The Lost Book of Lancelot
The most famous of King Arthur’s Knights of the Round Table is the central figure in this compelling novel. Raised in secret on the mystical Isle of Women in pre-Roman Britain, the nameless orphan, under the care of the enchantress Viviana and the sisterhood, learns of a prophecy that reveals his true identity and destiny: he is Lancelot, slated to become a knight of the Round Table and find the Holy Grail. This knowledge will guide him toward his most vulnerable self. He diligently trains to become a knight worthy of the Round Table, joined by the handsome youth Galehaut. As the young men become intimately connected and pledged to each other, circumstances intervene to separate them. The wizard Merlin enters into Lancelot’s orbit with heartbreaking news, forcing the reluctant Lancelot to the wondrous city of Camelot to fulfill his destiny. While searching for the grail, navigating court life, finding new romance, becoming the friend and confidante to both Arthur and Queen Guinevere, the conflicted Sir Lancelot experiences the manipulations and maneuverings of those grasping at power. Meanwhile, the Romans and their allies are closing in, bent on destroying Camelot and the old ways.
Glynn has skillfully distilled various legends and writings concerning Arthur and the Round Table into a provocative and sensitively written narrative. He cleverly utilizes the familiar characters: Sir Gawain, Lady Elaine, the Fisher King, Mordred, Tristan and Isolde, Morgan le Fay—even Galahad makes a brief appearance—in new and insightful ways. But it is Glynn’s multi-faceted portrayal of Sir Lancelot as he evolves into his authentic self and discovers that sometimes your destiny can lead you to where your heart longs to be, that propels the story. Brilliantly conceived, complex, magical, and a grand adventure.
