The delightful escapades of Ari and her queer cadre of "knights" continue in this satisfyingly irreverent follow-up to Once & Future (2019). Those rusty on the first book's events, especially the role of the Mercer Corporation, will want to refresh before jumping into Capetta and McCarthy's madcap reworking of the Arthurian quest for the Holy Grail. Through a powerful bit of magic, Ari and company go back to the original Arthur's time, in hope of using the Grail to break the cycle of Arthur's reincarnation, as well as Merlin's cursed backward aging. As with any good time travel story, tension over messing up the future by disrupting the past thrums, not to mention the dangers of narrow-minded medieval society. It is a surprisingly eye-opening experience, and not just for the historical residents. Gwen, pregnant with Kay's baby, takes her prescribed place as Arthur's wife, turning Ari into this story's Lancelot. Meanwhile, Merlin's quest to discover his origins (and contend with his crotchety former self) is heart-wrenching and hilarious by turns. Empowering and boisterously modern.

A band of heroes travels through time to put an end to King Arthur's tragedy and save their future from corporate corruption.In this second and final installment of a science-fiction reimagining of Arthurian legend, Ari, Merlin, and their friends crash into the past to steal a magic chalice from Camelot. They are guided by their quest to set the spirit of King Arthur free from his cycle of reincarnation and put a stop to Mercer, a murderous mega-corporation. However, their plans fall apart when they find themselves entangled in the legend—love triangle included—with Ari in the role of Lancelot and Gwen married to Arthur. Meanwhile, Merlin ages backward every time he uses magic. One false move could disrupt their whole timeline. Capetta (The Storm of Life, 2020, etc.) and McCarthy (Once & Future, 2019, etc.) have crafted a fast-paced, turbulent plotline with satisfying twists and luscious queer romance. Throughout they critique the whitewashing of medieval European history and, particularly, Arthurian retellings. Their cast of characters displays an intentional diversity of identities, including polyamorous. Encounters with Merlin's past self and conflict with the Lady of the Lake explore the question of what makes someone a villain. Without rushing, the story resolves through a path of healing from the trauma of the past.A heroic finale. (Science fiction. 14-18)