Prince's Pen — Horatio Clare

Drawing from two medieval Welsh manuscripts with roots dating back many centuries earlier, this series of 11 stories sheds light on Celtic mythology and Arthurian romance while providing a new perspective on Great Britain itself. From enchantment and shapeshifting to the age-old dichotomies of conflict versus peacemaking and love versus betrayal, all of these tales are uniquely reinvented, creating fresh, contemporary narratives that portray the real world as much as they depict the past. The Welsh myth of brothers Lludd and Llefelys transforms into that of Ludo and Levello in this modern retelling, in which Wales and Pakistan are the only countries left in the free world. England is now a defeated archipelago, but somewhere in the higher ground to the far west, insurrection is brewing. Ludo and Levello are the self-styled kings of Wales, and they are taking prisoners, but can they free the British Isles without the help of Islamic princess Uzma and the power of Pakistan? Set in a land that is at once contemporary and mystical, this narrative offers a lyrical look at love, grief, and familial relationships.