King Arthur and Her Knights, A Series by K.M. Shea

The Gist: The series King Arthur and Her Knights is an entertaining and light-hearted gender-bent King Arthur retelling that follows Brit as she’s pulled back in time to unite Britain by assuming the position of King Arthur.

About the Series

I started this series back in 2015 and just recently read the last two books. The series follows Brit Arthurs, who is – begrudgingly – on a King Arthur tour with her friends as they tour England in the present day. Brit is convinced by her friends to take a cheesy tourist photo with the sword in the stone. However, once Brit touches the sword she’s transported back to the 12th century to discover she’s a pawn in Merlin’s (good-natured) scheme to unite Britain under The Once and Future King… only the real King Arthur has run away with a Shepherdess. Merlin’s magic has decided Brit is the best option to assume the role of King Arthur.

The series is made up of seven books, but the author bundled books 1-3 and 4-6 together since each of those books was between 100 and 136 pages. I’ll separate my reviews of the first two bundles by the individual novellas.

Note: This review includes discussions of the latter books in the series. Therefore the review may discuss spoilers.

King Arthur and Her Knights, Books 1-3

Release Date: February 15, 2014

Format: Kindle

Rating: 4-stars

Enthroned
For such a short novella the story is set up really well. Brit is brought back to the 12th century to assume the role of King Arthur through a magical sword spelled by Merlin after the real Arthur has run away with a Shepherdess. The first novella spans months as Merlin and his band of lords and knights work together to establish Brit as the Once and Future King. The author realistically portrays Brit’s homesickness and grief; she’ll never see her family or friends again, and her very world is turned upside down by going back in time. I loved how Brit is adopted by Arthur’s family, and how close she is with her new father and brother. The novella ends with an epic battle scene that starts to establish what will become the legend of King Arthur.

Enchanted
This novella picks up after the battle in the previous book and introduces Brit (and the readers) to new and important characters: Morgause (Arthur’s half-sister) and her sons Gawain, Agravain, Gaheris, and Gareth. I enjoyed how this book focuses on Brit establishing her relationship with her knights and earning their trust. Guinevere also makes her first appearance! I love how this series is lighthearted but still focuses on the politics of Brit trying to unite Britain.

Embittered
This novella puts Brit smack dab in the middle of the infamous King Arthur love triangle. Lancelot makes his appearance, and Brit is not having it; she sees through his polished veneer to his conniving, two-faced core. I liked how the author told part of the story from Lancelot’s perspective showing his duplicitous nature while still leaving the reader guessing his intentions. Brit also discovers that the lauded Round Table is in the possession of Guinevere’s father… which puts Brit in an awkward place since she has no desire to marry Gwen. I loved how this novella sets up the morals for Brit’s court since King Arthur is known for demanding chivalry from his knights.

Overall
I really enjoyed the first three novellas in Brit’s story. I love how the author weaved in characters and facts from the King Arthur legend but also managed to make the legend her own in this reimagining. I especially enjoyed all the political elements of this story. However, I didn’t rate any of these novellas 5 stars because I felt like the relationships between Brit and her new family and her relationship with Merlin could’ve been deeper. The reader is often shown Brit being appraised by supporting characters in her role as king but rarely do we see Brit making deeper connections.

King Arthur and Her Knights, Books 4-6

Release Date: February 28, 2017

Format: Kindle

Rating: 4-stars

Embark
This novella was fun, but not much happened with the plot. Guinevere has finally arrived in Camelot, and Brit is stressed about Guinevere setting into motion the end of Camelot. We also see Lancelot being quite suspicious. There’s quite a bit of suspense about Lancelot’s intentions. Brit and Merline are also getting closer; a romance starts developing towards the end of the novella but mostly from Brit’s side. I enjoyed how this novella sets up the Round Table and establishes King Arthur’s Code of Chivalry.

Enlighten
It’s been two years since the start of the series, and Brit is established in her rule and finally instituting all the changes to make Camelot more hospitable and equal. I liked how this novella explores how Brit is becoming restless now that all her knights are going out on quests. She’s stuck in Camelot, ruling a peaceful kingdom that doesn’t really need her to do anything. The big reveal in this novella is that the secret of Brit’s gender is revealed! Of course, this leads to a fracture between the knights who knew and those who didn’t. Brit needs to find a way to heal this fracture to ensure the prosperity of Camelot and all Brit stands for.

Endeavor
The relationship between Brit and her knights is still strained. Brit and Merlin’s relationship continues to develop! I appreciated that we got a few chapters from Merlin’s perspective to understand his thoughts about Brit, especially how they fit his goal of uniting Great Britain. We’re introduced to a new villain, Lady Vivian, worse than Lancelot, who will have a lasting impact going into the series finale. This was my least favourite novella in the series, partly because I didn’t like how long it took Brit to confront the knights about their unfair treatment. However, the cliffhanger, which introduces Mordred (the person who kills King Arthur in the legends), was a great set-up for the last book in the series.

Overall
I loved how these three novellas play with Arthurian mythology. We get introduced to all the key players that will determine the future of Camelot and Great Britain in the series finale. The romance that slowly developed between Brit and Merlin was really sweet, and I loved Brit’s friendships with Morgana and the Lady of the Lake. Brit’s relationships with her “nephews” were also so wholesome. We also learn that the time travel spell that brought Brit back has serious consequences for Brit. I’m excited to see how the finale concludes Brit’s journey back in time!

Endings (King Arthur and Her Knights, #7)

Release Date: March 23, 2017

Format: Kindle

Rating: 5-stars

Endings is the last book in the King Arthur and Her Knights series, and it’s my favourite book I read in February 2023. I loved revisiting this series after so many years of putting off the last two books. The blend of Arthurian mythology, Brit’s unique story, and Great Britain’s history created such a fun read. I loved how the stakes were raised by introducing the Roman Empire as a political threat. This book is building up to a war with Rome that will determine Great Britain’s unity and sovereignty.

Merlin and Brit were really cute in this book, but their romance was very much so in the background. I loved how this book gave Brit closure with her friends and family. Seeing how Brit’s experiences as King Arthur compared to the actual legend that prevailed was interesting. I was worried that this would be another bittersweet ending. But I actually liked how the author decided to conclude the series. While the series reads as more escapist than believable, I thought that given the degree of loyalty between Brit and her inner circle was almost magical, the author’s decision made logical sense.

Overall, Endings was my favourite read in February because of how fun it was; I was smiling the whole time I read it! Although, the nostalgia of finally concluding a series I started in 2015 definitely influenced my decision. Look no further if you’re looking for a light, quick King Arthur retelling!