A Rise of the Cursed

The Sword of Avalon (The Rise of the Last, Book 1)

By: S.M. Clarke

Narrated by: Sasha Jones

Albion Bell has spent his life haunted by the fire that destroyed his childhood home and stole his father from him. Raised between foster homes and shadows, he believes the past is buried, until a violent rift tears open between worlds and drags him into a shattered Avalon, where myths bleed and history is a living weapon. In Avalon, Albion discovers he is the last scion of the Pendragon line, a bloodline long thought extinguished after centuries of betrayal, war, and sorrow.

Bound by ancient magic to the legendary Excalibur, Albion struggles against the crushing expectations of a broken world desperate for salvation. Torn between loyalty to friends and distrust of the powerful figures who claim to guide him, Albion must navigate a kingdom plagued by civil war, corrupted magic, and conspiracies older than the myths themselves. His reluctant allies include Winston, a stoic mentor scarred by his own losses; Adele, the enigmatic heir to a fractured Camelot; and Becca, a trusted companion hides dangerous secrets.

As Albion searches for his missing mother and discovers a sigil linked his family legacy—he is stalked by the manipulations of the Celeste Empire and the demonic forces unleashed by Avalon’s collapse. In a desperate confrontation, Albion after accepting his Pendragon birthright, faces the harrowing choice between becoming the hero Avalon demands or forging a new path that could doom both worlds. As the lines between past and present, love and betrayal blur, he must decide whether legacy is a chain to bear, or a sword to break. In a land where memory itself can be weaponized, Albion’s greatest battle will not be against the monsters without, but the ghosts within.

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A Honest Review

S.M. Clarke’s debut fantasy novel, A Rise of the Cursed and the Sword of Avalon, is a rare entry in the genre. It's one that leans into emotional intensity and thematic weight with lyrical confidence. This is not a paint-by-numbers adventure tale or a lighthearted romp through swords and sorcery. Instead, it’s a cinematic, mythically infused, emotionally raw epic that doesn’t just tell a story, it contemplates the cost of becoming who you are when legacy, grief, and history won’t let you choose easily.

Familiar yet disinctly different and fresh vision

"Oh, another Arthurian story? I bet it's the same as the other four I already read.", you might think. But you'd be wrong. This tale, set in a modern-day landscape with a disinterested protagonist stands alone in it's connection to the lost land of Avalon, it's depiction of the sword Excalibur, and the bindings of magic that pull at the fabric of space and time. Speaking of fabric, S. M. Clarke weaves elaborate patterns of descriptive prose throughout the story, providing extraordinary depth and richness to the characters and environments. Sasha Jones' narration is articulate, steady, and nuanced: capturing each interaction and encounter with crisp cadence and excitement (or dread) as appropriate. The opening credits threw me off with the quick change of 3 voices, but it was a singular occurrence. As someone who can often predict where a story will lead, I was pleasantly surprised more than a few times with the directions this one went. Bravo for catching me off guard. It was a fantastic listen. [Disclosure: I received this title for free and listened at 1.85x.]

An interesting Read

I enjoyed this book, it has an interested take on the Arthurian Storyline. As another reviewer mentioned it has some time skips that are hard to follow. Overall I enjoyed the book and will look for the next one in the series.

Action and adventure

A Rise of the Cursed by S.M. Clarke is an amazing adventure fantasy. Sasha Jones did an incredible job with the narration. The story is entertaining, interesting, adventurous, action packed, engaging, and more. I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Time skips?

I'm not sure if it's just because this is an audiobook, but I had a hard time keeping track of time in this story. For what I understood, it's well written, and the characters aren't bland, but I think I'd need to actually read the book too enjoy it.