Once & Future

By: Cory McCarthy, A. R. Capetta

Narrated by: Lauren Fortgang

King Arthur as you've never seen her! This bold, sizzling YA novel reimagines the Once and Future King as a teenage girl determined to save the universe from an evil curse.My name is Ari Helix. I have a magic sword, a cranky wizard, and a revolution to start.I've been chased my whole life. As a fugitive refugee in the territory controlled by the tyrannical Mercer corporation, I've always had to hide who I am. Until I found Excalibur. Now I'm done hiding.
When Ari crash-lands on Old Earth and pulls a magic sword from its ancient resting place, she is revealed to be the newest reincarnation of King Arthur. Then she meets Merlin, who has aged backward over the centuries into a teenager, and together they must break the curse that keeps Arthur coming back. Their quest? Defeat the cruel, oppressive government and bring peace and equality to all humankind. No pressure.
"All hail this worthier-than-ever, fresh, and affirming reincarnation of the legendary king and her round table of knights which dazzles with heroic flair, humor, and suspense." -- Kirkus, Starred Review

Critic reviews

Praise for Once & Future:

* "All hail this worthier-than-ever, fresh, and affirming reincarnation of the legendary king and her round table of knights which dazzles with heroic flair, humor, and suspense."—Kirkus, STARRED REVIEW

* "A marvelous mythology remix for teens who enjoy action-packed speculative fiction and genderqueer romance."—Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW

*"This epic space adventure... is a must-have."—School Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW

"Fun and fearless, this story romps right across the galaxy and into your heart."—Amie Kaufman, New York Times bestselling author of Illuminae

"The inclusive, genderbent King Arthur retelling your bookshelf has been missing. ... An adventure of epic scale, including on-page representation and celebration of people of many different sexualities, races, and gender identities."—B&N Teen Blog

"Like White's The One and Future King, this manages to be exciting, earnest, and funny... Unique twists and a message of unity through diversity result in a meaningful, utterly fun read."—Booklist

"Pointedly funny and deftly topical, an effortless Arthurian update with heart in all the right places."—#1 New York Times Bestselling Author E.K. Johnston

"Once & Future is an utterly delightful romp, full of witty voice, imaginative adventures, and deeply lovable characters. It kept me up into the wee hours of the morning. I couldn't put it down!"—--Katherine Locke, author of The Girl with the Red Balloon (2018 Sydney Taylor Honor Book)

"An effortlessly fun, breathtakingly epic quest, featuring a queer immigrant teen pulling Excalibur and fighting to save the galaxy. There is nothing else in YA that can quite compare to Once & Future, which makes it a unique and majestic reading experience. It's the holy grail of inclusiveness!"—Rachel Strolle, Glenside Public Library

"Once & Future is a sizzling, bold exploration of gender, power, and revolution. Its dynamic and diverse cast will inspire and delight readers. I loved every second!"—Jessica Khoury, author of The Forbidden Wish

"A rip-roaring, no-holds-barred, gloriously queer reinvention of Arthurian legend."—Malinda Lo, author of Ash and A Line in the Dark

Oh the irony…

The kind of future I expect and parts that I hope for. The irony is spot on and hilarious. Fantastic small details for all of us who watched the sword in the stone as a kid. All together it was super cute.

Creative spin on King Arthur!

This story line had so many twists and turns. It kept me engaged throughout the whole book. I truly loved the futuristic spin on a very old tale.

Amazing!

I adored this book. The humor was everything I loved. The scifi element was blended with the traditional Arthurian tale. What could be better than a LGBTQ lady king Arthur in space? Nothing. I recommend this book to anyone and I look forward to the next installment.

Not bad, but not good

I loved how inclusive this was and really liked alot of the characters, but most of the concepts were under developed and it reads like a fanfiction.

Favorite

Only Arthurian legend I’ve been able to enjoy, so miracles can happen with a new enough story to make me change my mind