The
Book Knights
By
J.G.
McKenney
From the award winning author of EON'S DOOR
comes an Arthurian tale like no other.
When her parents are condemned to death by Morgan Fay for the crime of reading, Arti Penderhagen becomes a fugitive. Hunted by Mordred, the sadistic police captain who recites poetry to enhance his physical strength, Arti escapes to the Isle of Avalon, a sanctuary for outlaws. There she meets an old librarian named Merl who tells her about the Grail Tome, an ancient book in Morgan Fay's possession that can alter the course of history. Can Arti steal the book in time to save her family?
THE BOOK KNIGHTS is a fantasy adventure in which knights wield words as weapons, librarians are wizards, and books can change the future.
When her parents are condemned to death by Morgan Fay for the crime of reading, Arti Penderhagen becomes a fugitive. Hunted by Mordred, the sadistic police captain who recites poetry to enhance his physical strength, Arti escapes to the Isle of Avalon, a sanctuary for outlaws. There she meets an old librarian named Merl who tells her about the Grail Tome, an ancient book in Morgan Fay's possession that can alter the course of history. Can Arti steal the book in time to save her family?
THE BOOK KNIGHTS is a fantasy adventure in which knights wield words as weapons, librarians are wizards, and books can change the future.
Book Excerpt
The fire crept across
the floor, devouring paper and carpet, gaining momentum as it spread. A thick,
black smoke filled the room, rolling over itself like a storm cloud, ravenous flames
growling hungrily as they climbed. A moment later, there was another sound: a deep,
drum-like thudding, barely audible above the burning tempest. A lower section
of the shelf separated from the wall, and a row of hard covers slapped the
floor. More books cascaded to the carpet, and a groping hand emerged.
The girl coughed violently,
retching as she labored to breath amid the thickening blanket of smoke. She
squeezed out from behind the book case, reaching back to pull a duffel bag from
the cavity, pushing aside the dish, cup, and utensils her father had cast into
the void in the rush to hide her. The bag held provisions, preparations made
for a day they prayed would never come.
Making sure her vidlink
was in her pocket, she lifted the hood of her sweatshirt and with eyes clenched
shut, crawled across the floor, dragging the duffel bag. Scalding heat seared her
throat as she gasped for air, her face and hands feeling like they were on
fire. Gulping a mouthful of acrid smoke, an intense wave of nausea washed over
the girl, and she fell against the wall of books. She was helpless now, certain
she was going to die.
As the firestorm raged,
her mind floated away from the horror. She was a young child again, sitting on
her father’s lap, following his finger as it traced words on the page. She giggled
and squirmed with excitement as the story unfolded, peeking ahead, eager to
find out how the tale would end. Her mother leaned toward her from the adjacent
chair, her smiling face awash in the light of the reading lamp. This is our
secret, Arti. You can’t tell anyone. She could hear herself answer, I
promise.
When the story was done,
she reached across with her tiny hand and closed the book’s cover. She smiled
up at her parents expectantly, waiting to say the ritual words together. And
they lived happily ever after.
From somewhere in the cloud of her delirium,
Arti Penderhagen heard the books on the shelves call to her, drawing her back
to the present. Words echoed from their pages, guiding her hand along their
bindings, showing her the way out.
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About the author
J.G. (John)
McKenney is a Canadian writer and teacher. For his first novel, EON’S DOOR, he received
the 2012 Reader Views Reviewers Choice Award, and was also a finalist for the
Eric Hoffer Award. John's fascination with fantasy and adventure began at a
young age when he discovered works like THE HOBBIT and THE CALL OF THE WILD.
That early love of reading has matured into a need to tell stories that
transport readers into worlds full of wonder and enchantment.
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