Victoria Alexander, Believe

Believe

Victoria Alexander

Avon, Nov 24 2009, $7.99

ISBN: 9780061728839

English professor Tessa St. James is sick of Camelot and the so-called myths that she assumes is hooey bunk. When some claiming that he is Merlin Wizard Extraordinaire and Counselor to Kings meets her, she scorns him as another fake, Taken aback by the professor's disdain and not one to accept disrespect from royals, Merlin decides to teach the show me skeptic a lesson in respect and humility.

He takes Tessa back to the English Dark Ages of Camelot. She is stunned, but though she begins to believe what she sees, Tessa has doubts. He orders Sir Galahad to take her along on his quest to bring back the Holy Grail. However, "Sir Hunk" respectfully says no as a woman does not belong on such a dangerous mission. However King Arthur and Merlin tell him Tessa will accompany him. As they follow a poorly designed map and struggle to interpret a riddle, she proves his equal in battle with dragons, witches and other foes, oh! My!

This is an amusing refreshing romantic twist to the legend of Sir Hunk and the Holy Grail that Monty Python would enjoy. The storyline is filled with humor especially tongue in cheek from Merlin and the differences in how a chivalrous knight treats a lady who acts anything like any female he ever met; sex and dragons go together. Fans of Camelot will appreciate this spin as Galahad learns new uses for round tables and the truth about the Holy Grail in this superb romantic fantasy.

Harriet Klausner