The Call of Destiny

Book excerpt: A The Return of Arthur is unashamedly political, posing incisive and challenging questions to the liberal democracies of the West. Despite being a fantasy, it is also a zeitgeist novel, drawing on the current world climate to open a window into the future. Based on Mallory's Morte d'Arthur, the reader closely follows the magic and intrigue which surrounds the character of Arthur. From his childhood with the loving couple, Hector and Elizabeth, to his university days at Oxford, we see Arthur develop into a dashing and chivalrous young man, under Merlin's careful tutelage. Fulfilling Merlin's prophecy that he would usurp his real father's position as British Prime Minister, Arthur stands alone against a ruthless terrorist group, known as the Angels of Mercy. Faced with an impossible choice, Arthur knows how to act. Alan Fenton's second novel moves with relentless pace, making it eminently readable. Anthony Felsenstein.