Review - Pendragon Rising

I wish I could give this 3.5 stars instead of 3.......

The story begins with a high-stakes, cinematic prologue featuring King Arthur’s final battle against Mordred. This hook effectively establishes the conflict and the legend of the teal lance, Ron, before transitioning to Arion’s quieter life years later.

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I enjoyed the fact that this was a shorter read—it makes for a quick, action-packed afternoon—but that brevity was also my main issue with the story. Because the book is so lean, the plot escalates almost immediately. We go from Arion being a humble squire in a small fishing village to facing off against King Mordred at a tournament in Camelot very quickly. I felt like there wasn’t enough buildup to the higher stakes, and I would have loved more time to sit with the characters before they were thrown into a life-or-death flight from the capital.

My biggest gripe, however, was the predictability. By Chapter 2, it was already very obvious exactly where the story was headed. Between the "hidden heir" setup and the way the prologue established the legend of the lance, Ron, the "shocks" later in the book didn't land with the impact they should have because I had seen them coming from a mile away

That said, there is a lot to like here. The action scenes are very well-written—the tournament melee and the battle against the Barghest on the mountain were definite highlights. I also really enjoyed Van; his wild, unpredictable purple magic added a fun element of chaos to the group dynamic.

The book ends on a massive cliffhanger that successfully sets up the next installment. If you’re looking for a quick, classic "chosen one" fantasy with some cool magical twists on Knights of the Round Table, this is worth a look—just don't expect to be surprised by the plot twists.

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This book is ideal for fans of Arthurian retellings and YA Epic Fantasy. Readers who enjoy "hidden heir" tropes mixed with magical tournament settings (like The Selection meets Excalibur) will find it compelling.