King Arthur's been pretty much done to death: Crystal Cave, Once and Future King, etc. Now if you're like me, you're a huge fan of Arthurian legend but are becoming disenchanted by the huge volume of work on the subject that's pretty much all the same.
Enter Lawhead's "The Pendragon Cycle," a 5-book series that takes the King Arthur legend and breathes new life into it, setting in a distant Celtic past. (Yes, I know that "Crystal Cave" did that too, but trust me. This is MUCH better.) All the characters from the Arthur legend are present, but in different guises, so that it's always a surprise when you figure out somebody's identity. If you've read "American Gods," you'll recognize that feeling.
If you enjoy old Irish and Welsh mythos, there's a good chance you'll probably like this series. There's a lot of elements of classic myth here, mixed with a healthy dose of early Christianity and even the story of the lost kingdom of Atlantis. (Disclaimer: It's not nearly as stupid as it sounds. You'll have to trust me on this one.)
Pictured in this post, assuming I can get a picture up, is the cover of the first book "Taliesin," which focuses on the story of Merlin's parents: a druid bard and a princess of Atlantis. At its heart is a sort of classic Romeo & Juliet love story, but there's a lot more going on also.
Aside from being unique, visionary and all-around awesome, these books are beautifully written as well. Highly recommended.
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