The Chosen Queen - (The Pendragon Prophecy) by Sam Davey (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Igraine, destined mother of King Arthur, takes center stage for a powerful, feminist retelling of Camelot.

The stories of Camelot do not begin with the sword in the stone--but rather with a twisted chain of murder, magic, and deceit.

A Welsh princess educated on the Lake Isle of Avalon, Igraine is now happily married to the Cornish War Duke Gorlois, a match arranged for political advantage that blossomed into love. When Gorlois begins to forsake the ancient magics, however, it creates a strain between them, as well as friction between Igraine and Vivian, the Lady of the Lake and High Priestess to the Goddess. While Igraine and Gorlois are visiting Uther Pendragon, King of Britain, at his castle, Uther makes it obvious to the entire court that he desires Igraine to be his queen. Later, he accosts her in the castle corridors, and when Igraine informs Gorlois of what happened, her husband gathers his people and abruptly leaves the festivities, declaring war. England has only recently found peace, and Merlin pleads with Gorlois to pledge allegiance to Uther. He speaks of a prophecy that reveals Igraine's son is destined to wield the mighty sword Excalibur and unite the British Isles. He will be the fabled Once and Future King. But the prophecy does nothing to dissaude Gorlois, whose pride will keep him bent toward war, no matter the cost to his people.

In the bloody aftermath of civil war, Igraine bravely assumes the role of leader at Tintagel Castle, encouraging the women left behind to continue working the fields to show their devotion to the Goddess and instructing her two daughters, Morgause and Morgan, to harness their own powers. She plans a grand summer Solstice celebration, inviting their allies. On the eve of the Solstice, Gorlois unexpectedly returns to Tintagel. But it is only after she lies with who she believes is her beloved husband that Igraine learns the full extent of Merlin and Vivan's devious plot.

Igraine is chosen by the Goddess, by the Lady of the Lake, by Merlin, by Uther Pendragon . . . but in the end, she will choose her own destiny, and in doing so, inadvertently set the stage for the blood-feud that will become the canker at the heart of Camelot.

Review Quotes

"Attending to gaps in the Arthurian legends with care, Sam Davey's captivating fantasy novel The Chosen Queen delves into the dangerous web of politics, religion, and magic that led to the birth of King Arthur....Elegant and intricate, the novel fills a recent void for feminist fantasy audiences, fleshing out Igraine beyond her traditional role as a mere vessel for Arthur's birth and refreshing the timeless atmosphere of Tintagel with everyday details....The compelling historical fantasy novel The Chosen Queen breathes life into an overlooked figure of Arthurian legend, giving her dimension and personality."
--Foreword Reviews

"Arthurian legend has long been a deep well from which myriad retellings have been drawn. Davey's first entry in her Pendragon Prophecies series adds to this body by centering Igraine, Arthur's mother. A devoted wife to the duke of Cornwall and mother to two young daughters, Igraine is caught up in a web of life-altering political machinations when King Uther Pendragon takes notice of her. This Britain is one at the end of Roman rule, with great changes afoot. Merlin may be a powerful magician and the mysteries of the goddess celebrated, but other powers, particularly Christianity, are on the rise, and these competing systems inform much of the tragedy to come. The focus on the roles of women--Igraine and her sister Elaine, Lady of the Lake Vivian--and the futures promised by Igraine's daughters Morgan and Morgause--may remind Arthurian fans of Marian Zimmerman Bradley's Mists of Avalon, though the world here is more grounded in its detail and interpersonal relationships. A great opening chapter for a series providing a refreshing twist on a classic story."
--Booklist

"In the tradition of Marion Zimmer Bradley, Sam Davey brings to life the tale of King Arthur's conception from a female perspective. Igraine, a character previously little acknowledged, emerges as the titular 'Chosen Queen, ' determined not to become a pawn in the political machinations of the Lady of the Lake, Merlin, and Uther Pendragon."
--Judith G. Benz, Ph.D., Teaching Professor of German and University of Notre Dame's Medieval Institute Fellow

"The pain and strength of Igraine, Duchess of Cornwall and mother of the legendary King Arthur, shines vividly in these pages. Her richly drawn character is entirely relatable--across more than a thousand years. Hers is a story of a woman rising to stark challenges and refusing to be a puppet to others. It is a story heartbreakingly relevant to the present...a story that deserves to be told and is, masterfully, in The Chosen Queen."
--Sophie Perinot, author of Medicis Daughter and coauthor of Ribbons of Scarlet

About the Author

Sam Davey is Head of Transformation at London's Royal Opera House and has also been a civil servant, working in the Cabinet Office in the heart of Westminster. She is the founder of the Hastings Book Festival and Chair of the Hastings Writers Group. Davey has always loved the Arthurian stories, having first encountered the retellings as a young girl. She lives on the southeast coast of England with her husband.