The King Arthur Trilogy Book One: Dragon's Child
In the initial installment of his Arthurian trilogy, master storyteller Hume (The Merlin Prophecy series)paints a vivid and wholly original portrait of the boy and the young man who would be king. While readers wedded to the traditional sugar-coated legend may be initially disconcerted by Hume’s earthy representation, the historically curious will appreciate the authentic early medieval detailing grounding the more fantastical elements of the mythology. Unaware of his true parentage and his ultimate fate, Artorex (Arthur), the foster son of Lord Ector, is raised in relative anonymity in order to protect him from Uther Pendragon, his vengeful, venal father. As he approaches manhood and his birthright becomes clear, he undertakes a dangerous quest that will determine not only his own future but also the future of a fledgling Britain. This atmospheric portrait of a young Arthur poised on the cusp of destiny vividly fills in all the pre-Camelot gaps. --Margaret Flanagan