The Lost Queen series is based on both Arthurian legend and British history. I haven’t made an intense study of the history of sixth-century Britain, so I can’t judge whether Pike’s rendition is accurate or not. Given that there is very real magic in her world, though, I’m not inclined to be picky about accuracy. At the very least, these books feel grounded in reality and contain the sort of richness I would expect of a story set in a multi-cultural area where kings and warlords vied against each other for power and resources, and new religions clashed with old. The characters are vibrant and belong to their time, and the main female character, Langoureth, chafes against the expectations her society has for women without feeling like she’s a twenty-first-century girlboss railing against the patriarchy by shouting that she’s not like other girls. Langoureth is a richly developed character, and her development from book to book feels true and makes sense, given what she goes through. The other characters are almost as well-developed, though there are points where a side character seems to only be hitting the same handful of notes every time. Still, with a cast as large as The Lost Queen’s has grown to be, it’s difficult to develop every character to their fullest extent.
I plowed through each of the first two books of this series- The Lost Queen and The Forgotten Kingdom. I was entranced by the story and enjoyed how Pike combined history with legend to create a fascinating narrative she conveyed with lyrical and atmospheric prose, but when I heard no news regarding the third book for some four years, I wondered if there would be a third book at all. Imagine my delight when The Shadowed Land appeared in my bookish circles. I asked for and was granted an advance copy, and jumped right in when I received it.

The prose, atmosphere, and politics were everything I expected- richly developed, and not falling for the notion that early medieval people in northern and western Britain must have been dirty, uneducated, and scraping a meager living from rocks. The people of Pike’s world are as complex and cultured as any you might find in continental Europe. Pike doesn’t use the tired excuse of “the mists of history” to either over-romanticize the period or make it dirty and brutal because they don’t have the printing press.

That said, I am ambivalent about the developments of The Shadowed Land. In the first two books, our main character is Langoureth, a young woman of one royal house who marries into another royal house to shore up political alliances as the growing Saxon incursions threaten to destabilize all of Britain. Langoureth is a passionate and intelligent woman who agrees to this marriage, even though it destroys her dreams of studying magic and healing, the way her twin brother Lailoken does. Still, Langoureth finds ways to defend her faith and her people as she bears and raises children of her own.

But in The Shadowed Land, Langoureth becomes a secondary character in her own story. And sure, the story is growing to become a multigenerational saga, but as Langoureth was the anchor to the first two books in the series, it is a shame that she feels so sidelined in this installment. She is but one of five viewpoint characters now, and instead of affecting the course of events, it often seems as though she is there to establish where certain characters are so they don’t come out of nowhere later in the story. She has lost that fire she had in the first installments- to the detriment of the story as a whole.

There is a chance for Langoureth’s redemption, however. Though it’s not listed on the publisher’s or author’s website, a post on Pike’s Instagram feed states that The Shadowed Land will have a follow-up due out in autumn 2027. So I’ll have plenty of time to reread the series and see how The Shadowed Land lands for me upon reread.

For now, my feelings about The Shadowed Land are mixed. I enjoyed my time in this version of historical Britain and I want to see how the characters’ stories turned out, but I was also underwhelmed by two of the viewpoint characters’ narratives and spent a lot of my time with them wondering why they were there in the first place. But I’m invested enough that I want to see if Langoureth gets her fire back, and what that prophecy meant for Artur. It’s a long wait until autumn 2027, but I’m looking forward to finding out what happens next.

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Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for a free ebook in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion.

I was fortunate to get ARCs of the first two books in this series, which introduced me to the writing of Signe Pike and the historical basis for the Arthurian legends. The first book hooked me so quickly, and I couldn’t get through it fast enough. I did a quick audiobook reread of the first two books, and combined this ebook with audiobook reading. Throughout the entire reading of this book, I was under the impression that this was the final book in a trilogy. Upon finishing, I raced to the author’s website to see if there would be another book, since there was a cliffhanger ending, and luckily, this trilogy is not over, but there’s another book in store.

To start with, the amount of historical detail that the author has researched and put into these books is staggering. Even more so when thinking about these events occurring in the 6th century, when source material was biased and often incomplete. The reasons for this vary, but it was really fascinating to see how Pike was able to build such a realistic and believable world that encompasses all the senses.

Perspectives keep shifting to include more POV characters as the scope of the series expands. In this book, we get a lot more of Angharad’s chapters, and even some from Gladys as well as Artúr. When I started the series, Languoreth was a teenager, but in this book we see her as a grandmother. She’s undergone so much growth through all the joys and struggles of her life, and I’ve been following her story for all that time, so it was wonderful to see her acknowledge the changes in her thoughts and behaviors from what they would have been as a younger woman.

Lailoken also narrates, and his storyline focuses on his long-running hostilities with Mungo. As Lailoken takes on a role as advisor to Languoreth’s husband, it puts him in direct contact with Mungo, who has also been appointed advisor. While Lailoken is well-aware of Mungo’s underhanded and cruel tactics, King Rhydderch isn’t as willing to believe the worst of a man of god, and it leads to a lot of conflict in the story.

Angharad was the real star of the novel. She’s been following her own path for many years by the time this book starts, and we get to see her first homecoming since she was first separated from Lailoken as a child. In that time, she’s grown to be a wisdom keeper, as the author calls Druids, and has continued to chart her own course among the Pictish people. There is so much conflict in the story between characters, with varying levels of intensity: Gladys is constantly challenged by her overbearing mother-in-law; Languoreth has issues with basically everyone in her life aside from Lailoken, as the weight of her longest-held secret grows ever heavier; the simmering tension coming from Mungo heats up to a boil and threatens all those who keep the old ways.

Despite the number of narrating characters, I never found myself getting lost or confused. Each character has their own distinct voice, making it easy to recall who was speaking even if I had to pause reading in the middle of the chapter. It was each of these characters that I was able to connect to, making their experiences feel more universalized and rescuing these characters from the lost abyss of history.

I can’t say enough positive things about this book and the series, overall. I only just discovered that there will be another book in the works, and that the series is in development for TV, and I’m thrilled about both. One of the most fascinating things about this series, and this book in particular, is seeing echoes of the Arthurian legend in it, and understanding how those characters are connected to these historical figures. This book would work best for people who are intrigued by the history of the British Isles, Arthurian stories, historical fiction, and a world where magic feels real.

This book was absolute perfection.
the history is beautifully done as always.
The characters get a lovely foundation for the next book which will be a finale I know I'll love.
The romance is small but also powerful and vital to the story.

What if the reason that there’s no historical evidence of Arthurian legends is because they weren’t from where we think they were from? What if they originated in Scotland and the people migrated south to England, carrying their tales but in the process losing the historical trail? There is evidence that these legends are based on real people. This author has written AMAZING historical fiction novels exploring what their lives would have been like. The Shadowed Land is the third book of The Lost Queen Series.

The books follow the lives of Langoreth and Lailoken, who are descendants of minor royalty in ancient Scotland. Langoreth eventually becomes a powerful queen, and Lailoken is Merlin. In this installment we are additionally following Langoreth’s children as they come of age and begin to wield their own power. There’s adventure, magic, romance, political intrigue, and a fascinating look into history.

I have always been interested in Arthurian legend. I loved The Sword and the Stone as a kid. I have also enjoyed the more recent movies First Knight, The Last Legion, and King Arthur. These books are a fantastic extension of the existing lore.

These books would make good gifts this holiday season for anyone looking for an escape!

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Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this book!!

What a good book!! This one had me hooked from page one! I could t put it down. I loved the writing style of this book. I lived the characters and they had great chemistry.

Such an epic series. So beautifully and perfectly written. I love this setting and these characters and I can’t wait for the next instalment!

The Shadowed Land provides irresistible insight into the brutal reality of war, religion, politics, duty, honor, womanhood, and survival in sixth-century Scotland. A masterclass in historical fiction, Pike’s third novel manages to balance rich worldbuilding with thorough character development, complex political intrigue, moving relational conflict, and nuanced discussion of critical themes like grief, morality, misogyny, and motherhood. Pike is a brilliant new voice in the realm of Arthurian narratives, and her Lost Queen series is sure to go down as an unforgettable interpretation of a time-honored epic.

Thank you, Atria Books, for the copy of this book!
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Read if you like: mythology retellings, Arthurian Legend, strong female characters
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The long-awaited third book in the Lost Queen series is finally here and I loved it so much. The book continues after the second left off with the aftermath of the Battle of the Caledonian Wood. We follow our beloved cast of characters as they battle against enemies and try to maintain a balance of power between many warring groups in Britain. This was such a fun take on the Arthurian Legend and I love the author's attention to detail on the history of the Briton, Scots, and Picts. I highly recommend this series if you haven't started it yet!

Thank you NetGalley for a prerelease of The Shadowed Land.

Languoreth’s story continues as fate twists its magical course. The third book in the trilogy delivers. I highly recommend the whole series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Pub Date: December 3, 2024

4 stars
Well I thought this was going to wrap up the series but I guess there is at least a book 4 coming out next year! This was a great continuation of the series. A lot of character growth and overall development. I'm excited for the next book!

I have read many King Arthur re-tellings and I'm always surprised by how different each story is told. Although I didn't enjoy that the Christians were the villians in this series, it is so well researched and the story takes you away to the time period.

I have been obsessed with this world since I first picked up The Lost Queen a few years ago. This conclusion was so bittersweet to me, because I'm not sure I was ready to leave this world and characters.

Signe Pike writes some of the best multi-faceted characters with intense motivations. Languoreth's development from the first book to now is staggering. I feel like in the first two books in the series, I was primarily rooting for Languoreth, but this book opened me up to other characters and introduced me to their inner struggles.

I would recommend this series to anyone who really loves Arthurian legends and historical fiction. I happen to love both, so this was a god-tier series for me!

The third book in The Lost Queen series (no longer a trilogy, woohoo!) was impatiently awaited by me for over a year. I was so happy to get back into this series and world that captivated me so much. The characteristic that sets this third book apart from the first two is what I believe to be its biggest weakness: points-of-view from four different characters. The first book was just Languoreth, the second was Languoreth and Lailoken, and this one added Artúr and Angharad. It was interesting to be able to switch points-of-view so that the reader had the best front-row view to whatever was going on in the book, but it also took away from us being able to dig deep into the characters and really understand what they were feeling and experiencing, as I feel we were able to do for the first two books. BUT, the stories of these people are based as close as possible to what could have really happened and I can see how that could limit a writer who wants to do justice to their stories. I guess the only remedy for this would have been to make it longer?
A few small grumbles from me: the sword in the stone scene felt like an underwhelming few sentences and I would have loved to see this a little larger. And we didn’t hear about the men who follow the old ways as having multiple wives until the end of the third book. I feel like this should have been at least mentioned in the earlier books, and find it odd that none of the men we’ve encountered thus far have had more than one at a time (that have been mentioned anyway).
Overall though, this is an excellent continuation in the series and I hope going forward we can have closer links to the characters.

A highly anticipated release this year, this book lived up to my expectations! Langoureth and Lailoken deserved a happy ending after everything they’d been through. To see their spouses and children imagined in this way, capped off by an appearance of Artur (the famed King Arthur) pulling the sword from the stone, no less?! It’s been a gorgeous trilogy and ended with *almost* everything I wanted (rip to Langoureth’s other love 😭) for the conclusion of their stories.

✨BOOK REVIEW✨
The Shadowed Land by Signe Pike
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🔹SYNOPSIS 🔹
We return once again to ancient Scotland, where Languoreth has survived the Battle of the Caledonian Wood and is reunited with Angharad and Lailoken. But the happy reunion is short lived, as each travels to face their own destiny. With new POVs and a deeper dive into the world of Artur mac Aedan, Signe Pike reshapes her readers’ view of Arthurian Legend, piece by well-researched piece.

🔹MY TAKE 🔹
Signe Pike is back again with her exquisite prose. I highlighted quote after gorgeous quote as I read this third installment. This book (this whole series, really) speaks directly to a mother’s heart with all the mess and pain and powerful love contained within. With new POVs from Artur and Gladys, the world is expanding and we seem to be focusing more on the new generation of leaders (Angharad, Artur, Gladys). While I loved their stories, I really wanted more time with our OGs, Languoreth and Maelgwn. I’M STILL ROOTING FOR THEM WITH MY WHOLE HEART. I did feel that we got a bit mired down in the historical facts surrounding Artur mac Aedan’s life, and it lost a bit of the typical flow I’ve come to expect from Pike’s writing. I do think that much of this is because she is setting us up for book 4 and I still very much enjoyed the story. The introduction of Glady’s POV makes me think she is going to play some pivotal role in book 4. I cannot wait to read the last installment and I will continue to recommend this series to everyone!!

Since 2020 I have been patiently waiting for the third book in this saga of Queen Languoreth and her brother Lailoken. Signe Pike has beautifully written this story taken from the legend of Arthur and Merlin. Although fictional, with little historical account available it is masterful in its retelling of the Druids, Scots, Angles and Picts and the onset of Christianity. I heartily recommend these stories for anyone who enjoys this history. My understanding is there will now be a fourth book. Thankful to Netgalley and Atria publishing for this read.

The Shadowed Land by Signe Pike is a fast-paced and enjoyable read. It is a page-turner, constantly keeping you on your toes.
I loved this book! I was glued to the pages the entire time.
This is the best romantasy series I have ever read.
I felt attached to the characters and as though I was actually there, experiencing these events with them.
The characters were captivating, their adventures gripping, and I learned so much!
The writing is atmospheric and you feel like you are living inside this story with the characters.

I wanted to love this book but found it okay like the previous ones. It may have helped to have a previously on as I did not remember much from the previous books and found it hard to track what was going on with each of the characters. There is a lot of history woven into the story. Languoreth's story was still me favorite. The series is best read as a binge.

The Shadowed Land by Signe Pike is the third booking her groundbreaking series exploring the fascinating historical figures of sixth century Scotland including Queen Langoureth and her brother Lailoken, the man who becomes known as Merlin. This third release in the series finds them once again in conflict with a not-so-saintly Mungo who is vicious in his determination to eradicate the old ways. This book also brings the characters of Angharad and Artur to center stage. I enjoyed reading about Angharad's journey to the northern stronghold of the Pictish King Bridei to advance in her learning under the tutelage of the fierce Wisdom Keeper Briochan- if he will accept her. Meanwhile Artur is growing into a position of leadership and has become Bridei's enemy. Where will Angharad stand if the two come to battle? There is exciting new scholarship concerning the probability of Scotland's claims to Arthur and Merlin, not to mention other people of note, and these novels are a feat of historical fiction. Thank you to Net galley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this arc.

Set in 6th century Scotland, we see battles brewing between kingdoms as the old ways (druid teachings) that Queen Languoreth, her brother Lailoken (Merlin) and her daughter Angharad follow struggle against the new Christians rapidly gaining followers. Queen Languoreth’s own husband is a Christian and together they rule Strathclyde in a delicate balance. Angharad leaves her mother to become an initiate of Bricohan in the land of the Picts, something Languoreth wanted to do herself as a young girl. And Artur (King Arthur) is introduced in this book, showing the reader his rise to power and the traits we have come to know from his legend—fairness, humor and humility. Each character’s journey is compelling, but Angharad’s had me hooked from the start.

To understand this novel, you really need to read the first two in the series as there is so much depth to each character’s story. Signe Pike’s prose is eloquent and captivating, and it is evident the research put into her books. I will say I enjoyed the audiobook versions better, as I didn’t get tripped up in pronunciations, but a more patient reader will still very much enjoy the printed version. Pike even gives a character list and pronunciations at the beginning to help. The Lost Queen series will stick with the reader long after the last page, and I’m not the only one who thinks that as the series has been optioned for television.

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and author Signe Pike for the advanced copy of the book. The Shadowed Land is out on December 3rd! All opinions are my own.