The final book in this debut series was eagerly awaited by this reviewer, intrigued as to how the author would deal with the later stages of Artor’s life. The fact the novel is “The Bloody Cup” is also intriguing, given the obvious link to the Holy Grail and all the connotations thus attached. This aspect drew out the same concern as was expressed in the review of the previous two novels – that the stereotypical Arthurian legend could destroy the originally of the piece.

Fortunately Hume avoids this pitfall and does not disappoint. The quest for the cup, undertaken by a young and headstrong Galahad alongside the faithful Percivale and the strong and deadly Bedwyr, does not escalate into some laughable interpretation of the legend. Instead it is a sideline to the central plot, and compliments it perfectly.
Having created Artorex the boy, and then Artor the King, in Dragon’s Child and Warrior of the West, in this volume Hume undertakes what must have been a heartbreaking task: the slow destruction and decline of all that had been built before – Artor’s twilight years.

By the time this novel opens Artor is an old man, many of the excellent characters from the previous books have gone “to the shades”, and the end of his Celtic empire seems inevitable. Plots assail him from every side as the unavoidable civil war for succession draws ever closer. There is love, hate, betrayal and loyalty trapped between these pages, all overseen by an old man struggling to reconcile the guilt of past actions with all he has achieved. The whole affair is overcast with this ever present sadness, which in itself is credit to Hume’s story-craft. She succeeds in pulling the reader in immediately with a host of new, believable and intriguing characters that ensure the pace of the action is no slower than the previous novels’, despite the aging main protagonist. The narrative is strong and the world is as brutal as ever. The passages of combat never cease to emphasise the vicious nature of war, complimented well by the political intrigue that makes this Celtic world a truly living breathing place.

The beauty of embarking on this kind of quasi-historical fiction is that however Hume had chosen to conclude the trilogy, there could be little argument against it. As such there is no feeling of disapproval at its conclusion, as previously there are sufficient nods to the traditional without allowing it to undermine the originally of this interpretation. Upon the turning of the last page this reviewer was genuinely sad, due to the emotive conclusion combined with the knowledge that this impressive series has come to a close.

Fortunately the author is now working on her second trilogy, that of a prequel that covers Merlin’s life prior to the arrival of Artor. I would recommend this book to anyone who appreciates strong prose and effective storytelling. The real King Arthur may have been a myth. He may have been a Celtic warlord, or nothing more than an embellished folk tale. Whatever the case, M.K. Hume’s Artor lived and breathed for three captivating novels. Impressive, and thoroughly enjoyable.

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