Queen of None

by Natania Barron Narrated by Deborah Balm

Overview

First in a sumptuous, female-led Arthurian Fantasy Romance trilogy



"Through all the ages, and in the hearts of men, you will be forgotten."



Married at twelve, and a mother soon after, King Arthur's sister Anna did not live a young life full of promise. She bore three strong sons and delivered the kingdom of Orkney to her brother by way of her marriage. She did as she was asked, invisible and useful-for her name, her dowry, and her womb.



Now, twenty years after she left her home, Anna is summoned back to Carelon with the crown of her now-dead husband, to face the demons of her childhood: her sisters Morgen, Elaine, and Morgause; Merlin and his scheming priests; and Bedevere, the man she once loved.



Carelon is changing, and Anna must change with it. New threats lurk in the shadows, and a strange power begins to awaken in her. If she is to be more than a pawn in others' plans, she must bargain her own strength, and family, in pursuit of her ambition-and revenge.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

09/28/2020

Starting with a clever explanation as to why King Arthur’s sister has been forgotten by history, Barron (Time & Temper) spins an entertaining new version of the Arthurian legend. Anna Pendragon was married off to the brutal King Lot when she was 12. Returning to Camelot as a widow 20 years later to bring Lot’s crown as a gift to Arthur, she hopes to rekindle her old love with Sir Bedevere and reconnect with her son, Sir Gawain. Instead, she discovers she is still a pawn of Arthur and the fearsome Merlin, who swiftly marry her off again in an effort to control both her and her new husband, Lancelot. With help from the women on the Avalon side of her family, Anna sets in motion a plan to seize her freedom—but the dark power required may destroy her. Anna, who loves and reviles Camelot in equal measure, offers a sympathetic new perspective on the familiar story. Though she only desires a life of love and peace, she’s forced to contend with her brother’s machinations and fight for her own autonomy. The result is a layered, engaging retelling sure to please fans of the Arthurian tales. (Dec.)

From the Publisher

A captivating look at the intriguing figures in King Arthur’s golden realm.” –Kirkus

“A layered, engaging retelling, sure to please fans of the Arthurian tales.” –Publishers Weekly

“Readers feel as though they could slip from the mundane to the fantastical at any moment...” –Library Journal

“Barron’s take will leave readers with entirely new insights into Arthurian legend.” –Booklist

Library Journal

12/01/2020

At just 13, Anna, the sister of King Arthur, was given in marriage to a man three times her age, Lot, the King of Orkney. By the time she was 15 she had gifted him with her first child. Deeply unhappy in her marriage, Anna is greatly relieved when her husbanddies. She is recalled to Arthur's court only to find that she is expected to be grateful for the meager scraps of courtesy offered her and thankful for the chance to marry another man she barely knows, the much younger (and celibate) knight, Lanceloch. During this time of great upheaval and war, the realm also deals with a new religion bent on destroying the much older Druid beliefs—Christianity. VERDICT Barron's (These Marvelous Beasts) novel blends human earthiness with the mystical elements we have come to expect from Arthurian legends, allowing readers to feel as though they could slip from the mundane to the fantastical at any moment. While a bit disjointed at times, this work ably captures the essence of King Arthur's court and those who inhabited it.—Jane Henriksen Baird, formerly at Anchorage P.L., AK

Product Details

BN ID:	2940191605456
Publisher:	Tantor Audio
Publication date:	05/21/2024
Series:	Queens of Fate Trilogy , #1
Edition description:	Unabridged

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