Content levels
Hero archetypes
Heroine archetypes
Protagonist archetypes
Tropes
Themes
Synopsis
As the mighty Roman conquerors fade from the captured Isle of Britain and the doomed kingdom of Atlantis is torn apart by bloody war, two unlikely lovers will find themselves drawn together amid the fires of chaos—and will spawn a new kingdom of myth and legend. As the Kingdom of Atlantis is extinguished forever, three ships emerge to bear King Avallach and his daughter Charis to the Isle of Glass, where Celtic chieftans struggle for survival—and power—as the last vestiges of Rome’s power dwindle. In this myth-born land, one heroic figure towers over all, the Prince Taliesin. Together with Princess Charis, Taliesin will spawn the Kingdom of Summer, a kingdom of Legend, of Merlin and of Arthur . . . At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management). Praise for Taliesin: “Reminiscent of C.S. Lewis . . . Highly recommended.” —Library Journal “One of the best works of Arthurian fantasy.” —Waterstones “Engrossing fantasy.” —The Bookseller
Is Taliesin (Pendragon Cycle #1) appropriate for my child?
Suitable for most readers 14 and up.
This Arthurian origins story contains moderate fantasy violence from wars and conflicts between kingdoms, mild romantic content between the lead couple, and themes of civilizational collapse and death. Best for teens and adults comfortable with historical epic fantasy.
What to know going in
This book has moderate violence, mild sexual content, and mild language. Content notes include death, grief, and war (see the full list above).
Publisher ages reflect reading level; our rating reflects content maturity — they can differ.
Who'll love this
Teens who love Arthurian legends and mythic retellings will enjoy this sweeping origin story of Taliesin and the founding of the kingdom that will eventually produce Merlin and Arthur.