Everyone loves a gripping tale full of intrigue, with interesting characters and story-lines that revolve around human relationships. In the myths and legends of olden times, fantastical creatures and a bit of magic often increased the drama. Even today these elements still make for a gripping read. A common theme for contemporary fantasy romance novels based in England is the legends of long ago, particularly the stories of Camelot.
Fantasy romance is a genre of literature that combines the elements of two other genres, those of fantasy and of romance. Fantasy books deal with magic and myth, while the romance genre deals with romantic love. Many of the stories in Arthurian legend are a perfect combination of these themes, with magic helping or hindering lovers.
The stories about King Arthur and his knights are the most famous in English legend. They're set in England in the early Middle Ages, when the religion of the druids was still as widespread in the country as Christianity was. Whether King Arthur was a real person is uncertain and scholars also debate where Camelot, his castle, was located if it indeed existed. However, real places and people are often mentioned in these stories, making the events seem real too.
One of the most famous love stories in Arthurian legend is that of Lancelot and Guinevere. Lancelot is one of King Arthur's most trusted Knights of the Round Table. He was raised in Avalon, the magic kingdom of the Lady of the Lake, and among his brave exploits is his killing of a dragon. The relationship between him and Guinevere, the king's wife, makes for a tragic love triangle which eventually helps to bring Arthur's kingdom to a fall.
Love triangles are quite popular in Arthurian legend. Another famous one is the triangle between Tristan, Iseult and King Mark of Cornwall. Tristan is King Mark's nephew and is entrusted with the task of going to Ireland to fetch the king's bride-to-be, Iseult. Then a love potion that makes Tristan and Iseult fall for each other complicates things.
Luckily not all love stories at Camelot end in tears. One of the most romantic stories is that of Gawain and Ragnelle. Gawain is Arthur's nephew and another one of his most trusted knights. He marries Ragnelle in order to prevent Arthur's execution. This is a great sacrifice since Ragnelle is the complete opposite of all the great beauties in the kingdom. However, the spell that made her so unsightly is broken through Gawain's chivalrous actions.
Several classic works in literature are based on the stories of King Arthur. Contemporary novels, especially those in the fantasy genre, are often inspired by the legends of Camelot too. Sometimes the authors take the old stories and give them a contemporary setting. More often, though, they tell a specific Arthurian story but from a different angle, such as in the extremely popular 'The Mists of Avalon'.
By their very nature, Arthurian stories are romantic fantasy. You will find them in this section of your local library or bookstore or you may find some on the 'classics' shelves. A good option is to look online and read the book summaries to see which of these novels will appeal to you.
Fantasy romance is a genre of literature that combines the elements of two other genres, those of fantasy and of romance. Fantasy books deal with magic and myth, while the romance genre deals with romantic love. Many of the stories in Arthurian legend are a perfect combination of these themes, with magic helping or hindering lovers.
The stories about King Arthur and his knights are the most famous in English legend. They're set in England in the early Middle Ages, when the religion of the druids was still as widespread in the country as Christianity was. Whether King Arthur was a real person is uncertain and scholars also debate where Camelot, his castle, was located if it indeed existed. However, real places and people are often mentioned in these stories, making the events seem real too.
One of the most famous love stories in Arthurian legend is that of Lancelot and Guinevere. Lancelot is one of King Arthur's most trusted Knights of the Round Table. He was raised in Avalon, the magic kingdom of the Lady of the Lake, and among his brave exploits is his killing of a dragon. The relationship between him and Guinevere, the king's wife, makes for a tragic love triangle which eventually helps to bring Arthur's kingdom to a fall.
Love triangles are quite popular in Arthurian legend. Another famous one is the triangle between Tristan, Iseult and King Mark of Cornwall. Tristan is King Mark's nephew and is entrusted with the task of going to Ireland to fetch the king's bride-to-be, Iseult. Then a love potion that makes Tristan and Iseult fall for each other complicates things.
Luckily not all love stories at Camelot end in tears. One of the most romantic stories is that of Gawain and Ragnelle. Gawain is Arthur's nephew and another one of his most trusted knights. He marries Ragnelle in order to prevent Arthur's execution. This is a great sacrifice since Ragnelle is the complete opposite of all the great beauties in the kingdom. However, the spell that made her so unsightly is broken through Gawain's chivalrous actions.
Several classic works in literature are based on the stories of King Arthur. Contemporary novels, especially those in the fantasy genre, are often inspired by the legends of Camelot too. Sometimes the authors take the old stories and give them a contemporary setting. More often, though, they tell a specific Arthurian story but from a different angle, such as in the extremely popular 'The Mists of Avalon'.
By their very nature, Arthurian stories are romantic fantasy. You will find them in this section of your local library or bookstore or you may find some on the 'classics' shelves. A good option is to look online and read the book summaries to see which of these novels will appeal to you.
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