Books based on fairytales and myths are some of my absolute favourites to read and collect. There’s something so fascinating about seeing each author’s take on the same familiar stories, add their own unique twists, new settings, and some very different characters, and coming out with a book that is distinctly their own . This is probably why ‘The Lunar Chronicles’ is one of my favourite series. They take stories that we’re so familiar with, like Cinderella, or Rapunzel, add androids, cyborgs, spaceships, and deadly plagues, and transport you instantly into another world, that we both know, and also don’t.
I’ve enjoyed plenty of retold fairytales in the past, but what I haven’t read many of are books inspired by Arthurian Legends. When I was younger, I used to love losing myself in the stories of King Arthur and his court. I’m a huge fan of the old English court, the magic, and the bravery and heroism of the knights, as well as some of their sad downfalls. It kept me hooked for hours. With these stories being so epic and recognisable, one would think that more people would be drawing inspiration from them. Maybe they are and I’m just looking in all the wrong places. I don’t know. Recently though, I’ve been lucky enough to stumble across not one, not two, but three books based in the legends of King Arthur, and let me tell you, I am so hyped to read them.
Legendborn | Tracy Deonn
After her mother dies in an accident, sixteen-year-old Bree Matthews wants nothing to do with her family memories or childhood home. A residential program for bright high schoolers at UNC–Chapel Hill seems like the perfect escape—until Bree witnesses a magical attack her very first night on campus.
A flying demon feeding on human energies.
A secret society of so called “Legendborn” students that hunt the creatures down.
And a mysterious teenage mage who calls himself a “Merlin” and who attempts—and fails—to wipe Bree’s memory of everything she saw.
The mage’s failure unlocks Bree’s own unique magic and a buried memory with a hidden connection: the night her mother died, another Merlin was at the hospital. Now that Bree knows there’s more to her mother’s death than what’s on the police report, she’ll do whatever it takes to find out the truth, even if that means infiltrating the Legendborn as one of their initiates.
She recruits Nick, a self-exiled Legendborn with his own grudge against the group, and their reluctant partnership pulls them deeper into the society’s secrets—and closer to each other. But when the Legendborn reveal themselves as the descendants of King Arthur’s knights and explain that a magical war is coming, Bree has to decide how far she’ll go for the truth and whether she should use her magic to take the society down—or join the fight.
This book ticks all the boxes for an epic read. It includes the descendants of King Arthur’s knights, magic, Merlin, secret societies, buried memories, and an oncoming war where the main character must pick sides. It sounds like the best blend of school story, magic discovery, fantasy battles and of course, Arthurian legends. It sounds like a really fun take on Arthurian lore, and I am so excited to sink my teeth into this one.
The Guinevere Deception | Kiersten White
There was nothing in the world as magical and terrifying as a girl.
Princess Guinevere has come to Camelot to wed a stranger: the charismatic King Arthur. With magic clawing at the kingdom’s borders, the great wizard Merlin conjured a solution–send in Guinevere to be Arthur’s wife . . . and his protector from those who want to see the young king’s idyllic city fail. The catch? Guinevere’s real name–and her true identity–is a secret. She is a changeling, a girl who has given up everything to protect Camelot.
To keep Arthur safe, Guinevere must navigate a court in which the old–including Arthur’s own family–demand things continue as they have been, and the new–those drawn by the dream of Camelot–fight for a better way to live. And always, in the green hearts of forests and the black depths of lakes, magic lies in wait to reclaim the land. Arthur’s knights believe they are strong enough to face any threat, but Guinevere knows it will take more than swords to keep Camelot free.
Deadly jousts, duplicitous knights, and forbidden romances are nothing compared to the greatest threat of all: the girl with the long black hair, riding on horseback through the dark woods toward Arthur. Because when your whole existence is a lie, how can you trust even yourself?
I think what excites me most about The Guinevere Deception is that it takes us right into the world of King Arthur. It’s fun to see the effects of his legends down through the ages, but I am super excited to jump into the life and times of King Arthur, from the point of view of Guinevere no less. I loved the original stories, and this sounds like an epic reimagining of old familiar stories and I am so here for that.
Wraithwood | Alyssa Roat
An estranged uncle, a mysterious mansion, and Arthurian legend–together they lead to a world of magic and bloodthirsty wizards who want teenage Brinnie dead.
Brynna “Brinnie” Lane has always lived a quiet life under the watchful eye of her hovering mother–until she’s sent off for the summer to live with an uncle she didn’t know she had. While her parents get to travel across the globe, she’ll be spending three months in the middle of nowhere: upstate New York. It looks like she might spend the entire summer friendless with her nose in a book.
However, she soon finds that Wraithwood Estate, her uncle’s creepy old mansion, holds as many secrets as the man himself. When Brinnie is warned not to explore any of it, her curiosity only grows. As unnatural events take place and Brinnie hears whispers of a hidden war, she must unravel the truth about her family’s mysterious past if she wants to survive.
Something terrible happened at Wraithwood thirty years ago, and Brinnie is determined to find out what–even if it means confronting the possibility that magic is real.
I’m not 100% sure where the Arthurian legends come into this book yet, as they’re not mentioned super explicitly in the blurb, other than in that first line, but I do know that the rest of this description already sounds amazing, and the very idea that it’s connected to the legends of King Arthur and his knights is a huge draw for me. This appears to be a story Sith a connection to King Arthur through history, and it’ll be fun to see what that legacy is in Wraithwood. This one isn’t even out yet and I’m excited!
I can’t wait to dive into all of these books and immerse myself in the world and legends of King Arthur. But I would love to hear from you. What other books do you know are based on Arthurian legends? What stories or mythologies would you like to see represented in more books nowadays? Have you read any of these? Let’s chat in the comments!
Looking for another great fantasy read to add to your shelves? Why not check out my YA fantasy duo logy, starting with The Crystal Tree? It has magic, mysteries, royalty, strong sisterly bonds, and a looming battle in which the main characters must choose to stand against the oncoming storm, or see everything fall apart around them. Available on Amazon now!
