Quick Synopsis – Collum arrives at Camelot to compete for a spot on the Round Table, only to find that he’s too late. The king died two weeks ago at the Battle of Camlann, leaving no heir, and only a handful of the knights of the Round Table survive. Britain has been abandoned by God and any sense of peace died with Arthur. Collum and the remaining knights must band together for one last quest to save Britain’s soul. The Bright Sword is a story about imperfect men and women, full of strength and pain, who are looking for a way to reforge a broken land in spite of being broken themselves

Song This Reminds Me Of – King by Florence and The Machine

Publication Date – Jul. 16, 2024

Content Notes – This book takes place during the medieval Britain period and as such there are fairly graphic depictions of homo/transphobia, sexism, sexual assault, child abuse, attempted rape, violence, and gore. There is off page incest mentioned multiple times. There are also several scenes with vomiting and blood.

Rating – 3.5 out of 5 ⭐

Review – If you’ve read The Magicians or are a fan of the show, you’re likely familiar with Lev Grossman’s name. However, this is a very different kind of book/genre. The Bright Sword is a historical fantasy encompassing Arthurian legends. If you like other Arthurian novels, you’ll likely enjoy this book.

I did like this book, but I didn’t love it. The story is told between the present (Collum’s journey with the knights to find the Holy Lance) and the past. The past outlines the various knights that are still alive and their backstories. I really liked the backstories, but they felt awkwardly placed in the story. It’s like Lev had the idea for two different books and mashed them together. A lot of the backstories don’t tie in with where you are as the reader in the story. So it’s jarring and could make me lose the plot. I’d have to flip back to figure out where I was in the story’s timeline.

Overall, I loved the description of how magical Britain was butting up against Christianity. I thought it gave respect to the magical traditions of Britain and acknowledged the brutal past. I thought the historical aspects like Roman occupation were super interesting and entertaining to read. The characterizations of the knights that were left could have been better done; again, sometimes the backstories were so disjointed from the main plot. I also would have liked more Nimue and other female characters.

This was an interesting take on a tale as old as time, the fall of King Arthur. It could have been shorter, but it was a good read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Viking for the eARC. All opinions are my own.