The Guinevere Deception

Camelot Rising, Book 1

By: Kiersten White

Narrated by: Elizabeth Knowelden

"Fascinating.... Kiersten White has taken the best parts of the Arthurian legend and made them all her own." (Renée Ahdieh, number one New York Times best-selling author of The Wrath and the Dawn series)

A new fantasy series set in the world of Camelot that best-selling author Christina Lauren calls "brilliant", reimagining the Arthurian legend...where nothing is as magical and terrifying as a girl.

Princess Guinevere has come to Camelot to wed a stranger: the charismatic King Arthur. With magic clawing at the kingdom's borders, the great wizard Merlin conjured a solution - send in Guinevere to be Arthur's wife...and his protector from those who want to see the young king's idyllic city fail. The catch? Guinevere's real name - and her true identity - is a secret. She is a changeling, a girl who has given up everything to protect Camelot. To keep Arthur safe, Guinevere must navigate a court in which the old - including Arthur's own family - demand things continue as they have been, and the new - those drawn by the dream of Camelot - fight for a better way to live. And always, in the green hearts of forests and the black depths of lakes, magic lies in wait to reclaim the land. Deadly jousts, duplicitous knights, and forbidden romances are nothing compared to the greatest threat of all: the girl with the long black hair, riding on horseback through the dark woods toward Arthur. Because when your whole existence is a lie, how can you trust even yourself?

*THE FIRST BOOK IN THE CAMELOT RISING TRILOGY*

"A rare and enviable mix of impeccable writing, heart-stopping action, lush scenery, and complex, relatable characters...brilliant!" (New York Times best-selling author Christina Lauren)

"Stunning...will leave every reader hungry for more." (Somaiya Daud, author of the Mirage series)

©2019 Kiersten White (P)2019 Listening Library

Critic reviews

“With immersive prose, White captures the spirit of Arthurian legend while adding diversity and a bit of powerful feminist flair in this appealing series opener.... Leaves much to be explored in future installments.” (Publishers Weekly)

“An acclaimed master of the female-centric retelling turns her hand to Arthuriana.... More diverse than many Camelot representations, this is a retelling designed for a modern audience more interested in people than battles and more intrigued by identity and affection than honor and questing. A promising series opener.” (Kirkus Reviews)

"First in a series, this fantasy novel will appeal to fans familiar with stories of Arthur, and provides an introduction to those unfamiliar.... Full of battling knights and romance, this is a must.” (School Library Journal)

wonderful from start to finish.

This book was so well written ! it had me from start to finish! I bought all 3 ! I 100% recomend it!

One of the best books ever!!!

I love love love this concept on the King Arthur story! I can’t wait to read the second one! 10 out of 10 recommend!!

Great new take on the Arthurean Legend!

Ms. White's writing is so amazing in its world building that you feel like you are there!

clever.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. a good twist on a classic tale. I devoured it and honestly can not wait for the next one ! A must listen to.

A Great start to an epic journey

Wow, I finished this book and hungered for more. This book takes me back to my university days reading the Morte de Arte. Slight spoilers in this review, but I'm embraced by the world and serves as inspiring ideals for my own writing.

White chose perfectly for making The Queen, Not Queen a Changeling which is symbolic for those that know what Changelings are capable of and the context of them. Guinevere's struggle to live a dual life is more the struggle than Arthur not ending the Dark Queen. While Forbidding and ominous, I felt she was not a threat at all, more so a plot device to assist the true antagonist, Guinevere's mind. How can one girl hold on to such beliefs yet be a strong protagonist that White does not mary sue or make her the chosen one, yet she's magically powerful. I think Draining her magic in This first act but only giving the readers a taste of what she is truly capable of is great plot device of showing readers/listeners a strong character lead. Guinevere's actions make her more of a arcane trickster with a bit for power and the description of the spells is rather interesting and telling based on the materials and components used to cast spells in this world.

I have to give myself a day to relax before I dive in to the next book of the Camelot Rising series. White is a fantastical story teller and paired with Knowelden was a perfect resonance that captivated my ears listening to Guinevere as I felt myself in her shoes the entire time.

A treat for Camelot fans

Ever since I read The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley I have been obsessed with Camelot fiction, especially told from a woman's point of view. Guinevere has been minimized by literary history, often coming off as some cheating harlot that destroyed Camelot. I appreciate this new trend of redeeming Guinevere. There are a lot of twists in this book that I won't spoil for you. I will say Kiersten White definitely thinks outside of the box in interpreting the Guinevere legend. Lancelot is here, and is not who you will be be expecting. She weaves a story I've never heard, which says a lot because I'm a literature major and lifelong reader. If you like this I really recommend the Guinevere trilogy by Nicole Evelina. Thank you Kiersten for giving the women of Camelot a voice after a thousand years of making it all about the men.

The narration is perfect for the material. It's neutral and pleasant. I sometimes get annoyed by overly emoting narrators and this was just right for me. Can't wait until the sequel which I'm downloading tonight.

First book of Kiersten White's I have listened to.

I love alternatives of old tales! This is a great spin! Lots of surprises. Looking forward to the sequel.

The Guinevere Deception

Fantastic book, well written and well read. Highly recommend, and can’t wait for book 2!

Deceptively Fascinating

Without ripping the Arthur myth from its context, White has created a novel that catches my interest by its, well, um, novelty. I applaud the addition of under-represented viewpoints. But, never having been a spy myself, I wonder how often undercover agents have to remind themselves in their inner thought, gosh I'm an undercover spy and not really a queen. Oh my, his arms do look so inviting. Wish I had had more than 3 days training. (Hence 1 star deduction).

Wonderful!

I throughly enjoyed this. So much so that I may also buy the physical book. It's a real treat!