Arturus Rex

by Vesper Lyons

~ A thrilling and magical debut from Vesper Lyons ~

Thirteen-year-old Arthur Pendragon is heir to the throne, and thoroughly bored of his life in London. So, when he’s sent away to boarding school, he thinks it might finally be his chance to be a bit more normal.
At first, Arthur’s life at Badon College is everything he expected it to be. But when he discovers that one of his new friends has been keeping an unbelievable secret, he quickly realises that ‘normal’ is entirely out of the question.
As Arthur, Merlin, and their friends are drawn into an age-old web of magic and myth, they soon learn that some legends are more than just a story.

Arturus Rex is the first instalment in Vesper Lyons' thrilling new series following Arthur Pendragon as he fights for his own place in history. What is the Brotherhood? What happened to Anne Catterick? And why is Arthur at the centre of it all?

Genres: Fiction, Fantasy, Arthurian

384 pages, Paperback

First published October 2, 2017

Reviews

[Cristina Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been a lifelong fan of Arthur and Merlin, ever since as a 7-year-old I was taken to see The Sword in the Stone (still one of my favourite films!), so I was delighted to receive this book as a prize in a recent giveaway. Having read it, I was not disappointed and am eagerly awaiting the next book in the series. I got distracted at times trying to work out which of the other characters might correspond to the historical ones, and I just love the new Merlin's characteristics and background. As it is set in a school and there is magic involved, it will undoubtedly draw comparisons with Harry Potter - if you're not an HP fan, don't let this put you off.

[Michelle]

A good tale, it will be interesting to see how the plot develops with further books.

[Janine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this modern YA take on an old tale. Well written and well paced, the characters worked and it was an enjoyable read. The last quarter felt a little sloppier than the rest of the book, certainly the editing slipped in that section. Hopefully that’ll get picked up in the next edition. I’d be interested to read the next one.

[B Wharam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was very lucky to be gifted this by the Author when she first wrote this, I remember secretly watching her write it when I was working. This is one of my favourite go to books, I've read it at least 12 times over the last 5 or so years.

[Sarah Mitchell-Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Arturus Rex. I am going to reject parallels with Harry Potter. Anyone who grew up reading the Enid Blyton St Clare’s series or The Worst Witch – as I did – knows that school stories have a much longer tradition than harking back 20 years.
Set in modern-day Cambridge (which was a hook for me) but in a fictional boarding school, Arturus Rex draws on the parallels between the main characters and Arthurian Legend. It is exciting and fast-paced from the beginning and the descriptions are absolutely wonderful.
I would recommend this as a pleasurable read, but it is also more than that. It is complex and stimulating enough to teach, because the register and language is a bridge between Young Adult fiction and literary tradition. Arturus Rex explores duty, loyalty and friendship, ideas with which everyone – young or old – can identify.