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The Necessary Arthur
The Necessary Arthur, a Tor.com Original, is a delightful science fantasy novelette from international bestselling author Garth Nix.Some days you find out that the world is nothing like what you think it is.An archaeologist named Tamara working near Hadrian’s Wall is approached by a very annoyed-looking, silver-haired woman with an incomprehensible The game is moving on, the time has come to play a hand, and Tamra is on point. Time to find the Necessary Arthur and get down to business!At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
41 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 8, 2020
49 people are currently reading
622 people want to read
About the author
Garth Nix
236 books15k followersGarth Nix was born in 1963 in Melbourne, Australia, to the sound of the Salvation Army band outside playing 'Hail the Conquering Hero Comes' or possibly 'Roll Out the Barrel'. Garth left Melbourne at an early age for Canberra (the federal capital) and stayed there till he was nineteen, when he left to drive around the UK in a beat-up Austin with a boot full of books and a Silver-Reed typewriter.
Despite a wheel literally falling off the Austin, Garth survived to return to Australia and study at the University of Canberra. After finishing his degree in 1986 he worked in a bookshop, then as a book publicist, a publisher's sales representative, and editor. Along the way he was also a part-time soldier in the Australian Army Reserve, serving in an Assault Pioneer platoon for four years. Garth left publishing to work as a public relations and marketing consultant from 1994-1997, till he became a full-time writer in 1998. He did that for a year before joining Curtis Brown Australia as a part-time literary agent in 1999. In January 2002 Garth went back to dedicated writer again, despite his belief that full-time writing explains the strange behaviour of many authors.
He now lives in Sydney with his wife, two sons and lots of books.
Despite a wheel literally falling off the Austin, Garth survived to return to Australia and study at the University of Canberra. After finishing his degree in 1986 he worked in a bookshop, then as a book publicist, a publisher's sales representative, and editor. Along the way he was also a part-time soldier in the Australian Army Reserve, serving in an Assault Pioneer platoon for four years. Garth left publishing to work as a public relations and marketing consultant from 1994-1997, till he became a full-time writer in 1998. He did that for a year before joining Curtis Brown Australia as a part-time literary agent in 1999. In January 2002 Garth went back to dedicated writer again, despite his belief that full-time writing explains the strange behaviour of many authors.
He now lives in Sydney with his wife, two sons and lots of books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
July 13, 2020
“What a disappointment you are,” said Blaise. “Best Merlin candidate, forsooth! Well, They will finish you off anyway and I suppose in your dying moments—They are never that quick, They like a bit of torture and so on—you can revel in the fact that you could have saved the world and didn’t, and all because you wouldn’t steal a baby who needs to be stolen so she can grow up to be the Necessary Arthur. The Chosen One. The Hero who mostly fixes everything up.”
i like the measured expectation of the word "mostly" in this prophecy. and thanks to 2020, "mostly" seems unattainable-even-by-fantasy-genre-savior-standards, but let's keep our hopes and dreams up up up!! in any case, i don't think i've ever read a free tor short that felt MORE like the first chapter of a thing, so i assume this is a test-drive of a piece being worked on behind-the-scenes in quarantine's too-many hours. and while the part of me that wanted a beginning-middle-and-end of a story has been left unsatisfied, the rest of me would certainly read the rest of this. when it happens. if it happens. seems like a silly time to make Plans for the Future, thanks to people failing the covid-marshmallow test left and right and my unfortunate career trajectory forcing me out of safety and into the stream of their "just back from fire island/disney world" germwakes. wheeee.
read it for yourself here:
https://www.tor.com/2020/07/08/the-ne...
come to my blog!
November 12, 2023
Nanny Required.
Tamara is an archeologist who is working on a new project for the university. She is busy working on the dig site when all of a sudden her work is interrupted by a woman who is white.
She is all white, including her clothes as well as her whole body and her hair and face. This includes her six inch heels.
The woman in white is named Blaise, and she is trying to get Tamara to get ready to save the world.
But Tamara doesn’t listen and she is not interested in being part of the game. She thinks it’s all a joke and that it’s a waste of her time.
Blaise is upset because of this, but she isn’t going to give up.
Four stars. 💫💫💫💫
Tamara is an archeologist who is working on a new project for the university. She is busy working on the dig site when all of a sudden her work is interrupted by a woman who is white.
She is all white, including her clothes as well as her whole body and her hair and face. This includes her six inch heels.
The woman in white is named Blaise, and she is trying to get Tamara to get ready to save the world.
But Tamara doesn’t listen and she is not interested in being part of the game. She thinks it’s all a joke and that it’s a waste of her time.
Blaise is upset because of this, but she isn’t going to give up.
Four stars. 💫💫💫💫
January 21, 2022
Tamara Tafika is an archaeologist. Naturally, she loves everything stone-related from ancient stone circles to ruins. She likes to go sit at the Sheepstones in summer to have some quiet and peaceful time. On one such evening, when Tamara is sitting quietly and contemplating, she comes across a silver-haired woman who knows all about Tamara but Tamara doesn't know this stranger. On top of that, she offers Tamara a job to be a syndicate.
All Tamara has to do is to identify Arthur, in turn, one, and take the baby away to a safe, defended place and oversee their education and all that, protect them, plus catalyse the revelation of their identity later. Which in simple terms mean that Tamara would be playing the role of Merlin. Sounds simple enough until Tamara really finds out what this Game is all about.
I found the first few paragraphs not very captivating but once the silver-haired woman showed up, it got interesting. It felt like a teaser for a longer book at the least if not a whole series because of that ending. A fantastic short story that I enjoyed very much.
4 stars
All Tamara has to do is to identify Arthur, in turn, one, and take the baby away to a safe, defended place and oversee their education and all that, protect them, plus catalyse the revelation of their identity later. Which in simple terms mean that Tamara would be playing the role of Merlin. Sounds simple enough until Tamara really finds out what this Game is all about.
I found the first few paragraphs not very captivating but once the silver-haired woman showed up, it got interesting. It felt like a teaser for a longer book at the least if not a whole series because of that ending. A fantastic short story that I enjoyed very much.
4 stars
January 1, 2021
A woman is drawn into a Game that requires her to play the role of Merlin, capturing a baby as the future Arthur with the help of a magical wand.
This was delightfully mad, blending archaeology and science fiction with classic mythology to great effect. I especially liked the relationship between Tamara and Dolph as they tackle the great undertaking of trying to steal a child without the 'others' discovering what they're up to.
This does end very abruptly, with hints of a greater story and no real conclusion. Maybe one day it will expanded into something more?
This was delightfully mad, blending archaeology and science fiction with classic mythology to great effect. I especially liked the relationship between Tamara and Dolph as they tackle the great undertaking of trying to steal a child without the 'others' discovering what they're up to.
This does end very abruptly, with hints of a greater story and no real conclusion. Maybe one day it will expanded into something more?
July 9, 2020
“Let me reiterate. You are going to be our Merlin for this game, which consists of a number of turns, each of which is seven years. You will be opposed by Them, who will try and stop you reaching your objectives. Which are our objectives. To wit, you must locate the soon-to-be-born Arthur. You must spirit the baby away to a safe place, keep them safe, and arrange their education and eventual coming of age when they will assume their rightful place.
A woman is reluctantly recruited to play an important role in a strange game. This was lots of fun, and it has the feel of the beginning of something big. The first chapter in a new novel, perhaps?
A woman is reluctantly recruited to play an important role in a strange game. This was lots of fun, and it has the feel of the beginning of something big. The first chapter in a new novel, perhaps?
June 29, 2021
📚
Free short story from Tor
📚
Well that was a pretty good one. If bloody shrimping frustrating. It reads like the prologue to a full-length novel and leaves you feeling both
(Because Fun, Super Extra Refreshing Mix—FSERM™—of Fantasy, archeology and Arthurian mythology. And also great characterization. And also also spoiler spoiler spoiler.)
and
(Because abrupt, clumsy ending and unsatisfying resolution and bloody shrimping hell of the stinking fish, I want more, Mr Nix!)
Approx. reading time: 51 minutes.
Well that was a pretty good one. If bloody shrimping frustrating. It reads like the prologue to a full-length novel and leaves you feeling both
(Because Fun, Super Extra Refreshing Mix—FSERM™—of Fantasy, archeology and Arthurian mythology. And also great characterization. And also also spoiler spoiler spoiler.)
and
(Because abrupt, clumsy ending and unsatisfying resolution and bloody shrimping hell of the stinking fish, I want more, Mr Nix!)
Approx. reading time: 51 minutes.
January 1, 2021
Sadly, this short story wasn't as interesting as I'd expected it to be. The idea is interesting, and in parts it is rather amusing. But more than that, it felt lengthy and overly detailed in the wrong places. Weirdly enough it reminded me of a Netflix script to an actually great book (i.e. what they did to Adams' Dirk Gently).
September 24, 2020
4,5*
Wait, what?! That's it?!?! Are you seriously telling me Nix doesn't plan on writing the full story?!?!?! NOOOOOOOOOO!
This is probably the best Arthur retelling I've ever read, and there isn't even much of a retelling to it! We are thrust right into the action as our protagonist Tamara Tafika, an archaeologist, is recruited by a mysterious woman to be the Merlin figure in the next round of an equally mysterious live action game that will decide the fate of human civilisation. Tamara has no idea who the proponents are or what she is actually fighting for (or against), or what she has to do in order to win, she only knows that she will have to kidnap a baby and bring it up to be the next Arthur who will save the world. And that's it - the reader knows nothing more than she does.
I can't begin to understand how a story that doesn't tell me anything about its conflict was able to pull me in so much, but this one did!
Wait, what?! That's it?!?! Are you seriously telling me Nix doesn't plan on writing the full story?!?!?! NOOOOOOOOOO!
This is probably the best Arthur retelling I've ever read, and there isn't even much of a retelling to it! We are thrust right into the action as our protagonist Tamara Tafika, an archaeologist, is recruited by a mysterious woman to be the Merlin figure in the next round of an equally mysterious live action game that will decide the fate of human civilisation. Tamara has no idea who the proponents are or what she is actually fighting for (or against), or what she has to do in order to win, she only knows that she will have to kidnap a baby and bring it up to be the next Arthur who will save the world. And that's it - the reader knows nothing more than she does.
I can't begin to understand how a story that doesn't tell me anything about its conflict was able to pull me in so much, but this one did!
January 26, 2021
Listen, if TOR gets to sell it like it's a whole book, I get to count it towards my GR challenge like it's a whole book.
And this does feel like a story that wants to be a whole book. As the prologue to a novel, I find it intriguing and fun. As a short story, it's pretty unsatisfying - much of the pagetime is spent introducing concepts, and not a lot on a satisfying, self-contained plot. There's potential here, but it's definitely not fulfilled in this form. If Nix does decide to write the whole novel, I'll pick it up!
And this does feel like a story that wants to be a whole book. As the prologue to a novel, I find it intriguing and fun. As a short story, it's pretty unsatisfying - much of the pagetime is spent introducing concepts, and not a lot on a satisfying, self-contained plot. There's potential here, but it's definitely not fulfilled in this form. If Nix does decide to write the whole novel, I'll pick it up!
July 9, 2020
A fun tale about archeologist called Tamara who gets chosen as a playing piece on a massive inter dimensional game.
Very imaginative active, with lots of humor that brings to mind Adams or Gaimen, the problem with this novelette is that it read more like the beginning of a novel than a complete story.
Very interesting ideas, and I hope Nix turns this into a longer book.
I read this for free on Tor.
Very imaginative active, with lots of humor that brings to mind Adams or Gaimen, the problem with this novelette is that it read more like the beginning of a novel than a complete story.
Very interesting ideas, and I hope Nix turns this into a longer book.
I read this for free on Tor.
December 1, 2020
ah, another one that really really really should be a whole book,
December 10, 2024
I feel a bit like … what did I just read?. I also hate saying this but I will have absolutely forgotten ever reading this by next week. When explained, this short story sounds great. Firstly, it’s a retelling of the legend of King Arthur and that is always going to grab my attention. It has a modern day twist, a talking wand and a black woman portraying Merlin. 🧙
But the actual story ? I don’t know. It’s just so middle of the road forgettable. I felt no attachment to the plot, the characters or the world which doesn’t leave me with a whole lot. There were basically no stakes because the wand does everything. Everything is rushed and the novella feels unfinished. The “climax” of the plot was far too easy, felt incredibly low stakes and I just didn’t care.
I don’t care about this world.
I don’t care about this story.
I don’t care.
That’s what it boils down to.
I also didn’t love the implication that kidnapping this baby isn’t as bad as it would be if she wasn’t a surrogate baby and the mother wasn’t a workaholic. As if those things make the mother any less of a mother and somehow make the kidnapping more “okay”.
It was a nothing book. Sorry 🤷♀️
But the actual story ? I don’t know. It’s just so middle of the road forgettable. I felt no attachment to the plot, the characters or the world which doesn’t leave me with a whole lot. There were basically no stakes because the wand does everything. Everything is rushed and the novella feels unfinished. The “climax” of the plot was far too easy, felt incredibly low stakes and I just didn’t care.
I don’t care about this world.
I don’t care about this story.
I don’t care.
That’s what it boils down to.
I also didn’t love the implication that kidnapping this baby isn’t as bad as it would be if she wasn’t a surrogate baby and the mother wasn’t a workaholic. As if those things make the mother any less of a mother and somehow make the kidnapping more “okay”.
It was a nothing book. Sorry 🤷♀️
December 24, 2020
Another amazing short story at Tor.com, by the enigmatic Garth Nix, who's been on my 'gotta get to read' list for so long it's growing whiskers. So, I'm glad this excellent short was my first foray into Nix. It's a modern tale of a young archaeologist, working along Hadrian's Wall, who is suddenly selected to play the part of Merlin in some mysterious intergalactic game of chess. She is gifted a magical wand, a download of Knowledge (which doesn't quite set) and directions to rescue the infant Arthur. Awesome good stuff. Like most other readers here, I want to read more of this universe!
July 16, 2025
Tamara is chosen by a mysterious woman to take part in a game that has been played repeatedly over millennia. Tamara must take on the role of Merlin and find a new Arthur, who can lead the next phase of the game.
Nix carries off the strange balancing act between science fiction, magic and mystery, juggling his characters and plot deftly to create an exciting world to explore.
Nix carries off the strange balancing act between science fiction, magic and mystery, juggling his characters and plot deftly to create an exciting world to explore.
December 28, 2022
Short story advent utilising tordotcom free fiction 25/25
July 13, 2020
hopefully a new novel/series very soon
https://www.tor.com/2020/07/08/the-ne...
https://www.tor.com/2020/07/08/the-ne...
January 1, 2021
Hmmm. Maybe 3.7? I loved the characters, great set up and momentum, but then it was over. I need more. Please?
November 14, 2020
14 Nov 2020
1. The plot is basically "woman gets recruited as Merlin for some sort of intergalactic potentially world-ending game and now has to find and steal the Arthur." Which you know- combines fantasy and sci-fi in a way I find deeply irresistible. Plus, I love how there are statements implying how the Arthurian fantasy is just one legend that's being played out there is DEFINITELY a monkey king happening in the west, which makes me wonder how many other cultural legends are being played out and wow I LOVE THAT.
2. The problem is that it the Arthurian mythos-mysterious game thing then devolves into a pretty standard person with magical powers infiltration adventure. I suppose there were some stakes because Merlin's power is limited but it's pretty obviously only a temporary thing, and there was nothing particularly surprising that happened during the rest of the action sequence? The second half was a bit of the letdown after I squeed so much over the concept ngl.
3. This could be an entire series very easily, so long as we mod the character power levels a bit because the dolphin wand was a bit too much of a game breaker. I do appreciate that pretty much every major character was a woman, mostly because I love my genderswaps.
4. I think there were a whole bunch of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy references in this one but I cant be entirely sure about that.
1. The plot is basically "woman gets recruited as Merlin for some sort of intergalactic potentially world-ending game and now has to find and steal the Arthur." Which you know- combines fantasy and sci-fi in a way I find deeply irresistible. Plus, I love how there are statements implying how the Arthurian fantasy is just one legend that's being played out there is DEFINITELY a monkey king happening in the west, which makes me wonder how many other cultural legends are being played out and wow I LOVE THAT.
2. The problem is that it the Arthurian mythos-mysterious game thing then devolves into a pretty standard person with magical powers infiltration adventure. I suppose there were some stakes because Merlin's power is limited but it's pretty obviously only a temporary thing, and there was nothing particularly surprising that happened during the rest of the action sequence? The second half was a bit of the letdown after I squeed so much over the concept ngl.
3. This could be an entire series very easily, so long as we mod the character power levels a bit because the dolphin wand was a bit too much of a game breaker. I do appreciate that pretty much every major character was a woman, mostly because I love my genderswaps.
4. I think there were a whole bunch of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy references in this one but I cant be entirely sure about that.
August 25, 2022
Another Garth Nix is on the menu for today because I really like his stuff. The Necessary Arthur is a short fantasy story you can read for free on the Tor.com site https://www.tor.com/2020/07/08/the-ne...
Some days you find out that the world is nothing like what you think it is.
An archaeologist named Tamara working near Hadrian’s Wall is approached by a very annoyed-looking, silver-haired woman with an incomprehensible message: The game is moving on, the time has come to play a hand, and Tamara is on point. Time to find the Necessary Arthur and get down to business!
This was a mad blend of Arthurian mythology, magic, sci-fi and archaeology. If only there was more than this 41-page overture. Garth Nix has a hand of wetting our appetite and then snatching back the goody bag. Ah well, maybe he’ll expand it one day.
Themes: the Sheepstones, Blaise, the Knowledge, magic wand, the Grindon hoard, stealing Alberta Levinson’s baby.
4 Stars
Some days you find out that the world is nothing like what you think it is.
An archaeologist named Tamara working near Hadrian’s Wall is approached by a very annoyed-looking, silver-haired woman with an incomprehensible message: The game is moving on, the time has come to play a hand, and Tamara is on point. Time to find the Necessary Arthur and get down to business!
This was a mad blend of Arthurian mythology, magic, sci-fi and archaeology. If only there was more than this 41-page overture. Garth Nix has a hand of wetting our appetite and then snatching back the goody bag. Ah well, maybe he’ll expand it one day.
Themes: the Sheepstones, Blaise, the Knowledge, magic wand, the Grindon hoard, stealing Alberta Levinson’s baby.
4 Stars
January 23, 2021
Another free to read Tor short story, and the first one I picked up this year, it had to be a Nix one (he's a favourite of mine).
Available here: https://www.tor.com/2020/07/08/the-ne...
This was an interesting but weird one. There was a lot in it that could have worked and I liked this whole idea of this strange game and our main character being in the archaeological field (I wanted to be an archaeologist when I was younger) but I feel like the old vibe feel of it, mixed with the present and a very futuristic influence didn't mesh too well and I feel like there was a lot in it that felt a bit too rushed and could have been explained better had it been longer.
When I realised I was getting to the end, I couldn't understand how as it didn't feel finished, so I'm hoping Nix will come back to this either in a collection of short stories, or a longer novella or novel, as although I'm intrigued, I'm left dissatisfied by this one.
Pick it up, give it a go and enjoy.
Gén
Available here: https://www.tor.com/2020/07/08/the-ne...
This was an interesting but weird one. There was a lot in it that could have worked and I liked this whole idea of this strange game and our main character being in the archaeological field (I wanted to be an archaeologist when I was younger) but I feel like the old vibe feel of it, mixed with the present and a very futuristic influence didn't mesh too well and I feel like there was a lot in it that felt a bit too rushed and could have been explained better had it been longer.
When I realised I was getting to the end, I couldn't understand how as it didn't feel finished, so I'm hoping Nix will come back to this either in a collection of short stories, or a longer novella or novel, as although I'm intrigued, I'm left dissatisfied by this one.
Pick it up, give it a go and enjoy.
Gén
July 29, 2020
This is signature Garth Nix - slightly crazy worldbuilding that nevertheless works for the story. Even crazier characters and an endearing protagonist that drops into the story without any prior knowledge of the rules or consequences and has to scramble as she goes along.
It was an easy and fun read, but my problem is that there is too much here for a short story. It reads like the prologue to a longer novel. We set the premise, we introduced the world... and that's it. It doesn't stand along, not like a finished story. In fact, it's not a finished story at all. The ending feels rushed and scrambled, like the author suddenly realized he was getting towards the allotted world count limit and just jumbled everything together in a quicky resolution.
It was an easy and fun read, but my problem is that there is too much here for a short story. It reads like the prologue to a longer novel. We set the premise, we introduced the world... and that's it. It doesn't stand along, not like a finished story. In fact, it's not a finished story at all. The ending feels rushed and scrambled, like the author suddenly realized he was getting towards the allotted world count limit and just jumbled everything together in a quicky resolution.
January 2, 2021
It deserves 4 stars, but I'm petty because it reads more like a pilot episode than a short story.
April 24, 2021
I read this months ago, yet I keep thinking about it. Hopefully one day it will become a longer, full novel.
August 23, 2020
Lots of fun but very short!
July 13, 2020
I hope this becomes a series!
November 19, 2025
3.7 🌟
Did not necessarily love but left a strong impression.
Did not necessarily love but left a strong impression.
February 20, 2021
This felt more like the beginning of a novel than a complete, self-contained short story. Moreover, I had the following issues with it:
First off, I hated Blaise’s condescending ass. This may have been intentional, but it bore mentioning. Her barely telling Tamara anything isn’t charmingly brusque, it’s incompetent and smacks of Bean Dad mentoring. It didn’t help that her initial description: “A short, slight silver-haired woman in an almost luminously white double-breasted business suit…” made me immediately distrust her, due to certain novels I have also just finished.
To get to the second and third points, I need to mention that Tamara, our protagonist, is tasked with kidnapping a baby and keeping her safe in order to save the world. Hashtag JustChosenOneThings. This led to two major issues:
I hated the implication that because Levinson (the baby’s mother) was a wealthy workaholic who used a surrogate, stealing her baby was more okay than average. Yes, Garth, all women need to be suffused with maternal instinct and typical about it to deserve not to have their kids taken away. Also nnnnnnnot a great look with a typically Jewish surname like ‘Levinson.’
Lastly, when Tamara (a Black woman) goes to steal the kid, she disguises herself as a man (also Black.) Not once does it occur to her that she may be painting a target on every Black man in the fucking province if anyone suspects her, because that’s what fucking HAPPENS in the real world, frequently even when the person committing the crime is actually white. I get how Garth Nix, a white author, might have wanted to stay in his lane and not write about Black experience, while still having a Black protagonist. But this reeked of inauthenticity in just the way a sensitivity reader might have helped with. (They’re not just for actively offensive content! They will also give you details to make your story more grounded in reality.)
The story takes place in Britain, I think, but from what I know, British race relations are not so different from American race relations as to render this invalid. If I’m wrong, let me know.
Two stars for very readable writing. But as you can see, there were ISSUES.
First off, I hated Blaise’s condescending ass. This may have been intentional, but it bore mentioning. Her barely telling Tamara anything isn’t charmingly brusque, it’s incompetent and smacks of Bean Dad mentoring. It didn’t help that her initial description: “A short, slight silver-haired woman in an almost luminously white double-breasted business suit…” made me immediately distrust her, due to certain novels I have also just finished.
To get to the second and third points, I need to mention that Tamara, our protagonist, is tasked with kidnapping a baby and keeping her safe in order to save the world. Hashtag JustChosenOneThings. This led to two major issues:
I hated the implication that because Levinson (the baby’s mother) was a wealthy workaholic who used a surrogate, stealing her baby was more okay than average. Yes, Garth, all women need to be suffused with maternal instinct and typical about it to deserve not to have their kids taken away. Also nnnnnnnot a great look with a typically Jewish surname like ‘Levinson.’
Lastly, when Tamara (a Black woman) goes to steal the kid, she disguises herself as a man (also Black.) Not once does it occur to her that she may be painting a target on every Black man in the fucking province if anyone suspects her, because that’s what fucking HAPPENS in the real world, frequently even when the person committing the crime is actually white. I get how Garth Nix, a white author, might have wanted to stay in his lane and not write about Black experience, while still having a Black protagonist. But this reeked of inauthenticity in just the way a sensitivity reader might have helped with. (They’re not just for actively offensive content! They will also give you details to make your story more grounded in reality.)
The story takes place in Britain, I think, but from what I know, British race relations are not so different from American race relations as to render this invalid. If I’m wrong, let me know.
Two stars for very readable writing. But as you can see, there were ISSUES.
November 1, 2020
I liked it because I have a thing for modern rendition of Arturian canon and because it was also very well-written as a short sci-fi novelette, as well. With these premises, it was hard not to like something about The Necessary Arthur, especially with its occasional touches of absurd. The only thing that left me slightly frustrated is that I want more :)). The story felt unfinished so I am eager to follow it in the author's other writings.
January 1, 2021
A spontaneous read, after I'd seen someone else read it on bookstagram.
It's a story based or inspired by Arthur, Merlin and the knights of the round table.
The heroine, Tamara, has been picked to be Merlin in a game. She's been told to fine Arthur, a baby, which she has to look after. The short story follows Tamara her journey, from finding she has been chosen as Merlin to how she gets the baby.
It was a great read, just wish there had been more of it!
It's a story based or inspired by Arthur, Merlin and the knights of the round table.
The heroine, Tamara, has been picked to be Merlin in a game. She's been told to fine Arthur, a baby, which she has to look after. The short story follows Tamara her journey, from finding she has been chosen as Merlin to how she gets the baby.
It was a great read, just wish there had been more of it!
January 13, 2026
A delightful little piece of whimsical "ethno-fantasy"
Powerful civizations across our galaxy cluster decided long ago to replace warfare with complex games, also deadly, but less than war.
The games take place on various unsuspecting worlds, and coopt parts of local mythology. It was our bad luck that we became the playing ground of one of the most incompetent syndicates.
Hilarity ensues.
I hope this will turn into a novel or more.
Powerful civizations across our galaxy cluster decided long ago to replace warfare with complex games, also deadly, but less than war.
The games take place on various unsuspecting worlds, and coopt parts of local mythology. It was our bad luck that we became the playing ground of one of the most incompetent syndicates.
Hilarity ensues.
I hope this will turn into a novel or more.
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