Introduction

Not since A.S. Byatt's Possession has there been a novel so perfectly attuned to readers who love the history and mythology of the British Isles. A dramatic find at Stonehenge and another in the Bodleian Library set in motion a riveting scholarly detective story and a romance, unfolding across a rich historical landscape evoked by the secret places and half-forgotten legends of the British countryside. Archaeologist Donald Gladstone knows there is no solid evidence that King Arthur existed. Yet medieval tales of this legendary warrior must have found their inspiration somewhere and Donald is determined to discover their true source. A chance encounter with Julia Llewellyn, a linguist working on the Oxford English Dictionary, sets them both on the trail of elusive clues embedded in an old Welsh battle poem. Their quest will intersect in unforeseen ways with their own troubled lives and will lead them at last to a deeper understanding of the origins of Arthur.

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Excerpt

Julia Llewellyn drains the last drops from her second glass of wine. She briefly considers a refill, thinks better of it. For now, she tries to distract herself with a volume of Welsh poetry that her father has sent her. She smiles as she thinks of him, D... view entire excerpt...

Discussion Questions

Two of the classic themes of Arthurian romance are forbidden love and the pursuit of the ideal. To what extent are these represented in the novel’s contemporary story?

Is Hugh Mortimer, in the end, a sympathetic character?

Discuss the importance in the novel of the blurring of history and folklore and myth.

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»	Author Sean Pidgeon's web site
»	Publisher's Book Info

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