The Lost Book of Lancelot

by John Glynn

A “richly detailed and evocative” queer retelling of the legend of Sir Lancelot, following the famous knight as he grows up orphaned, falls in love, and attempts to fulfill his destiny at the Round Table – a stunning debut novel from the author of Out East (Mary Beth Keane, New York Times bestselling author).

Hidden away on the Isle of Women, a nameless orphan has grown up among the island's sisterhood, but always at a distance. He hears whispers of a prophecy that may shed light on his destiny—and his true identity. Lancelot. Determined to master the skills and knowledge worthy of the knight he is meant to be, he begins training alongside the handsome Galehaut. As the two grow closer, they guide one another towards their truest selves. But no matter how tightly they cling to one another, each has a role to play in the wizard Merlin's grand prophecies. 

When Lancelot is forced to follow Merlin to Camelot, he fights to protect his heart while seeking the fabled Holy Grail. As he grows closer to his fellow knights, Lancelot must keep an explosive secret to himself—the truth of what he left behind on the Isle of Women, of the man he truly is beneath the armor. All the while, Roman legionaries too scour far and wide for the grail. As an army encroaches on their kingdom, King Arthur and his knights must race to ensure that this powerful object doesn't fall into the wrong hands.

Steeped in rich medieval lore, THE LOST BOOK OF LANCELOT is an immersive, poignant reexamination of the most famous knight of the Round Table. It is the story of a once vulnerable boy who is forced to rise to the occasion, of a kingdom under siege, and of the battle between the old world and the new.   

Genres: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Queer, Mythology, LGBT, Retellings, Fiction

504 pages, Paperback

First published May 12, 2026

About the author

John Glynn is the Editorial Director of Hanover Square Press, an imprint of HarperCollins. His nonfiction debut Out East: Memoir of a Montauk Summer was an Indie Next pick, an Oprah, The Magazine "Best LGBTQ Book of 2019," and a Cosmopolitan Best Book of 2019, among other accolades. His writing has appeared in People, Oprah Daily, The Millions and The Daily Beast. He lives in New York City with his partner and dog, Whitman.

Reviews

[Amina · Rating 3 out of 5]

✰ 2.75 stars ✰

“I want nothing more than to be a knight. They have a place in the world and people who love them. Most of all, they are never lonely.”

I’m no expert on Arthurian lore, so if you told me that King Arthur had a pet goose, I’d believe you! 😆 So, I’m not one to nitpick archaic dialogue or idiosyncrasies that would have thrown me off or caused me to doubt Lancelot's affiliation with the Knights of the Round Table.

Although, considering how many times we are told how each name relates to another, I think a family tree would have been wise and helpful. It would have certainly helped, as some of the names flew over my head because of how unusually they sounded. 🧐

“Failure, exile, I’d face both. I did not care.... I promised myself I would learn the truth.”

After reading the Author's Note, I have kind of calmed down and my frustration cooled due to its interesting insight and context into Lancelot's paramours, but I can't ignore that while reading, the better half of the time, I was thoroughly annoyed. 🙎🏻‍♀️ Annoyed at how the Lost Book of Lancelot seemed to promise one thing but ultimately still went back on that word, only for it to still fall under that radar.

I do get the intent; which is part of why I feel so vexed, so maybe it is really a me thing. 😔 For Lancelot, a journey of self-discovery, lost unto himself on an Isle of Women until he finds his birthright, for experiencing love in its multitudes and discovering what it means to find the one, for living a life of heroism and danger that allows him to finally claim what it means to live as his true self.

I can see all that it was building up to. I can even see the glimmers of various other characters of medieval lore —of loyalty, honor, courtly regard— aspiring to be true to themselves with unique takes on their dynamics that would certainly be enjoyable to some.

But, I can't say that I actually liked it. That's fair, right? 🥺

“A knight must have two hearts.”



It is fair to say that for one who grew up not knowing who he was, it is only fair that Lancelot ends up with the better end of the deal. I do. Even if much of the start was simply him coping with that and finally having his moment of reckoning. 🙆🏻‍♀️

And there was one element to the romantic liaisons that gave me the serious ick. 🥴 Because I figured out what the author was aiming for, but the indecent way it was done just upset me. It upset me how it suddenly became all about Lancelot having his cake and eating it, too. I mean, even at the end, it gets thrown in that no fear. Lancelot’s heart will never despair of being alone ever again. ❤️‍🩹

One might argue that actually proves the point the author was aiming for—that the heart can belong to two—but it just felt too convenient, too easy, too wrong to feel right.

“I miss you, even though you are right here with me.”

For once I was getting into the heart of one sped-up relationship, I was bamboozled with another dynamic, which I was not a fan of. And just when I was warming up to it, boom, let's take back what we said about how the heart is allowed another chance of love, and spearhead back into reconnecting at hi-speed intimacy. 🤦🏻‍♀️

Doesn't that defeat the purpose of what it intended? It felt like a betrayal, let alone, a complete disregard or what it had been preaching all this time; and yet, fate takes the blame. 😮‍💨

What also started off as a quest of relics to fulfill unspoken prophecies also veered off course to adventure and danger at Camelot that I did not feel was built up upon enough, with various perspectives thrown in that felt neither here nor there. 🤷🏻‍♀️ It became a disjointed narrative that felt like it had lost its sense of direction. By the end, I just did not really care for Lancelot, if he attained happiness or his dream.

In spite of these vexations, I don't think the writing was all that bad. It's an ambitious historical fantasy debut that shows promise. 👍🏻 Despite how rushed the romance was with both hearts, there were some tender moments of affection and intimacy that were endearing. And yes, it is nice to see that even now, Merlin still is very much a complicated and questionable character of his own volition. ⚔️

[meesh]

I received an ARC from NetGalley. Thank you to the publishers for the copy.

The first thing I noticed was the writing felt clunky and forced. I think it tried to be beautiful, reminiscent of Madeline Miller, but to me, it failed on that front. I really wanted to put it down as soon as I could.

I think this book tried to be eloquent, but instead got lost in itself and felt contrived. Almost fake.

I felt like the book didn’t deliver on the many promises its description made. I just had a headache reading it, really. I wanted there to be discovery of the self, but I felt like the narrator wasn’t fully realized even as time progressed, so it just… fell flat.

I’ll give kudos to the author for trying to tackle this book, the concept seemed really neat. But I think this book would really benefit from killing its darlings, and much more editing.

I also just felt like this author was trying so hard to emulate the voice of Song of Achilles, and it felt kind of like a rip off. It got so tired that I had to put it down.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lancelot grows up on the Isle of Women, raised by Vivian because his mother died in childbirth. When he is finally of age, he is paired with Galehaut, and the two begin to fall in love. Lancelot, however, knows of a prophecy that would place him at Camelot, and he plans to run away with Galehaut.

When I heard this was a queer retelling, I imagined Lancelot would be paired with Arthur. I'm not familiar with the character of Galehaut, although the author's note explains how this character specifically led to this retelling. There is also a secondary romance between Lancelot and Gawain which was also unexpected. The beginning was compelling, while the middle and end seemed to drift a bit. There were also chapters from Morgan and Mordred's POV which seemed unnecessary to me, especially given that the rest was Lancelot's first-person narration. It seemed odd not to have the Arthur/Guinevere/Lancelot storyline at the forefront, but overall this was an intriguing twist on the legend.

[Sam Reads Books *Just the Highlights* · Rating 5 out of 5]

2026: 5.0

This made me cryyyyyyy

[gracie · Rating 2 out of 5]

The writing felt stiff and clunky even over audiobook narration. I found it difficult to get into the story and the melodrama didn't help. I was extra peeved by the ending too.

[Brenden Quirk · Rating 2 out of 5]

Story tried to do too much and none of it landed the way it was intended. Many character motivations and actions were incredibly vague. I did not find the setting compelling, and thought it had a lot of internal inconsistencies. I appreciated the callbacks to various medieval texts, but they felt a bit too on the nose and not well integrated. Overall not a book for me.

[takeeveryshot]

would be really curious to know how much (if any) high fantasy this author actually reads

[Alex]

DNF at 51%.

This needed some major editing. Despite the slow pacing you never sit in a moment long enough for it to feel intentional. The characters have no distinct personality other than what you’re told, but their actions and supposed character don’t necessarily align. Much of the beginning portion of this book, “the training arc,” felt like it happened without any reason other than it checked off the boxes of what’s meant to happen in fantasy novels. Everything about this feels underdeveloped and disjointed. The prose attempts at being evocative but without any attachment to the characters it falls flat.

This really had the potential to be good if only it had spent more time in editing and honed in on what it was trying to achieve. Because it feels as if it’s attempting to be a literary coming-of-age story as well as an action-packed historical fantasy with magic and prophecies — and executing neither of those to its full potential.

[Stacey Miner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful. It’s like Song of Achilles but with Arthurian legend and a happier ending. Absolutely a new favorite.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. This is a book that I can only describe as beautiful.

Though this is a retelling that takes many liberties with the traditional Arthurian lore, it does an excellent job of staying true to its spirit. Arthur here is not the Anglo-Saxon warrior king of British myth - he’s closer to the Malory Arthur, the Romantic inspirational hero. This key difference is reflected in the personalities of the knights, their interpersonal relationships, and their approach to war and the Grail hunt.

(If you can’t tell, I wrote my college thesis on the myths of King Arthur.)

I loved Lancelot’s characterization here: he’s often one-dimensional, a foil to show the disintegration of Camelot, but here he is full of heart and emotion. The book has excellent pacing, and watching the characters grow is rewarding. I do feel it ended abruptly - but most Arthur myths do.

Thank you to NetGalley, John Glynn, and Grand Central Publishing for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Kaylie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was fully charmed by this retelling, convincingly situating Camelot alongside the expansion of Rome’s Catholicism. The writing is pleasantly dreamy, especially during the section set in the Isle of Women when time slides vaguely and indistinctly around Lancelot. Few pieces of Arthuriana really engage with the Grail so I enjoyed those adventures, as well as parts of the lore that were new to me, like the False Guinevere. What I liked best is that Lancelot’s persistent sorrowfulness and awkward reserve were fully and satisfactorily explained by this interpretation. I am torn about the ending but I think you’re supposed to be. Really loved reading this one, one of my favorite Arthur adaptations and I loved getting a different, queered perspective on the ever-mysterious Lancelot.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book so much! Not only is the book beautifully written, the story is lovely. Seeing Lancelot lose the love of his life and struggling with his identity, being forced to move to a strange land, and striking up a beautiful friendship with Gwen was great. The take on Merlin, as a complicated and even deceptive character was really fun too.

[Saimi Korhonen · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Was this friendship? A sensation that pulled at the chest and fluttered the stomach, that made me want to abandon everything for him? If so, it felt like the most important thing in the world.”

4,5/5!

A nameless orphan grows up on the mystical Isle of Women and its sisterhood of priestesses. One day, he learns his true identity: he is Lancelot, son of a king, a boy prophesied to achieve greatness. Lancelot trains to master the skills of a knight alongside a half-giant, the handsome Galehaut. The boys become inseparable, but in a world of war, magic and turmoil, there is little they can do to fight against the power of prophecy.

The Lost Book of Lancelot is a wonderful, beautifully written queer reimagining of one of the most famous characters of Arthurian mythology, the greatest knight of them all, Lancelot. Relying on lesser known source texts, Glynn makes his Lancelot's story utterly his own, surprising the reader and challenging common assumptions and stereotypical depictions of the characters. I liked how Glynn included all the classic focal points of Arthurian mythology – the Round Table, the sword in the stone, Camelot, the clashing of old ways and the new, magic and priestesses, and so on – but didn't always go about doing them in the classic ways. My favourite version of this was how he handled the iconic love triangle of Arthur, Guinevere and Lancelot. In this book, they are all great friends (Guinevere even says Lancelot is her truest friend, her family), but there is no sordid love affair between knight and queen. Arthur and Guinevere both know Lancelot is gay. But because Lancelot and Guinevere become close friends, rumours begin to fly about them. They become lovers in myth and rumour, and even though it's not true, it's enough to, in time, damage Arthur's reign, as we learn from the last chapter. Mordred is using this rumour to secure more and more power. This twist on the classic myth was also a prime example of another facet of what I loved about Glynn's take on these stories: he acknowledges all these different versions of characters and their myths, and plays with them, highlighting how, in this book's world, those myths are being created by bards and gossip. By the time Lancelot meets Morgan, he has heard tons of stories of her wicked ways and evil sorcery, and he knows of the outlandish stories circling about his adopted mother, Viviana, who is known as the Lady of the Lake. She is not the Lady of the Lake you'd assume she is, but you can understand how and why stories of her would eventually morph into what we think of when we hear the name "Lady of the Lake". Even though Glynn does a lot of unexpected stuff with his book, you can see that he is well aware of these myths and the most notable versions of them.

I loved the world Glynn created. I loved reading about the Isle of Women, their culture and the way they wield power from the shadows. Magic was an ever-present force, but it was also delightfully vague: we don't fully understand it, cause the man who tells us this story doesn't understand it, as men are not taught magic the way women are. I also liked how some moments of magic were left for the reader to decide whether they were actual magic or not: some seem to believe Merlin's prophecies are true, while some say he made them up to control what people do and think. Lancelot does not fulfil the prophecy in the way people think – he doesn't find the grail himself – but in a way he does. The prophecy said the grail will only be recovered through him, and the book ends with Viviana bringing him Elaine's son, Galahad, to train. And we know Galahad is the one who finds the grail, so, in a way, Lancelot is instrumental in it rediscovery. Whether that's prophecy or something else, we don't know for sure. A big aspect of this book is the clash of the old, pagan ways and the new, Christian Roman ways. Lancelot grows up surrounded by priestesses of the old gods, knowing magic is real and knowing that, even though they are disappearing, folkloric, mythical creatures are real. He encounters dragons and mermen. But he also learns what a threat the Romans and their new ways are to this old world. Though this book is intimately focused on Lancelot, you do see the ways the old ways are chipped away at and you feel the oppressive threat of the Romans lingering over every scene all the time, in the way Lancelot trains to fight, in the way Arthur tries to hold on to peace and in the way those with magic scheme to keep their ways alive. Camelot was a beautiful beacon of hope in this sense: it's a glorious city teeming with life where people of all creeds, nationalities and beliefs co-exist in peace. Camelot has always fascinated me as a setting and a concept, and in this book, I loved it especially. While Arthur's kingdom is tearing itself apart and the Romans are threatening its old ways of life, Camelot stands apart as a haven for everyone. Glynn also adapted the story of the grail to symbolise this clash of old and new: in this book, the grail is one of three divine objects given to the sisters of the Isle to protect their lands. They are missing and knights are going on quests to recover them before they, and whatever power they have, fall into Roman hands. The Fisher King, whom Lancelot meets as a young man, tells him how the Romans have taken the story of this holy cup and made it part of their own Christian lore: “Our treasures were being woven into a story that they would use to eradicate our ways." The grail is, at the same time, a symbol of the old faith and a false symbol of the new fate.

Lancelot was an engaging main character and I enjoyed his journey from beginning to end. Glynn's take on Lancelot is beautifully vulnerable, achingly lonely and soft-hearted, and it was both wonderful and sad to see him be put through the wringer which makes him the knight we all know him as. His wonder at magic, his bouts of anger and his constant self-doubt were all well done, and I liked how, even as he becomes a brilliant fighter and knight, he is never sure of his own place or worth. His humanity made him really relatable, despite his status as a mythical figure both in this book's world and our real world. I also appreciated that he remained both a child of his biological parents and a child of the Isle: his identity is two-fold, and though he learns about his brith parents and even sees them in a vision, feeling their love for him, he never stops being Viviana's son as well. He had some really fun dynamics (I'll talk more on the romance later). I liked his mother/son bond with Viviana and how, even though Viviana keeps a lot of secrets from him, you never doubt whether she loves him or not. His friendship with Elaine of Corbenic was fun, even though they only share a few scenes – I liked that, in the end, Lancelot becomes the tutor to Elaine's son (whom she has raised with her girlfriend, Brisen), Galahad. He is not Galahad's father in this book, but you can assume he becomes a father figure to him. Lancelot and Arthur's dynamic was something I was really excited to see and though I could've used a few more scenes with them, I did like the way Glynn went about writing them. Lancelot seeing in one of his visions at the Lake, with the sword, Arthur pulling the sword from the stone and becoming king was a fun way to introduce Lancelot to him and include this iconic story within the book. Lancelot's admiration of him and him seeing Arthur as this symbol of hope and goodness was cool, as was him thinking of the parallels of them both growing up unaware of their true identities: “We were both nameless boys making our way in the world." I liked the way his dynamic with Arthur developed and how in the end Lancelot realises Arthur can be a bit cowardly, that he is just a regular man who has become this icon and symbol partly due to the power of those near him; Merlin, Guinevere, his knights. This realisation strips away the mythology Lancelot too has attributed to Arthur, but it doesn't take away from their friendship. I liked that, in the end, Lancelot sees this man he so admired as what he is: a mere human. One of my favorite dynamics in the whole book was that of Lancelot and Guinevere. I love their dynamic in general, but Glynn's take on them is one of my favourites ever. It was so cool seeing them as just friends. They love each other deeply but they are not in love. Lancelot's respect for Guinevere's intellect and his empathy for her loneliness – something he understands intimately – was lovely, and it was fun seeing Guinevere adopt him as her confidante and ally. Her telling him that she knows of his preference for men was a nice scene. There is no judgement from her side, and Lancelot feels such relief in not having to hide. Her embracing him and telling him "you are safe with me" was so sweet. Their final scenes, when Guinevere tells Lancelot of her and Morgan and Arthur's plan to swap Guineveres, was bittersweet. This interaction solidified my love for them: “You are my one true friend here. You are family.” – “You will find kindred souls on the Isle of Women.” – “Yes. – But none like you.” I liked that in the last chapter we learn that Lancelot and Galehaut visit the Isle from time to time and find Guinevere there, happier than she has ever been, living with the sisters and Morgan.

Lancelot and Galehaut's relationship was well done, and I ended up quite enjoying them, which is not often the case for me with romances. I liked seeing them grow up together and become soldiers together, and I liked seeing them both struggle with what is expected of them as men and soldiers. Galehaut especially chafes against what he is expected to become, which I really enjoyed: “But I don’t like the violence. I just want to explore the world, and help people. I don’t want to harm them.” I love a character who is able to perfectly pretend to be something while (Galehaut is a brilliant fighter and, on the surface, your average masculine manly man), on the inside, not be that person at all. It was nice seeing these two men who don't fit the standard mould of manhood find each other. Lancelot's breakdown after he thinks Galehaut died was beautifully, achingly described. His near-suicidality and his utter devastation was heartbreaking: “I need you more than anything, I thought. Come back to me. Please come back to me. Please, I will do anything. I will make any sacrifice, risk any danger, broker any deal. I will give years off my life, cede all my skills, forgo knighthood, turn my back on everyone and everything.” But I also liked seeing him slowly begin to recover as he finds a home in Camelot, makes friends with other knights and the royal couple, begins his life as a knight and, eventually, falls in love with Gawain. I did not expect this book to feature another love story and I didn't expect to end up liking it more than that of Lancelot and Galehaut. I liked the banter and bickering of Lancelot and Gawain and how, after a rocky start, Lancelot begins to admire Gawain a lot and eventually, as they open up to each other and realise they both made misjudgements very early on about each other, falls for him. This leads me to one of my only issues with the book and the thing that led me to only give this book a 4,5/5 stars instead of the full 5/5 stars. When Galehaut comes back to Lancelot's life, regains his memories and realises what Merlin did to him (Merlin saving his life, fucking with his memories and leaving him in Ireland just to separate him from Lancelot, who would've given up his prophecy to be with Galehaut, was such a peak Merlin thing to do: he is not above ruining people's lives to make sure his plans progress as he wishes), the book introduced Lancelot's final big dilemma: which man does he choose. Though I understand fully why Glynn made him choose Galehaut (forcing Lancelot to choose which one to protect from King Claudas was rude but cool), I did think it would've made more sense, at least in my opinion, for him to choose Gawain. He was not the same man he was when he was with Galehaut; the man he was now loved Gawain. For me, this would've worked as a story of how you can love more than one person at the same time and how sometimes, you can move on from what you thought was your greatest love. I am not mad at the book, but personally I kinda wish he had chosen Gawain. The very end, with Viviana asking Lancelot and Gawain both to train Galahad, after Galehaut has died of natural causes after 15 years with Lancelot, made me think whether something could start again with them.

This book had so many cool female characters. They all had really distinct personalities and vibes, and they all wielded power in their own way. There's the women of the Isle, who wield magic and whose descendants are everywhere in Camelot and the British isles. There's warriors like the giantess Bagotta, who trains Lancelot and Galehaut, and makes a huge impact on Lancelot. There's the two Elaines – Elaine, the grail maiden, who appears but a few times but charmed me with her slightly odd vibe and humorous nature, and Elaine, the lady of Astalott, whose tragic fate ends up kickstarting Mordred's rage towards not just Lancelot, but Arthur. She died by her own hand, of unrequited love, and without meaning to, helps mould Mordred into Arthur's greatest enemy. There's Guinevere, the respected and adored queen, who hides her loneliness and depression under the guise of the perfect queen. Glynn introduces her immediately as, yes, a beautiful queen, but, above all, someone people listen to and venerate. She is so often reduced to a pretty lady who cannot give Arthur children, and I was so happy to see Glynn make her a multifaceted woman with her own hopes and desires and demons, someone who knows how to play the political game but also enjoyed playing with dogs and getting her hands dirty. Though the reveal that she is planning to escape Camelot, with the help of Morgan and the blessing of Arthur, and that her sister, Guinevak will take her place, was, for me, a bit outlandish (though there is apparently a source-base for this version, so it's not Glynn's own invention), I did like that Guinevere got to, for once, choose for herself and take control of her own life. On the isle, with the sisters and Morgan, she finds real happiness after years of gloominess and loneliness. Morgan le Fay doesn't appear many times, but boy did she take over every scene she was in. This introduction was killer: “Enchantress, witch, goddess, fairy. I had long heard whispers of Morgan le Fay, but nothing in the legends could have prepared me for this encounter.” Glynn made her someone with tangible, scary power, someone who you cannot predict and someone you both like and fear. She is impulsive and angry, but she is also riddled with guilt and capable of love. Her telling Lancelot of how he fell in love with Merlin when they were both on the Isle, and how he betrayed the sisters by teaching Merlin magic and trying to steal the sword from the Isle, made me feel so bad for her. Merlin had manipulated her, but she had also lost herself and her morals in her love for him. Her tearing up and trying to hide it as Lancelot speaks of her family, whom she cannot really see much because of her reputation as a pariah, a scary witch, also made me feel bad for her. Her redeeming herself to Viviana by saving Lancelot and being accepted back on the Isle, was a nice ending for her. Isolde didn't appear much, but what we did get from her, with her rushing to tell Arthur her intended and the man she loves, Tristan, are planning to attack Camelot, was cool, as was Galehaut saying that if Isolde is siding with Camelot, so will Tristan, because “Tristan will do whatever Isolde tells him”. From those few moments with her, we glean that she is a formidable, smart woman unafraid to make her own decisions.

There were also some cool male supporting characters. I already spoke a little bit about Arthur, so I will only say, here, that he was written well and I appreciated that Glynn managed to highlight his mythical status as this beacon of light and hope while also acknowledging that he is a normal human man, a flawed person who has become larger than life, partly without meaning to. I did like Arthur's determined desire for peace and how he tries his best to make sure everyone in Camelot can believe what they want to believe. Galehaut was nice, as I already mentioned, and it was fun seeing someone who doesn't wanna kill be trained as a warrior and to see behind the image he projects. When they are brought together he pretends to be Mr Popular back home, to impress Lancelot, because he is self-conscious about who he truly is: a lonely boy who knows he is different from what he should be. I mentioned a few of my issues regarding aspects of his story earlier, but despite those qualms I was happy to learn he hadn't died alongside his family and that he regained memories. I might not have felt fully satisfied with him and Lancelot getting back together with poor Gawain being tossed aside, but I was happy that they got to live in peace after all they went through. Gawain was lovely, and it was cool how he is, in the beginning, this cocky master knight, but is, in actuality, a lot more vulnerable and someone who treats everyone with respect and has so much love within him. Merlin was, as he should be, a mischievous, scheming asshat who can be both empathetic and truly ruthless. The few glimpses we get of Mordred was cool – his major moments from mythology are not part of this book, but in this story you get to see the things that lead him down that path, which was fun.

Finally, I gotta mention, I liked the casual queerness of the book. Obvs the central love story is queer, but there are multiple queer characters in the book, and there's even a trans man knight that's mentioned. This world is no utopia for queers and queer characters have to hide their desires, but there are pockets of queer community in there and not everyone is out to condemn them. As a queer reader, this queering of Arthurian mythology, was a lot of fun.

I'd recommend this book to anyone looking for a queer Arthurian book. This is an emotional story of magic, faith, fate, love, friendship, quests and adventure. I'll keep an eye out for what Glynn puts out next.

[James Norman · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, here's the deal. I love novels that take a look at familiar stories from a different angle. I find it creative and I'm sure it's hard because there are so many details to make sure you don't miss. I also love gay-themed stories. So Mr. Glynn's book was right up my alley. I loved his creativity and the attention to details. I also loved his take on Lancelot.

[N M · Rating 1 out of 5]

As someone who loves and is deeply interested in Arthuriana and medieval lit in general, this book should’ve been enjoyable. Unfortunately, it feels like it was written for neopagans and “The Song of Achilles” enjoyers at the great expense of anyone who cares about Arthuriana. It feels like things happen randomly and because the author wants them to, not according to any sort of internal logic. Similarly, the characters never feel like they go through any sort of real growth. The style of writing itself feels odd and disjointed, too. Overall though, I just don’t understand what the point of telling a story of Lancelot and Galehaut is if one doesn’t want to use any of the characterization, world-building, and internal logic of the source material. If this hadn’t been a supposed retelling of a story I love I would’ve DNFd it somewhere around page 10, but unfortunately I stuck it out to the bitter last. Perhaps if you like The Song of Achilles and know nothing about medieval history and literature you’ll like this, but that’s not me.

[Mylo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was such a joy to read, I literally couldn't put it down. It was beautifully written, tender and so descriptive, but the ending was so unsatisfying and rushed in my opinion. Some of the most important moments are only given a line or two and while the effects of them are felt you aren't ever given enough time to sit in them. Overall I loved it, I'm a sucker for Arthurian tales, but it could've been paced better

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this queer MM reimagining of the Lancelot story. It was captivating and seeing all the familiar players in this story walk onto the page with all new perspectives was refreshing. It was great on audio too and perfect for fans of authors like KJ Charles and Lex Croucher. Many thanks to @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review.

[lookmairead · Rating 3 out of 5]

In retrospect, this was a great way to kick off pride month. Filed under:// loveisloveisloveislove

Pitch: Take the characters from Arthur, but put Lancelot in a different kind of love triangle. (Hint, it’s definitely not with Arthur or Guinevere.)

Add a magical world full of Mermen and shapeshifting.

And please keep Merlin as frustrating as ever. 😅😩

I’ve read my fair share of retellings in this category, so I understand why some of feedback is frustrated it didn’t stay closer to earlier interpretations.

I on the other hand, didn’t mind the breath of creative pivots.

This was an ARC, but it’s out now.
I ended up listening to the audiobook instead and appreciated the dramatic interpretation.


3.75/5

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Lost Book of Lancelot was not at all what I expected, but in the best possible way.

I was prepared for another fantasy and action filled retelling of King Arthur and the Round Table. I got a sweet, lyrical, atmospheric coming of age story centring on Camelot’s most famous knight, Lancelot.

I really liked how this story humanized the characters, turning some of those perfect, untouchable people of legend more flawed and relatable. This is definitely a character driven story. Those looking for a plot heavy tale that closely follows other King Arthur tellings might be disappointed.

Great debut novel! Can’t wait to see what else this author writes.

[Pip · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the moment I started this book, I was intrigued by the premise of Lancelot being raised on an island of all women. It was really well done and made me think of Wonder Woman but this was a very different retelling than the ones that I've read about King Arthur. He searches for belonging as the sisterhood keeps him at arms length and it really made me feel for him throughout his journey of figuring out who he is and who he wants to be. It's a mixture of heartbreak, sorrow, joy, and sadness and I enjoyed every minute of it!

[Marcos “MSMDragon” · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5 ⭐️

Although I’m not incredibly familiar with all the details, I’m still a fan of the Arthurian legends. The Lost Book of Lancelot was a very good book. Lancelot has always given me queer vibes, so I really liked that this book explored that aspect. The story was fantastic, but also heartbreaking at times. The ending was well written.

[juli · Rating 2 out of 5]

i had so many problems with this but all i have to say is justice for my gawain

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up. Arthurian knights falling love with each other is my catnip and I need more of it, even if the writing here was a bit threadbare at times and the second half in Camelot seemed rushed in comparison to Lancelot’s time on the island. Huge events passed very quickly! But overall this was lovely.

[Emily K · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5!!
John you really did your big one with this one!!
Beautiful writing, great take on this story, with characters I really cared a whole lot about.
There were approximately 3-4 too many G names, but I loved the journey. And idk who the heck I would choose so I don’t envy our boy at all

[Alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The song of Achilles but make it King Arthur.

Fabulous. Heart wrenching. Heart warming. Mystical. Magical.

Pure storytelling and mythical reimagining. Brilliant.

[Diana]

My guy accidentally wrote an Arthurian retelling set in 2020s New Jersey from the sounds of it. The writing, oof.
These are real quotes from the first, like, 5 pages:
‘Ours was a good-sized home, modern’
“Relax, Viviana”
“I’m a sweaty mess”
I’m not going to keep reading until the Romans, knights and King Arthur show up, the anachronisms would end me.

[Caitlyn Mlodzik · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first two thirds of this book was excellent. The writing is really good and the whole tale of Lancelot's upbringing was intriguing and well written. The problem comes once he gets to Camelot. I think this book either needed to be a series or it just needed to have a smaller scope. Once he gets to Camelot, it becomes a massive soup of characters, legends, and odd plot decisions. The plot is set up to be about the prophecy of finding the grail, then that point is completely abandoned after he and Gwain find (SPOILERS) the wrong grail (after shooting a dragon out of the sky with a lightning bolt). I was really into the character and story, and I would have been invested if this was a series with a slower story. When the author just added so much to the plot at the end, he lost me. I really think this had potential, and it seems like the author just wanted to do a little bit too much in one book.

[Fiore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Woo, the longing! This book filled me with all the feelings and I wasn't sure it would wrap up in a way that would satisfy but here we are and it has done it.

[Nadditive · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gawain deserved better 😡

Admittedly, this is a unique take of the legend of Camelot and the hunt for the Holy Grail. For one, Lancelot and Guinevere are not the key players here, and Arthur seems like merely a footnote.

Instead, we focus on the eponymous Lancelot, raised on The Isle of Women by a surrogate mother, burdened by prophecy and ungifted by magic. Told entirely from
Lancelot’s point of view, I found him flighty, feeble at times and extremely fickle. The supposed love of his life is seemingly murdered and within months, he has moved onto Gawain? Not only that, when Galehaut reappears, Gawain is cast aside like yesterday’s jam. I know that first loves are enduring, but c’mon, really? Lancelot deserved neither of them.

Galehaut was a little bland in my opinion; it seemed their love was formed from proximity and circumstance rather than any real passion - Lancelot’s affections seem more like guilt and infatuation as the book nears its conclusion. Gawain was the more likeable love interest and I was rooting for him, but there was not much character development for him either. We learn of his abduction as a child and that he is now a slightly cocky adult - nothing further really materialises.

As for the plot - unfortunately, it felt very disjointed and like it was trying to go into many directions without real end. I can see what the author was going for - he was hoping to bring to life great quests, great yearning and a soul torn between love and duty. Unfortunately, he just fell short of the mark - at times, this book dragged (for example, when Lancelot is in Camelot) but contrarily, the action scenes leading up to the final confrontation felt pieced together and rushed.

The prose was very flowery and lush, but the saying still stands - even beautiful writing cannot make a boring book interesting. I would have preferred to follow more of Lancelot’s emotional maturing and heartache instead of the abrupt “forced to choose between two lovers” scenario he ended up in. Also, he chose wrong, he should have chosen Gawain 🤪

In my queer mythology retelling era and enjoying it despite this middle of the road addition.

[Ryan Engle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’d give this 4.5 if I could. Modern King Arthur retelling doesn’t get much better than #TheLostBookofLancelot by @glynner85!!! I’m really grateful @grandcentralpub on @netgalley once again gave me permission to read an advance copy of one of my anticipated books of the first half of the year. I loved stories of King Arthur when I was a kid. Pre-Lord of the Rings for me, the stories of Arthur, Galahad, Gawain, most importantly Lancelot filled my imagination. Never in all my years did I ever think I needed a revisionist history of a queer Lancelot until I read the longline for this book and it might have been the fastest I got through a book this year. I will be doing a deep dive on the other takes from John Steinbeck, Alfred Lord Tennyson, Mark Twain, and T. H. White later this year and no better way for me to start it than with this gem. You’ll get queer romance, adventure, chivalry, and fresh perspective in spades. My only criticism is the final fifty pages had some pacing problems; Glynn sped through the plot so much faster than he had up to that point and felt like it could have been expanded on to be a bit more satisfactory. Beyond that, it’s a great read and one of my favorite 2026 releases so far.