Format: E-Book
Release Date: July 28th 2021
Publisher: Oberon's Forge Press LLC
Source: Publisher
Genre: Mythology / Fantasy
King Arthur has Returned…
But
with Oberon satiated there's no more threat to the modern world. Best
to hide and wallow in guilt for the two lives he took: Jamie and Drea.
At least she gets a chance at a normal life.
But she doesn’t want
it. Alexandrea is haunted by memories she doesn’t trust, and she isn’t
sure what she’s more afraid of: Delusions of controlling the elements?
Or falling into Jamie’s arms?
Amid their uncertainty rises an old
threat: Morgana. Forced into a new body, she tries to refresh her life,
but the Grail is gone! Realizing Druids have returned, Morgana vows to
find them, and take one for herself.
Accepting the Mantle is the third installment in author Helen Savore's The Phoenix Succession. This book continues a month after the ending of The Sword in the Throne. This time around, the story isn't just about Alexandrea and Jamie, it also adds a new threat in Morgana who has been body swapping for a very long time and now wants to find the presumed last Druids left on the planet; Drea and Jamie. Morgana is the supreme druid after Merlin who was also the Phoenix and defied generations. Morgana has played a very long game.
She remembers the fae massacre of the druids at Camlann and Arthur and the Knights of the Round table falling and her own betrayal. When Morgana learns that the Grail is gone, she goes hunting for it and finds it in the most unusual places; Jamie who is now Arthur who was her half brother who she betrayed. Realizing the Druids have returned, Morgana tracks Jamie
and Drea down until it's a battle of wits and wills. With the Grail at hand, Morgana doesn't have to worry about forcing her way into a new body unless Drea or Jamie can stop her first.
Arthur was conceived to provide a vessel for Oberon's vessel but when his soul was reunited in Jamie after he summoned the Phoenix, he became the legendary Arthur. When Arthur/ Jamie healed Oberon, there was no further purpose for the Phoenix, and no more purpose for Arthur. Jamie in essence stole Drea's destiny when he took a piece of Arthur's soul from her which lingers for a very long time in this story. Jamie has no idea how much of him remains or if he now fully Arthur and the Phoenix. Arthur gave Oberon his humanity back so that is one less threat he has to worry about. For now.
Drea was trained by Moralynn, who was daughter of Morgana, to be the Phoenix Succession. She trained her entire life for the moment it would be her turn to carry the mantle only to be betrayed by Jamie. Now Drea has no memories of her life before thanks to Jamie aka Arthur. Drea struggles mightily to regain her life. She believes she's seeing illusions but can't say anything for fear of being put away in a asylum like Jamie's mother. She does remember Rhys, (who lost his leg thanks to Fae), and now wears a prosthetic. She remembers Phil who is her caretaker. Drea doesn't really come back to herself until she travels to meet with Titania aka Lady Fate.
I do believe that this is a fulfilling finale to the series and the ending is as good as it could get. I had issues with Jamie doing what he did to Drea and other spoiler-y things, but in the end he once again proves himself worthy of her. Drea has a rough time for a great chunk of this story, but with friends like Rhys around, things get better gradually. I do believe that the confrontation between Morgana, Jamie, and Drea wasn't rushed. It was fated.
Thank you to the author for reaching out to me and providing me a copy of this book. I am grateful that she considered me worthy of providing an unabridged and honest review.
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