A rationalist and historical version of the legends, that omits both Merlin and Lancelot, these books are exceedingly well written. Helen Hollick was born 1953 in Walthamstow, North East London. When she came of age to seek employment she had always yearned to be a journalist, but her careers advice was unhelpful. You can’t be a journalist she was told, you can’t type. Instead she ended up working in a library. The one advantage of working there was that she had access to lots of books. By the time she was married with a young daughter she found she had time to begin writing herself and began to put down on paper her own thoughts of Arthurian Britain.

In her own words the author stated that she made a conscious decision to leave Merlin and Lancelot out of the books. There was to be no magic or myths in the book. What she did not know was that her writings on the subject would not just fill one book, but three.

The Kingmaking - Book 1

In this first volume of what promises to be a monumental historical trilogy, rookie British author Hollick depicts Arthur’’s rise from A.D. 450, when he was a 15-year-old boy of hidden parentage, to A.D. 457, when he took his place as the King Arthur of legend. The story combines private emotions and public statecraft as marriages, alliances and enemies are made and unmade to suit the politics of the era. Hollick mixes elements from fifth-century history, myth, early romances, contemporary fantasy and other novels about Arthur, adding her own inventions for good measure. The treatment of Gwenhwyfar and her love for Arthur (depicted here as star-crossed even without Lancelot’s help) is especially vivid. Though the novel contains no supernatural aspects, with its exotic setting, passionate characters and epic battles and intrigue, it still should appeal to the fantasy fans to whom most Arthurian adventures are addressed. The language, too, is influenced by genre fantasy, especially in its dramatic descriptions and reliance on archaisms; but this big-hearted novel’s historical speculations alone should make it of interest to the non-fantasy reader as well.

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Pendragon’s Banner - Book 2

The second in the “Pendragon’s Banner” trilogy, a retelling of thestory of King Arthur. The newly-crowned king of Britain stands with Gwenhwyfar, his queen, at his side. There are hard times ahead for both of them, not least because Arthur has failed to deal decisively with certain old enemies.

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Shadow of the King - Book 3

Arthur is dead. His widow, Gwenhwyfar, left at Caer Cadan with their small daughter, faces overthrow by the powerful council headed byArthur’’s uncle. But, unknown to her, events in France and Germany mean that a far mightier battle lies ahead. This is the third volume in the “Pendragon’s Banner” trilogy.

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