The Door to Camelot

Pendragon's Heir #1

by Suzannah Rowntree

What if King Arthur had a daughter?

Blanche was an ordinary girl in 1900 England... until the knight crashed through her door.

Now, her guardians say she's a princess lost in time.

Now, her father's enemies want her dead. Raised in the wild, Perceval has never known his father. Hoping for answers, he sets out to pledge his sword to the legendary King Arthur Pendragon. But dark forces threaten Camelot. And darker secrets fester behind the legend.

Sparks fly when Perceval steals a kiss from the strange damsel he finds in the forest. Blanche doesn't trust this brash young knight... but as assassins close in, he might be her only chance of survival.

Genres: Fantasy, Arthurian, Young Adult, Retellings, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical Fantasy

172 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 16, 2019

About the author

Hi! I live in a big house in rural Australia with my awesome parents and siblings, drinking fancy tea and writing historical fantasy fiction that blends real-world history with legend, adventure, and a dash of romance.

​If you like the historical fantasy of Gail Carriger, S. A. Chakraborty or Naomi Novik, you'll probably like my stories too!

You can visit me online at https://suzannahrowntree.site

GOODREADS FRIEND POLICY: I'm afraid I don't accept every single friend request I receive, unless we already know each other, or it looks like we have tastes broadly in common. However, please feel free to follow and interact.

Reviews

[Suzannah Rowntree]

Hey folks! I'm re-releasing PENDRAGON'S HEIR as a trilogy, starting next week! Book 1, THE DOOR TO CAMELOT, will be priced just 99c at launch, so if you've been putting off reading the story that readers are calling their new favourite King Arthur retelling...now's the time to jump in.

[Christina Baehr · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is everything I ever wanted as a teenage girl who was a massive Arthuriana fan, and it is free right now as an ebook until February 28. Smart, funny, adventurous, inspiring, literate, and thoroughly noblebright.

I would recommend for 15+ due to the plot points referred to from the legendarium (ie accusations of adultery, Arthur's accidental liaison in the past with his half-sister), but there's nothing on-page.

[English · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Arthurian tale which crosses over into 1900, when a young woman discovers she is, in fact, the heir of King Arthur, who was sent from ancient Britain through a portal for her own safety.
It reminded me in sort parts of the recent movie The Kid who Would be King, with Giants and errant knight chasing fighting characters in the modern world with courage, heroism and a touch of fantasy and romance thrown in.

The book is also clearly immersed in the Literature of the Arthurian legends: with Tennyson and Chesterton quoted at the beginning of the chapters, as well as some older authors, such as the Tudor period writer Edmund Spenser.

Recommended for lovers of historical fiction, fairy tales and good old fashioned adventure yarns. This is the first part of the longer story retold as a trilogy- and I get the feeling its just about to get really intense.

So open the door and travel to Camelot today, to step into the richness and drama of the glorious Medieval tales retold with an interesting modern spin. Also a great taster to anyone who is not familiar at all with the legends.

I agreed to be an early reader of this title. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions expressed are my own.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pendragon's Heir, which was one of my favorite reads of 2018, is being re-released as a 3-part trilogy. There is a LOT going on in this story, but it is all pulled together amazingly well. You will enjoy this series if you are into any or all of the following:

strong female characters
strong male characters
Christian motifs
grail quests
plot twists
sword fights
battles
adventure
romance
knights
multiversal travel
political intrigue
dragons
fairies
orthodoxy

[Priscila · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Door to Camelot was my first book by Ms. Rowntree, but it certainly won't be my last. It was quite a fantastic read, and her writing is amazing. With rich descriptions which transport you to both the 1900s and Camelot (and make you experience everything along with the characters), to the fighting scenes, which are so well depicted you can't help but turn the pages faster so that you don't miss any details, nor be left behind in all the action, this book has everything it needs to satisfy the reader (even a dash of romance ;) ). The author's storytelling is masterful, and she has excelled in bringing to life this (new) retelling of Camelot, King Arthur, the Knights of the Round Table, and the Pendragon's Heir.

[Nicholas Kotar · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a wonderful beginning in some ways. I love the Arthurian setting and the old-fashioned flair of the whole thing. It's very reminiscent, in many ways, of Howard Pyle's take on the Arthur stories. But I found myself wishing for much, much more. Blanche and Percival both have their shrill, annoying qualities, and Blanche herself comes off as whiny without there being much internal reason for it. She's a bit flat (they both are). And I really wanted more. More setting, more character, more descriptions, more plot, more more more! Too little! I hope that things get a bit more fleshed out in the next book.

[CC]

Only 0.99 USD for a limited time! > https://books2read.com/u/4jaPRv

(Also ava. on Kobo, B&N, and Amazon Kindle using link above ;)


I've not yet read this one but have saw some great reviews on it! Now, I HAVE read Rowntree's Tall & Dark as an ARC earlier this year and enjoyed her writing immensely. Pretty sure the content's PG/PG-13 since she's known to write clean stuff - but, as always, use your own discretion. :)

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so fun and you speed through it very fast! I know this originally was one long book that was broken up into 3 for a trilogy, so it does feel like the start of the adventure—yet there is a lot of adventure and things that happen within this first installment! I love a “book character has daughter” concept so King Arthur’s daughter was gold. And we also get himbo Perceval. Love this. Also I never had a HUGE King Arthur phase but I can tell the author did and I feel like I absorbed new Lore just by reading! So fun.

FYI DOOR is FREE for all of Feb 2025!! Snatch it up and try this King Arthur YA series!!

[Becca]

This is just the beginning of what I expect to be a fantastic trilogy. Suzannah Rowntree's writing amazes me. Her skills aren't perfectly polished yet, but her developing style as a writer is just my style as a reader.

As usual, you can tell she did tons of behind the scenes research. (Hint to all authors: The reader can tell if you were lazy about research!) Suzannah Rowntree is particularly thorough in that area, which adds depth to her stories.

These characters are remarkable, and I can't wait to learn more about them as I continue the series. I want to buy Pendragon's Heir; once I read that book, which includes all the entire trilogy, hopefully I'll leave a proper review.

[Kate Ramsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This trilogy will forever be one of my favorite works of Arthurian legend. I love stories that don't just speak about high ideals like courage and humility, but make the reader feel their worth, using an engaging story and moving prose. This will be a story I return to again and again when I need to get lost in another world.

[Winter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riveting!

Really enjoying this Arthurian Legend Retelling(?)! Will definitely be continuing this series. 😁👏 -Mr. Corbin is shady as heck and I'm almost positive that he knows far more than he should...I'd wager that he's a certain someone in disguise 🤔🧐.

[Nina Clare · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so much fun! Narnian-style portals between 19th-century Wales and ancient Arthurian Britain, romance, chivalry, giants and wicked Fae.
I'm very much looking forward to the second book in the series to see what happens to Blanchfleur, the time-travelling heroine, and her knightly guardian.

[Sarah Jayyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a quick little read. Fast paced and fantastical, yet interesting and creative. This book does not drag in the least and I love it for that. Outlander meets Narnia in this spin on the legend of King Arthur and Lady Gueneviere in which the characters are thrown between 12th century Camelot and 20th century Wales. Looking forward to digging into book two!

[Laurel Bradshaw · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 green stars

I should have been more careful when I purchased this last month. Because it is clearly incomplete as it stands. It isn't just that it ends with a cliff-hanger. The characters have been introduced, but not developed. What I thought was part 1 of a series is really part 1 of a novel. And why buy all three parts if you don't know if you will like it or not? Well, I liked it enough to want to give the author a fair chance, so now I have gone ahead and purchased the full novel under the title Pendragon's Heir. That was cheaper than purchasing the next two parts separately. It feels a little bit like a bait and switch, so I'm a little irritated with Amazon. As for the book itself, this is aimed at the teen market. Whether it will prove to be a coming of age tale remains to be seen. The story, so far, is an interesting blend of turn-of-the-century England with medieval Camelot after the death of King Arthur. His daughter Blanchefleur had been taken to the future to keep her safe from those who wish to see King Arthur's legacy of the Round Table destroyed. The doorway is a bit of a cliche - it's a wardrobe. No talking animals here, but the style is reminiscent of Narnia with its medieval/Christian vibe. I even wanted to revisit Malory or my Arthurian encyclopedia to refresh myself on the characters, but it seems to me they are true to type, and/or would fit in well with T.H. White. I shall save the rest of my review for the full trilogy. This "installment" cannot stand alone.

Description: What if King Arthur had a daughter? Blanche was an ordinary girl in 1900 England...until the knight crashed through her door. Now, her guardians say she’s a princess lost in time, and her father’s enemies want her dead. Raised in the wild, Perceval has never known his father. Hoping for answers, he sets out to pledge his sword to the legendary King Arthur Pendragon. But dark forces threaten Camelot - and darker secrets fester behind the legend. Sparks fly when Perceval steals a kiss from the strange damsel he finds in the forest. Blanche doesn’t trust this brash young knight...but as assassins close in, he might be her only chance of survival.

[Ana-Maria Derzsi · Rating 5 out of 5]

◦ I've received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review ◦

⮞ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜����𝐞𝐫𝐬 ⮜
Blanche - She was such a lovely girl in 1900 England. The visuals you get from the story are so captivating, you can see the characters playing before your eyes. And I really liked her as a character, and from the very beginning she is lovable.
Perceval - Well he's definitely a strong knight but very like a brute, almost uneducated, but for some reasons he fits so well with Blanche, and I like them together.

⮞ 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝-𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 ⮜
The world is split between 1900 England but also in the world of King Arthur. I loved the details, and how nostalgic the world makes you feel. You've got magical wardrobe, fae, King Arthurt who may have a daughter and so much more.

⮞ 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝/𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝 ⮜
I loved the way the story combines the retelling of King Arthur with Narnia vibes. You've got stolen kiss, hidden identity, found family, knight x damsel in distress and so much adventure. From crossing through a wardrobe to being saved by a brute knight. This story is short and quite fast-paced. Overall I loved how the story made me feel immersed while reading, the fighting scenes felt real. There;s romance potential but so far in this book there was only the beginning of a friendship.

⮞ 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞/TW ⮜
Fighting scenes, blood. There's no spice in the story, nor romance is just the beginning of a friendship so far.

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Review Policy

[Kjb · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have a soft spot for Arthurian legends and their retellings. S.R. accomplished to catch a special feeling, that keeps you reading. I didn't quite like her writing style, it's confusing sometimes and she randomly throws in latin sentences, you either have to understand or your problem for not understanding latin. I like the story idea, that Blanche grows up in another world in the future (I guess- that's something S.R. never really explains..) while being the daughter of Arthur and has to travel back to that world/time again as his heir. That idea really has potential, which R.S. doesn't max out. Perceval in modern times - there were few funny scenes but no additional value for him being there. He has no understanding for Blanche and somehow has a crush on her - but no one can understand how or why, because one cannot really connect with the characters -neither with their feelings nor their thoughts or intentions.
Also I don't understand, why Blanche was raised without her knowing who she is and when her guardians tell her, they expect her, to fully believe it and sacrifice her life in the "modern world" for a realm she never heard of before. They didn't teach her how to fight, or the customs of the other world, her heritage or other useful skills. She really is a victim of their incompetence and is bullied to believe that she is the selfish one, if she wishes to stay in her world...
If you try hard enough, you can forget that Blanche is a cousin of Gawain- Percevals father - an extremely unnecessary and weird connection for a romance...

[Brooke · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the book, The Door to Camelot written by Suzannah Rowntree, one main character is Blanche. She is 18 years old and her father is King Arthur. The second main character is Perceval. He is struggling to earn respect as a knight. In the story, Blanche is hiding from the evil Morgan Le Fay while her and Perceval cross paths. But will Blanche be able to live up to her father's legacy?

The Door to Camelot is a very creative book, the author (Suzannah Rowntree) used vivid vocabulary and used her imagination. But the story lacked description in certain parts. The book would have been more enjoyable for me if, the story had more structure. Meaning, in certain parts of the story it felt really rushed. Additionally, at some points in the story the author threw out a lot of information at one time, which left readers confused.


|I especially appreciated how creative the author was, Suzannah Rowntree really stepped outside of the box and used King Arthur's story and put her own special twists in it. In the story Blanche discovers who her parents really are and where they could be, she struggles to overcome that problem on her own, so other characters are introduced to help her solve it.
Overall The Door to Camelot is a creative book, it features a strong and independent female character that happens to be the daughter of King Arthur. I recommend this book because the author really used her imagination for this book, and it really showed in the story.

[Kaye · Rating 5 out of 5]

ONE INTERESTING ADVENTURE!!!
Wow! Talk about losing track of time. Suzannah totally rocked this fantastic storyline and spinning plot with on point realism. She pulls all the emotions you feel and intensifies them through you front and center. Man, twixt and twined and put through the wringer with a plethora of events that bring this bad boy roaring to life flawlessly. This little jewel is as riveting as it is captivating. All the drama, fear, danger and uncertainty grabs your attention and holds it from start to finish with your total focus on this page turning dynamo while holding you on a razors edge. One wild rollercoaster ride full of non-stop action, intrigue and suspense make for one incredible experience. The characters are complex, believable and so realistic with such depth and individuality it feels like you can just reach out and touch them. It was a joy to witness as the characters grow into the roles they were made for. The scenes are so graphically detailed and descriptive it's like being transported to ground zero with them. Remarkable job Suzannah, thanks for sharing this bad boy with us.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I quite liked this story, it was very different from so many others I have read. The story takes place in two time zones - Arthurian England and the beginning of the Twentieth century. Blanche has lived in the early 1900's for as long as she can remember, yet she is really from Arthurian England - well, actually, she is the daughter of Arthur and Guinevere! She was sent to this time to protect her from Morgana.

Blanche isn't sure what to think of it all and really doesn't want to leave her comfortable life to go back into the "dark ages" - but over time she sees that it's not all about her!

Percival is a young man born in the woods and living in a cave with his mother. His heart is crying out for more and one day he leaves his mother to become a knight. Almost immediately Blanche and Percival meet as she crosses over to his time without really knowing where or when she is. It is a rather humorous moment in the story!

This is the story of two people learning who they are and coming into adulthood and accepting their responsibilities - with a smidge of romance mixed in (although in this story it is implied rather than expressed).

This is a clean and fun read.

[Sarah Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book when it was free. There are so many books out there about Camelot, and I really didn't want to read another book of the same old thing, but I thought I would give it a try. I guess I'm a sucker for when truth, justice, and righteousness prevail. Since it was free, I had nothing to lose.
It was not about King Arthur, and Guinevere, and Lancelot, although they are in the story. The story was engaging, yet unpredictable, which for a Camelot story says a lot! The main character is trying to decide what is the right thing to do. I liked it a lot better than I expected to!
That said, I hate how it ends! The book ends, but the story doesn't. It's a shameless ploy to get readers to buy the next book. I think it might be working...

[Jenelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am always up for an Arthurian retelling and this one was fun // I really love Perceval - he's just everything a knight should be // I also really love the comaraderie of the knights of the round table // the thing I'm having a hard time with is that I really never got to really loving Blanche, and she's the main character and the one you spend the most time with // I am intrigued enough to continue the series at some point as I'd like to know what happens next... this ends on quite the dun dun dun DUUUUN //

[Brooke · Rating 3 out of 5]

I tried until I hit about 56%, with only about a half hour left in the book. But I cannot click with the writing at all. I feel disappointed and let down, because the concept is really interesting, but the writing is so bland, the characters feel flat and boring, and I couldn't describe any event that actually happened, because it all happened too fast for me to latch onto. I really did try to finish the book, but ultimately, it's a pass for me.

[Erich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rousing Heir Apparent

To any follower of Arthuriana, this book, and series, are a refreshingly delightful addition. Written in a tight and well thought manner, we find ourselves rooting for classic characters brought to life in a brand new way. In the manner of Le Morte' de Arthur, these stories are both entertainment and light introduction to an era that should never be dismissed or forgotten.

[Kahlia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two stars is probably a little harsh (particularly for a self-pub book) but this was honestly just so bland. It felt like the author had a shopping list of plot points she had to hit, and then forgot to pick up any personality for her characters or sprinkle in even the slightest sense of mystery or intrigue along the way.

[Mary Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

A New Twist

This book is a creative twist on the Camelot theme with travel between earth and the realm of Camelot. Blanche is purported to be Arthur's daughter and heir. Percival is a young night who swears to be her servant and protector. At the conclusion, Blanche has made her decision, as Camelot awaits her return. A fun light read for those who adore anything Arthurian.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good, but not amazing

I liked the story, but Blanche is boring. The other characters have much more interest and depth, but the main character has no personality. That ruins the story for me. Otherwise, fun and interesting.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marvelous!

Oh, you fans of Arthurian wonder, dwell here a nonce! Ms. Rowntree spins a fabulous tale that will catch you in its spell. I can't wait to read the next epistle, in fact, it awaits! So, ta for now!

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

What drew me into wanting to read The Door to Camelot by author Suzannah Rowntree was the concept. Even though it was short and went by fast, it was interesting. Enough to want to continue on with the series. Five stars and worth it.

[Grace T · Rating 4 out of 5]

if you don't want your character to come under instant suspicion regardless of his gentility and suave bearing, don't make his last name etymologically reminiscent of big black birds of ill omen, just saying :D

[Bess]

I could not get into the book.