Don't let it be forgot,
That once there was a spot
For happily ever-aftering,
Than here in Camelot!
(lyrics from Lerner & Lowe's Camelot)
Ever since I was a child, I've had a love of Camelot. I remember attending a high school musical production at the age of eight. At ten years old, I went to the re-release of the 1968 film version of the musical, and when I was in college, my parents treated me to the off-Broadway roadshow featuring none other than Richard Harris. And yeah... my night was made when I had opportunity to chat with Mr. Harris for a brief time and have him autograph my playbill.
As a teenager, I "crossed the pond" for the very first time, and my parents and I traveled all over southern England--especially Somerset. I remember locating Cadbury--an old hill-fort that some archarologists associate with Arthur's Camelot. I climbed clear to the top for a stunning view of the surrounding countryside and in my imagination formed a visual of what a dark-age fort might have looked like up there.
So when I heard about Helen Hollick's re-release of her trilogy on Arthur, I wanted to be a part of the party! Happy birthday, Helen, and best wishes that your books will be as legendary as Arthur has become!
Readers, be sure to check out the blurb about Helen's books and learn more about the birthday girl, herself!
Read ON, everybody!
All About the Book
The Boy Who became a Man: Who became a King: Who became a Legend... KING ARTHUR There is no Merlin, no sword in the stone, and no Lancelot. Instead, the man who became our most enduring hero. All knew the oath of allegiance: ‘To you, lord, I give my sword and shield, my heart and soul. To you, my Lord Pendragon, I give my life, to command as you will.’ This is the tale of Arthur made flesh and bone. Of the shaping of the man who became the legendary king; a man with dreams, ambitions and human flaws. A man, a warlord, who united the collapsing province of post-Roman Britain, who held the heart of the love of his life, Gwenhwyfar - and who emerged as the most enduring hero of all time. A different telling of the later Medieval tales. This is the story of King Arthur as it might have really happened...
~"If only all historical fiction could be this good." Historical Novels Review ~"... Juggles a large cast of characters and a bloody, tangled plot with great skill. "
Publishers Weekly
~"Hollick's writing is one of the best I've come across - her descriptions are so vivid it seems as if there's a movie screen in front of you, playing out the scenes." Passages To The Past
~"Hollick adds her own unique twists and turns to the familiar mythology" Booklist
~"Uniquely compelling... bound to have a lasting and resounding impact on Arthurian literature." Books Magazine
All About Helen
Helen is celebrating her 70th birthday and thirty years as a published author. Her Pendragon’s Banner Trilogy, a fifth-century version of the Arthurian legend, was accepted for traditional publication in April 1993 by William Heinemann (Random House UK) a week after her 40th birthday. The Trilogy has been widely acclaimed since then – and gone through several different editions.
Helen moved from Random House UK in 2006 and went ‘Indie’, now in 2023 to celebrate she has brought out her own fabulous new editions! (The Trilogy is published mainstream by Sourcebooks Inc in USA/Canada. The publisher was offered the new cover designs for free, but declined.)
Helen became a USA Today Bestseller with her historical novel, The Forever Queen (titled A Hollow Crown in the UK) with the sequel, Harold the King (US: I Am The Chosen King) being novels that explore the events that led to the Battle of Hastings in 1066.
She writes a nautical adventure/fantasy Pirates of the Caribbean series, The Sea Witch Voyages and has also branched out into the quick read novella, 'Cosy Mystery' genre with her Jan Christopher Murder Mysteries, set in the 1970s, with the first in the series, A Mirror Murder incorporating her, often hilarious, memories of working as a library assistant.
Her non-fiction books are Pirates: Truth and Tales and Life of A Smuggler. She lives with her family in an eighteenth-century farmhouse in North Devon with a variety of pets and horses.
Connect with Helen
BUY THE BOOK!
***The Kingmaking is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.***
thank you for being a host for my online party!
Thanks very much for hosting Helen Hollick today, on her special day!
Best,
Cathie Dunn xx
The Coffee Pot Book Club