King Arthur and Her Knights: Enthroned / Enchanted / Embittered

King Arthur and Her Knights #1-3

by K.M. Shea

In a place and time not her own, one woman must risk everything to protect her life, her kingdom, and her heart.

Britt doesn’t want to be a leader, and she definitely doesn’t want to pretend she is the legendary King Arthur. But history has other plans.

A magical summons back through time lands Britt into the schemes of the surprisingly young and handsome wizard Merlin. He has some bad news: the real Arthur has disappeared, and the sword in the stone has chosen Britt to take his place.

But life in ancient Britain isn’t safe. The kingdom is fragmented, with enemies on all sides, and there’s little chance for mercy if Britt’s real identity and gender is exposed. Britt will soon find herself fighting for her life again and again on behalf of her people.

And then there’s Merlin. Focused on his goal to unite Britain, he’s oblivious of Britt’s growing feelings for him. Or so she thinks. But what future can they have in a world that only sees them as monarch and confidant?

Genres: Fantasy, Time Travel, Historical, Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Romance, Retellings

391 pages, ebook

First published February 16, 2014

About the author

My pen name is K. M. Shea, but my readers—I prefer to call them Champions—call me Kitty.

I love to write funny, clean stories with strong characters. Books like that are among my favorite to read so naturally I love writing stories like that as well. My philosophy is that life is tough, so books should be something that makes you relax and laugh!

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Reviews

[Hayley · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dull and flat retelling of Arthur legend. Spare yourself the over-done troupe of “anything you can do I can do better” feminism and just read actual King Arthur legends. Won’t be reading the rest.

[Sarah Ryder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Video Review: https://youtu.be/fqSv70FN8L8

This series is super fun and a great, interesting take on King Arthur that keeps its roots but also has fun with it at the same time. If you want my further thoughts on each of the first three books, I have reviews for Enthroned, Enchanted, and Embittered on their individual book pages, so if your interested please check them out!

I also wanted to add that the blurb here makes it sound as if the romance is a huge part of this plot which isn’t true. It’s there but as more of an undercurrent right now rather then a blatant plot point.

[Briana Warner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love all the books by this author! Fantastic characters and just plan fun for any age reader !! I give these books as gifts for christmas and everyone has loved them from 12 year old kids (both boy and girls) to 19 year old brothers to my mother and grandparents... All loved these books don't think buy them!

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (12/5/2019)! 🎁

[~Avi Ward~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 STARS. I’ll just say right off the bat that I love the premise of a female King Arthur. I love gender-twist books, but it’s rare to find good ones. Also, this book was pretty funny. There were some times I just had to burst out a laugh. (Mostly whenever there was something having to do with Lancelot). Overall, it was very good. I loved the heavy medieval vibes I got from it as well as all of the knights and characters. It was pretty slow since it’s not structured like a novel—being multiple novellas. But surprisingly enough, that didn’t put me off too much. Normally I can’t stand a book I feel like I have to slog through, but for some reason it was okay for this book.

As for the characters, I was surprised at just how much I loved Britt. I was a little put off in the beginning because I sensed she would be another of those characters that goes to another world, accepts it, and does awesome at everything with no motivation for anything. Britt was kind of like that. I wish I knew a little more about her backstory and why she thinks like she does, rather than just seeing it. But other than that, she is a very refreshing female protagonist. She truly wants to create a better Britain and a world of peace and knights of chivalry. She’s just so... NOBLE. Every time she inspired her knights with one of her “pretty speeches” I felt just as inspired. The way she treats her knights, friends, and even her enemies (in particular I liked the way she treats Guinevere, in that she sees right through her, but helps her anyway), just makes you think how much she deserves to be the Arthur of the legends. I loved that a lot.

As for Merlin, I liked his and Britt’s banter. He was a pretty good character. And contrary to the book’s blurb, there is almost no romance. Although this is only 3 out of 7 books so there might be more in later books.

Lastly, I again want to say just how funny this book was. I wish I could go in and quote every funny part (like I did to my sister the whole time I was reading it). But anyway, this was a very refreshing read. I always love books that include themes of true nobility and chivalry.

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wooow! This was so good!

I've never been very into the Camelot world. I don't know a lot of its history, and stories about it have never intrigued me very much.

Until now.

This collection sucked me in and kept me going. The characters were fascinating, and the premise was intriguing. Shea excellently paced and wrote this book. I really did fall in love with the world and the story, and, above all, the characters. Oh, the characters! *sighs*

And I had no trouble following along, despite my lack of Camelot knowledge. The story explained the history without info dumps.

Highly, highly recommend.

[Sairaika · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating series!

Book 1

A fascinating read!

After posing with a rusty sword for a photo in a British graveyard, she is pulled through time all the way back to the age of King Arthur where the shockingly young and handsome wizard is waiting for her...

This was a fascinating read because although she time travelled, a girl is Arthur and is King! You can read the book to find out the reasons why she was pulled through time.

I have greatly enjoyed reading the first book and I'm so glad I stumbled upon this series although it was sitting unread in my kindle for a few years or so.

Full of magic, time travel, wizards, knights, secrets, honour, action and war.

Perfect for readers of historical fantasy novels/Arthurian retellings.

Book 2

An enchanting read!

To win back her men, she will have to make costly sacrifices, survive attempts against her life, and gain the loyalties of the eldest son of her enemy...

Let me just say this: was not expecting that. A surprise but a pleasant and welcomed one. Sorry, can't say more as it is spoilers.

Full of magic, enchantress, wizards, knights, secrets, loyalty, action and sacrifices.

Perfect for readers of historical fantasy novels/Arthurian retellings.

Book 3

An embittered read!

Does she really need to do battle on behalf of a greedy man and his daughter whom she knows will bring ruin to Camelot?

Huh! I have been waiting to officially meet these two characters to see how the author has portrayed them. Hint: read the blurb so you know which two characters I'm talking about. I really like how the author has portrayed these characters.

That ending truly hooked me because I now want to find out how everthing pans out. Thankfully, I already have the rest of the series.

Full of magic, battles, wizards, knights, secrets, loyalty, action and champions.

Perfect for readers of historical fantasy novels/Arthurian retellings.

[Kendra Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this collection. I’m very thankful for the three books combined into one since they were all fairly short otherwise. As a collection I think things worked a little better.

The story itself was a fun take on the Arthurian legends. Casting a woman as King Arthur makes some of the legends take on a whole new direction. I enjoyed how Shea has written her characters and the humor she has woven through the story. For the brevity of the individual stories, plenty of plot development occurs. Our heroine shows some growth in choosing to accept her title and become the legend she wishes to be. You get very little insight into the other characters except through their interactions with Arthur, but that provides some of the interest.

At the end of the collection there are a few “deleted scenes” that are fun to read but do not contribute greatly to the story. You can read or skip as you desire. Between each story is a commentary from the author regarding why she drew characters certain ways. These are fun as well, but can be skipped if desired.

If you’re interested in Arthurian legend and want a completely different take on it, give this a try. The writing is clean and humorous. The legends were well researched though I sometimes felt the heroine adapted to life in the Middle Ages all to easily. Still, a great read and worth your time.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had started and stopped this one several times but decided to just make it through the "modern world" jargon to get into the story, and I just kept reading and am on the fourth book in the series now. There is slang at the beginning, but very little after that.

Britt Arthurs pulls the sword (not Excalibur, which I always thought it was, but that sword came from The Lady of the Lake) out of the stone and is transported back to the days of King Arthur - well, she actually ends up becoming King Arthur since that boy ran off with a shepherdess just days before. People take her female softness to be elven blood. Britt begins thinking it is all a dream and she is going to wake up any time now, but time just keeps rolling on. There are sparks between her and Merlin, but neither one wants to go beyond those sparky moments. Then there are her enemies who want the throne for themselves (oh, and there are very few who know she is a woman) and they test her martial arts sword fighting skills - and of course she beats them all!

Overall, I liked it!

[Chris Converse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enchantingly Awesome

K. M. Shea is a truly wonderful author. I have been enjoying her writings for a couple of years now and they are my go to especially if I'm feeling down, BUT, they are also my go to during the remaining 364 days of the year.

Shea's stories are always well researched, well written, and totally enjoyable with just the right amount of fairy dust sprinkled in. On of the biggest draws is her works a good clean fiction, something often difficult to find in our current era.

Arthur has been totally delightful. Casting Arthur not only as a woman, but a very independent and accomplished woman of the 21st century is total genius. As is hinted at throughout, it is these qualities that allows Arthur to change a country. Being a master swordsman in her own time goes a long way in accomplishing this as well.

All in all, totally enjoyable and I recommend it to anyone who would enjoy an adventure with the fabled King Arthur with some wonderful twists from the expected story line.

[Musings of a Middle-aged Mum · Rating 3 out of 5]

I chose this book because I was interested to explore the idea of King Arthur being a woman. I didn't expect this book to start in modern times, and it is actually due to Merlin's magic that a woman is unexpectedly taken back in time, and told she is to be the new king. Only Merlin and her closest knights are aware of her real gender.

I found it a bit difficult to get into initially, mainly because it wasn't what I was expecting. I would also say that I don't think I'm the intended demographic; I would say this is more a book for teenagers or young adults, but still can be enjoyed. It is easy to read, however, and the books are much shorter than I expected. I think there is scope for the author to either expand the books a bit (delve into the lives of the characters a bit more), or collate some of the books together. But was enjoyable enough that I have just purchased the second set (books 4-6) in the series.

[Sara Casalino · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable!

Likes: I really like Britt. She's amazing. Merlin is really funny. I like the funny dialogue between Britt and Merlin. I love that King Arthur is a woman and that she's a great swordfighter.

Dislikes: I wasn't sure how old Britt was. At first I thought she was a teenager, since it's mentioned that King Arthur was crowned at 15. But in the third book it's mentioned that she's older than Sir Kay, so she must be early twenties, perhaps. Then I realized she was disguised as a teenage boy. I was that had been more clear. Also, there were some typos throughout the book. And a few minor things that didn't add up. At one point it sounded like Britt was there for days, and later it was talked of as if it was months. So that part was a little confusing.

But despite these unclear items, it was a great book and I had fun reading it!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great retelling story of Arthur and his knights.

This is my second read through of this series and I have to say I love this series. What an unconventional look at Arthur and the knights. This imaginative story has had me enthralled since I read the blurb. To actually imagine that Arthur was a woman and that all the stories were made because she brought with her a strong sense of right and wrong is remarkable. I don’t want to give anything away but her need to champion everyone (even those she doesn’t like) and in so doing had made the people around her want to be better. Can’t stress this enough if you have a deep and abiding love of the story of Arthur, his knights, and Camelot you will especially love this retelling.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

KM Shea books are always fun!
In this book, a young girl, Britt Arthurs, is brought by Merlin's spell from the current day to become King Arthur and unite all of Britain. At first, Britt believes it’s a joke or a dream, but she eventually comes to see that she really is in ancient Britain and takes on the masquerade of being King.

I really enjoyed the omnibus of the first 3 books of this Arthurian legend retelling. The twists to the legends were interesting and I enjoyed the humor of the contrast of a modern girl acting as King Arthur. I might have enjoyed this more if I knew the legends better, but it was still fun and I recognized a lot of the characters - Gawain, Bedivere, Pellinore, Sir Kay, Lancelot and Guinevere.

I’m looking forward to listening to the rest of the story!

[Lisa Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's light and entertaining. Each book could easily be completed in a day, and it doesn't requite a lot of heavy thinking or keeping track of characters and customs. I think I would have liked it a little more if Britt wasn't such a Mary Sue. She gets magically chosen by Merlin to pose as King Arthur, succeeds in everything, learns nothing, and no one notices she's a woman unless it's convenient to the plot. It's a fun read if you don't have time for a lengthy novel and don't want to think too much.

[DEBORAH Davila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imaginative and believable

Although I have read several of K. M. Shea’s books, I was hesitant to read this series because it seemed to be yet another novel in a growing trend to rewrite every beloved character as a female. I love stories about powerful heroines, but I’m not a big fan of rewrites just so that the hero can be a female. I was pleasantly surprised to read this series. Not only is her character, Britt Arthurs, believable as a young King Arthur, but the story is so well written, it makes one wonder if maybe Arthur really was a woman to begin with!

[Renee Marski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fun take on Arthur!

What happens when arthur runs off with a girl? Merlin has to find another. She just happens to be a girl and from the future. Britt Arthurs at first thinks it a ruse then a dream. Once she realizes its real, she has to deal with things Arthur should have. Its interesting to see how she handles the knights and Morgause, who shows up to spy on her and enchant her men. What Britt doesnt know is that she inspires her men to be better, something im not sure the real Arthur could do in her place! Cant wait to read the next half!

[Faith Troupe · Rating 5 out of 5]

The entire series as a whole was amazing. I really thought the real King Arthur would stand up grow a pair but nope. This was funny and amazing. 100% drama and understanding. I just loved the whole thing. Would defiantly read again. The best part was that they had a I hate Lancelot club. That's literally killed me.

The only issue I had is that the books were a little to short for my liking. I still enjoyed the series though and had me excited to read the next book.

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting start of a series, and pretty nicely written. My main critique on this work would be that the scene's are disconnected. One moment you're at point A, time A and the next you're at point A, time B. Often there are multiple days/weeks/months in between all on one page. This doesn't take away from an interesting read though, and I finished the book in under 24 hours. I'll probably read the rest of the series soon.

[Crystal Bussell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second chances

I had started this book early last year and I couldn’t get into. Maybe because I’m desperately waiting for K.M.Shea’s next book, I had some time to devote to other books. So, I wanted to give this book another shot and I’m glad I did. I got through the harder first chapters of book 1 and greatly enjoyed how the story played out through book 2 and 3. I especially loved Kay’s point of view in the end.

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the time travel element to the story of King Arthur and especially like the problems that occur when the replacement Arthur is a 21st century woman. There are so many versions of the story of King Arthur and his court. I like the choices the author made in creating her vision. Can't wait to see what happens next.

[Adena Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful Take on Arthurian Legend

This is the first retelling of the Arthurian legend I have read where King Arthur is a woman. For all that having a modern woman as King of Britain is impossible, incorporating Britt into the legend is amazing consistent and plausible and true to the original legend. Brava, Ms. Shea! This retelling could end up a classic itself.

[Keith Bornmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

good story

Brit goes back in time and becomes King Arthur. She has to convince everyone that she’s just a young boy with no beard. She’s a better sword fighter than most of the day.

The story is fairly clean. Not much profanity or sexual content. I’d recommend this to anyone who likes heroic Sci-fi stories.

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surprisingly Fun

I will admit that I have hesitated to start this series because it seemed too far fetched, but I should have trusted in my knowledge of K. M. Shea’s writing. This was FUN! It works within the lore of the world and the snark is on point. I can’t wait to continue reading!

[Hans Erdman · Rating 5 out of 5]

What if King Arthur was a 20th Century Woman?

This is a fun romp through legend and history that makes perfect sense to me, because I do some of the same things in my books. Looking forward to the next installment!

[Bridget · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short stories-part Kid in King Arthur's court, part the Prince and the pauper. I enjoyed reading another version of the arthurian legends. quick reads especially when read together ala The Once and Future King

[Christopher Letch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Females rule

Great read very well thought out combining what's know and not know about king Arthur's world. Great characters love Britt you so have to read this. Oh and her food tv show???

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet

I have enjoyed this glimpse into Authorian lore with a twist. I just wish the story was a little more detailed in its descriptions of life back then. This set is more like one book split into 3 parts. I would like to know how it ends.

[Erin Cook · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing

I love the fact that you made Arthur a woman but also that you gave her the ability to ride a horse and use a sword which is almost unheard of now a days unless you're in Show Biz

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

great fun!! lighthearted, funny and short. i really like her stories where the same protagonist carries the whole series (MBRC, Hall of Blood and Mercy) coz they're really good; the ones with a different protagonist in each book are of varying quality (fairytale series).