian themes and messages in this book- particularly the reminder that there can be no compromise, that a battle which you cannot win without abandoning that which you hold true is a battle not always worth winning.
-Time travel. Which is possibly a spoiler, but honestly, if you can't guess it from the blurb/summary thing . . . Anyway, time-travel is a thing and it's done very, very well.
The Sort-of-Bad:
-Blanche was not always easy to like. And I'm not saying that all main characters should be completely likable all the time. I'm not saying they can't make mistakes and such. But Blanche and I did not always get along very well.
-Pacing is . . . interesting? I'm pretty sure it's a byproduct of that almost-timeless voice that I liked, but the book sometimes drags a bit even when I feel like I should be interested in what's going on.
-Not actually a bad thing, but for those who get this book on an eReader . . . it's not a short book, ok? Just be warned, because I thought it was shorter than it actually was.
Overall, Pendragon's Heir was a unique retelling of the King Arthur legends, told in a wonderful, near-timeless voice. Though not without flaws, I would certainly recommend it to anyone who loves or loved the Arthurian legends.
-King Arthur legends are some of my favorites, and have been since I was a little chidlet. Pendragon's Heir returns to these legends to retell them- though the specific stories aren't always immediately obvious if you haven't read the legends recently, so it was really fun to read and then realize "Oh, hey! I know this story!" Except . . . sometimes it wasn't so fun because you'd remember that not all the King Arthur legends end happily.
-Perceval is a wonderful character. Noble, bold, chivalrous, always doing and never content to stand by and do nothing. He has his faults . . . but in general? I love him; he was undoubtedly my favorite character in the story.
-And speaking of him, Perceval and Blanche are sweet and utterly shippable from the very first moment when they meet. Even when Blanche is being a complete and utter goose about whether or not she loves him. Rrargh. But the sweet moments outweigh the annoying ones.
-The story has a very unique voice and feel. Though it was just published this year, it has the flavor and feel of a story from some age past- sometimes of the King Arthur legends it's based upon, sometimes of a book from sometime in the 20th century where it's partially set, and sometimes of a time that can't quite be named and might be both no time and all time.
-There are very strong Christian themes and messages in this book- particularly the reminder that there can be no compromise, that a battle which you cannot win without abandoning that which you hold true is a battle not always worth winning.
-Time travel. Which is possibly a spoiler, but honestly, if you can't guess it from the blurb/summary thing . . . Anyway, time-travel is a thing and it's done very, very well.
The Sort-of-Bad:
-Blanche was not always easy to like. And I'm not saying that all main characters should be completely likable all the time. I'm not saying they can't make mistakes and such. But Blanche and I did not always get along very well.
-Pacing is . . . interesting? I'm pretty sure it's a byproduct of that almost-timeless voice that I liked, but the book sometimes drags a bit even when I feel like I should be interested in what's going on.
-Not actually a bad thing, but for those who get this book on an eReader . . . it's not a short book, ok? Just be warned, because I thought it was shorter than it actually was.
Overall, Pendragon's Heir was a unique retelling of the King Arthur legends, told in a wonderful, near-timeless voice. Though not without flaws, I would certainly recommend it to anyone who loves or loved the Arthurian legends.
June 28, 2016
There are some reviewers who are what I call "book gushers." They are gifted with the ability to ramble on for paragraphs in their admiration for the books they love. I love those types of reviewers. As a reader, their excitement is infectious; as a writer, their praise is encouraging. Sadly, I'm not overly gifted in this area, and my longest reviews tend to be those on books I dislike, because I feel strangely compelled to defend or explain myself. That means that when I come across a book where I have nothing to complain about-or my complaints are so piddly and insignificant that they're not worth mentioning- I tend to be at a loss for words.
What else should I tell you about Pendragon's Heir other than to go read it? While my knowledge of Arthurian legend is basic at best and spotty at worst, this book felt like what I think of when I hear the words "Camelot," "chivalry," and "King Arthur."It reads like a painting by John William Waterhouse or Edmund Blair Leighton looks.
It is true perhaps that I felt some tremors of dissatisfaction or impatience with some parts of the story, but overall, Pendragon's Heir was a wonderful, imaginative tale of chivalry and honor. It's also a book in the "I-need-to-get-a-hard-copy-of-this-rather-than-just-an-ebook" category. Which is pretty high praise from me.
There, I gushed a little. I guess it's not too hard :)
What else should I tell you about Pendragon's Heir other than to go read it? While my knowledge of Arthurian legend is basic at best and spotty at worst, this book felt like what I think of when I hear the words "Camelot," "chivalry," and "King Arthur."It reads like a painting by John William Waterhouse or Edmund Blair Leighton looks.
It is true perhaps that I felt some tremors of dissatisfaction or impatience with some parts of the story, but overall, Pendragon's Heir was a wonderful, imaginative tale of chivalry and honor. It's also a book in the "I-need-to-get-a-hard-copy-of-this-rather-than-just-an-ebook" category. Which is pretty high praise from me.
There, I gushed a little. I guess it's not too hard :)
April 12, 2015
Welcome to a world where the twentieth century dawns on knights in mortal combat, where a traitor and a princess fight for the same title, and where strange, wonderful realms are behind the next door. This is the world of Arthur's Camelot, a world that Blanchefleur Pendragon, lady of the 20th century and princess of the 5th, must try to save, and a world elegantly crafted by authoress Suzannah Rowntree in her novel, Pendragon's Heir.
Stories of King Arthur have been told and retold for over a thousand years, hashed and rehashed until they have barely any originality left. Modern authors may twist the setting and the characters (generally speaking, they daren't touch the plot), but it's still, at the core, the same story.
Suzannah Rowntree understands this, and she uses it to her advantage. Pendragon's Heir does not reinterpret the legends; rather, it goes back to their heart and reminds us why we loved them in the first place.
In order to do this, Rowntree crafts the story around a new rendition of an old character: Blanchefleur. You haven't heard of her. She's a minor character from Chrétien de Troyes' TheStory of the Grail, where her name is mentioned (I believe) once. In addition to this relative newcomer, Pendragon's Heir heavily features the beloved canon of Arthurian characters: Arthur and Guinevere, Gawain and Ragnell, Morgain and Mordred. All familiar characters, all interacting in new ways. Take Guinevere, for example. No one likes Guinevere-- Mallory didn't; modern culture doesn't; Tennyson really, really didn't. Rowntree acknowledges everything that makes Guinevere unlikable and-- well, I can't say more for fear of spoilers. But Rowntree was so, so good to this poor character.
Although she writes intriguing characters, Rowntree's talent really shines in her prose. Although sparse, it is deliciously full, skilled, and elegant. My highlighter almost ran out of ink trying to keep track of my favorite passages. Miss Rowntree can throw the most delightful punches with dialogue-- places where a perfectly crafted, poignant phrase literally catches my breath.
To rephrase everything that's good about this novel: it is a delightful tribute to everything I love about the Arthurian legends.
That being said... I need to talk about the plot. I wish I was open-minded enough to like Rowntree's somewhat irregular pacing and plotting, but I'm not. Like the Arthurian legends, the plot consists of many isolated incidents, and they gradually thicken and draw together to a cohesive finish. Although I appreciate this artistic choice, I couldn't help but feel that this discontinuity led to a lack of character motivations. Blanchefleur must guard the Grail. I understand it's important, but why her? Perceval comes to a dinner party, and suddenly everyone can speak Welsh. Pendragon's Heir lacked something to draw a series of occurrences together, and that something very easily could have been the villain, who had a relatively low word count in the novel.
Despite my issues with the plot and pacing, I really enjoyed Pendragon's Heir. Rowntree says that she sought to examine what the medievals believed, and I think she succeeded.
Above all, Pendragon's Heir reflects the higher struggle of morality. I have read some reviewers complain that the villain's decidedly less romantic, less idealistic plan seems much more practical than that of the heroes. These reviewers often mention that the villain poses several hard questions of how the heroes' ideals would last in reality; they argue that the characters, and thereby Rowntree, fail to answer this.
I disagree with this opinion because I believe that there silence is the answer. These are not easy questions. There are not always answers. But even when they can't put their necessity into words, the characters follow these ideals simply because they are worth fighting for.
Stories of King Arthur have been told and retold for over a thousand years, hashed and rehashed until they have barely any originality left. Modern authors may twist the setting and the characters (generally speaking, they daren't touch the plot), but it's still, at the core, the same story.
Suzannah Rowntree understands this, and she uses it to her advantage. Pendragon's Heir does not reinterpret the legends; rather, it goes back to their heart and reminds us why we loved them in the first place.
In order to do this, Rowntree crafts the story around a new rendition of an old character: Blanchefleur. You haven't heard of her. She's a minor character from Chrétien de Troyes' TheStory of the Grail, where her name is mentioned (I believe) once. In addition to this relative newcomer, Pendragon's Heir heavily features the beloved canon of Arthurian characters: Arthur and Guinevere, Gawain and Ragnell, Morgain and Mordred. All familiar characters, all interacting in new ways. Take Guinevere, for example. No one likes Guinevere-- Mallory didn't; modern culture doesn't; Tennyson really, really didn't. Rowntree acknowledges everything that makes Guinevere unlikable and-- well, I can't say more for fear of spoilers. But Rowntree was so, so good to this poor character.
Although she writes intriguing characters, Rowntree's talent really shines in her prose. Although sparse, it is deliciously full, skilled, and elegant. My highlighter almost ran out of ink trying to keep track of my favorite passages. Miss Rowntree can throw the most delightful punches with dialogue-- places where a perfectly crafted, poignant phrase literally catches my breath.
To rephrase everything that's good about this novel: it is a delightful tribute to everything I love about the Arthurian legends.
That being said... I need to talk about the plot. I wish I was open-minded enough to like Rowntree's somewhat irregular pacing and plotting, but I'm not. Like the Arthurian legends, the plot consists of many isolated incidents, and they gradually thicken and draw together to a cohesive finish. Although I appreciate this artistic choice, I couldn't help but feel that this discontinuity led to a lack of character motivations. Blanchefleur must guard the Grail. I understand it's important, but why her? Perceval comes to a dinner party, and suddenly everyone can speak Welsh. Pendragon's Heir lacked something to draw a series of occurrences together, and that something very easily could have been the villain, who had a relatively low word count in the novel.
Despite my issues with the plot and pacing, I really enjoyed Pendragon's Heir. Rowntree says that she sought to examine what the medievals believed, and I think she succeeded.
Above all, Pendragon's Heir reflects the higher struggle of morality. I have read some reviewers complain that the villain's decidedly less romantic, less idealistic plan seems much more practical than that of the heroes. These reviewers often mention that the villain poses several hard questions of how the heroes' ideals would last in reality; they argue that the characters, and thereby Rowntree, fail to answer this.
I disagree with this opinion because I believe that there silence is the answer. These are not easy questions. There are not always answers. But even when they can't put their necessity into words, the characters follow these ideals simply because they are worth fighting for.
February 23, 2016
4.5 stars! Well, that was fun! And strange. And lovely. *smiles* I quite enjoyed Pendragon's Heir by Suzannah Rowntree. It's time-travel, in a Narnia-ish type of way; and a retelling of Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table of sorts. In short, fascinating.
Blanche Pendragon is living in 1900 England with her guardian. She enjoys spending time with friends, and is interest in a rather intriguing man named Corbin. Then something crazy happens ...
Perceval of Wales has left his mother and is on his way to become a knight fighting for Logres. The adventures awaiting him will far exceed his expectations.
A country is falling. A villain is plotting. A holy grail must be found. Love is discovered, but trust is broken. The fate of Logres rests on Pendragon's heir.
The backcover description of this book just sounded like something I'd like. And when I started reading, it caught me up in the story at once and I had a grand time! *grins* I noticed some similarities to THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA by C.S. Lewis here and there, which was really fun. And yes, King Arthur and his knights! Such an interesting retelling of that legend! So many twists and turns! Pendragon's Heir kept me guessing!
The writing was a little dense, which is, for me personally, a little harder to read. I would compare to some of the books I've read that were written a long time ago ... you know, like classics. I actually can really appreciate that writing style, but I just have to be in the mood. (And I can't read as fast as I usually do!)
Too, some of Pendragon's Heir got a tad bit confusing. I'd figure things out soon enough, but at times I felt a little lost. I felt things could have been explored and delved into a little bit more. Some of the emotional journeys. Definitely the faith. I saw the Christian allegory, but it wasn't really expounded on. They were searching for the Holy Grail, but why? Do the fay have souls? The dream world, was it a vision of heaven of sorts? And Blanche, did she was a free-thinker or something (an atheist, perhaps?), but then that changed, I'm guessing; but again, I didn't feel it was really explained.
... So, is there a sequel? *smiles and winks*
But otherwise, just all the knights! And the quests, and legend-ness of everything! ^_^ It all felt very real and authentic in a fantasy-ish kind of way. I loved Perceval! He was like ... perfect. He made me laugh so many times. From a delightful, determined boy to a man who knows his own mind ... and is equally delightful. *grins* He just made me smile time and again. His courage. His devotion. His humor. The romance was adorable. It didn't smother the story in any way, but it was completely adorable in a swoon-y way. Haha. And very sweet. Seriously, "that one scene" had me crying and laughing and, and ... it was just beautiful! <3 So cute and meaningful and simply wonderful. And it was quite clean also. So Perceval and Blanche's relationship, I loved so much. It was one of my favorite parts of the story, of course. *wink* Oh, there's some violence/gruesomesness. Nothing too terrible, as I recall, but it's definitely there. So yes, Pendragon's Heir was just a really cool, epic story of knights, maidens, evil villains, quests, betrayal, and battles. Some giants, dragons, and other such creatures make their appearance too!
Oh, and besides being a retelling of the King Arthur legend and having Narnia-ishness, this book also made me think of The Pilgrim's Progress a few times. The way some of the "fantasy element" scenes played out in a way that had a lesson or allegory of sorts. Very interesting. I really liked it. Besides the few concerns I mentioned, Pendragon's Heir was a rich tale of legends and fantasy realms and a boy and girl's journey to saving their land. Epic.
I will most definitely read more by Suzannah Rowntree!
Blanche Pendragon is living in 1900 England with her guardian. She enjoys spending time with friends, and is interest in a rather intriguing man named Corbin. Then something crazy happens ...
Perceval of Wales has left his mother and is on his way to become a knight fighting for Logres. The adventures awaiting him will far exceed his expectations.
A country is falling. A villain is plotting. A holy grail must be found. Love is discovered, but trust is broken. The fate of Logres rests on Pendragon's heir.
The backcover description of this book just sounded like something I'd like. And when I started reading, it caught me up in the story at once and I had a grand time! *grins* I noticed some similarities to THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA by C.S. Lewis here and there, which was really fun. And yes, King Arthur and his knights! Such an interesting retelling of that legend! So many twists and turns! Pendragon's Heir kept me guessing!
The writing was a little dense, which is, for me personally, a little harder to read. I would compare to some of the books I've read that were written a long time ago ... you know, like classics. I actually can really appreciate that writing style, but I just have to be in the mood. (And I can't read as fast as I usually do!)
Too, some of Pendragon's Heir got a tad bit confusing. I'd figure things out soon enough, but at times I felt a little lost. I felt things could have been explored and delved into a little bit more. Some of the emotional journeys. Definitely the faith. I saw the Christian allegory, but it wasn't really expounded on. They were searching for the Holy Grail, but why? Do the fay have souls? The dream world, was it a vision of heaven of sorts? And Blanche, did she was a free-thinker or something (an atheist, perhaps?), but then that changed, I'm guessing; but again, I didn't feel it was really explained.
... So, is there a sequel? *smiles and winks*
But otherwise, just all the knights! And the quests, and legend-ness of everything! ^_^ It all felt very real and authentic in a fantasy-ish kind of way. I loved Perceval! He was like ... perfect. He made me laugh so many times. From a delightful, determined boy to a man who knows his own mind ... and is equally delightful. *grins* He just made me smile time and again. His courage. His devotion. His humor. The romance was adorable. It didn't smother the story in any way, but it was completely adorable in a swoon-y way. Haha. And very sweet. Seriously, "that one scene" had me crying and laughing and, and ... it was just beautiful! <3 So cute and meaningful and simply wonderful. And it was quite clean also. So Perceval and Blanche's relationship, I loved so much. It was one of my favorite parts of the story, of course. *wink* Oh, there's some violence/gruesomesness. Nothing too terrible, as I recall, but it's definitely there. So yes, Pendragon's Heir was just a really cool, epic story of knights, maidens, evil villains, quests, betrayal, and battles. Some giants, dragons, and other such creatures make their appearance too!
Oh, and besides being a retelling of the King Arthur legend and having Narnia-ishness, this book also made me think of The Pilgrim's Progress a few times. The way some of the "fantasy element" scenes played out in a way that had a lesson or allegory of sorts. Very interesting. I really liked it. Besides the few concerns I mentioned, Pendragon's Heir was a rich tale of legends and fantasy realms and a boy and girl's journey to saving their land. Epic.
I will most definitely read more by Suzannah Rowntree!
November 2, 2015
Pendragon's Heir is an engaging read for lovers of classics and fantasy alike. Suzannah Rowntree has skillfully captured a voice true to a retelling of the Arthurian legend while incorporating a new, intricate plot and likable characters. I have loved the Arthurian legend since I was a pre-teen and have read some great adaptations, but Pendragon's Heir, with its unique premise and memorable characters, is my new favorite.
December 27, 2015
Finished Pendragon's Heir at midnight. I found it hard to put it down even over Christmas. This is one book well worth reading.
October 2, 2023
I feel like this story completely squandered the premise of "20th century girl finds out that she's the time-displaced daughter of King Arthur."
As a romance between Perceval and King Arthur's daughter, set against the backdrop of the quest for the grail and the fall of Camelot, it was good, if a bit disjointed. It definitely felt like reading King Arthur lore, but I just wanted more culture shock!
As a romance between Perceval and King Arthur's daughter, set against the backdrop of the quest for the grail and the fall of Camelot, it was good, if a bit disjointed. It definitely felt like reading King Arthur lore, but I just wanted more culture shock!
did-not-finish
September 9, 2022This book wasn't for me. But if you like fantasy and King Arthur legends, I think you will adore this book.
Read
December 8, 2016 I appreciate the way this novel brings many threads of Arthurian legend together into a tale entirely new and, although still tragic, resolved with hope. Time-travel, romance, and a thrilling battle between a giant and a knight--much here to keep a reader glued to the page! Its greatest strengths are beautiful description and epic battle scenes, and the author delves courageously into the relevance of medieval philosophy in today's world. Enjoyable reading!
November 2, 2023
It gets me every time how tragic and yet epic this story is.
January 9, 2016
King Arthur has been a been a longstanding favourite of mine (though I haven't seriously read all the relevant literature; my repeteur consists of Roger Lancelyn Green, Tennyson, Tolkein and TH White), so I was quite pleased to have the opportunity of being a beta reader for this novel.
Something that struck me about this book is the way it hangs together, drawing a great many of the Arthurian stories together in one tapestry. On top of that, Suzannah managed to introduce her own plots and subplots without compromising her faithfulness to the originals (if you aren't familiar with Arthur stories, I'd recommend you have a look at Roger Lancelyn Green's version) and indeed using them as a springboard for her own main plot!
Moving to some of the particulars of the story, my favourite parts of the book were the battle with the giant, near the start, and the visions of Sarras - the descriptive language was fantastic and the action was superb. On another point, when building up a picture of a mysterious and deadly enemy, you expect that the said villain will be, well, quite deadly and fearsome, and not a sort of anteclimatic teen punk (like in the latest Star Wars film). I was quite impressed that the villain was even more scary than expected, which is all as it should be... and I'll leave it at that. In addition, the time travel idea was really neat, and Suzannah pulled it off quite well: the Victorian sections felt heavy and dark, like mahogany, and the Arthur sections felt shining and wild, like an errant knight among the crags(having read some of Suzannah's other works, I can say she's adept at switching between writing styles to suit the subject matter/theme without losing her author's voice).
On an aside, I also found the post-millennial themes enjoyable, which were implicit in the picture of Sarras (possibly my favourite sections in the entire book) as the New Jerusalem, and the ending of the story (this was handled very well: it wasn't hammered home with a twenty-pound sledge, something that is the curse of modern Christian 'literature'; if you didn't know what post-millennialism was, you would still get the benefit without the theology being obvious). Speaking of the ending, even though I like King Arthur, the ending of the original story always annoyed me because it seemed to say 'these were the glorious days of yore.... and they'll stay in yore.' However, I'm glad to say that Pendragon's Heir did not leave this impression, but was considerably more forward looking (and Lancelot wasn't allowed to justify his absurd behaviour with Guinevere).
Overall, dragons, quests, mystery, the Grail and chivalry combine with time travel and a unique spin on the legends to create a wonderful retelling of Arthurian stories. And, in case you missed it, it's great fun to read. Highly recommended.
Something that struck me about this book is the way it hangs together, drawing a great many of the Arthurian stories together in one tapestry. On top of that, Suzannah managed to introduce her own plots and subplots without compromising her faithfulness to the originals (if you aren't familiar with Arthur stories, I'd recommend you have a look at Roger Lancelyn Green's version) and indeed using them as a springboard for her own main plot!
Moving to some of the particulars of the story, my favourite parts of the book were the battle with the giant, near the start, and the visions of Sarras - the descriptive language was fantastic and the action was superb. On another point, when building up a picture of a mysterious and deadly enemy, you expect that the said villain will be, well, quite deadly and fearsome, and not a sort of anteclimatic teen punk (like in the latest Star Wars film). I was quite impressed that the villain was even more scary than expected, which is all as it should be... and I'll leave it at that. In addition, the time travel idea was really neat, and Suzannah pulled it off quite well: the Victorian sections felt heavy and dark, like mahogany, and the Arthur sections felt shining and wild, like an errant knight among the crags(having read some of Suzannah's other works, I can say she's adept at switching between writing styles to suit the subject matter/theme without losing her author's voice).
On an aside, I also found the post-millennial themes enjoyable, which were implicit in the picture of Sarras (possibly my favourite sections in the entire book) as the New Jerusalem, and the ending of the story (this was handled very well: it wasn't hammered home with a twenty-pound sledge, something that is the curse of modern Christian 'literature'; if you didn't know what post-millennialism was, you would still get the benefit without the theology being obvious). Speaking of the ending, even though I like King Arthur, the ending of the original story always annoyed me because it seemed to say 'these were the glorious days of yore.... and they'll stay in yore.' However, I'm glad to say that Pendragon's Heir did not leave this impression, but was considerably more forward looking (and Lancelot wasn't allowed to justify his absurd behaviour with Guinevere).
Overall, dragons, quests, mystery, the Grail and chivalry combine with time travel and a unique spin on the legends to create a wonderful retelling of Arthurian stories. And, in case you missed it, it's great fun to read. Highly recommended.
December 16, 2015
I am in awe of how magnificently this book was written. It felt like it was written a long time ago and the style was delightfully different then what I am accustomed to. Let me just go on a fangirling writer's rant. The way battle and action scenes were described were awesome (literally inspiring awe:P) . Ideas were conveyed in such a way that it took me directly to the world and made me shiver in its cold. Characters were well written and the way all the Arthurian stories were pulled together in one over arcing plot was amazing. I loved both our main characters, Perceval and Blanche. Perceval... Ahem.
I did skim when the describing went on for too long and when things were drawn out too far for my patience. But that was hardly a hindrance in my enjoyment of the story.
Now there were some things I was uncomfortable with. As the old tales were written, there is the question of Lancelot and Guinevere's affair and involved in that is the question of Blanche's parentage. So there was a bit of tension there but in the end it was well addressed and made right. The next unsettling thing was in a scene which involved seduction. It was one of those situations where the character is before hand warned of temptation and then falls under it's pressure. There is some kissing but it goes no further. Immediately the wrong is realized and he mourns his sin.
As you might expect in a medieval Arthurian novel, there was violence. A couple of heads displayed as trophies from combat. There is blood and stabbing but not grossly described. But if you are squeamish around violence, maybe this book isn't quite for you. I would recommend this book for ages 16 and up.
I was very inspired in my own writing by this book and will be using it as a writing reference in the future.
I did skim when the describing went on for too long and when things were drawn out too far for my patience. But that was hardly a hindrance in my enjoyment of the story.
Now there were some things I was uncomfortable with. As the old tales were written, there is the question of Lancelot and Guinevere's affair and involved in that is the question of Blanche's parentage. So there was a bit of tension there but in the end it was well addressed and made right. The next unsettling thing was in a scene which involved seduction. It was one of those situations where the character is before hand warned of temptation and then falls under it's pressure. There is some kissing but it goes no further. Immediately the wrong is realized and he mourns his sin.
As you might expect in a medieval Arthurian novel, there was violence. A couple of heads displayed as trophies from combat. There is blood and stabbing but not grossly described. But if you are squeamish around violence, maybe this book isn't quite for you. I would recommend this book for ages 16 and up.
I was very inspired in my own writing by this book and will be using it as a writing reference in the future.
August 12, 2016
Having grown up surrounded by tales of Medieval and Renaissances as well as Musicals, especially Camelot, I was quite fairly intrigued after reading the generous sample.
I was somewhat leery when I began the book but the author managed swiftly to draw me in and keep the suspense through all of the story. I also appreciated how the author managed to keep the tone of the medieval setting so that it felt quite as if I were reading an old manuscript. A few times I felt that perhaps an more common word would have sufficed in place of an archaic word to assist with the flow of the story. (However perhaps the fault lies with the reader instead for being too lazy to look the words up. :P) On the whole, I extremely enjoyed the tone of story and felt that most of the older words assisted in the feeling of the setting. I appreciated the challenge of some unfamiliar vocabulary and the author's appreciation of the readers intelligence.
With several twists and and turns sometimes from common narratives, I found the story very compelling and difficult at times to put down. (Like for Sleep... ;)
A good tale well told and well enjoyed. You can't go much wrong with this story.
I was somewhat leery when I began the book but the author managed swiftly to draw me in and keep the suspense through all of the story. I also appreciated how the author managed to keep the tone of the medieval setting so that it felt quite as if I were reading an old manuscript. A few times I felt that perhaps an more common word would have sufficed in place of an archaic word to assist with the flow of the story. (However perhaps the fault lies with the reader instead for being too lazy to look the words up. :P) On the whole, I extremely enjoyed the tone of story and felt that most of the older words assisted in the feeling of the setting. I appreciated the challenge of some unfamiliar vocabulary and the author's appreciation of the readers intelligence.
With several twists and and turns sometimes from common narratives, I found the story very compelling and difficult at times to put down. (Like for Sleep... ;)
A good tale well told and well enjoyed. You can't go much wrong with this story.
June 17, 2018
I really enjoyed this retelling of the legends of King Arthur. Even though the author draws on older traditions, it is presented in a fresh and unique way by making Arthur and Guinevere's daughter Blanchefleur the main character. There is action and adventure to spare, including feuds, battles, and even time travel! There's romance, without cloying, sentimental mushiness. There is even some philosophy and theology, but not so much as to make the story "preachy." Perhaps the most impressive thing about Suzannah Rowntree's version of the King Arthur tales is that she transforms iconic characters of legend into believable flesh and blood human beings. She has put the aged wine of Arthurian legend into a new wineskin.
Want to read
August 30, 2021Just in general very excited for my paperback to arrive from Amazon. Finally decided to get this from Suzannah and am lookin' forward to it!! :) <3
January 2, 2016
http://kiribeth.blogspot.com/2016/01/...
I've not read many books surrounding the King Arthur legends, but I've been interested in them for quite a while now. When Suzannah contacted me, asking if I'd be willing to review her book Pendragon's Heir, I was immediately interested. So I said yes.
I wouldn't consider myself an expert in the field of King Arthur, so I cannot tell you how closely this book follows the legends. But it felt very Arthurian. Suzannah's writing style borrowed many elements from the classic legends, including a great deal of medieval-style speech. At first, I didn't follow the talking as well as I had hoped, but as the book progressed, I enjoyed it more and thought it gave the story as a whole a more authentic feel. For any fan of King Arthur, this book is a must.
Blanchefleur (a.k.a. Blanche) is our young heroine. She's grown up pretty much without any knowledge of her parentage, and is content with her guardian, Sir Ector. Life is simple and very English... until her eighteenth birthday. And then everything changes and she finds herself the missing princess of another world. Ultimately, she must choose between the world she's always known and the world now that everyone claims she belongs to, but she discovers the choices burrow a lot deeper than that.
Blanche is a very likable character. Usually, I find myself skeptical about the traditional medieval heroines, as they tend to be rather moody and tearful and altogether annoying. Blanche surprised me. She was still a perfect lady, but she had enough backbone to stand up for herself. I enjoyed rooting for her from page one, basically.
Perceval, too, was a lot of fun. I may or may not have let him be a favorite character. *coughs* Okay, maybe he was the favorite. But when you have a male lead that isn't afraid to get into a fight for what he believes in, does it dashingly, and is able to make you laugh with one-liners while he's fighting, you can't help but enjoy him.
Advisory: There is quite a bit of fantasy violence, and I won't take the time to list out specifics here, because that would take up too much room in this review. I did not think the violence overplayed, and personally, I enjoyed reading the fight scenes.
In addition, there is some romance. Blanche obviously has her knight in almost-shining armor, but their relationship isn't the main focus of the book. They do share some physical contact, and, if I remember, two kisses. Other minor characters have some of the same degree of romance.
I was, I'll admit, a little skeptical of how the author would put the famous love triangle into the story. Other readers stated that Suzannah did very well incorporating it, and I'd have to agree. A large portion of the middle of the book was dedicated to finding out the circumstances surrounding Blanche's birth, namely who her father is. I am not entirely fond of the whole Arthur-Guinevere-Lancelot triangle, but it wasn't overbearing in this book. Nothing explicit is mentioned, although there are a few references that would make me recommend this book more for mature readers.
The magic was interesting. It was one of the things I actually asked Suzannah about when she first contacted me for a review. She sent me this link, as she discussed the magic in her book with one of her beta readers, and I really enjoyed reading the interview. I know that magic is a strong element in the original King Arthur legends, and this book is no exception. For the good characters, the magic is used as more of a gift from God, while the evil characters who use it steal it in rebellion. Magic is essentially a talent. I was a little uneasy about the abundance of magic, but that's just me. I don't think that it is any way misused or presented wrongly during the course of the book, but I will set this advisory for any reader skeptical about the amount of magic in novels.
I've not read many books surrounding the King Arthur legends, but I've been interested in them for quite a while now. When Suzannah contacted me, asking if I'd be willing to review her book Pendragon's Heir, I was immediately interested. So I said yes.
I wouldn't consider myself an expert in the field of King Arthur, so I cannot tell you how closely this book follows the legends. But it felt very Arthurian. Suzannah's writing style borrowed many elements from the classic legends, including a great deal of medieval-style speech. At first, I didn't follow the talking as well as I had hoped, but as the book progressed, I enjoyed it more and thought it gave the story as a whole a more authentic feel. For any fan of King Arthur, this book is a must.
Blanchefleur (a.k.a. Blanche) is our young heroine. She's grown up pretty much without any knowledge of her parentage, and is content with her guardian, Sir Ector. Life is simple and very English... until her eighteenth birthday. And then everything changes and she finds herself the missing princess of another world. Ultimately, she must choose between the world she's always known and the world now that everyone claims she belongs to, but she discovers the choices burrow a lot deeper than that.
Blanche is a very likable character. Usually, I find myself skeptical about the traditional medieval heroines, as they tend to be rather moody and tearful and altogether annoying. Blanche surprised me. She was still a perfect lady, but she had enough backbone to stand up for herself. I enjoyed rooting for her from page one, basically.
Perceval, too, was a lot of fun. I may or may not have let him be a favorite character. *coughs* Okay, maybe he was the favorite. But when you have a male lead that isn't afraid to get into a fight for what he believes in, does it dashingly, and is able to make you laugh with one-liners while he's fighting, you can't help but enjoy him.
Advisory: There is quite a bit of fantasy violence, and I won't take the time to list out specifics here, because that would take up too much room in this review. I did not think the violence overplayed, and personally, I enjoyed reading the fight scenes.
In addition, there is some romance. Blanche obviously has her knight in almost-shining armor, but their relationship isn't the main focus of the book. They do share some physical contact, and, if I remember, two kisses. Other minor characters have some of the same degree of romance.
I was, I'll admit, a little skeptical of how the author would put the famous love triangle into the story. Other readers stated that Suzannah did very well incorporating it, and I'd have to agree. A large portion of the middle of the book was dedicated to finding out the circumstances surrounding Blanche's birth, namely who her father is. I am not entirely fond of the whole Arthur-Guinevere-Lancelot triangle, but it wasn't overbearing in this book. Nothing explicit is mentioned, although there are a few references that would make me recommend this book more for mature readers.
The magic was interesting. It was one of the things I actually asked Suzannah about when she first contacted me for a review. She sent me this link, as she discussed the magic in her book with one of her beta readers, and I really enjoyed reading the interview. I know that magic is a strong element in the original King Arthur legends, and this book is no exception. For the good characters, the magic is used as more of a gift from God, while the evil characters who use it steal it in rebellion. Magic is essentially a talent. I was a little uneasy about the abundance of magic, but that's just me. I don't think that it is any way misused or presented wrongly during the course of the book, but I will set this advisory for any reader skeptical about the amount of magic in novels.
September 21, 2015
Deciding on a rating for this book was hard for me, because honestly I liked much about it. The idea was fun; time travel plus King Arthur stuff, plus a bit of Victorian England. I approved of much of the author's thoughts that she tells through her characters. (A young lady is proposed to by a man she loves; she's going through self-identity drama, and tries to tell him to "ask me again later". He says um, no, I'm asking you now, and she freaks out. Silly girl; at least she's properly chastened by her wise older friend. Anyway)
But unfortunately the construction of this book was not all it could be. There was very little rising action from plot point to plot point; despite how much book there was there wasn't nearly enough story to fill it. The climaxes (there were three; it was very much a three-part plot, that might actually have worked better as a trilogy if she could have fleshed the story out a little more) did not feel very climactic. Especially the final climax, which should of course have been the most tense in the book. A large part of the problem seemed to me that the author wast trying to tell both a plot-driven story (the fate of the land of Logres) and a character-driven story (how Blanchefleur grows and changes) which were largely irrelevant to each other. Also I'm afraid the author cheated towards the end; she made a point of the idea that something that can't be done with honor should not be done, but then the characters achieved victory as a direct result of the heroine's dishonorable act. A golden platter for pragmatists.
Also, the diction was just a little off for much of the book; kudos to the author for attempting both Victorian English and an older Arthurian English, but it just didn't come off perfectly. (A hint-don't put archaic words like "yon" in the same sentence with a modern contraction like "what's)
So despite fun ideas, good themes, and likeable characters, the work as a whole did not hang together well. But for a first novel it shows promise, I would willingly follow to see how the author grows as a writer.
But unfortunately the construction of this book was not all it could be. There was very little rising action from plot point to plot point; despite how much book there was there wasn't nearly enough story to fill it. The climaxes (there were three; it was very much a three-part plot, that might actually have worked better as a trilogy if she could have fleshed the story out a little more) did not feel very climactic. Especially the final climax, which should of course have been the most tense in the book. A large part of the problem seemed to me that the author wast trying to tell both a plot-driven story (the fate of the land of Logres) and a character-driven story (how Blanchefleur grows and changes) which were largely irrelevant to each other. Also I'm afraid the author cheated towards the end; she made a point of the idea that something that can't be done with honor should not be done, but then the characters achieved victory as a direct result of the heroine's dishonorable act. A golden platter for pragmatists.
Also, the diction was just a little off for much of the book; kudos to the author for attempting both Victorian English and an older Arthurian English, but it just didn't come off perfectly. (A hint-don't put archaic words like "yon" in the same sentence with a modern contraction like "what's)
So despite fun ideas, good themes, and likeable characters, the work as a whole did not hang together well. But for a first novel it shows promise, I would willingly follow to see how the author grows as a writer.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 16, 2015
Closer to 4.5 stars.
I have always enjoyed stories about Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. But aspects of the story as often portrayed made it more of a tragedy than I story I could fully embrace. T.H. White's "The Once and Future King" is one of my favorite retellings, but the same story elements take some of the enjoyment away.
So I was delighted to find a retelling that takes most of the familiar elements of the story and provides a different interpretation without totally removing those elements. The idea of a heir of King Arthur's living in almost modern times and being called for some destiny provides an interesting idea. The unknowing heir Blanche starts to find that everything she had believed and thought about the world was quite different than the reality. This is a familiar format in fantasy books to have a mundane enter a totally different world. Still this book takes these ideas and creates a story out of them highly worth reading. A world that gives you the best of the romanticism and idealism of Camelot.
The story was a little slow in development as these elements come into play. Although quickly the story was moving right along. There was really nothing I did not like about the story and was glad to immerse my self once again into this legend. Better yet I loved the ending.
I became interested in this book when I saw an entry from the author on the Superversive Blog "When Originality Is a Bad Thing", http://www.ljagilamplighter.com/2015/...
I have always enjoyed stories about Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. But aspects of the story as often portrayed made it more of a tragedy than I story I could fully embrace. T.H. White's "The Once and Future King" is one of my favorite retellings, but the same story elements take some of the enjoyment away.
So I was delighted to find a retelling that takes most of the familiar elements of the story and provides a different interpretation without totally removing those elements. The idea of a heir of King Arthur's living in almost modern times and being called for some destiny provides an interesting idea. The unknowing heir Blanche starts to find that everything she had believed and thought about the world was quite different than the reality. This is a familiar format in fantasy books to have a mundane enter a totally different world. Still this book takes these ideas and creates a story out of them highly worth reading. A world that gives you the best of the romanticism and idealism of Camelot.
The story was a little slow in development as these elements come into play. Although quickly the story was moving right along. There was really nothing I did not like about the story and was glad to immerse my self once again into this legend. Better yet I loved the ending.
I became interested in this book when I saw an entry from the author on the Superversive Blog "When Originality Is a Bad Thing", http://www.ljagilamplighter.com/2015/...
January 31, 2022
This was one of the most amazing books I have ever read (I am not exaggerating!). I need to read it again to refresh my mind and make a good, long review. Suffice it to say I LOVED THIS BOOK.
Read the second time. Loved it again. I have so many thoughts. I loved this book so much.
Read the second time. Loved it again. I have so many thoughts. I loved this book so much.
July 12, 2016
I wish I could give this book 10 stars! I loved it. The end.
June 14, 2016
Delightful. Worth refreshing your memory on the King Arthur legends before reading.
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