THE NYC WEREWOLF IN CAMELOT AND THE HOLY GRAIL TALES

Murray and Fahrie offer the sixth short urban fantasy time-travel novel in their ongoing series about a quest for the ultimate treasure: the Holy Grail.

Lucy and James are Manhattanites who’ve time-traveled from modern times to the age of King Arthur, and James can transform into a wolf whenever he desires. At the beginning of this latest round of supernatural adventures, King Arthur is throwing a masquerade ball that’s rudely interrupted by some vampires. Although the fanged creatures are quickly defeated, Merlin warns Lucy and James that there’s more trouble soon to come. As he phrases it, “Something evil and terrible is about to descend on Camelot,” and that evil, as it turns out, is a coming plague. The only solution is for Lucy and James to retrieve the Holy Grail, which “has the power to heal any illness and make the world whole again.” This journey will not be easy, but the two will not set out on it alone: They will have at their disposal three intelligent dogs, as well as a donkey. The largest canine, Argo, is no stranger to “difficult battles,” while the smallest, Capo, is less experienced, but “very sweet and has the heart of a lion.” On their way, the team meets friendly elves and a suicidal knight named Tristan who has something of a relationship problem. Lucy and James also receive assistance from their old friend Lancelot. Soon enough, the band are battling vampires and witches. As it turns out, the enemy has plans to spread the plague by sending bats into Camelot. Can Lucy, James, and their friends stop them in time?    

This fanciful tale moves very fast: No sooner has King Arthur’s party started than vampires are trying to ruin it. The villains seem to be able to pop up whenever they want, and such surprise attacks keep the action moving. It helps, too, that the danger is not merely limited to vampires and witches; other malicious creatures enter the picture later. Yet, despite the variety of foes, the bad guys always prove to be incompetent, which may disappoint some readers. It doesn’t take much effort for King Arthur’s knights to save his masquerade ball, for instance, nor are many of the later attempts to defeat the heroes even remotely successful. When an evil witch named Davida offers Lancelot the opportunity to join her clearly lost cause and become King of Camelot, his decision is too easy to be compelling; after all, why should he betray his friends for a bunch of inept villains? Characters also sometimes say obvious things, as when one gushes to Lucy and James, “It warms my heart that there are such caring people like the two of you left in this world.” Still, such comments add to the adventure’s overall playful spirit, which is maintained throughout the work’s short length. Although the heroes’ success is rarely in doubt, readers will appreciate the twists and turns along the way. Fortunately, the story never takes itself too seriously, allowing for a remarkably fun journey.

An enjoyably lighthearted installment of a genre-blending series.