Title: Young King Arthur and the Round Table Knights
Series: King Arthur: Book One
Author: Siryn Sueng
Publisher: Deep Hearts YA
Length: 210 Pages
Category: Young Adult, Fantasy
At a Glance: Young King Arthur and the Round Table Knights rates pretty high on the entertainment scale, and I was happily absorbed in the telling of the familiar story with all the notable names attached, but with a few new twists too.
Reviewed By: Lisa
Blurb: There was no reason for Arthur to think he would ever become king.
A peasant and son of a baker, Arthur grew up in the castle town of Camelot. When he attended the Choosing Ceremony, it was merely to see who would draw the Holy Sword, Excalibur—to see who would inherit the throne of the recently departed King Uther. He never expected the sword would choose him…
But it did.
Now, at the young age of fourteen, he has become King Arthur, and for all the power he has gained, he has made just as many enemies. Surrounded by the Knights of the Round Table, and led by the mysterious mage, Merlin, Arthur is grateful for his allies, though he would just as soon return to his old life. Surely, someone more worthy should be chosen as king.
Arthur is in the middle of chaos, a world where everyone wants more than they let on, where many hate the idea of a young boy with no noble background being crowned king; where cold stares and whispered words are just as sharp as an assassin’s blade.
As Arthur fends for his life, he must draw on the strength of his knights, especially fifteen-year-old Mordred, who becomes closer to him than the mere bounds of duty. He must become king, not just in name, but in his heart.
And he must do it quickly, because his enemies want more than just his crown…
Review: Young King Arthur and the Round Table Knights is a fun YA action/adventure fantasy filled with assassination attempts, narrow escapes, and a boy who would be king…quite by accident. Arthur is just fourteen years old, his Knights of the Round Table not much older, when his life as a commoner is entirely upended after the sword Excalibur chooses him as the next monarch, but the confidence of a commoner is not much confidence at all, and not only is he unprepared to wear the mantle of responsibility that’s been bestowed upon him by the legendary sword, but he also finds himself reeling from the animosity he faces from his subjects, his servants, and even his own knights.
It doesn’t take long for Arthur to assimilate that all is not well in Camelot and that he’s the target of an assassin, or possibly assassins, thanks to a variety of creative yet unsuccessful attempts on his life, which keeps the knights and the mage Merlin busy saving him. Rarely have I read a book where a character faces almost constant peril the way Arthur does, some of it due to his own poor decision making, but it comes on the heels of his learning curve and an introduction to the measure of the man and king he will become as he learns to follow his instincts, make plenty of mistakes, hone and trust his own judgment, heed his advisors and allies, and seek out and vanquish his enemies. Arthur is given a speed course in tenacity, integrity, honor and the commitment to do what is right, which hinges upon his acceptance of his kingship and, just as important, of Excalibur. He will also learn that while a merciful king is a benevolent and virtuous one, showing the enemy mercy can also be akin to showing a predator his neck.
And he does all of this while falling in love.
Young King Arthur and the Round Table Knights rates pretty high on the entertainment scale, and I was happily absorbed in the telling of the familiar story with all the notable names attached, but with a few new twists too. I’ll be following Arthur, Merlin, and the knights into their next adventures, and look forward to seeing where the author takes these boys and their stalwart mage next. If this book is an indicator, there’s sure to be more danger afoot.
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