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Spear by Nicola Griffith
She grows up in the wild wood, in a cave with her mother, but visions of a faraway lake drift to her on the spring breeze, scented with promise. And when she hears a traveler speak of Artos, king of Caer Leon, she decides her future lies at his court. So, brimming with magic and eager to test her strength, she breaks her covenant with her mother and sets out on her bony gelding for Caer Leon.
With her stolen hunting spear and mended armour, she is an unlikely hero—not a chosen one, but one who chooses. Aflame with determination, she begins a journey of magic and mystery, love, lust and fights to death. On her adventures she will steal the hearts of beautiful women, fight warriors and sorcerers, and make a place to call home.
Why you should read it: A strange and riveting take on Arthurian legends, compelling and gloriously queer. I didn't realize until the author's note at the end that Peretur is an alternate name/spelling for Percival, but this did not at all diminish my enjoyment of the book. The familiar elements of the mythology are beautifully rendered and fit into an incredible story that never once landed where I expected it to go.
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Sword Stone Table by Swapna Krishna & Jenn Northington
From the vast lore surrounding King Arthur, Camelot, and the Knights of the Round Table, comes an anthology of gender-bent, race-bent, LGBTQIA+ inclusive retellings.
Featuring stories by: Alexander Chee • Preeti Chhibber • Roshani Chokshi • Sive Doyle • Maria Dahvana Headley • Ausma Zehanat Khan • Daniel M. Lavery • Ken Liu • Sarah MacLean • Silvia Moreno-Garcia • Jessica Plummer • Anthony Rapp • Waubgeshig Rice • Alex Segura • Nisi Shawl • S. Zainab Williams
Here you’ll find the Lady of the Lake reimagined as an albino Ugandan sorceress and the Lady of Shalott as a wealthy, isolated woman in futuristic Mexico City; you’ll see Excalibur rediscovered as a baseball bat that grants a washed-up minor leaguer a fresh shot at glory and as a lost ceremonial drum that returns to a young First Nations boy the power and the dignity of his people. There are stories set in Gilded Age Chicago, ’80s New York, twenty-first century Singapore, and space; there are lesbian lady knights, Arthur and Merlin reborn in the modern era for a second chance at saving the world and falling in love—even a coffee shop AU.
Brave, bold, and groundbreaking, the stories in Sword Stone Table will bring fresh life to beloved myths and give long-time fans a chance to finally see themselves in their favorite legends.
Why you should read it: This was a fascinating collection with a dizzyingly wide range of stories. Some fantastic Arthuriana retellings that did a fantastic job of hitting the mark while offering up beautiful new perspectives... Some terrific stories that didn't quite understand the assignment but were enjoyable reads nonetheless... Some especially gorgeous gems by writers I will absolutely be seeking out in future. Definitely an anthology worth checking out.
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Gwen & Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher
Gwen, the quick-witted Princess of England, and Arthur, future lord and general gadabout, have been betrothed since birth. Unfortunately, the only thing they can agree on is that they hate each other.
When Gwen catches Art kissing a boy and Art discovers where Gwen hides her diary (complete with racy entries about Bridget Leclair, the kingdom's only female knight), they become reluctant allies.
By pretending to fall for each other, their mutual protection will be assured. But how long can they keep up the ruse? With Gwen growing closer to Bridget, and Art becoming unaccountably fond of Gabriel, Gwen's infuriatingly serious, bookish brother, the path to true love is looking far from straight...
Why you should read it: This book was everything I hoped and more. Charming, sweet, sincere, genuinely funny. I love a story that deftly balances a light tone with heavier themes, and this one manages to be an incredibly cheerful read while still doing a beautiful job with the more serious elements in play. The characters are wonderful and complicated, the pacing is excellent, and the ending is wildly satisfying. Even the contemporary tone and dialogue worked perfectly, despite the setting being nebulously medieval, maybe because everything felt so grounded in genuine emotion. I adored this book.
Spear by Nicola Griffith
She grows up in the wild wood, in a cave with her mother, but visions of a faraway lake drift to her on the spring breeze, scented with promise. And when she hears a traveler speak of Artos, king of Caer Leon, she decides her future lies at his court. So, brimming with magic and eager to test her strength, she breaks her covenant with her mother and sets out on her bony gelding for Caer Leon.
With her stolen hunting spear and mended armour, she is an unlikely hero—not a chosen one, but one who chooses. Aflame with determination, she begins a journey of magic and mystery, love, lust and fights to death. On her adventures she will steal the hearts of beautiful women, fight warriors and sorcerers, and make a place to call home.
Why you should read it: A strange and riveting take on Arthurian legends, compelling and gloriously queer. I didn't realize until the author's note at the end that Peretur is an alternate name/spelling for Percival, but this did not at all diminish my enjoyment of the book. The familiar elements of the mythology are beautifully rendered and fit into an incredible story that never once landed where I expected it to go.
- — - — - — - — -
Sword Stone Table by Swapna Krishna & Jenn Northington
From the vast lore surrounding King Arthur, Camelot, and the Knights of the Round Table, comes an anthology of gender-bent, race-bent, LGBTQIA+ inclusive retellings.
Featuring stories by: Alexander Chee • Preeti Chhibber • Roshani Chokshi • Sive Doyle • Maria Dahvana Headley • Ausma Zehanat Khan • Daniel M. Lavery • Ken Liu • Sarah MacLean • Silvia Moreno-Garcia • Jessica Plummer • Anthony Rapp • Waubgeshig Rice • Alex Segura • Nisi Shawl • S. Zainab Williams
Here you’ll find the Lady of the Lake reimagined as an albino Ugandan sorceress and the Lady of Shalott as a wealthy, isolated woman in futuristic Mexico City; you’ll see Excalibur rediscovered as a baseball bat that grants a washed-up minor leaguer a fresh shot at glory and as a lost ceremonial drum that returns to a young First Nations boy the power and the dignity of his people. There are stories set in Gilded Age Chicago, ’80s New York, twenty-first century Singapore, and space; there are lesbian lady knights, Arthur and Merlin reborn in the modern era for a second chance at saving the world and falling in love—even a coffee shop AU.
Brave, bold, and groundbreaking, the stories in Sword Stone Table will bring fresh life to beloved myths and give long-time fans a chance to finally see themselves in their favorite legends.
Why you should read it: This was a fascinating collection with a dizzyingly wide range of stories. Some fantastic Arthuriana retellings that did a fantastic job of hitting the mark while offering up beautiful new perspectives... Some terrific stories that didn't quite understand the assignment but were enjoyable reads nonetheless... Some especially gorgeous gems by writers I will absolutely be seeking out in future. Definitely an anthology worth checking out.
- — - — - — - — -
Gwen & Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher
Gwen, the quick-witted Princess of England, and Arthur, future lord and general gadabout, have been betrothed since birth. Unfortunately, the only thing they can agree on is that they hate each other.
When Gwen catches Art kissing a boy and Art discovers where Gwen hides her diary (complete with racy entries about Bridget Leclair, the kingdom's only female knight), they become reluctant allies.
By pretending to fall for each other, their mutual protection will be assured. But how long can they keep up the ruse? With Gwen growing closer to Bridget, and Art becoming unaccountably fond of Gabriel, Gwen's infuriatingly serious, bookish brother, the path to true love is looking far from straight...
Why you should read it: This book was everything I hoped and more. Charming, sweet, sincere, genuinely funny. I love a story that deftly balances a light tone with heavier themes, and this one manages to be an incredibly cheerful read while still doing a beautiful job with the more serious elements in play. The characters are wonderful and complicated, the pacing is excellent, and the ending is wildly satisfying. Even the contemporary tone and dialogue worked perfectly, despite the setting being nebulously medieval, maybe because everything felt so grounded in genuine emotion. I adored this book.
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