''The Dragon Queen'' () is a 2001

fantasy novel Fantasy literature is literature set in an imaginary universe, often but not always without any locations, events, or people from the real world. magic (paranormal), Magic, the supernatural and Legendary creature, magical creatures are common i ...

by Alice Borchardt based on the legend of

King Arthur According to legends, King Arthur (; ; ; ) was a king of Great Britain, Britain. He is a folk hero and a central figure in the medieval literary tradition known as the Matter of Britain. In Wales, Welsh sources, Arthur is portrayed as a le ...

. The story is set in the Dark Ages and follows a young girl called

Guinevere Guinevere ( ; ; , ), also often written in Modern English as Guenevere or Guenever, was, according to Arthurian legend, an early-medieval queen of Great Britain and the wife of King Arthur. First mentioned in literature in the early 12th cen ...

who has inherited magical powers.

Synopsis

The story is sited in

Britain Britain most often refers to: * Great Britain, a large island comprising the countries of England, Scotland and Wales * The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, a sovereign state in Europe comprising Great Britain and the north-eas ...

just after the

Romans Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of Roman civilization *Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...

have gone. Guinevere is the daughter of a

pagan Paganism (, later 'civilian') is a term first used in the fourth century by early Christians for people in the Roman Empire who practiced polytheism, or ethnic religions other than Christianity, Judaism, and Samaritanism. In the time of the ...

queen. Forced into hiding by the dreaded sorcerer

Merlin The Multi-Element Radio Linked Interferometer Network (MERLIN) is an interferometer array of radio telescopes spread across England. The array is run from Jodrell Bank Observatory in Cheshire by the University of Manchester on behalf of UK Re ...

, Guinevere grows up under the protection of a

shapeshifter In mythology, folklore and speculative fiction, shapeshifting is the ability to physically transform oneself through unnatural means. The idea of shapeshifting is found in the oldest forms of totemism and shamanism, as well as the oldest exist ...

and a

druid A druid was a member of the high-ranking priestly class in ancient Celtic cultures. The druids were religious leaders as well as legal authorities, adjudicators, lorekeepers, medical professionals and political advisors. Druids left no wr ...

and is watched over by

dragon A dragon is a Magic (supernatural), magical legendary creature that appears in the folklore of multiple cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but European dragon, dragons in Western cultures since the Hi ...

s. Merlin tracks her down relentlessly, intent on stopping what has been foretold, that she will become Queen and Arthur King; a fate that will leave him powerless and forgotten. To Merlin's dismay, Guinevere has inherited magical powers great enough to stop him. With Arthur trapped in the netherworld, Guinevere calls upon magic and allies and undertakes her destiny: to one day become the Dragon Queen.

Reception

The ''

Publishers Weekly ''Publishers Weekly'' (''PW'') is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, "The International News Magazine of ...

'' review was favorable, stating "Borchardt ... paints a vivid portrait of the future queen, who is no pale Pre-Raphaelite princess" and "Borchardt further stakes her claim as a writer of breathtaking eloquence, reminding all, once again, that she is more than just

Anne Rice Anne Rice (born Howard Allen Frances O'Brien; October 4, 1941 – December 11, 2021) was an American author of Gothic fiction, erotic literature, and Bible fiction. She is best known for writing ''The Vampire Chronicles''. She later adapted t ...

's sister." ''

School Library Journal ''School Library Journal'' (''SLJ'') is an American monthly magazine containing reviews and other articles for school librarians, media specialists, and public librarians who work with young people. Articles cover a wide variety of topics, wi ...

'' called it "a fresh and scintillating take on a well-loved theme." ''The Dragon Queen'' has also been reviewed by the ''

Romantic Times ''Romantic Times'' was an American magazine, genre magazine specializing in romance novels. It was founded as a newsletter in 1981 by Kathryn Falk. The initial publication took nine months to create and was distributed to 3,000 subscribers. In ...

'', ''

Voice of Youth Advocates ''Voice of Youth Advocates'' (''VOYA'') was a bimonthly magazine that provides book reviews and information for librarians with a focus on young adult materials. History and profile ''VOYA'' was established in 1978. The founders were Dorothy M ...

'', '' Interzone'', and ''

Vector Vector most often refers to: * Euclidean vector, a quantity with a magnitude and a direction * Disease vector, an agent that carries and transmits an infectious pathogen into another living organism Vector may also refer to: Mathematics a ...

''. It was a 2001 ''Romantic Times'' Historical Romance of the Year nominee.

References

External links

Library holdings of ''The Dragon Queen''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dragon Queen Modern Arthurian fiction American fantasy novels Novels set in sub-Roman Britain 2001 American novels Del Rey books