Arthurian novels are almost as common as the various myths and legends that inspire them. It is an area of “historical” fiction that has been covered in a variety of ways by a variety of authors, as well as cinematic interpretations that portray the ubiquitous Arthur as a Celt, a Roman or a coconut-carrying Englishman.

Given this wide variety of possible approaches to Arthur, it is always a pleasure to read the works of a newcomer to the field, even if this is done with a sense of impending doom for any author that does not make the grade. My concern for Hume’s first novel, Dragon’s Child, was further strengthened when I realised that her version would be that of a Celtic King fighting the ever-present threat of the Saxon invasion, the same approach taken by the master of the genre, Bernard Cornwell.

However, casting such preconceptions and concerns aside, Hume’s King Arthur series has proved to be both enjoyable and original in its approach to treading these well worn lanes of legend. The first novel does an effective job of constructing Arthur, or Artorex as he is named by his Roman foster-parents, from the ground up, walking the reader through his young life, the struggles of his childhood and the faltering steps taken towards becoming an adult. This may not be as instantly engaging as throwing the reader into the battles of Arthur’s life, or paying immediate homage to Excalibur or the Lady of the Lake, but it’s exactly why it works so well.

Rather than creating yet another Arthur, Hume succeeds in creating a character all of her own. Not only is this in itself an achievement, but the supporting cast of characters that further flesh-out the developing story are exceptional. From the retired legionnaire who teaches a young Artorex weapons drills, through the giant Jute bodyguard, to the irascible interpretation of Merlin, Hume succeeds in creating a Celtic world that is believable and intriguing. There is no hint of romantic legend to spoil the dark flavour of the works, and the nods to the original myth are suitably well orchestrated to be noticeable but not unnecessarily obvious.

The politics of the regional Celtic Kings further aids the more personal side to the story, and as the second book progresses into the reign of Artor (his adult name) we start to see the boy we had watched grow in Dragon’s Child, mature into a man that has to make viciously hard decisions in a brutal and bloody world. The reader starts to sympathise at the cruel path of fate that Artor is destined to walk due to his bloodline, and wonder throughout whether he will remain the upstanding King that Hume initially creates, or whether he will break under the pressure and become the tyrant that is ever in the background.

These first two instalments in Hume’s King Arthur series are thus an excellent addition to the world of Arthurian fiction. Refreshing in their approach if not their subject matter, the two novels create characters that will endure, and most crucially these are not always the “usual suspects” of this kind of work. It is the nameless Celts who make these novels, rather than the warrior legends a reader might expect.

I for one am looking forward to the next in this debut series, and can only hope that Hume keeps up the momentum of the first two books. Somehow, I think she probably will.

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