I first fell in love with this series and author when the first book came out. As with many trilogies, the dreaded "middle child" book syndrome is something many readers worry about. Will the middle book just be a filler? Would it be better if it was simply a duology? In this case, no! The second book is just as wonderful as the first. There are multiple points of view, so we are able to see everything that is going on with all of our favorite characters instead of being stuck with just one. There is so much that happens with this book and there is never a dull moment. Just when a character is starting to go into a part of their tale that would be everyday, nothing special, type of story, the author switches point of view and keeps you on your toes. There is battle, different types and changing love, finding one's inner strength, finding a purpose, adapting to situations and so much more in this story. I cannot wait for the final book to come out, but at the same time dreading the end of this wild ride of a trilogy. If this author keeps getting better (which she has already shown great growth since the previous book), I do not know what I will do until she starts a new project. It is a very well done story and one that I will find myself revisiting over the years. Bravo! Five Stars!

I need book 3. Now.

This has become my favorite historical fiction series. Hands down. This second installment delivered way more than I expected. It was truly epic. It was very well researched and beautifully written. I love the atmosphere of this series, its perfect for this time of the year. I don't have a single bad thing to say about this book. Signe Pike outdid herself.

Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for the advance copy of this book!

This was so much fun! The atmosphere was everything I wanted it to be. I loved the plot and storyline in the book. I loved the characters in this story. It gave me all the feels I was looking for when I started reading this. I highly recommend this author. I loved the writing. I will be looking for other works in the future from this author.

I absolutely love The Forgotten Kingdom. I didn't read first book in this series, but after reading this I'm definitely going to get it. First of all can we say how amazing the cover is 😍😍. This is a a beautifully written historical fiction story of Languoreth of Caszow of Scotland , the Anglo Saxons and the historical battles that both tore them apart and bring them together at the same time. The characters are so well written , I easily became emotionally attached to them. The authors ability to pull me in and create this mental picture is amazing ! This book was captivating , I couldn’t put it down, I can’t wait for the third book.

This sequel to The Lost Queen is everything one could hope for. Signe Pike's attention to detail and decade of research paints a clear image of the world of Languoreth and late 500s Scotland. I loved the first book of the trilogy so much I was nervous that the second would be a disappointment, but this installment provided better inside into the numerous characters and allowed fresh travel throughout the lands. My only complaint is that the end felt extremely rushed. I could have happily remained within this world for another couple hundred pages and I look forward to visiting again when the third book is released.

Sincere thanks to the publisher, the author, and NetGalley for providing an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.

'The Forgotten Kingdom' is the second book in the Lost Queen trilogy by author Signe Pike. Pike's stories are being called a mix of 'Outlander' and 'The Mists of Avalon' for a new generation and that is certainly true to an extent. Pike's writing is fluid, descriptive, and atmospheric. She is easily able to transport readers to the world of sixth century Scotland and applies the historical easily inland with the fantastical. However, while both Gabaldon and Zimmer Bradley are able to draw out character development alongside a sweeping in-world generation al story, Pike struggles. The narrative feels rushed and and Pike skips over some of the more vulnerable and intriguing aspects of her character's lives in order to move the timeline forward.

The story begins where 'The Lost Queen' left off. Languoreth is imprisoned and waiting for news of the battle currently raging between her husband and her brother, Lailoken., and the remains of the Pen Dragon forces. As losses are felt on both sides, old alliances fall by the wayside, and the fate of Strathclyde hangs in the balance. Languoreth's husband emerges victorious from the battle and is crowned the new high king of Strathclyde, ushering in a new era of political allegiance by the royal family to growing Christian faith. Consequently, to survive her marriage and to keep the peace, Languoreth must keep her devotion to the Old Ways a secret. She must also mend her heart as she confronts the loss of two of her children as a result of the battle. Lailoken is banished and half-mad with post-traumatic stress from the battle. With the two siblings separated we follow their journeys through a split POV narrative.

Another new addition to the story is Languoreth's daughter, Angharad, who was studying with Lailoken to be a Wisdom Keeper before he was called away to battle and she was lost in the fray. Wandering further into the Highlands, Angharad encounters other Wisdom Keepers and continues her studies of the Old Ways under the tutelage of the northern community.

Pike delivers a sweeping story that is rich in historical details, but as I said, I feel like she is pushing the story forward too quickly as each book covers roughly 15-30ish years in the lives of her characters. The portions that she does slow down for, that reveal immense character development and empathy, are wonderfully done. Perhaps I'm just a greedy reader, but I want to savor these stories, I want more of the 'human' in this historical epic.

I enjoyed the first book in this series, The Forgotten Queen, and was looking forward to reading this one.
But this should have been two books, not one, and while reading it I lost interest halfway through. The first half of the book was engaging and well paced. The second part of the story seemed a bit rushed, and some of the more climatic moments didn’t get the attention they deserved. Also, I found it difficult to keep the various characters and lands straight.
I do, however, credit the author for her attention to historical detail and commitment to bringing to life lesser known historical figures and events.

The best part of this book is when Languoreth is speaking. The rest of the characters I do not care for. I just wanted to know if Maelgwn and her would find their way together.

Thanks to Atria Books for my free review copy. All opinions are my own. I finished my copy of The Lost Queen and immediately yearned to read the next book in the series. The Forgotten Kingdom takes place immediately where The Lost Queen leaves off, right on the brink of war. We learn about warfare, religious discord, and the trials of the time period… and there are a few love stories in there too. This epic series is perfect for fans of Outlander and The Mists of Avalon. I HIGHLY recommend it on audio. The narrator is incredible and brings the whole story to life. 5 stars.

Thanks to Atria and Netgalley for the early copy of The Forgotten Kingdom to review.

This is a world that transports the reader into the time and place, full of atmosphere and a robust storyline.
I love the location, Scotland and the Arthurian fantasy system. The characters are well written and keep you interested in the story. I've enjoyed the narration from the audiobook for parts of it. This transports the reader even more into the time and place.
My only critique is that some of the jumps in time were a bit confusing at first. Anytime a book does something that changes my pace of hearing/reading the story, I am a bit disappointed.
Overall, this is a solid second book in this series.

#The Forgotten Kingdom #NetGalley #AtriaBooks

The Forgotten Kingdom
A Novel
by Signe Pike
Atria Books
You Like Them
Historical Fiction
Pub Date 15 Sep 2020 | Archive Date 29 Sep 2020

This is the second book in the trilogy. I really enjoyed listening to the audio of the first book. I am terrible at pronouncing the names. This is a great series and I am looking forward to the next book. I will recommend this to our patrons who enjoy other books at this time frame. Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC.
Beautiful Covers!
5 star

I received this book as an eArc from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

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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.
Title: The Forgotten Kingdom
Author: Signe Pike
Genre: Historical Fiction
Page Count: 496
Rating: ★★★☆☆

Capitalize on Your Genre
Every genre has its strengths and weaknesses. A good author knows how to utilize the strengths, compensate for the weaknesses, and break the rules with the two.

Signe Pike did a great job with The Forgotten Kingdom when it comes to utilizing the genre.

Historical fiction allows a story to take place in any time period. I find that often, the stories take place during time periods or events that we don’t fully know the truth of. We usually have hints and ideas to the events in history, but the specific story fills in a potential hole that could have happened during that time.

Pike blends historical events that we know took place, and mixes them with the fantastical tales of King Arthur.

I’m not usually a fan of the Arthurian legends, but I will admit that Pike does a great job at approaching the tale. He doesn’t directly tell the story of Arthur and the Pendragons, but we get the stories of people living in their world, and we see how the Pendragon story unfold through their eyes.


Careful with Time Skips
Books often happen over long periods of time. Some books are a collection of events that happen one after the other, and those books make sense. Most books, especially longer form books, skip over days, weeks, or even months. It’s normal for a day or two to skip by, with a sentence or an assumption of events to explain what happened.

Some times months go by in a book. I don’t find this often, but a few instances come to mind in the Wheel of Time series. The problem with time jumps like this is that if there isn’t a good explanation of events over that time, the story can start getting plot holes.

I don’t think Pike’s time skips benefit the story at all. When they occur, they make sense. They come when there would be a lull in the story, so skipping years in the future would take us to the next interesting event.

BUT, the scenes that happen after the time skips wouldn’t make sense with rational people. The characters skip years in the future, but threads of their stories are left in a time before the time skip occurs.

If they were as smart as Pike claims them to be, they wouldn’t let certain events occur, or they would have acted differently after years of living with certain knowledge.


Interweaving Stories
Different perspectives in a book are often a good thing. They give us a different viewpoint on the story, and can give us tension. One character can learn of an event, while the other perspective characters have no idea of what occurred. This gives the reader the knowledge they need to know in order to build tension for the end of the story.

Pike does a good job of giving us different perspectives of characters that are on different side of events.

Though our characters may get along with each other, the people they love and fight for don’t.

This brings a sense of tension between family members because their allies aren’t going to get along with each other, so the characters we follow are the only ones that can stop a massacre from happening.

It did feel a bit too safe at times, because I was never really worried that something bad would happen to the main characters. I do however think that there was a nice bit of tension with each character because I was never sure of what would happen next for them.


Final Thoughts
The Forgotten Kingdom was a big improvement from the previous book. It focuses less on an unrealistic love story, and gives readers a better focus on the tension and drama that comes when a family is on opposite sides of a world-changing war.

There are parts of the book that I didn’t enjoy: time skips and the unwanted romance, but there were quite a few parts of the book that made it more immersive and fascinating to read.

I finished this one the other night, which is the sequel to The Lost Queen, and am still reeling. I absolutely love immersive historical fiction, and this series excels at it.

It takes place in the 6th century, in the area that would become Scotland. The series focuses on the cultural shift from from the “old world” way of gods and magic to the rise of Christianity, and the subsequent politics and battles that arose from it. It has a touch of magic (featuring the man who would eventually become known as Merlin), but at its core is an extremely detailed, researched historical interpretation of the people and events of the time.

I highly recommend this series (and it’s beautiful covers!) and cannot say good enough things about it.

Thank you NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I listened to an audio of The Lost Queen just a week before The Forgotten Kingdom was released. I have to admit, I quite enjoyed the audio and found it’s much easier to hear names and terms read to me than allowing myself the opportunity to butcher them myself.

While The Lost Queen did an excellent job setting the stage of the story & establishing many of the main storylines, The Forgotten Kingdom still seemed as though a stage was being further set. This time our storytellers have expanded to three, rather than the one we got from The Lost Queen as they each explored their own destiny. I love dual perspectives so this was right up my alley! While I struggled a little with the varying timelines of the three protagonists, I felt it wasn’t too overwhelming where it took away from the story.

The world within this story greatly expands compared to the first one. It’s interesting seeing the two faiths of Christianity and “The Old Way” and seeing a point where it grows to cause so much conflict. It’s heartbreaking to see something so wrapped into how to be a good person causes so much war and turmoil…seems a bit contradicting this religion thing. It was intriguing because I’m really able to see how it grew to have the religions there are today in that part of Europe, solely off this one example of a chunk in history.

Definitely worth reading for anyone who enjoyed Outlander or Game of Thrones!

The Forgotten Kingdom is the second in a trilogy that takes us back to right before Arthur, telling us the story of Merlin’s sister whose existence is suggested by a 13th-century poem of him in dialogue with his sister. Signe Pike did a lot of research on the literature and history of the era and of the different tribal groups sharing the British Isles and used that knowledge to take a wild leap into her imagination, crafting an incredible story of a woman the world only barely knows existed.

This story weaves together three narrative threads, Lailoken (Merlin,) his sister Languoreth, and her daughter Angharad, or as they are named. Lailoken had taken Angharad with him to Uther Pendragon’s kingdom to teach her the ways of the Wisdom Keepers as those with magic were called. Lailoken’s husband joins with Uther’s enemies to attack them even though his daughter is there and she is lost after the battle and Lailoken barely survives, retreating to an ancient hermitage for an ancient and dangerous ritual. Angharad tries to get home but instead ends up far away among the Picts, an ancient tribe of people whose history is lost to memory, giving Pike a lot of freedom to invent. There she grows up among her grandmother’s people. How they are brought back together again is the stuff of legends.



I have mixed feelings about The Forgotten Kingdom. On one hand, it was thrilling to read, bold, imaginative, and breathless in pacing. On the other hand, I read it a week ago and my sleep schedule is still out of whack from staying up to read it from beginning to end. I loved it. I want to read “The Lost Queen” which is the first and frankly, September 2023 when the third book will be published cannot come soon enough.

So, I nearly gave up on the book during the first few chapters, though I think this was a product of reading a second book without reading the first. Overall, the first book was not necessary to enjoy the second or understand the story. Pike did an excellent job of carving out space for this book to stand on its own. However, since people were introduced in the first, she didn’t spend a lot of time introducing them in the second, so at first, I was overwhelmed by the names of people and places. I think it likely that would not have happened if I had read “The Lost Queen” before The Forgotten Kingdom.

And let’s just admit those ancient names are hard. So many consonants! People who avoid books written by African, Asian, or Arabic writers because of difficult names obviously have not read books about ancient Celts and Britons. Anyway, once I just stopped resisting the names and let myself sink into the story, I didn’t come up for air until the end. It is that good.

I received an e-galley of The Forgotten Kingdom from the publisher through NetGalley

The Forgotten Kingdom at Atria Books | Simon & Schuster
Signe Pike author site

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

I had some doubts going into book two of this series. I really had enjoyed The Lost Queen but had issues with the central romance. It drove me nuts. So I didn't want to go into book two with Languoreth still pining. Every other aspect of The Lost Queen was wonderful. So I decided to continue. I'm pretty happy I did.

Pike is really great in her world-building, you feel like you are in Medieval Scotland. I love the politics that are constantly at play. This book also had multiple perspectives which was wonderful. I enjoyed Angharad's the most. Watching her journey was great. These book play like a tv show. I love seeing how the plot-lines all came together.

My gripes with the book are pretty minor. I wish she would write more. Some relationships are built on the show not tell method. I wish that she was able to spend more time developing these relationships more. And also just flush out the plot more. It feels like we rush to get to a battle only for a time jump. Personally, I'd rather read 5 books in the series and those things are accomplished but I understand that she has publishers and isn't in control of that. But even with that critique, the books are really great. I'm looking forward to book three.

Oh, my. This book picks up right where The Lost Queen Ends. Once again it is a spectacular thrill ride. Don't make any plans when you start this book. You will not be doing anything until you read the last page.

I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review. The opinions are entirely my own, and any quotes are taken from the ARC and may be different in the final published copy.

The Forgotten Kingdom by Signe Pike is the 2nd novel in The Lost Queen Trilogy. To give a fair review, I read the first book, The Lost Queen.

This novel is told by 3 points of view, unlike the 1st novel, which had two. We continue to follow Langoureth and Lailoken and are introduced to Langoureth's daughter, Angharad.

The Forgotten Kingdom opens with Languoreth still locked in her chamber, awaiting news of her husband and son who have ridden to wage war with her brother, the love of her life, and the rest of the Dragon Warriors. While you could start reading the trilogy with this part, Pike beautifully sets up the world, allies, and enemies in book one. Reading it would give a clear understanding of the actions in book two.

Rarely does it happen, but I enjoyed this sequel more than book one. Pike's writing is detailed but not overly done. She built a vibrant world that is as magical as the characters within.

Unlike book one, the story could end after book 2, but with the introduction of Arthur to Merlin, who would want it to stop? Goodreads does not list a release date for book three.

This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 9/24/20.

Following the events of The Lost Queen, Languoreth is locked in her room as her brother Lailoken is set to defend himself against her husband and son. Her brother Lailoken has been watching over her daughter Angharad, but in the ensuing battle, Angharad is lost, and Lailoken witnesses events that send him spiraling into PTSD. In the aftermath, Languoreth must face her grief, manage alliances, and protect her kingdom the best she can. Lailoken's trauma spurs a transformation that will marshal his existence into legend, and Angharad, young as she is, must survive in enemy territory. As the Druids, the Christians, and the Angles jockey for land, culture, and control, these three people, separated by violence and distance, must find a path to preserve their life and those they care about. To fail is to be forgotten.

Why aren't more people talking about this series? The writing is wonderful in each book. In The Lost Queen, we were introduced to Languoreth and her twin brother Lailoken at the tender age of ten. Their family is Druidic, and they worship the old gods, but Christianity begins crawling over the countryside, causing a shift in culture and creating rifts among the people. Languoreth dreamed of becoming a Wisdom Keeper, but was forced to become a healer because she was destined to lead her people. The Lost Queen followed Languoreth into her mid-30's when she had an established family, and her daughter Angharad had gone with her brother Lailoken to learn from him.

The Lost Kingdom is told from the viewpoints of the three primary characters, and each of them is so different and interesting. I love Angharad! She is fierce and smart, definitely her mother's daughter. Lailoken is fleshed out more, and we get to experience all of the PTSD he is feeling after so many people died in battle, after the death of somebody important to him, and his missing, possibly dead niece Angharad. He was supposed to be training his niece to be a Wisdom Keeper since she had the gift of foresight, but with her gone, how can he face Languoreth again? One of the things I most love about Languoreth is that she is fierce and unforgiving but also kind and just. I love it because women don't have to be one thing or the other in order for them to be admired, respected and to be taken seriously. I loved how even in that era, women wielded their own forms of political power, though the common perception might have been that women were "powerless."

After the battle occurs and she learns of its outcome, Languoreth's heart lingers over the many who fell defending what they believed in, and how their stories will not be remembered or retold. She starts writing everything down in the hopes of preserving a part of who they were as people, as well as their ways and beliefs. I really liked this because it alludes to the fact that history is written by the victors and it is not always kind or accurate when the losing side is depicted. I think it also plays into the title of The Lost Queen, since she was a very powerful queen, yet we hear more of Merlin than her.

This series has been incredibly well-researched by Signe Pike, and while many readers would classify it as historical fiction, I believe it hews more closely to history than to fiction. The Lost Kingdom recreates many historical events, and though literary flourishes may be inevitable, I felt like these events were represented with care and nuance. If you enjoy the history of Western Europe, or the legend of King Arthur, or love reading about strong women, run out today and buy this book! You won't be disappointed.

Sometimes the second book in a trilogy isn't as good as the first, but The Forgotten Kingdom builds upon all that was great in The Lost Queen and steers clear of the not-so-great parts, making it a really exciting and excellent addition to the series. I can now understand the first book as working to really establish the historical and personal context for the story, and it really helped create solid ground for the second book to build upon.

The Forgotten Kingdom focuses way more on plot and the religious (and political) machinations that we got a peek of in the first book. We are thrown right into a battle, and watch as its consequences unfold across a harrowing eight years. Langoureth's daughter, Angharad's, perspective is introduced, and I loved watching her grow up. It seems as if in this book all of the characters learn to grab ahold of their own power, and we finally see Langoureth take the place that we knew was destined for her all along. It was lovely to read about her taking ahold of her power as an older woman. I feel like a lot of fantasy/historical series focus on young adult protagonists, so it was nice to see Langoureth continue to create change and forge new strengths as an older woman.

I also loved reading Pike's historical note at the end of the novel. Reading about her research and the historical basis for much of this story is really astonishing and brings me lots of joy. I have never learned much about early history on the British Isles, so it is great fun to read about all the different societies that lived there. I appreciate how Pike brings these groups to life on the page as accurately as she is able, allowing us to learn pretty accurate information through a rip-roaring plot. I am especially intrigued by the Picts, who play a part in Angharad's life, and are endlessly fascinating and mysterious. I'm definitely intrigued to read more about them after reading Pike's thoughts on them in the historical note.

This was a really fun and breathtaking entry into the trilogy, and it kept me flipping pages constantly. I appreciated that there was no super weird young/old age gap romance (though maybe a hint towards a new one, but not as cringe-worthy as in Langoureth's case). I'm so excited to see where Book 3 will go, though I definitely have my suspicions.