The Return of Sir Percival: Guinevere's Prayer

The Return of Sir Percival #1

by S. Alexander O'Keefe

A Tale of the Last Knight of the Round Table

Seven years after the death of Arthur Pendragon, Sir Percival, the last surviving knight of the Round Table, returns to Albion after a long and futile quest for the Holy Grail. The peaceful and prosperous home that he left a decade earlier is no more. Camelot has fallen, and much of the Pendragon’s kingdom has been subjugated by the evil Morgana and the Norse invaders who once served under her banner.

Although the knight desires only to return to his ancestral lands and to live in peace, he vows to pursue one last quest before he rests—to find Guinevere, the Queen of the Britons. This journey will force the knight to travel the length and breadth of Albion, to overcome the most fearsome and cunning of enemies, and to embrace a past that is both painful and magnificent.

The Return of Sir Percival is the tale of a knight who seeks peace, but finds only war, of a Queen who has borne sorrow and defeat, but who will not yield, and of a valiant people determined to cast of the yoke of their oppressors. It is also a tale of tragedy and triumph, and of romance lost and then found. 

The unique vision of the Arthurian world brought to life in S. Alexander O’Keefe’s The Return of Sir Percival takes readers on a journey that is as enthralling as it is memorable.

Genres: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Arthurian, Adventure, Fiction, Mythology, Medieval

376 pages, Hardcover

First published September 6, 2016

About the author

S. Alexander O’Keefe was born in Providence, Rhode Island. He is a graduate of Dartmouth College and Fordham University School of Law, and he practices law in Orange County, California. Mr. O’Keefe and his wife, Cathy, who live in Irvine, California, have three children. Phantom Money is Mr. O'Keefe's third novel.

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

After ten years on a quest for the Holy Grail, Sir Percival of the Round Table and his friend, Capussa, have returned to Britain. But Britain is vastly different from when Sir Percival left. King Arthur is dead. The kingdom is wracked by violence and terror. A horrible Norseman has taken control of Londinium and Morgana wrecks havoc freely. Queen Guinevere has retreated to an abbey in Albion.

Sir Percival is saddened by the turn of events and decides to make his way to his Queen. His journey travels past Londinium and he cannot let the people's suffering continue. He meets a group of warriors and archers in the forest and leads them into the heart of the city. He fights a battle with the head Norseman and with the help of the people take control of London. He leaves a strong man in control and continues his journey.

As he marches to Albion, people start following him. Soon hundreds and hundreds are following him. Morgana is following his progress not sure if he is really Sir Percival as she believes he's dead.
Once he reaches the Queen there is a lovely reunion and Merlin joins them.

Morgana forces a battle for Londinium. She has gathered thousands of Norsemen and Saxons and a knight of the Round Table bound to her by an oath. There is a pitched battle and it is so reminiscent of many of earlier battles.

This is a great take on the legends of King Arthur. If you enjoy his tales as much as I do then this is a great addition to the stories. On a personal note, when I was in England I visited Glastonbury, a great town. The abbey there supposedly contains the graves of Arthur and Guinevere. The abbey was destroyed by Henry VIII but it's still a lovely place to visit. There is a garden in Glastonbury that contains a well where Joseph's cup, a Holy Grail, rests (supposedly).

Thanks to Net Galley for this book in exchange for a honest review.

[Sherwood Smith]

As I was reading this new addition to over a thousand years of Arthuriana, I thought about how to characterize it. The best way, I think, is to compare it to the noble knight tales of a hundred years ago—except that in this book, the female characters are more interesting than the one-dimensional, helpless women in those old tales. These women have points of view, even if they don’t have the freedom of males (which is largely correct for the period), except for Evil Morgana.

The setting is Albion ten years after Arthur and his Round Table fell, leaving Morgana still present, though considerably less strong as she seeks to destroy Merlin. She is obsessed with Merlin—it appears that ruining Arthur’s kingdom was a side issue in her pursuit of Merlin—though we do not know the exact circumstances. She's having a tough time keeping her sell-swords paid and the region she took over free of brigands and marauding Norsemen.

Meanwhile, in what reminded me a lot of the beginning of Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves, Sir Percival is back after ten bad years in the Middle East on his quest for the Holy Grail. He has a Nubian warrior at his side who wisecracks but fights wherever Percival goes. Percival arrives home, after a vivid sea fight, to find everything in ruins.

We catch up with his backstory, as well as Guinevere’s from her remote abbey, and with Morgana’s as well as that of her mysterious Black Knight. These backstories are pretty much all either recounted by characters sitting and thinking their history to themselves, which slows the pacing down, or in campfire stories, which is a bit brisker—but there were so many of these long flashbacks that I found myself wishing that the novel had begun earlier so we could see all these stories real time.

Still, when the narration returns to the present, there is plenty of action, leading up to a satisfying ending.

The good guys are larger than life, virtuous, noble, and very, very strong. They never cuss, and we never see any graphic sex on the page. (In fact, our heroes also lead chaste lives.)

Guinevere is very good, Morgana is very evil, but they have much more personality than those old tales. Altogether it was a swift, thoroughly enjoyable read, with just enough cliff hanger to set things up for further adventures.


Copy received from NetGalley

[Yibbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been looking for this book for such a long time! It's been a personal quest to find a Medeival tale this fine. Knights, queens, gladiators, ladies-in-waiting, seawolves, damsels in distress, The Round Table, Morgana, Merlin! O’Keefe has woven a fabulous tale of adventure and love. Villains, cutthroats, spies, assassins, and traitors as vile a rabble as ever marched against a hero ravage the once peaceful domain of King Arthur.
Has all chivalry died with him? No! Sir Percival not only heartens the oppressed of Albion to believe in peace and decency once more, but O’Keefe heartened me to believe in the possibility of honor and decency in a historical fantasy. He doesn’t sully his pages with the obscene in language or act. I can’t begin to express my gratitude for that.
Oh! But what a nasty bit of trickery that was with Cadwyn. It tempts me to give that bit of plot away just to spite the author for pitting my wits against my heart in that terrible fashion. See if you don’t think I’ve a right to a bit of ire. Not that that was the only trickery , just one more string in the web.
Let me tell you a tale. I just love his use of storytelling to fill in the gaps in background and character development. It gives it more the feel of the days of yore and lends itself to interesting and varied points of view.
Down to earth now. I wish there was some other way the story could have ended. The way I understand the Bible, there is no circumstance in which we should seek the dead. To read like an Arthurian legend, I guess the author felt some magic was necessary. Though, I thought the story would have been better without it. It had a good mix of Catholicism and Paganism. Rather like I would imagine the beliefs of the time were.
That death scene! What heartbreak! It built to such a perfect presentation of the Gospel. One duped into serving Evil is lies dying. He seeks God’s forgiveness. He dies after receiving forgiveness. Bur it’s a forgiveness based on past works. How wonderful would it have been to showcase God’s free gift of forgiveness based only on Jesus’ sacrifice and our acceptance of it. Instead, it was a mystical sort of feel-good scene. It wasn’t a bad scene for a secular author, just compared with Biblical salvation it rang hollow.
Even with all of that, it was a wonderful read. I’d reread it. I’m looking forward to the next in the series. I’m very grateful to NetGalley and Greenleaf Book Group for the chance to enjoy this book and the introduction to a very good author. This is my personal review and was not required, but I sure enjoyed writing it.

[Sophia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Le sigh! I finished this book and I was still lost in the world of old Britain in the time just after Camelot fell, a time of knights, ladies, evil and greedy villains ripping the land apart, war-torn lands in need of heroes- and found them in this magnificent historical tale.

I wouldn't say I was the most ardent fan of the classical tale of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, but let's say, it is a story that I never tire of reading or hearing in it's many permutations. I was nervous to pick up a book that began shortly after Camelot because of that sad event, but I couldn't pass it by, either. Thankfully, I bucked up and read The Return of Percival because I would have missed out on something rather special.

The author did a fabulous job of seating his tale firmly into the tempestuous history of the times and of the legendary Arthur tales while building his own original plot and cast of characters. Percival was the main character, but he was surrounded by other well-known, little known, or original characters of the author's making. The flaws and the strengths, the depths, and the motivations made Percival and the rest completely captivating to follow as the author slowly built the foundation with several narrators, their backstories, and the beginning situation before let the story flow.

The Return of Sir Percival begins with just that- Percival's return to the shores of Britain. Percival was sent away the decade before by Arthur and Merlin on a quest to find the Holy Grail. In his absence, he has undergone dark times and difficult adventures. He returns feeling his failure to his king and his pain of not being by Arthur's side and that of his fellow knights when Camelot fell. He seeks one face and hopes to find peace with his friend Capussa at his side.

But peace is not to be- at least not yet. Torn apart by Morgana and the Viking Warlords, brigands, and strife, Britain's people and their miserable fate call out to the honorable knight he is. Percival can't go on his own business and do nothing when the people's pain is before him. Capussa and others rally to his side as the hero of legend attempts the impossible.

Morgana, the cunning and evil woman behind the fall of Camelot, remains in the land of the Britains for one reason only- revenge. The man she seeks continues to elude her. Her spies, her plots, and her venom cannot bring her Merlin. She holds a dark knight, mercenaries, and more at her disposal, but so far, nothing. Now the Emperor has removed his payments and it is her own silver- or rather the wealth her slaves extract from the royal mines now paying for her private war. Meanwhile, the viking warlords grow restless and more covetuous for more including what she holds as their locust-like nature has bled their own holdings dry.

The dark knight, Lord Aeron, waits his chance for redemption. He made a pledge of honor with an evil devil to protect a lady- a queen. His pledge has brought him to commit actions that steal his soul. The word that the last living knight of the Round Table come home alive brings hope and pain for what is to come.

Guinevere, Queen of the Britons, lives in shadows now. She quietly holds her peace in an abbey with her two ladies and retainers that not so much guard her as keep her prisoner for a bishop who skims away the wealth of her remaining lands. Her skin crawls when he is present, but even that cannot distract her from the knowledge of her people enslaved, slaughtered, and bowed over in pain. She is helpless before it though she does what she can with her 'sparrows' eyes' watching from all corners of the kingdom and looking for a chance that will allow Guinevere to do what she can. Guinevere thought once before to rally the lords and the warriors, but few came to her call and have troubles of their own from the Viking hoard. The land is in pieces and she remembers the days of Camelot- the courage, the loyalty, the chivalry of the knights. There was one knight who saved her life, who protected her, and who left on a long quest never to return. Percival. Now rumors and reports say a valiant knight claiming to be Percival has returned and is on the move.

Alright, this slow build story held great promise when it began and I was satisfied to see it make good on its promise. It resonated true with the ongoing story post-Camelot. This is Percival's story, but actually it went beyond that and told the story of old Britain. It felt history-making as it progressed. While it's not an overt fantasy story and has more of a historical fictional tone, it has fantasy elements and tender romance. Morgana's evil feels palpable just as Merlin's magic is that of a sharp mind. The true magical elements of the story are used sparingly and at pivotal points just as the build of action is just the right balance with the intrigue and plotting going on.

Percival is the perfect hero character in that he feels strong and true, but has doubts that he can fulfill what seems to be his destiny. Capussa was a brilliant side-kick figure. He wryly calls it like he sees it and keeps Percival balanced with his earthy wisdom. Guinevere is no damsel in distress though she is purposely made to seem that way to protect her. The Queen comes into her own as a result of Camelot and Arthur's fall. I enjoyed how the glances back showed all this. She hides much as does Percival, but the reader is allowed to see what is between them.

One of the most riveting characters is Lord Aeron. This tortured man was doing the best he could with what he was dealt. He was pushed well beyond what normal people could bear, but he endured it for the sake of love and loyalty. His part of the story constantly had me gulping back tears.

Merlin was a delight. I loved the way he is written. His moral compass doesn't entirely point to true north, but he has one. He tends to take the 'whatever is needed to tree the coon' approach and has a wicked sense of humor. Shades of gray characters like Merlin can really make a story so much more colorful and deep.

The villains are products of their times, for the most part- Hengst, Ivaar, the Pict, and more. They were grubbing and greedy men who used their strength for personal gain and power- taking advantage where they could. Ugh, I so wanted their sorry existence erased.
But Morgana was in a league of her own. I adore a well-written villain that I love to hate, but even I just wanted to see her ended. She is cold and calculating and cares for nothing beyond herself. She is chilling as she goes about her business.

The end was truly worth all the build up. All is resolved and then there is that little jangling cliffie to show where things will go for book two.

In summary, this was one of my best reads of the year and I am already waiting with little patience for book two. Those who love Arthurian variations or just well-written historical fiction or romance should definitely pick this one up.

I received this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

[Starry Up · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Return of Sir Percival was a really enjoyable read. Set 10 years after the death of King Arthur, the plot follows Sir Percival, the last remaining Knight of the Round Table, who was sent on a mission to find the Holy Grail before Arthur's death. Percival finds a very different land to the one he left behind - Guinevere is in exile, Merlin hasn't been seen for years, and Morgana and the mercenaries she hired to defeat Arthur have divided the land up between them.

By setting the story so long after the fall of Arthur, the author avoids many of the usual clichés, whilst still maintaining the mythic Arthurian atmosphere in a way that was really appealing to me. Arthur himself is alluded to but not heavily featured in the story, and the limited descriptions given of him allow him to stay a mystery to the reader, someone who's already a legendary figure by the time the story begins. The pacing of the novel is good, and the story is tight and well choreographed, with a well managed cast of characters. The reader gets to spend time with all of the main characters without the story going off on tangents, and - most satisfyingly - the novel stands alone well in spite of being the first in a series. Overall it was a really enjoyable fast paced read.

I particularly enjoyed the picture of 5th/6th century Britain that the author created. Instead of the stereotypical early depiction of a ethnically homogeneous country, the wide cast of characters reflects a diverse population of natives, settlers, invaders, and different cultural identities, with Romans, Africans, Saxons, Vikings and Picts all making an appearance. The remnants of Roman buildings are still highly visible in the landscape, with some structures being reused for new purposes and roads remaining in use. This really contributed to making the setting feel like a genuine historical period, with depth and a sense of the story being set in one part of a fully populated world. I also really liked the level of magic present - with some miracles and a more pagan feeling Christianity, but without a magical answer to anyone's problems - which felt true to Arthurian mythology.

There were some areas that I felt could really improved though. Firstly, we're told most things rather than shown them, with long explanations of backstories that could have been gradually revealed - this is usually explained away by characters giving information to each other, but it felt a bit clunky and meant that there wasn't much to be curious about as the story went on. We get all of Morgana and Merlin's backstory in one big conversation, all of Percival's backstory explained in a few long sections. On one occasion when information is revealed more naturally in a conversation (Guinevere and Percival discuss the past over dinner at Michaelmas, building up a picture of their relationship in the long term) it is immediately followed up by a much less subtle and totally unnecessary conversation between two other characters explicitly spelling out the same information. Characters also regularly whisper to themselves. This felt really bizarre to me - why would they be doing this? It'd be better to be told more specifically what they're thinking or just for it to be hinted at. The author really needs to trust the reader to be able to imagine more of the details. Hopefully with all of these backstories thoroughly established there will be less of this in future installments.

There were a few dissonant moments where characters seemed out of place in the time setting - particularly Cadwyn, a young lady-in-waiting to Guinevere. She seemed to have wandered in from the future sometimes - her whole attitude felt too modern, no one got annoyed at her for behaving in a way that wouldn't have been acceptable for a lady-in-waiting at the time, and she wasn't familiar with the concept of arranged marriage, which was pretty much the only type of marriage for girls like her in that time period.

Now for some more pernickety complaints. There are some quite jarring uses of modern turns of phrase. These included Guinevere at one point starting a sentence with "I guess…" in the modern usage style, and Percival angrily stating at one point that someone "could care less" about something. I found the latter most jarring - the original British version of the phrase was "I couldn't care less" and only dates back to the early 1900s. The Americanisation "I could care less" only dates back to the 1960s and it really didn't fit in with the rest of the language used. I wouldn't mind if the book was simply written in modern language, but the mixture of formal phrasing and old fashioned terms like "tenfold" and modern phrases clashed. There is also a mixture of British and American spelling, with the British spelling of grey (instead of gray) but the American spelling for color (instead of colour).

There was also a section where Aranwen (Guinevere's spiritual adviser) was described as dropping a sweater she was knitting. Knitting didn't appear in Europe until around 600 years after this story is set. Sweater, again, is a modern American word so felt really inappropriate, especially as in other parts of the text period-appropriate clothing is described using accurate terminology. Overall the book feels well researched, so this felt a bit lazy - and made me realise that the three female characters don't really carry out any activities that you would expect. No attending sermons, no embroidering, no playing instruments. I'm not sure what they did with their time for the 10 years before the story began, whereas Percival's experiences over the past 10 years are really well fleshed out.

I don't want to end this review on a negative note, because I really did enjoy reading this. I don’t think fans of historical adventure stories and Arthurian mythology will be disappointed, and I'll definitely be looking out for more books in this series. I'd also love to see a series following Capussa, Percival's right hand man.

***I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.***

[Madame Mona Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book set 10 years after the fall of King Arthur and The Knights of the Round Table. This author does an incredible job of transporting you to post Roman Britain. Well written and I will be reading more from this author.

[Tish · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of what happens after the fall of Camelot, told in a style reminiscent of older Arthurian tales, but with a lot more character development (a definite plus), especially of the female characters. Lots of action and intrigue, noble deeds and evil, plus some humor and a few surprise twists, adds up to an enjoyable addition to the tales of King Arthur.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for my copy.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have not read this book. I'm just so excited about it because it's been years since my son said, "I actually like this book," and he said it about this book. Make haste and writeth the next book, Sir O'Keefe. I would pre-order the entire rest of the series if I could.

When I pressed my son for what he liked about it (since I've tried plenty of King Arthur books on him with little success, in spite of his interest in the subject), he explained that it didn't waste a lot of words describing the scenery and the weather, but rather was heavy on dialogue, which made it easier for him to digest.

As a parent I appreciate that it's a good old-fashioned "clean" book (according to one reviewer). I'm interested enough to read it myself, and I may edit my review at that point, but for now I'm just ecstatic that he's reading a book.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from Greenleaf Book Group Press and Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

I’m a fan of British medieval history and have read all of Bernard Cornwell’s Saxon books, several of Ellis Peter’s Brother Cadfael novels, T. H. White’s The Once and Future King, and other books set in that period that don’t come to mind at the moment. When I saw this was available on Net Galley without approval, I down loaded it and looked forward to a good read, especially after seeing the five star reviews on Good Reads.

The novel is set roughly 10 years after Morgana defeated King Arthur. Sir Percival had been dispatched on a quest for the Holy Grail and so was on his way to the Holy Land when Arthur and most of the knights of the Round Table were killed, thus escaping their fate. It begins with a quite promising sea battle in which Percival and his companion, Capussa, all but single-handedly defeat the Norse raiders who have attacked the ship they are sailing back to Albion (Britain) aboard.

But for me, there is something off with this novel that kept me from being immersed in the story and the characters and greatly diminished my enjoyment. Everyone, absolutely everyone, is a paragon of virtue except Morgana, who is the embodiment of everything evil. Sigh. The characters of Percival, Guinivere, are Capussa are totally noble and self-sacrificing and did not feel real to me. All the men had muscles of iron, which was pointed out every time one of them took his shirt off. And Morgana smiled evilly far too often.

The omniscient narration of the book grated after a bit as well. I can deal with multiple points of view in novels, but when the POV shifted back and forth between the good guys and Morgana I felt like I was watching a tennis match. There was one surprising event that occurred during the final battle that the omniscient narrator hadn’t told us about in advance and I enjoyed that little surprise.

I’ve read the advice to authors many times to “show, don’t tell”. I didn’t get that feeling reading this book. In fact the back story of Percival was given to us in tales around the campfire at night rather than as flashback chapters, which I’m sure saved space and word count, but was not as compelling or interesting as it could have been. I kept waiting for Something to Happen. The battle scenes were all quite brief and created no real suspense. Maybe Bernard Cornwell has me spoiled.

The author put forth a great deal of effort to ensure historical and geographic accuracy, and I do appreciate that. Although I did wonder that so many of the characters seemed to be able to read and write; I had been under the impression that in the 5th and 6th centuries most people couldn’t.
I really wanted to like this book more than I did. Had I not gotten it from Net Galley I wouldn’t have finished it.

[Gina Burgess · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was quite intrigued with Sir Percival. I can see a lot of merit in the story, and great attention to researching the times of medieval England.

There is a LOT of telling story instead of showing story, although I'm not a fan of flashbacks so I'm grateful there was a telling not a showing around the campfires with the back story--but, there is way too much back story that does NOT move the story along. The reader gets bogged down in back story. Maybe this story should have started in the back story since the author is so interested in it.

On the other hand, the author has done a really good job with creating the life and times of medieval England. There were tons of nuances throughout that paints almost photographically clear pictures of what it was like to live during that time (both those with money and those without), except the ability to read and write. There is a network of spies for the Queen that can read and write, and that just wasn't the case back then. Character development is subtle, and that is exactly how I like it. You get a feel for what each character cares about through their actions and their words. Great development, except there is too much back story.

The story, on the other hand, is full of rehashes as if the reader can't remember from one chapter to the next the character motivations. There are zero transitions when head jumping happens (that's jumping from one character's viewpoint in one part of the story to another character's viewpoint in a different part of the story). This results in jerky, stop/start story flow, which deflates story momentum and tension. Leaving a character in "dire straits" does not create story flow tension that would amplify white-water story flow; it dilutes it into confusion. If you are going to jump from one character to another (this story has basically three POVs), then you really need transitions from one section to another. Transitions are a primary tool in writing that are rarely used correctly. When used to best advantage, the reader never notices. The reader gets to that holding-breath, edge-of-seat reality, and he/she can't put the book down. That's the kind of writing that can pull off more than one point of view. Unfortunately, O'Keefe needs a lot more practice before she can pull off that kind of story.

[Lulu [at] Reckless Reading · Rating 1 out of 5]

facebook // twitter // bloglovin // youtube

With such a gorgeous cover and an intriguing synopsis, I was so excited to start The Return of Sir Percival by S Alexander O’Keefe. Yet, when I started, all I wanted to do was put it down and never pick it up again. Sadly, I could not get into it at all and found myself wishing I hadn’t started it, or hadn’t needed to finish it.

The largest problem is the pacing of the story, which is all over the place. It drags and is slow for the most part and then suddenly spikes with a fight or any kind of action, only to fall back to a near standstill. Telling and not showing is the main contributing factor to this slow pace. The majority of the novel is simply characters telling other characters about things that happened. Telling characters about battles, telling characters about feelings, telling characters about escapes, etc. Reading an entire story about people telling each other about these things instead of showing the reader these important pieces of information is such a misstep.

The writing was dry, the dialogue burdensome, and the characters lacked any depth or complexity, all of which could have made up for the terrible pacing but didn’t. The Return of Sir Percival by S Alexander O’Keefe was a slow read that ultimately felt like listening to someone who read a book but was retelling it without any form of enthusiasm.

// I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this title. //

[Mary Catelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

tale of adventure, honor, and peril as Percival returns from a quest to find the Holy Grail -- and what he finds in Britain is King Arthur dead, the Round Table broken, and the Queen nowhere to be found.

With the companion he acquired in his quest, he sets out to find the Queen. It does not stay that way, leading to consequences -- dealing with poisoned arrows, the tales of what happened in his quest, someone telling a false story to catch him out, a battle involving a hillside and a lake, silver mines, and more.

Plays around with history -- Saxons invading at the same time as the Norse -- and with Arthur's situation in history -- a couple of centuries later -- and with Arthurian characters. May please or annoy you according to how you find these things.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Realistic Tale of Knights, Queens, Wizards, and Norse Invaders

Ten years after Arthur's death, Sir Percival, the last surviving knight of the Round Table, returns from his quest for the grail. He is accompanied by Capussa, who he befriended when they were captive gladiators. As they travel through Albion, Percival is saddened by the devastation. The Norse raiders have plundered and killed leaving the people without resources, terrified, and hungry.

Queen Guinevere escaped to a remote castle. She is served by a remnant of her former staff, badgered by the Bishop, and wishing she could do something to ease the plight of her people. Although he is hoping for peace, Percival decides to take on one more quest to find Guinevere and free Albion. To do this he will have to fight, not only the Norse invaders, but the evil Morgana.

This is a beautifully told story of Percival's return to Britain. The characters are true to the original legend, but fleshed out into believable people. The setting is not the magical kingdom so often used as a background for the Arthur legend, but instead, a historically accurate depiction of Britain under the thrall of the Norse invaders.

I enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone who loves the Arthur legends.

I received this book from Net Galley for this review.

[Shai Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always loved the tales of King Arthur and the Round Table and have read many different variations. This book however is the first time I have been able to see what happened after that final battle.



THE RETURN OF SIR PERCIVAL has a slower pace then most of the ones that I read but it allows the reader to fully immerse themselves in the story. At no time does the story seem to lag or stall. It's all beautifully paced and as it is told from the viewpoints of the different characters, the reader really gets a chance to know all of them.


This really is a beautiful story filled with all the joy and the pain of the time. It is also one that I highly recommend to any of my readers who also enjoy the Arthurian legends. I am glad to see that this is only the first book and can hardly wait for the next one to show up on my radar.


*** I received this book at no charge from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions expressed within are my own.

[Cindy H. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I honestly do not know why I requested to read this tale, as it is not in my wheelhouse. I was hoping to learn something new and broaden my reading horizon. BAD IDEA! I was really the wrong reader for this novel and I apologize to both author and publisher. I will still offer my thoughts and impressions but please know where it's coming from.
1. The good guys are REALLY good guys and EVIL Morgana is REALLY evil
2.Living in 5th/6th century Britan must have been HELL
3. Knights are cool and sexy
4. Merlin is a flawed magician, but most probably are

There are plenty of reviewers who loved this book, please read their reviews as well. I am sure they are way more descriptive and accurate.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

[Paula Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am done reading Sir Percival...It was everything I hoped it would be and more.It had some surprises that I wasnt expecting. Reunions of friends , comrades, and lovers..The farewell to more.....And traitors who seemingly will never be done...I cant wait for more from this gifted writer. I give this book 5 stars

[Tom Hastings · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting story looking at the trials of Sir Percival. Although set in England following the fall of King Arthur and the Round Table, it is not a tale of Arthur. Arthur is mentioned and has some influence on the story but the tale really focuses around Sir Percival and his companion Capussa, Guinevere, Morgan, and to a lesser extent Merlin and Sir Galahad. There are some elements of the romantic tradition of the Arthurian mythos but those are not emphasized. The book is the first in the series and as such it suffers a little from that. There is constant sense that things are not so much heading to a conclusion but rather setting up the next act. This is in no way a grave fault but rather affects the pacing of the book. There is no sense of urgency that one might expect. Instead we are given more opportunity to begin to know the characters which is good as the majority of them will be around for the next act. The book includes a few surprises along the way and ends on a cliff hanger leaving us in suspense. The story is nicely framed by introduction, epilogue, reading group guide, and author interview. While I don't want to give away any surprises the interview does inform us that the author plans to write to the prequel to this book first before returning to the series proper. If you enjoy tales set in this time period or that are Arthurian nature you should enjoy this. If you want something closer to the romantic Arthurian tradition this may not be the best choice. Full Disclosure: I received the Kindle Edition as a Goodreads giveaway.

[Marsha Lambert · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book through a Goodreads contest. The Return of Sir Percival Book I: Guinevere's Prayer by S. Alexander O'Keefe tells the tale of Sir Percival, a knight of King Arthur and one of the honored knights of the legendary Round Table. Beginning after the fall of King Arthur and the kingdom he created, Sir Percival returns to Albion, a country in chaos and strive. Sir Percival must battle the evil Morgana and her hired swords, the outlaws roaming the countryside, and the Norse.

Sir Percival is a finely written character and one that the reader can sympathize with and root for in his quest to reunite with Queen Guinevere and in his desire to help the people of his war torn country. The many secondary characters are also well written with all the traits of human frailty, humor, avarice, ruthlessness, kindness, and strength. The author weaves all the threads of the story line and charcters seamlessly, drawing the reader along on a wonderfully fast paced adventure in dark age Britain. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the continuing escapades of Sir Percival, Queen Guinevere, Merlin, and Sir Percival's comrade in arms, the fantastically written character, Capussa.

[SS · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ten years after Arthur’s death, after Percival was sent off on a quest to find the Holy Grail, Albion has fallen into chaos. Morgana continues searching for Merlin, seeking his death; Norsemen are raiding whatever is left over of the country; and Guinevere is hidden in a convent. When Percival returns empty-handed from his quest, he has his work cut out for him to restore the country he loves.

I got this book for free in exchange for an honest review, and you can read it all here: https://stephsstoryspace.wordpress.co...

[Clarence Schlag · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent story on Post-Arthurian Britain.

Fascinating story about life in Britain after the fall of Arthur and Camelot. In-depth character development of Guinevere and the single knight remaining, with glimpses into their past along with a detailed description of life for the common people after their military protection has been decimated and they're subjected to constant raids and invasions by both Normans and warlords.

[Steven Bice · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very fine novel

The Arthurian legend continues with its many twists, turns and interpretations. Loved the characters and the dialogue which was nicely crafted and lacks,with emotion. I found Merlin interesting because most writers place him as much in a druid cloak as a Christian cape...an interesting interpretation. This was a fine read and I recommend it//

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn’t know this author before reading this. Very good. A time when the Roman Empire still exists but no longer in Briton. There is romance. There is intrigue. There are battles, but just enough to make it exciting not boring. There is betrayal and there is redemption. Have access to a map of England. Makes it easier to follow the action.

[Jaimie ∣ ohio_is_for_readers · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book took me quite a while to get through. Not because it's a bad book but because I had to adjust to the writing and I always get hung up on names that are hard to pronounce. But this book was actually quite amazing and I couldn't wait to get back to it. I love love LOVE Sir Percival and I love his bromance with Capussa.


It was my very first medieval read but it won't be my last!

[J.M. Cornwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

The legends of King Arthur, Merlin, Guinevere, and the knights of the round table have all been written. The cast of characters was set long ago and so has their rise and their fall. The promise that King Arthur will come again when there is great need is a promise as old as the legends of Merlin and his powers until now. Camlann was not the end of Arthur or his knights or the enduring legacy of chivalry and adventure nor are the legends entombed with Arthur on the Blessed Isle or with Merlin locked away in the tree where Nimue bound him at Morgana le Fey's behest. There is more yet to be told.

We are all familiar with the story of how Mordred broke the fellowship of the Round Table and how Guinevere took her vows and remains a nun in the service of God while Lancelot roams the world in search of the Holy Grail ever out of his reach as he does eternal penance. The table was broken and all that remains are legends about the nine ladies who escorted King Arthur to rest on the Isle of Avalon and bright Excalibur returned to the Lady of the Lake. All that remains is shadow and the dream of Camelot and, according to S. Alexander O'Keefe, The Return of Sir Percival who was sent on a quest to find the Holy Grail.

In O'Keefe's version of the end of Albion, Sir Percival returns to England after ten years a man seeking the peace and comfort of home without the Grail. Sir Percival knows that the Round Table and King Arthur are no more. All is gone and he missed his chance to fight alongside King Arthur and die protecting his king. He failed his king and returns a changed man, scarred in pursuit of his quest and even more devout in his faith than when he left.

Sir Percival brings a companion, a black warrior, Capussa, the likes of which no one in Albion has ever seen. Expecting peace and quiet, Sir Percival instead finds Saxon and Norse raiders preying on the people and peace and quiet must be won by force of arms even as they cross the channel. Sir Percival's battle is not yet over. He must free the land of invaders and Queen Guinevere in exile in the Abbey Cwm Hir and restore the queen to her throne. The journey he intended to finish in quiet retirement still has long to go before he lays down his arms.

It didn't take long to put aside all I thought I knew of the Arthurian legends set in stone as I began to follow O'Keefe's vision of life after Camelot. At first I was disconcerted and unwilling to accept this new version of the gilded dream of Camelot, Arthur, and Guinevere. Disappointment quickly gave way to growing excitement as I followed Sir Percival's path. I enjoyed Capussa's bluff and ready wit and Sir Percival's economic dispatch of the Saxon marauders. Morgana, I soon learned, was not Arthur's half sister, but a Roman sorceress from Constantinople sent to plunder Albion of its silver for Roman coffers and the people to feed the slave markets of the Empire. Merlin, also of Rome, had disappeared and Morgana was not the only one intent on discover where he had gone to ground after Camlann.

One knight remained, Sir Gawain, hidden by black armor and in forced service to Morgana, her war master. How had a knight of Arthur's round table come to ally himself with the king's greatest enemy? So much was changed, and not for the worse.

O'Keefe's vision of Albion after the fall of Camelot is truly unique, not only in the retelling, but in what happens after the fall of the Once and Future King and his company. Guinevere is no longer the unfaithful wife of Arthur nor Lancelot her lover, having betrayed Arthur and forfeiting his honor. The tragic tale of Arthur, Guinevere, and Lancelot is quite different from what has been accepted as the thread of truth in the legend and rendered in new colors with a very different and promising future.

Guinevere is a queen in exile attended by two women, a wild young noblewoman not too shy to speak her mind and an aging nun. She rules her kingdom through a bishop stealing from her to enrich himself. King Arthur's wife died in childbirth and the king's marriage to Guinevere was a political alliance. Lancelot is a proud knight jealous of his fame, a bit of a taskmaster and Gawain a handsome womanizer often drunk. Only Percival seems true to the legends but only because not much was written about him. He is young, a proven general, who taught the peasants to fight in the Roman manner, and who it turns out is secretly in love with Guinevere, as was Gawain.

The battles and character of the rest of Camelot's denizens take on a wholly different aspect and are richly described in this new version and may more closely resemble the history of the time and place where the man who becomes the Arthur of legend actually lived. The Return of Sir Percival gives new life and a brighter prospect to the legend that is a delight for romantics and students of battle tactics and warfare. O'Keefe has imagined a more prolific destiny for the Grail and a story that adds texture and depth. The Return of Sir Percival is well written and well imagined, peopled with nuanced characters and set squarely within the history of the struggle for Britain's identity. A solid effort that adds luster to the Arthurian legends to delight a whole new generation of followers, 5/5 stars.

[John Maynard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic story

I absolutely loved this story. I limed the writing and the characters. The only thing I disliked was ( spoiler alert). Was the death of Galahad, I would have preferred his living redemption.

[Mike Fleetwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

A new take on the Arthurian legends. In many ways it remind me of Bernard Cornwell's Arthur trilogy (The Winter King, The Enemy of God, and Excalibur), in that is more historically based, putting Arthur in the time of post-Roman Britain, fending off the attacks of the Saxons and Vikings. It takes place after Arthur's death - there is no doubt in this book that Arthur is dead, and not that he is mysteriously taken away wounded after the battle of Camlann, as in some other Arthurian books. There is action and battle scenes, somewhat reminiscent of Cornwell. It also gives a whole new take on the identities of Merlin and Morgana. Guinevere has a major role, but there are no love scenes or marital infidelity with Lancelot. Percival is the main character, and is fascinating. Sir Galahad also has a major role, also in a quite different light than any other book I've read. One other character who really makes the story is Capussa - a Numidian who is Percival's companion and brother-in arms. All in all, the book is quite different from any other Arthur book I've read, but that is not bad it all. It is a wonderful read, and definitely a worthy addition to the many books about the legend of Arthur.

[Jim Swike · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sequel to Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. If you enjoy the legend you will find this to be a great read. Enjoy!

[Deborah Nunez]

Had to shelve it, just can't get into it.

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unremarkable and about as formulaic as could be, as far as fantasy goes. Not good, but not bad either; if you've got nothing else to read and are looking to pass the time it would serve.

[Deborah Ross · Rating 3 out of 5]

A year after the death of Arthur, his kingdom lies under the brutal yoke of a Viking invader. Guinevere languishes in a convent, while setting up a secret spy network to keep tabs on the rest of the kingdom. Sir Percival, who had been dispatched to the Holy Land in search of the Grail, returns along with his Moorish companion. Morgana schemes to at last assassinate Merlin, while playing a dangerous game of alliance with the Vikings.
Although smoothly written, this sequel to the well-known story of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table came across as flat and derivative. None of these characters struck me as remarkably original; they were all pretty much what I expected, although the many historical inaccuracies gave the narrative a Hollywood flavor (for example, Morgana is supposed to be a Roman assassin, but neither speaks nor behaves in a Roman fashion). The Moor, as charming as he is, reads as if he has just stepped out of Kevin Costner’s “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves,” and that character was copied from the Saracen in the A & E “Robin of Sherwood” series. Readers hungry for everything Arthurian may enjoy this book, but anyone looking for a fresh take on the legends will likely be as disappointed as I was.