I tried so hard to get into this book it was so slow for me.. for a 2nd book I wanted some stuff to happen differently.
I liked the pervious book more then this one.

Historical fiction at its best…
The Forgotten Kingdom by Signe Pike, is the second book in the The Lost Queen saga. Set in first century Scotland this captivating novel pieces together the historical references of Languareth of Cadzow, one of the most powerful Scottish queens, and her twin brother Lailoken, who became known as Merlin and inspired the Legend into an epic tale of love, loss, and conviction.

In addition to continuing Languareth and Lailoken’s story, The Forgotten Kingdom, follows Angharad, Languareth’s daughter, after she leaves her mother to go and study the Old Way under the guidance of her uncle, counselor to the most feared protectors of the realm. When attempts to preserve the Old Way in the face of the new Christian religion force rulers to choose political sides, battle ensues, sweeping young Angharad away to a faraway land where she grows into a beautiful young women while maturing her powers in the Old Way.

Signe Pike is as much a historian as she is a fiction writer. She spent over a decade researching the threads of Languareth and Lailoken in the histories and literature of the Scots of Dalriada, the Picts, and the Anglo-Saxons. The bones of the novel are a retelling of actual people and events and then fleshed out with her fictional development of characters and conflicts. The end result is a truly fascinating and authentic piece of historical fiction that will thoroughly captivate and entertain you. I literally cannot wait for the next book to be published.

Pike is also a my favorite style of author. Not only does she deftly weave history and fiction into a seamless and intriguing tale but she is a wordsmith whose individual sentences bring life to the story. One of many favorite quotes illustrates her talent for painting pictures through words: “I walked, enthralled and nearly seduced within intimate stones, places where the rocks had been weathered so round that their curves resembled the finest bits of a woman’s body.” Her characters are vibrant and captivating and exude all the flaws and failings of a real person which makes them that much more authentic and memorable. Whether or not you are a fan of historical fiction I guarantee you will will love The Lost Queen saga.

The second book of The Lost Queen trilogy continues the story of siblings Languoreth and Lailoken (Merlin) and the rise and fall of their fortunes in 6th century Scotland. This is a wonderfully researched story, that does take some license with history in a period where so little is known. Epic battles, lost loves, and found families make for an emotional landscape. Signe Pike clearly paints these historical figures as flesh and blood as the story is written through each characters eyes. It seems this book had more chapters from the point of view of Lailoken and Languoreths daughter Angharad which made for an interesting perspective. Most importantly we are introduced to Artur and his relationship with Lailoken. I love how history, legend and myth are bound up in this telling of Merlin and his origins. I have been fortunate that NetGalley and Atria publishing have allowed me to read and review this book. Once again this is a fantastic series, looking forward to the next book!

This is kinda of a long drawn out book.
I haven’t read the previous one so I’m not sure if that would have helped any.
I wanted to like this book, it sounded good and it’s different from what I normally read.
I think historical fiction fans and readers of the previous book will enjoy it.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the early copy

4.5/5*

When I first read The Forgotten Queen by Signe Pike, I completely fell in love with the world she had created (full review here). While keeping track of character names could be a bit difficult, Pike weaved an epic of a story centred around a forgotten character in the Arthurian myths: Merlin's sister (I've Anglicized names here to make it a bit easier to follow). There were so many storylines to follow by the end of The Lost Queen and I was desperate to know what happened next in Languoreth's story. Thankfully, The Forgotten Kingdom comes out this September and we can finally continue the adventure!

Strong Multiple POVs
I was happily surprised to find that we get three POVs this book: Languoreth, Lailoken, and Angharad. This was really important to the story because there are so many different plotlines to follow to fully understand what is happening in Languoreth's world. While The Lost Queen was a strong single POV novel because the story itself moved around Languoreth, The Forgotten Kingdom needed the additional POVs of Lailoken and Angharad to allow the reader to really understand what is happening since Languoreth is stuck in the capital for most of the novel. I particularly liked that we got Lailoken's POV this time because I loved getting to see what is happening with Uther (aka Arthur) Pendragon and the Dragon Warriors. Each of these characters have a strong story to follow.

Love The Different Relationships
With multiple point of views comes multiple romantic and platonic relationships for readers to enjoy. Personally, I loved getting to see Lailoken and Angharad's romantic relationships develop, although we're definitely in the early stages of Angharad's (I'm so excited for the final book of the trilogy to come out so we can hopefully see this develop further!). On the flip side, we continuing getting to see Languoreth try to manage her love for Maelgwn while trying to remain a faithful wife. It's such a hard position to be in because she has so little choice in her life until much later in it. The way each of these characters develop over the course of the novel (which covers roughly 7 years, although there are some time jumps) and the different relationships each of them develops with other characters is wonderful!

​Some Missing Moments?
There were some moments where the story changed character POV and it felt like there was some moments missing in between. A specific moment that confused me is at the very end when Languoreth's POV has us waiting for everyone to return home and the next chapter is Angharad's POV when everyone is together in the great hall. Did I miss a chapter? Should we just assume that the characters all casually came home? This didn't happen often, but every so often this jump would happen that left me flipping back pages to see if I'd actually missed something...

Overall, this is a great second novel in the Lost Queen trilogy and a strong standalone novel. It doesn't fall into the dreaded "middle book" category, but instead continues Languoreth's journey to becoming a queen, as well as introducing the strong storylines of Lailoken and Angharad. Pike has done a wonderful job writing this book and I'd highly recommend it to anyone who loved The Lost Queen, to those interested in a strong historical fiction series, or those looking for novels with excellent female heroes in the midst of Arthurian history.

I received a digital Advance Reader’s Copy of The Forgotten Kingdom by Signe Pike from the publisher (Atria Books). The Forgotten Kingdom is scheduled for release on September 15, 2020.

The Forgotten Kingdom is the second book in The Lost Queen Trilogy. This trilogy focuses on the women around the man (Lailoken) believed to be the Merlin of legend. The first novel focused on his twin sister Languoreth, telling the story of her move away from her spiritual practice to a marriage of convenience leading to her becoming a future queen.

The Forgotten Kingdom continues Languoreth’s story, but the throughline is more about her daughter Angharad. At the end of the first book, Angharad had been sent off with Lailoken to begin training to be a wisdom keeper. In this second novel, Angharad continues her training, which is interrupted and plagued by two major Scottish battles.

The strength of this series lies in the research and world-building. This series is based on real people (and some of the myths surrounding them), real battles, and real places. Pike has clearly done extensive research, diving deep into this piece of Scottish history. The result is a world that you fall into as a reader. I was completely immersed in this world that a bit familiar from other stories (written and visual), while Pike added details and elements that were less familiar, such as including the Picts, which history knows little about.

In this second novel we got to learn more about some characters, particularly Lailoken and Angharad. While Languoreth is still a main character (one of the three points of view), I found her a bit more distant in this story. In particular, there were a couple of choices that she made that seemed a bit out of place based on what we knew of her already, without the change in behavior being fully explored. I also wanted more time with Angharad. She was my favorite character in this novel, but her point of view was third person (the other two were first person). I would have loved more time up close with her— perhaps this will happen in book three!

I will be honest that I struggled a bit with the focus of the plot for this novel. The first installment stayed close to the people, with the plot revolving mostly around personal interactions and choices. This second book shifted, with more of the plot driven by the two large battles. For me, this made it a bit less enjoyable than the first book in the trilogy.

Overall, The Forgotten Kingdom was a very solid book two in a trilogy. I did not find that it felt at all like a bridge book between two other stories. This books has a story that stands on its own. I will definitely be looking for the final book!

Second, in the series, it is now AD 573 and Languoreth is in lockdown while her husband and his brother go off to raid and murder her brother, lover, and even her child.

But what of the child she let her brother take with him to teach her the ways of a Wisdom Keeper. Angharad is just a child when she loses everything but her own life. Lost and unsure what to do, she follows the whispers in her head.

Not knowing whether her brother Lailoken is dead or alive and if her daughter is also dead, Languoreth waits and plans.

There was so much going on in this book. I had not read the first one but picked up what had gone on quickly. I was in love with this little girl with a huge heart and deadly powers.

The research and the history of this place and these people were very impressive and I enjoyed this book a lot!

NetGalley/ September 15th 2020 by Atria Books

TRIGGER WARNING: captivity, gore, war, rape, slavery

After reading The Lost Queen, I couldn't wait to dive into this book. It picks up right where the last book left off - with Languoreth kept captive in her bed chamber as her husband and oldest son go off to attack her brother and his men. Her youngest daughter is in the custody of her brother, training to become a Wisdom Keeper.

The story is told from three points of view, that of Languoreth, Lailoken, and Angharad, which allows the reader to see the story unfold from different perspectives. It does jump back and forth in time a bit, with certain chapters being told out of sequence. At first it threw me for a loop, but each chapter is clearly marked with the point of view and time period. Each character is struggling with their own issues - Languoreth is facing her feelings of powerlessness, frustration, and fear for her loved ones who are on differing sides of the conflict, Lailoken has his own frustration, anger, and guilt, and Angharad deals with the aftermath of exposure to trauma and abandonment.

It was a riveting story that I couldn't put down. I read the entire book in a single day, even as I promised myself that I would try to read it slower and make it last. The amount of historical research is incredible and comes together to make a realistic and detailed story. I could empathize with the characters and the horrifically difficult situations that each were forced to confront. The characters are realistic, well-rounded, and perfectly imperfect, making it easy to empathize with them.

There is a lot of action in the story, and it centers around war and battles. There is a lot of gore and scenes of war, but there's also a focus on healing, family, forgiveness, and nature. I love the series, the character, the setting, and feeling like I've been immersed into 6th century Scotland. I've only just finished the book and I am already looking forward to the final book in the trilogy!

I have to confess I struggled a little to finish this book. I wanted to like it, but I couldn't care less about many of the characters. I was looking forward to reading the chapters told from the perspective of Angharad. But everything else was kind of dragging. Anyway, if you like historical fiction you might like this. I liked Mists of Avalon, but I was not a huge fan of this particular book.

I fell in love with the Lost Queen trilogy from the start. The Forgotten Kingdom, was the second in this series about Merlin. But this is unlike any version of Merlin you have ever heard of. This is the story of Languoreth and her brother Lailoken. Lailoken is now known as the character of Merlin! This part of the story picked up after the characters return from war and the repercussions of that battle. It’s the reunion of all of our characters after being apart for so many years. I felt that the first book kind of covered a large bulk of years. While this book packed a big punch, action-wise, but over a shorter period of time. My favorite part of these books has really been learning that these people ever existed, and legends are really out there. According to the author, Languoreth was one of the most powerful women of her day. However, we never hear of her, because she lived in a man’s world and in her brother’s shadow. Eventually, we lost sight of Queen Languoreth. That’s why this story is so important! I’m so grateful for Signe Pike for creating this beautifully strong and flawed female character!

ARC provided by the author and Netgalley for an honest review!

The sequel to this series loosely based on Merlin from the Arthurian Legend continues with a broader view told from more than one character's point of view. If I recall correctly, the first book (The Lost Queen) is only told from Languoreth's view point, but now we get to see her brother Lailoken's and her daughter Angharad's thoughts too. It was a wise improvement, as we got to see more of what was going on beyond Languoreth's world. Interestingly, Languoreth and Lailoken's chapters are told in first person while Angharad's are in third person, perhaps because she is a child.

The series takes an unusual path because my understanding of the Arthurian Legend has always been the Celts battling the Saxons/Angles, but the primary antagonists for most of the book are Christian Britons. The Angles only pose a threat towards the end. It did make me wonder a little bit "where is this going?" But when I say it's loosely based on the Arthurian Legend, I mean loosely - I mean you should throw out everything you know about King Arthur and Merlin before reading it. That's not a criticism, because this is an excellent and arguably more historical reboot, and if you're looking for a totally different take on the Arthurian Legend, this is it.

Advanced review copy from publisher via Edelweiss. My opinions are my own.

My gosh, this series is fantastic. I thought the first book was exquisite and I feel the same way about this second book. The setting is lush and vibrant. I felt like I could feel the cold and snow; I could smell the fires and the ocean mist. It is truly scrumptious.

Where the first book in the series was told by Langoureth, this second installment has three POV's: Langoureth, her twin brother Lailoken, and her daughter Angharad. I wondered if I would be able to love the rest of these characters as much as I had grown to love Langoureth, and I did, easily. All three perspectives are so interesting and tell the story beautifully. I fell particularly hard for Angharad in this story because she is such a unique character. These three characters all move around this world nearly constantly with goals in mind. Each group of people they encounter are exciting, with special things about them that made them stand out to me. I especially enjoyed the Pict people from the North, with their tattoos and cloaks and special language.

This story is full of changing cultures, both politically and from a religious standpoint. The setting is late 500's AD, when the number of Christians in the area is steadily growing and the number of people keeping with the Old Ways grows fewer. There are huge conflicts over these changes, which bring unimaginable heartache and loss to each of these characters. Langoureth has become Queen since the first book, and her brother and daughter are set to occupy important positions as well. This family has every single thing at stake as they navigate the political conflicts and the rapid spread of the Christian faith.

Angharad comes of age in this book, beginning the story as a child and growing up into a very important woman. Watching her transition from child to a young woman with power over the course of the story was heartbreaking in some ways because of her circumstances, but it was also really rewarding because of how independent and confident she was by the end of the book.

These three characters spend large amounts of time apart from one another, and this made me think as I read. Way back in history, it wasn't unheard of for there to be no communication between loved ones for many years at a time. In contrast, if I am missing someone that I love, I can just call or instantly send a message directly to that person. I felt especially for Langoureth as she pined away for her child, her brother, and others that she loved when they were apart from her.

This series is exceptional and I love these characters. The setting is absolute perfection. This was one of my most anticipated for the entire year, and it 100% lived up to my expectations and more.


I received a digital copy of this story from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a review. Thank you, Atria Books!

This book was just as great as the first one, maybe even better. Where the first book focused on Languoreth's childhood and marriage, this book looks at her life during her thirties. While I love Languoreth and her journey, I loved that this book followed two other perspectives: her twin brother, Lailokin, and her daughter, Angharad. I loved these additions to the book, and I thought it added a lot of depth to the story.
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There was so much action and adventure in this book, and I was hooked from page one. The first book ended on a bit of a cliffhanger, so I had no troubles diving into this book because I needed to know what happened. I love that this book looked into other groups living on the island, and how some traditions are similar but different.
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CW: sexual assault, violence, death, gore.

ARC received from Atria Books via Netgalley.

This is the sequel to my favourite book of 2018, The Lost Queen.
I’m going to start off by saying this was 5 stars, I would give it 10 stars if I could. I pretty much cried my way though the entire book it was that powerful. This series is my absolute favourite, I don’t know how I’m going to wait for book 3.
This novel adds some new character POV and I was a little worried because I adored Languoreths POV but OH MY GOD, we get Languoreth, Lailoken and Languoreth’s daughter Angharad. I absolutely loved each characters POV and it helps us to
account for all of the conflict going on in 6th century Scotland since our three main voices are mostly split up for the length of the novel.
The reasons I love these books so much is the attention to detail and passion Signe Pike has for this topic. You pick it up on every page just how much research must have went into this project.
Preorder your copy TODAY! I just did and I can’t wait to read the finished book.

"The story continues in The Forgotten Kingdom, the second book in the epic Lost Queen trilogy, already hailed as “Outlander meets Camelot” (Kirsty Logan, author of Things We Say in the Dark) and “The Mists of Avalon for a new generation” (Linnea Hartsuyker, author of The Golden Wolf).

AD 573. Imprisoned in her chamber, Languoreth awaits news in torment. Her husband and son have ridden off to wage war against her brother, Lailoken. She doesn’t yet know that her young daughter, Angharad, who was training with Lailoken to become a Wisdom Keeper, has been lost in the chaos. As one of the bloodiest battles of early medieval Scottish history scatters its survivors to the wind, Lailoken and his men must flee to exile in the mountains of the Lowlands, while nine-year-old Angharad must summon all Lailoken has taught her and follow her own destiny through the mysterious, mystical land of the Picts.

In the aftermath of the battle, old political alliances unravel, opening the way for the ambitious adherents of the new religion: Christianity. Lailoken is half-mad with battle sickness, and Languoreth must hide her allegiance to the Old Way to survive her marriage to the next Christian king of Strathclyde. Worst yet, the new King of the Angles is bent on expanding his kingdom at any cost. Now the exiled Lailoken, with the help of a young warrior named Artur, may be the only man who can bring the Christians and the pagans together to defeat the encroaching Angles. But to do so, he must claim the role that will forever transform him. He must become the man known to history as “Myrddin.”

Bitter rivalries are ignited, lost loves are found, new loves are born, and old enemies come face-to-face with their reckoning in this compellingly fresh look at one of the most enduring legends of all time."

Because I've been feeling in a very Camelot mood of late!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC. Enjoyed reading this book. Now I am off to read the first book in this series.

Book 2 of The Lost Queen trilogy, The Forgotten Kingdom continues the story of Languoreth, her twin Lailoken (who will eventually become the legendary Merlin), and begins the story of Languoreth’s nine year old daughter Angharad who has left with her uncle to start training as a Wisdom Seeker. The story picks up where The Lost Queen left off, with Languoreth locked in the caste while her husband and his family ride off to make war with her brother, cousins and others of the Old Way. This battle creates the backdrop for the story as the events that unfold there carry repercussions for years. Lailoken is set on a path that will eventually lead him to meet Artur (the future King Arthur).
The author has once again created a tale that is rich in a history that is at both times beautiful and brutal. The story is full of intrigue, hate and love, where secrets are the norm, not the exception. It is a wonderfully told story that leave me anxiously waiting for the final story of the trilogy.

The Forgotten Kingdom is book 2 in The Lost Queen Trilogy. It’s the story of Langoureth, a Queen in 6th Century Scotland, and her family. You’ve likely not heard of her, but legend has it that her brother Lailokin became the wizard Merlin. These very real Queens and Kings are the beginnings of the Arthurian legends. We even meet King Artur in this volume.

While the main characters in the novel did exist, their names are recorded in records along with the battles and wars waged, details of their lives are not known, and that’s where the fictional parts of this particular book comes in. This is a very interesting time in what is to become the British Isles. Christianity is starting to take a foothold and tribes are converting to the “new” ways. The Angles (Anglo-Saxons) are waging battles with the Britons. Families are finding themselves on both sides of the battle. Langoureth, who still follows the old ways, is torn between her husband, a Christian, and her twin brother Lalokin, a Wisdom Keeper, and her oldest son-also Christian, and oldest daughter who is sent to train as a healer with her brother.

I would actually say this is more like “The Last Kingdom” vice “Outlander“. I’m fans of both, but “The Last Kingdom” takes place in the 10th century, and also focuses on wars between tribes and the conflict between Christianity and the old ways. Plus no time travel, lol.

Considering the lack of historical records available from 1500 years ago, the author did a very good job researching what was available, down to the flora and fauna of the region, which I appreciate. I love the fact that Ms. Pike has taken this almost forgotten bad-ass Queen of Briton and brought her story to us. If you enjoy historical fiction from ancient times, I highly recommend this. While you could read this as a stand alone as the author does explain who characters are, the backstory of Langoureth and Lailoken’s childhood from book 1 adds so much to the story.

I can’t wait for the third book!

Thank you to a NetGalley, the publishers and Ms. Pike for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

In the beginning, in The Lost Queen, twins Languoreth and Lailoken, are young; their childhood is privileged, children of a lord, taught by a druid, loved and protected by their servants. They are in turn, passionate, emotional, impulsive. In this sequel, L and L come into their own. Languoreth becomes the queen she has always been meant to be. As she mourns her many losses, she also weaves her web, using her intellect to deal with her enemies and grow her ally's loyalties, and ultimately discovers the strength she always had but now knows how to wield. Lailoken, through horrific battle, heartbreaking loss, and poignant exile, uses his skills as a Wisdom Keeper to hold the Old Gods close, and to empower those who still believe in them. This second book is full of battles and court intrigue, but also dives deep into the story of Languoreth's daughter and her training as a priestess of the Old Way; this was the most intriguing story line to me. As much as I loved the first book, this book appears to act as a bridge to book three, setting up the court of Artur (ie. King Arthur mythology), his relationship with the druid priestess, and Laioloken as he transitions into Myrrdin, the 'madman,' or as we know him, Merlin. This was another epic read.

It takes a lot in this particularly worrisome and unprecendent time to keep me engaged in a story.

Signe Pike has managed to do this for me again with The Forgotten Kingdom. Total immersion into this world of ancient Britain and Scotland. The continuation of the saga is revealed through three characters in this installment. Languoreth continues her narrative along with Lailoken and her daughter Angharad. Magic, mysticism, intrigue, bloody battles, new alliances. Historical fiction at its best.

Thank you Atria for the ARC and so I could read and review this title.