– A Take On The Arthurian Legend –
Author: Thomas Wheeler
Illustrator: Frank White
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (October 1, 2019)
- Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
- Hardback: 416 Pages
From Simon and Schuster:
Look out for the original series starring Katherine Langford coming soon to Netflix!
The Lady of the Lake is the true hero in this cinematic twist on the tale of King Arthur created by Thomas Wheeler and legendary artist, producer, and director Frank Miller (300, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Sin City). Featuring 8 full-color and 30 black-and-white pieces of original artwork by Frank Miller.
Whosoever wields the Sword of Power shall be the one true King.
But what if the Sword has chosen a Queen?
Nimue grew up an outcast. Her connection to dark magic made her something to be feared in her Druid village, and that made her desperate to leave…
That is, until her entire village is slaughtered by Red Paladins, and Nimue’s fate is forever altered. Charged by her dying mother to reunite an ancient sword with a legendary sorcerer, Nimue is now her people’s only hope. Her mission leaves little room for revenge, but the growing power within her can think of little else.
Nimue teams up with a charming mercenary named Arthur and refugee Fey Folk from across England. She wields a sword meant for the one true king, battling paladins and the armies of a corrupt king. She struggles to unite her people, avenge her family, and discover the truth about her destiny.
But perhaps the one thing that can change Destiny itself is found at the edge of a blade.
My Thoughts:
I included Simon and Schuster’s description of the book with this review because it’s much better than anything I could write. I’m afraid I just wouldn’t do it justice.
Though I don’t typically review this type of story, I thought it might be good to this time. Especially since it will soon be showing on Netflix. However, it just wasn’t a good fit. Even though I really tried to get involved in the story, the writing felt choppy and I was only periodically interested.
Basically, Nimue’s village is ransacked and she becomes an orphan. But before her mother dies, she gives Nimue a mission: to hand off the sword to Merlin. If this type of story appeals to you, I think it’s probably a good one to check out. And I have to admit, as a Netflix series, I might really find it interesting. But as a book, not so much.
My thanks to #NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the opportunity to read this ARC and give an early review.
What Concerned Me:
I had a very hard time connecting with the writing, probably more so than the story.
What I Liked Most:
I’m anxious for this to appear on Netflix. As a show, I may really like it.
About The Author:
Thomas Wheeler is a screenwriter, producer, showrunner, and the author of The Arcanum. He was the executive producer and creator of Empire for ABC and The Cape for NBC. In feature animation he wrote the Academy Award–nominated Puss in Boots, as well as The Lego Ninjago Movie. Together with Frank Miller, he is cocreator and executive producer of Cursed, based upon the novel of the same name.
