I used to devour Arthurian fiction insatiably. While it's not as large a part of my literary diet these days, I sometimes find myself craving something new (to me, at least) in that highly specific and endlessly imaginative historical/mythical/fantasy genre. Recently, I decided to give Sarah Zettel's In Camelot's Shadow -- the first in a four-book series called The Queens of Camelot -- a try.

The book does not focus on Arthur, although he and his wife Guinevere do appear; however, his nephew and champion Gawain plays a prominent role in the story. The protagonist is Risa, a young woman who was promised before her birth by her father Rygehil, a minor lord, to the dark sorcerer Euberacon, who in exchange saved the life of Rygehil's wife, Jocosa. Risa, now 19 and bitter at her father's refusals to let her marry, finally learns the truth of her dark fate and flees her father's home -- only to find Euberacon waiting in her path.

Only the intervention of Gawain, who was passing by on his way to Camelot to inform the High King of a plot by the Saxons to break the 10-year peace that followed the battle of Mount Badon, prevents her from being taken.

What follows is an on-the-road adventure for Risa and Gawain as he tries to reach Camelot in time, taking her along for her safety as well as her testimony on what she has witnessed. Euberacon is not the only threat along their path; there is also the sorceress Kerra with her unholy ravens, who is somehow partnered with -- but not a true ally of -- Euberacon. And then there is Kerra's more powerful mistress, Morgaine, who controls a great deal from behind the scenes as she dotes on and raises her son, Mordred, far from the intrigues of court.

And there are the Saxons, who are out in force. The fragile peace is broken, and allies have become enemies ... although not all of the Saxons are themselves entirely to blame.

By the end of the story various plot lines will coalesce into a new and thrilling version of the familiar legend of Gawain and the Green Knight.

In Camelot's Shadow is an excellent book for fans of Arthurian fiction. Zettel creates a realistic setting and populates it with a handful of familiar characters, but it's nice to see Arthur and his queen serving as supporting characters for a change. The events of In Camelot's Shadow take place late in Arthur's reign -- a decade since his long war with the Saxons ended -- and Gawain is among the young knights who are making a name for themselves in the kingdom. Risa in particular is a strong, well-rounded protagonist who makes an interesting and sympathetic focal point for the story.

I began this book with no specific intention to read more of the series, but Zettel has convinced me to continue on.