Eileen Enwright Hodges developed a unique twist on the Arthurian legend with her 4-volume Excalibur Rising fantasy. We see modern Americans and British, thugs and historians, chase after Excalibur, chase all the way into Albion where two of them, Marcus Ryan and Violet, are present when Arthur reclaims Camelot. Of course it is not to last as Mordred’s descendants have maintained their antipathy and violent ambition and are determined to rule Albion.
The first book was excellent, introducing us to the characters and the fascinating back story Hodges develops that explains the enduring legend despite little historical evidence. Book 2 was weaker although still enjoyable. We find Arthur has a legitimate heir, in fact an heir who has a better claim to the throne than Arthur himself. Given this is a fantasy the claimant is a kid so we have the usual teen angst and drama. Book 3 disappointed me because all we did was rush from Albion to England, then seek to rush back to Albion, this time with a few more people also fleeing mob retribution.
I wanted to like Book 4. The writing style is sound and Hodges does a good job building the characters. Unfortunately the novel has plot holes, situations where stuff just happens and the story problems detract from what should be a solid 4 star story. Instead of focusing on the people I get annoyed with the situations and that’s not what the author intends.
Book 4 has several “oh brother” moments, with improbable coincidences. (For example, do we really believe Captain Hannon would just happen to land his runaway ballon next to Marcus?) Plus we still have a few fundamental problems that paint Hodges into a corner.
- Is it really likely that Mordred’s family would maintain their obsession for 800 years? That is 40 generations! Few families have father-to-son direct lineage for 40 generations, not to mention that the obsession doesn’t make a lot of sense. Modern Mordred can live here, in modern England, complete with running water, indoor plumbing, comfortable clothing, and he’s educated and familiar with our world. If I were Mordred I’d have stayed here. Forget about Albion and make a life here.
- As Book 4 opens Mordred has been king for 6 years. He’s rebuilt part of Camelot and levied taxes, a lot of taxes. But he’s done nothing to modernize his new kingdom, built no roads, established no trade, no patronage of skilled artisans, encouraged no learning. Granted Mordred is nasty, but why leave a kingdom in ruins when you know how to improve things.
- Dristan is still 16 on the inside although he looks 22. Some medieval monarchs succeeded at 16 but they usually had benefits such as training, wise counselors, familiarity with the world. Dristan is the blacksmith’s son, intelligent but uneducated. Do we think he’s up to ruling a land torn by dissension and facing invasion from far more modern (and ruthless) neighbors?
- Merlin tells Dristan to toss away Excalibur, which he does. We don’t get much explanation.
On the plus side Hodges wraps up the story rather neatly. Everyone ends up more or less where they should and the good guys mostly win.
Hodges reintroduces Meleanore, the noble woman Mordred intends to marry. In Book 2 Meleanore sailed away through the mists to claim her family’s birthright, the Far Isles. She’s back in Book 4 with romantic entanglements; in fact Hodges asked her ARC readers to comment which of two possible suitors Meleanore should choose. I didn’t like Meleanore in Book 2 and like her even less in Book 4.
Hodges states Book 4 is the last in this series but that leaves us with a kingdom in Dristan’s inexperienced and ignorant hands, an implacable enemy-to-be on the European continent, people and trade and religion in disarray. Merlin hides Albion once again but it will last only 4 generations, enough that Albion could prepare if it dedicated itself. How will Dristan prepare the land for the coming conflicts? Hodges has many more stories to tell should she wish to do so.
3 Stars
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