Book 1 of the Morgan le Fay Series
This novel is set in the world of King Arthur, seen through the eyes of his older half-sister Morgan le Fay.
In the beginning of the book young Morgan sees her father, the Cornish duke Gorlois, when he’s returned from battle to see his wife Igraine. The following day, a guard tells them he has perished in battle. Igraine, besides herself, says that it cannot be so because he has spent the night with her. Unfortunately, it is true, Gorlois is dead at the hands of the men of King Uther Pendragon.
Uther appears soon after with Merlin in tow and asks Igraine to marry him – Igraine refuses, and then he tells her that she is already with child from their night together. Igraine is unaware they spent the night together – as Uther came in the guise of Gorlois. When he tells her about this, she reluctantly agrees to marry him – since she is pregnant. Morgan and her older sisters Elaine and Morgause are made to call him father which Morgan refuses to do. Morgan sufers under the thumb of the cruel Uther Pendragon. When Igraine and Uther’s child is born, the family are told he did not live.
Elaine is married off to Nentres of Garlot, and Morgause to Lot of Orkney. Morgan, now a teenager, is sent to a convent where she discovers she has magical powers. Morgan is intent on taking her vows, but Uther decrees she is to marry Urien of Gaul. However, Morgan has fallen in love with a page and tells Uther she cannot marry Urien because she has given herself to the page boy. Unfortunately for her, she is married off to Urien anyway.
Morgan doesn’t get pregnant for many years, and Urien takes a mistress. When Morgan does eventually fall pregnant, Urien’s mistress does too. Both women have a son, who share a name. When Morgan finds out, she is livid and decides to leave him. She turns to her half-brother Arthur who is now High King for shelter.
I’m glad to see that Morgan is not painted as the evil sorceress we know from Arthurian legend. She is a strong and independent woman, who fights to live life her way – and uses magic. I’m looking forward to the sequel and hearing more about Arthur and Camelot!
Read for The 52 Book Club Reading Challenge 2025
Prompt 28: A Crossover (Set in a Shared Universe)
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
