title: The Kingmaking (Pendragon's Banner Trilogy, Vol 1)
author:  Helen Hollick 
description: In this first volume of what promises to be a monumental historical trilogy, rookie British author Hollick depicts Arthur's rise from A.D. 450, when he was a 15-year-old boy of hidden parentage, to A.D. 457, when he took his place as the King Arthur of legend. The story combines private emotions and public statecraft as marriages, alliances and enemies are made and unmade to suit the politics of the era. Hollick mixes elements from fifth-century history, myth, early romances, contemporary fantasy and other novels about Arthur, adding her own inventions for good measure. The treatment of Gwenhwyfar and her love for Arthur (depicted here as star-crossed even without Lancelot's help) is especially vivid. Though the novel contains no supernatural aspects, with its exotic setting, passionate characters and epic battles and intrigue, it still should appeal to the fantasy fans to whom most Arthurian adventures are addressed. The language, too, is influenced by genre fantasy, especially in its dramatic descriptions and reliance on archaisms; but this big-hearted novel's historical speculations alone should make it of interest to the non-fantasy reader as well. <br />Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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  Harold The King
  
  
  Helen Hollick lives in London with her husband and adult daughter. In between
  researching the background information for her historical novels, and her
  pirate series about Jesamiah Acorne, she spends most of her time helping her
  daughter, who is a semi-professional show jumper, as chief groom and general
  run-around. She has a university diploma in early medieval history – and a
  passion for pirates.
  
  
  Main Website: www.helenhollick.net  
  Muse and Views Blog: www.helenhollick.blogspot.com Picture Diary:
  www.helenhollicksdiarydates.blogspot.com
  
  
  Also by Helen Hollick & published by CallioPress
  
  The Pendragon’s Banner Trilogy:
  
  The Kingmaking Pendragon’s Banner Shadow of the King
  
  * * *  
  Harold The King  
  The story of the Battle of Hastings  
  ***
  
  A Hollow Crown  
  (published in USA/Canada as The Forever Queen by Sourcebooks Inc) The story of
  Emma, Queen of Saxon England
  
  * * *  
  The Sea Witch Series:
  
  
  Voyage One — Sea Witch  
  Voyage Two — Pirate Code 