This was brilliantly written book. Almost lyrical. The author writes with such beauty and poise and I felt I was there with her in every description she made.
I love anything Arthurian so pounced on the opportunity to read about Anna whom I'd never knew played a part in some variations of the myth. I did have an inkling of who she would come but didn't know if it would be done in the age old boring way of good becomes evil but actually, no. This was done in a creative magical way and is a total credit to the author.

Unfortunately I am unable to give feedback as this was a DNF for me. The premise was there but if I'm not captured within the first few chapters I won't continue.

When Anna Pendragon was born, Merlin prophesied: Through all the ages, and in the hearts of men, you will be forgotten.

I love a good Arthurian retelling and this was really well done. I look forward to more books in the series.

This book was unforgivably boring for such a cool concept. I felt like all of the things I would find interesting were glossed over and then you got a “so now it’s five years later” instead. Nothing was described in depth, nothing was immersive. I wish I’d just dnf’d it.

I’m not big into Arthurian retellings but this one kept my attention throughout! I really enjoyed it and honestly it was quite a unique take on the story. The writing flowed very well and you could tell the author took time putting the story together. It’s one of those novels that you just have to experience for yourself. I heard there is a second book coming out? If so, I will be reading it! Thank you to the although, the publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

starting off the new year strong with a huge disappointment. My major complaint wasn't with the plot or the characters, its with the god awful names each and every character had. I understand the author had no hand in it as the names are already pre-decided from the legends of king Arthur but damn it they were a mouthful.
None of the characters were likable. I didn't hate them per se but I wasn't rooting for anyone either except maybe the women of the court because of how they were treated as pawns at the hands of the "men". but the bottom line is all of them were unlikable, the only character that was bit less unlikable than the others was killed off early.
tbh the plot was all over the place and nothing was really going on like it was unnecessarily too long and too detailed for its own good. somewhere in the middle the story seemed to be picking up then it went flat again and continued like that up until the end. all I can remember is feeling disgusted 90% of the times and that's about it. I guess incest of any kind and age gaps of 40+ years is just not my cup of tea. I was really hoping to like it since its the first book of this year but we don't always get what we wish for.

This was such a wonderful and enjoyable read!!!! I loved this book and highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys this genre. Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Solaris for this arc which will be available wide on 5/21/24!!!


This is a female led Arthurian retelling that really sat heavy on my soul. I related so much to Anna’s plight. She’s not a blushing young woman but a mom and a wife struggling to please the King her brother with her insufferable political marriage. Then there’s the words of Merlin that were like a death knell. This was a truly feminist book but it was empowering and special. I dig it alot

3,75/4⭐️

“Anna Briallen Carys Pendragon. Through all the ages, and in the hearts of men, you will be forgotten.”
My prophecy. My burden. My curse.

First of all, thank you NetGalley and Rebellion Publishing for the ARC

“Queen of None” by Natania Barron is the first book of a female-led Arthurian Fantasy Romance trilogy.

I adored Anna as a protagonist and I loved how the author portrayed her emotions.
I also liked the vast cast of characters, even though I would have liked to know more about some of them.

Overall, I suggest this book to any Arthurian Legend fan and to anyone who loves reading a feminist retelling of a classic tale.

Captivating writing that made me fall in love with the Pendragons all over again!

If you're like me and grew up with the show "The Adventures of Merlin" and started having a slight obsession with not only the actors (if you know you know) and the stories behind it, you would most likely have an obsession with anything to do with the Pendragons, but instead of reading—yet again—about a man going on a journey to find Excalibur along with his wizardry friend, we get the perspective of a strong mother and sister to Arthur.
I adored Anna's story and could not stop thinking about the book when I put it down to adult. It did, however, throw me off guard that Merlin was not such a good guy in this story, but I confess I do not know the true Arthurian history.
The book also has amazing twists and turns I did not see coming and I enjoyed the sprinkle of magic and the secrets.

I look forward to seeing what the second book has in store.

* Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC for my honest review*

This was brilliantly written book. Almost lyrical. The author writes with such beauty and poise and I felt I was there with her in every description she made.
I love anything Arthurian so pounced on the opportunity to read about Anna whom I'd never knew played a part in some variations of the myth. I did have an inkling of who she would come but didn't know if it would be done in the age old boring way of good becomes evil but actually, no. This was done in a creative magical way and is a total credit to the author. The relationships in the book are confusing at time due to Anna's standoffish nature and there were times I couldn't relate to her and her thoughts of motherhood. But it's set in a different times to our so I understand it from that aspect. Anna is so strong and marks her place in this story despite Merlins prophecy that she was to be forgotten by all. It was refreshing to read an arthurian legend from the eyes of a female, not the men who led and enforced that world. I'm exciting to see where the next books go.

I really love the myth of Arthur and that's why this book was so interesting for me.
I had no expectations and I was really pleased with this story.
Anna is an interesting protagonist and the story fast-paced and well written.

I am pretty disappointed with this one. When I read the synopsis I thought it was right up my alley, as I love Arthurian legends and Merlin is one of my favorite TV shows. However, the characters were all so incredibly dull, there were so many plot jumps and inconsistencies, and I was bored like over half of the time. I know I should have DNF’d it, but I was really hoping the second half of the book would have picked up. The timeline would jump around and it would take me awhile to figure out how many days or years had passed. Characters would just start randomly being awful people and some of the relationships within the story gave me whiplash. I thought the magic system was a cool idea, but the rules of it also changed randomly throughout and it ended up making less and less sense as the time went on. This was a super disappointing read…. I definitely cannot recommend this one. Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me access to an ARC of this book!
Queen of None by Natania Barron is a story deeply entrenched in Arthurian lore. Told from the perspective of Anna Pendragon, the story navigates her return to court after the death of her husband. Anna is a complex protagonist who’s choices can change the very future of Carelon. If you’re a fan of classic high fantasy writing styles and powerful women this is a good read for you!

Queen of none is a good story looking at King Arthur and Merlin in a new light. It is a fictional story about his true sister and what she becomes. There are many twists and turns and I enjoyed reading this book.

I am giving the book 3 stars as although I enjoyed the story I did feel as through the story could have had more depth. I would have liked to have gotten to know the other characters within as well.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an e-ARC!

The Arthurian retelling really hooked its claws into me because I <b><i>LOVE</b></i> retellings. I found it a bit hard to get into at first as I got accustomed to Barron's writing style. But I enjoyed it for what it is, and I really loved it being from a perspective you normally wouldn't get from anything Arthurian. You expect to get the Merlin tales, the Morgan tales, etc. And not that it's a bad thing to have those, but getting a change in expectation for a retelling is always a good thing.

Thank you Solaris and Natania Barron for the chance to pick up this ARC copy of the Queen of None. My review will be a short one, I couldn’t connect with book, although the beautiful cover and teaser promising me a feisty mature heroine taking on the male dominated fantastical realm of Arthurian legend. Nothing book delivered on the premise for me, made the characters relatable or likeable or endeared the flat scope of the writing to me. I felt this book took a step off the weirder side of weird to give me a less gritty, violent Game of Thrones set in Carelon.

This was a fascinating story! I always love getting to know more about the lesser known side characters in well-known legends, myths and stories. Anna was a likable and compelling main character, and through her we got to discover the various trials and tribulations of being a woman, especially in those times, while dealing with men who saw her as nothing but a pawn, not a person to be respected or feared.

While the story was on the slower side, it didn’t feel as though there was unnecessary detail or that it was dragging at all. The magical elements were well done and fascinating, and I enjoyed the political aspects as well. The side characters in the story were also a major strength, with rich backgrounds and personalities.

Overall, I enjoyed this book quite a bit! 4.5/5 stars rounded up. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

<b><I>Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review! </b></I>

A retelling of the legendary King Arthur, through the eyes of his forgotten sister Anna Pendragon. Princess Anna was married off at the ripe old age of 12, she had her childhood ripped away from her as well as the love of her life. She was used as a brood mare for a much older and cold King until his death twenty years later

<I>“As Queen of Orkney, upon my husband’s death, I was granted the most significant choice of my life:  I could pass Lot’s crown to my sons, or to my brother.”</I>

She takes great pleasure in returning the crown to her brother Arthur, as a form of spite to her husband, because Annas main character trait is she is spiteful. I don’t blame her though. She’s 32 and wasted her life away in the dark, alone and unloved because of the men controlling her life.

<I>”Thankfully, nothing lasts forever. Especially marriages to dotard men.”</I>

<img src="https://media3.giphy.com/media/eLvhchyvNNOuLbOtYP/giphy.gif"/>


The interesting take on this retelling is that Merlin is a mean, vile and kinda feeble, villain. He controls the whole of Carelon, with King Arthur as his puppet.

<I>”Are you in the habit of knowing women who have a choice in these matters? Merlin sees all, orchestrates all, in Carelon.”</I>

After witnessing (and being the victim of) too much pain at Merlins hands, she decides that she has had enough.

<I> “I needed to get close to the old conjuror to judge him and my disguise would have to be foolproof. I understood, then, my calling: to measure Merlin’s sins against his triumphs and hold him accountable. For myself, my mother, and all the women bruised and broken in his wake.” </I>

But like I said, she’s spiteful, so she’s willing to sacrifice it all for the task of ‘judging and executing’ him. With the guidance of the lady of the lake (another of Merlins victims), she conjures a plan of revenge.

<I> “You must be prepared to sacrifice everything for it. Not just yourself, but your marriage, your relationship to your sons, your mind and body. And for that, you must contemplate a great deal. You have the implement in your hands, in your very soul, dearest child, but it will be by sweat, blood, and tears that this comes to be.”

<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/gweb-uniblog-publish-prod/original_images/beast.gif"/>


What I found I particularly connected with was her relationship with motherhood. The good and bad parts of what she felt were conveyed with such brutal honesty and realness.

<I>”I wanted to reach out and smooth them from his brow, kiss his temple as I once did. I used to kiss him in his sleep, and he would smile, then begin to suckle, as if he knew I were near. My heart ached for a moment as I mourned the babe now lost to the man.”</I>

This book was so much more than I expected. It is most definitely not a retelling on the classic Arthurian legend, but its own story in its own right. The story stretches almost an entire lifetime, with many time jumps. I did find it a little confusing towards the end, and had to slow down to really absorb what was happening.

<b>Also </b>the completly nonchalant belittling of ‘Excalibur’ had me howling!
<I>“Come. Let me find him a sword you can take, and we can pretend it is suffused with magic,” she said, taking me by the hand, smiling again. “You can even give it a silly name. Call it what you will.”</I>

Notable Quotes:

<I>”I said many stupid things at that age, and I am not entirely sure the habit has left me years later.”

“It is a dreadful thing to marry an older man, but there is a power in knowing he will meet Death first and set you free. Marrying a younger man is like staring at your own pyre.”

“It may have been a prison, but it was a lovely one. Then again, so was my own.”

“Gweyn. Mercurial, curious Gweyn. I had her to thank for this. As usual, it was the women of the castle who moved the knights, our pawns, in the grand game, when they were not paying attention.”

“His eyes were hungry for her, and he watched her, unrelenting. She knew this game. He could be both an old, ailing man, and a predator. He could be a good man, and a calculating man.”

A wonderful retelling that brings a long-forgotten character from Arthurian lore into the forefront. I especially enjoyed how the characters’ age and identity as a mother really played into her motivations, as well as how her decisions were a mixture of good and bad but always believable. Add this to a richly realised fantasy world and it was a great read!