Sword of the Rightful King by Jane Yolen

GENRE

YA Historical Fiction / Arthurian Legend (349 pgs.)

SYNOPSIS

Newly crowned King Arthur rules the kingdom... but not the people's hearts. Unless he proves his worth, his power will always be in question. Too many want him dead, and treachery is everywhere.

So the wizard Merlinnus secretly creates a test for Arthur...

A sword in a stone is discovered--a stone that bears a legend promising that whosoever draws out the sword will rule England. If all goes as planned, King Arthur will draw the blade from the stone (with the help of magic from Merlinnus, of course), and the people will at last rally around the young king.

Except someone pulls the sword out first...

MY REVIEW

Yet another retelling of the Arthurian legend? Sign me up! I found this title when I was perusing through my ordering options on PaperBackSwap.com.

I cannot even begin to tell you how glad I am that I ordered this book, and how glad I am that Jane Yolen shared this incredible story! So far, out of all Arthurian re-interpretations, this is one of the best interpretations of Arthurian legend I have read. Yes, it was that good.

Two things really stood out to me as I made my way through this story... characters and plot.

Don't expect the traditional Arthurian characters in this book. Ms. Yolen gave them such fresh traits and stories, it was remarkable! It was so refreshing. The best thing about that was that the characters didn't hurt the story of Arthur in any way... in fact, they enhanced it, and made it even more of a joy to read.

The dialogue between the characters really kept the story moving, and lent so much more dimension to these familiar faces. Each character has their own voice, their own motives.

OMG the plot. I want to tell you about it so bad, but I don't want to ruin it! I can only say that it's not Arthur who pulls the sword out of the stone. And that one of the characters isn't who you think they are... But even so, the plot was excellent. It kept me on my toes throughout the entire novel. After a while of reading, you just have to learn to let go of your pre-conceived expectations, and relish in this new retelling.

Ms. Yolen did such an excellent job of telling this story, I cannot even stress that enough! There are so many twists and turns, it's completely unexpected! But still wonderful at the same time. She's made me fall in love with Arthurian legend all over again, and for that, I have to thank her. This was just a fantastic story!

In the back of the books, there is a short Q&A with Jane Yolen. One of her answers I absolutely loved:

"I am an Arthurholic. If a story is about Camelot, I am there! Quite simply, I think it is the greatest story ever told, or more accurately, the greatest collection of stories ever told." (354)

I couldn't agree more!

MY RATING

4.5****/*

Book #7 in Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

Everlasting by Angie Frazier

GENRE

Y.A. Historical Fiction (329 pgs.)

SYNOPSIS

Sailing aboard her father's trade ship is all seventeen-year-old Camille Rowen has ever wanted. But as a girl of society in 1855 San Francisco, her future is set: Marry a man she doesn't love, or condemn herself and her father to poverty.

On her final voyage before the wedding, the stormy arms of the Tasman sea claim her father, and a terrible family secret is revealed. A secret intertwined with a fabled map, the mother Camille has long since believed dead, and an anceint stone that weilds a dangerous--and alluring--magic.

The only person Camille can depend on is Oscar, a handsome young sailor whom she is undeniably drawn to. Torn between trusting her instincts and keeping her promises to her father, Camille embarks on a perilous quest into the Australian wilderness to find the enchanted stone. As she and Oscar elude murderous bushrangers and unravel Camille's father's lies, they come closer to making the ultimate decision of who--and what--matters most.

MY REVIEW

When I first picked up this book at Border's a week or so ago, I wasn't actually sure how this book would pan out for me. Sure, it was Y.A. Historical Fiction (one of my favorite genres), but the synopsis sounded kind of... well... weird. Just different.

But I made the decision to buy it anyway, and I'm so glad I did. Camille Rowen's tale of adventure on the high seas was really really exciting. The secenery in this book is brilliant. All of the marvelous locales in which this story takes place (San Fran, Australia, Hawaii) are really breathtaking. This book definitley takes you on your own mini vacation.

The characters were also written very well. Camille, despite her unfortuante circumstances, remains a strong heroine, who comes to realize that the only real path you can follow is the path your heart leads you on. Oscar remains undyingly by Camille's side, always there to protect her and defend her at all costs.

One character I really admired was Ira Beam. Camille and Oscar pick up this swindler with heart in Melbourne, AU, to be their guide in their travels across the continent. I loved this character because he reminded me of a certain someone... a certain Captain named Jack Sparrow. A quote, to prove my point:

'"Whiskey?" Camille cried as she stood on a wharf in Port Adelaide harbor. "You brought us onto a whiskey cargo ship?"

Ira spread out his arms. "And rum, love. Don't forget the rum."'

Coincidence or not? You decide.

The only thing that didn't strike a chord in me was the whole search for Umandu, the mystical stone of the immortals. For me, it really took a back seat throughout the book. When they actually finally reach the stone, the quest only took about 56 pages to retrieve it. Throughout the book, everyone warns of how so many people have died searching for it, but the quest itself seemed a bit anti-climactic. Just a bit. The 'magic' of the stone never really connected with me.

All in all, this book took me on a really great adventure. A good light read that's action packed. Be sure to pick this one up this summer!

MY RATING

4.5****/*