Broken Sword

In the authors' The Forever King (1992), King Arthur was reborn into our world. Now 13 years old, Arthur is guided and guarded by Hal Woczniak, an ex-FBI agent who regains memories of life as Galahad, and the ancient bard Taliesin, known as the Merlin. They are joined by Beatrice, a mysterious teenager who possesses the Holy Grail. Excalibur is broken, but the Round Table knights reassemble for battle. Most noteworthy here is the villain, celebrated painter and secret assassin Aubrey Katsuleris, who lays traps for Arthur and the others in Morocco, England and the U.S. The narrative interweaves present-day events and flashbacks to Camelot, recasting many Arthurian elements into a mythology that appears new while managing to employ all the classic touchstones. With its high-minded themes and echoes of the metaphysical thrillers of Charles Williams, this satisfying sequel lives up to its popular predecessor. (May)